 It is around four times the potency of diazepam (0.32 mg/kg versus 1.2 mg/kg in animal models) but it is both water-soluble and un-ionized at physiological pH meaning that its onset is very fast.Zolazepam was developed by Horace A. de Wald and Donald E. Butler for Parke-Davis and was the result of a very detailed analysis of the benzodiazepine structure ( filed in 1969).Zolazepam, in combination with tiletamine, has been used in the tranquilization of wild animals, such as gorillas and polar bears, and has been found to be superior to ketamine because of reduced side-effects.