It is a metabolite of diazepam, prazepam, and temazepam,[11] and has moderate amnesic, anxiolytic, anticonvulsant, hypnotic, sedative, and skeletal muscle relaxant properties compared to other benzodiazepines.

Oxazepam is sometimes prescribed off-label to treat social phobia, post-traumatic stress disorder, insomnia, premenstrual syndrome, and other conditions.

[citation needed] Withdrawal effects due to rapid decreases in dosage or abrupt discontinuation of oxazepam may include abdominal and muscle cramps, seizures, depression, insomnia, sweating, tremors, or nausea and vomiting.

Concomitant use of oxazepam and alcohol can lead to increased sedation, memory impairment, ataxia, decreased muscle tone, and, in severe cases or in predisposed patients, respiratory depression and coma.

Symptoms of an oxazepam overdose include:[23][24][25] Oxazepam is an intermediate-acting benzodiazepine of the 3-hydroxy family; it acts on benzodiazepine receptors, resulting in increased effect of GABA to the GABAA receptor which results in inhibitory effects on the central nervous system.

[37] It is in several countries the benzodiazepine of choice for novice users, due to a low chance of accumulation and a relatively slow absorption speed.

[39] Benzodiazepines, including diazepam, oxazepam, nitrazepam, and flunitrazepam, accounted for the largest volume of forged drug prescriptions in Sweden from 1982 to 1986.

[42] Oxazepam is marketed under many brand names worldwide, including: Alepam, Alepan, Anoxa, Anxiolit, Comedormir, durazepam, Murelax, Nozepam, Oksazepam, Opamox, Ox-Pam, Oxa-CT, Oxabenz, Oxamin, Oxapam, Oxapax, Oxascand, Oxaze, Oxazepam, Oxazépam, Oxazin, Oxepam, Praxiten, Purata, Selars, Serax, Serepax, Seresta, Séresta, Serpax, Sobril, Tazepam, Vaben, and Youfei.

[43] It is also marketed in combination with hyoscine as Novalona and in combination with alanine as Pausafrent T.[43] In 2013, a laboratory study which exposed European perch to oxazepam concentrations equivalent to those present in European rivers (1.8 μg/L) found that they exhibited increased activity, reduced sociality, and higher feeding rate.

[44] In 2016, a follow-up study which exposed salmon smolt to oxazepam for seven days before letting them migrate observed increased intensity of migratory behaviour compared to controls.

[45] A 2019 study associated this faster, bolder behaviour in exposed smolt to increased mortality due to a higher likelihood of being predated on.

The authors concluded that the effects previously attributed to oxazepam were instead likely caused by a combination of fish being stressed by human handling and small aquaria, followed by being exposed to a novel environment.