Etaqualone (Aolan, Athinazone, Ethinazone[1]) is a quinazolinone-class GABAergic and is an analogue of methaqualone that was developed in the 1960s[2][3] and marketed mainly in France and some other European countries.
It has sedative, hypnotic, muscle relaxant and central nervous system depressant properties resulting from its agonist activity at the β-subtype of the GABAA receptor, and was used for the treatment of insomnia.
Recreational effects include euphoria, relaxation, increased sociability and sexuality, reduction of short-term memory, and loss of coordination.
Ethaqualone can be present as a free base, insoluble in water but soluble in alcohol and nonpolar solvents, or as a water-soluble hydrochloride salt which is about 85% as potent as the freebase by weight [citation needed].
The most common route of administration of etaqualone is oral, but snorting the salt or smoking the free base have also been reported [citation needed].