Methaqualone
QUAALUDE
“Quiet Interlude (for) Metal aqua-lung”
What it isSedative-hypnotic GABA-A modulator; withdrawn worldwide.
Why this oneIt was widely prescribed as a non-barbiturate hypnotic.
What limits itDependence and a lethal overdose profile led to global withdrawal. Illicit manufacture persists in some regions.
Methaqualone prescription history
Animated chart of estimated U.S. prescriptions per year, Sleep meds (1869–2026). Methaqualone enters in 1965 (estimated).
FDA-approved for
- insomnia and anxiolysis (withdrawn 1984; now Schedule I)
NO BOXED WARNINGS
Principal riskWithdrawn; dependence and lethal overdose
Classes and tags
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Self-check
- Why was methaqualone withdrawn worldwide?
Dependence and a lethal overdose profile. - Which receptor system does methaqualone modulate?
GABA-A.