buspirone hydrochloride
Pharmaranks rates Buspirone Hydrochloride 3.5/5 for recall safety — an independent score from its FDA recall history and its manufacturer's record. Buspirone Hydrochloride is a medication used to treat Anxiety Disorders, Depressive Disorder, Intellectual Disability.
Generic · by Impax
Generic of Buspar
Based on 1 source · Recall-safety score from FDA recall history — this product's own recalls and its manufacturer's record. Not an efficacy or quality rating. methodology →
Key facts
- Active ingredient
- Buspirone Hydrochloride
- Form
- Tablet
- Strength
- Buspirone Hydrochloride 10MG · Buspirone Hydrochloride 15MG · Buspirone Hydrochloride 5MG
- Type
- Prescription (Rx)
- Brand or generic
- Generic
- Manufacturer
- Impax
- Half-life
- about 2 to 3 hours (how long it stays in your system)
- What the pharmacy pays
- ~$1.27 for 30 — not your price
- FDA application
- ANDA074253
What is Buspirone Hydrochloride?
From the FDA label:Buspirone hydrochloride tablets, USP is an antianxiety agent that is not chemically or pharmacologically related to the benzodiazepines, barbiturates, or other sedative/anxiolytic drugs. Buspirone hydrochloride is a white crystalline powder, very soluble in water, freely soluble in methanol and in methylene chloride; sparingly soluble in ethanol and in acetonitrile; very slightly soluble in ethyl acetate, practically insoluble in hexane with a molecular weight of 422.0. Chemically, buspirone hydrochloride is 8-[4-[4-(2-pyrimidinyl)-1-piperazinyl]butyl]-8-azaspiro[4.5]decane-7,9-dione monohydrochloride. The molecular formula C 21 H 31 N 5 O 2 • HCl is represented by the following structural formula: Buspirone hydrochloride is supplied as tablets for oral administration containing 5 mg, 7.5 mg, 10 mg, 15 mg, or 30 mg of buspirone hydrochloride, USP (equivalent to 4.6 mg, 6.9 mg, 9.1 mg, 13.7 mg, and 27.4 mg of buspirone free base, respectively). The 5 mg and 10 mg tablets are scored so they can be bisected. Thus, the 5 mg tablet can also provide a 2.5 mg dose, and the 10 mg tablet can provide a 5 mg dose. The 15 mg and 30 mg tablets are provided in a multi-scored tablet design. These tablets are scored so they can be either bisected or trisected. Thus, a single 15 mg tablet can provide the following doses: 15 mg (entire tablet), 10 mg (two thirds of a tablet), 7.5 mg (one half…
How to use
The recommended initial dose is 15 mg daily (7.5 mg b.i.d.). To achieve an optimal therapeutic response, at intervals of 2 to 3 days the dosage may be increased 5 mg per day, as needed. The maximum daily dosage should not exceed 60 mg per day. In clinical trials allowing dose titration, divided doses of 20 mg to 30 mg per day were commonly employed. The bioavailability of buspirone is increased when given with food as compared to the fasted state (see CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY ). Consequently, patients should take buspirone in a consistent manner with regard to the timing of dosing; either always with or always without food. When buspirone is to be given with a potent inhibitor of CYP3A4, the dosage recommendations described in the PRECAUTIONS : Drug Interactions section should be followed. Switching a Patient To or From a Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitor (MAOI) Antidepressant At least 14 days should elapse between discontinuation of an MAOI intended to treat depression and initiation of therapy with buspirone hydrochloride. Conversely, at least 14 days should be allowed after stopping buspirone hydrochloride before starting an MAOI antidepressant (see CONTRAINDICATIONS and DRUG INTERACTIONS ). Use of buspirone hydrochloride with (Reversible) MAOIs, Such as Linezolid or Methylene Blue Do not start buspirone hydrochloride in a patient who is being treated with a reversible MAOI such as…
Side effects
(See also PRECAUTIONS) Commonly Observed The more commonly observed untoward events associated with the use of buspirone hydrochloride not seen at an equivalent incidence among placebo-treated patients include dizziness, nausea, headache, nervousness, lightheadedness, and excitement. Associated with Discontinuation of Treatment One guide to the relative clinical importance of adverse events associated with buspirone hydrochloride is provided by the frequency with which they caused drug discontinuation during clinical testing. Approximately 10% of the 2200 anxious patients who participated in the buspirone hydrochloride premarketing clinical efficacy trials in anxiety disorders lasting 3 to 4 weeks discontinued treatment due to an adverse event. The more common events causing discontinuation included: central nervous system disturbances (3.4%), primarily dizziness, insomnia, nervousness, drowsiness, and lightheaded feeling; gastrointestinal disturbances (1.2%), primarily nausea; and miscellaneous disturbances (1.1%), primarily headache and fatigue. In addition, 3.4% of patients had multiple complaints, none of which could be characterized as primary. Incidence in Controlled Clinical Trials The table that follows enumerates adverse events that occurred at a frequency of 1% or more among buspirone hydrochloride patients who participated in 4-week, controlled trials comparing…
Warnings
Important safety information
The administration of buspirone hydrochloride to a patient taking a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) may pose a hazard. There have been reports of the occurrence of elevated blood pressure when buspirone hydrochloride has been added to a regimen including an MAOI. Therefore, it is recommended that buspirone hydrochloride not be used concomitantly with an MAOI. Serotonin Syndrome The development of a potentially life-threatening serotonin syndrome has been reported with SNRIs, SSRIs, and other serotonergic drugs, including buspirone, alone but particularly with concomitant use of other serotonergic drugs (including triptans), with drugs that impair metabolism of serotonin (in particular, MAOIs, including reversible MAOIs such as linezolid and intravenous methylene blue), or with antipsychotics or other dopamine antagonists. Serotonin syndrome symptoms may include mental status changes (e.g., agitation, hallucinations, delirium, and coma), autonomic instability (e.g., tachycardia, labile blood pressure, dizziness, diaphoresis, flushing, hyperthermia), neuromuscular changes (e.g., tremor, rigidity, myoclonus, hyperreflexia, incoordination), seizures, and/or gastrointestinal symptoms (e.g., nausea, vomiting, diarrhea). Patients should be monitored for emergence of serotonin syndrome. The concomitant use of buspirone with MAOIs intended to treat depression is contraindicated. Buspirone should also not be started in a patient who is being treated with reversible MAOIs such as linezolid or intravenous methylene blue. All reports with methylene blue that provided information on the route of administration involved intravenous administration in the dose range of 1 mg/kg to 8 mg/kg. There have been no reports involving the administration of methylene blue by other routes (such as oral tablets or local tissue injection) or at lower doses. There may be circumstances when it is necessary to initiate treatment with a reversible MAOI such as linezolid or intravenous methylene blue in a patient taking buspirone. Buspirone should be discontinued before initiating treatment with the reversible MAOI [see CONTRAINDICATIONS , DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION AND DRUG INTERACTIONS ]. If concomitant use of buspirone with a 5-hydroxytryptmine receptor agonist (triptan) is clinically warranted, careful observation of the patient is advised, particularly during treatment initiation and dose increases. The concomitant use of buspirone with serotonin precursors (such as tryptophan) is not recommended. Treatment with buspirone and any concomitant serotonergic or antidopaminergic agents, including antipsychotics, should be discontinued immediately if the above events occur and supportive symptomatic treatment should be initiated. Because buspirone hydrochloride has no established antipsychotic activity, it should not be employed in lieu of appropriate antipsychotic treatment.
Who should not take Buspirone Hydrochloride
Buspirone hydrochloride tablets are contraindicated in patients hypersensitive to buspirone hydrochloride. The use of monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) intended to treat depression with buspirone or within 14 days of stopping treatment with buspirone is contraindicated because of an increased risk of serotonin syndrome and/or elevated blood pressure. The use of buspirone within 14 days of stopping an MAOI intended to treat depression is also contraindicated. Starting buspirone in a patient who is being treated with reversible MAOIs such as linezolid or intravenous methylene blue is also contraindicated because of an increased risk of serotonin syndrome. (see WARNINGS , DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION AND DRUG INTERACTIONS )
Overdose — what happens if you take too much
Signs and Symptoms In clinical pharmacology trials, doses as high as 375 mg/day were administered to healthy male volunteers. As this dose was approached, the following symptoms were observed: nausea, vomiting, dizziness, drowsiness, miosis, and gastric distress. A few cases of overdosage have been reported, with complete recovery as the usual outcome. No deaths have been reported following overdosage with buspirone hydrochloride alone. Rare cases of intentional overdosage with a fatal outcome were invariably associated with ingestion of multiple drugs and/or alcohol, and a causal relationship to buspirone could not be determined. Toxicology studies of buspirone yielded the following LD 50 values: mice, 655 mg/kg; rats, 196 mg/kg; dogs, 586 mg/kg; and monkeys, 356 mg/kg. These dosages are 160 to 550 times the recommended human daily dose. Recommended Overdose Treatment General symptomatic and supportive measures should be used along with immediate gastric lavage. Respiration, pulse, and blood pressure should be monitored as in all cases of drug overdosage. No specific antidote is known to buspirone, and dialyzability of buspirone has not been determined.
U.S. Poison Control: call or text 1-800-222-1222 (free, 24/7). In an emergency call 911. From the FDA label; not medical advice.
Interactions
Psychotropic Agents MAO inhibitors: The use of monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) intended to treat depression with buspirone or within 14 days of stopping treatment with buspirone is contraindicated because of an increased risk of serotonin syndrome and/or elevated blood pressure. The use of buspirone within 14 days of stopping an MAOI intended to treat depression is also contraindicated. Amitriptyline: After addition of buspirone to the amitriptyline dose regimen, no statistically significant differences in the steady-state pharmacokinetic parameters (C max , AUC, and C min ) of amitriptyline or its metabolite nortriptyline were observed. Diazepam : After addition of buspirone to the diazepam dose regimen, no statistically significant differences in the steady-state pharmacokinetic parameters (C max , AUC, and C min ) were observed for diazepam, but increases of about 15% were seen for nordiazepam, and minor adverse clinical effects (dizziness, headache, and nausea) were observed. Haloperidol: In a study in normal volunteers, concomitant administration of buspirone and haloperidol resulted in increased serum haloperidol concentrations. The clinical significance of this finding is not clear. Nefazodone : (see Inhibitors and Inducers of Cytochrome P450 3A4 [CYP3A4] ) Trazodone: There is one report suggesting that the concomitant use of Desyrel ® (trazodone hydrochloride) and buspirone may have caused 3- to 6-fold elevations on SGPT (ALT) in a few patients. In a similar study attempting to replicate this finding, no interactive effect on hepatic transaminases was identified. Triazolam/Flurazepam : Coadministration of buspirone with either triazolam or flurazepam did not appear to prolong or intensify the sedative effects of either benzodiazepine. Other Psychotropics: Because the effects of concomitant administration of buspirone with most other psychotropic drugs have not been studied, the concomitant use of buspirone with other CNS-active drugs should be approached with caution.
Foods & drinks to be careful with
Well-established interactions for this medicine’s drug class, summarized from public health authorities. General information, not medical advice — always confirm with your pharmacist or the label.
Grapefruit & grapefruit juice
Watch out for: grapefruit and grapefruit juice (and, for some drugs, Seville oranges).
Grapefruit blocks a gut enzyme (CYP3A4) that normally breaks this medicine down, so more of it can enter your blood — raising the risk of side effects.
What to do: Avoid grapefruit and grapefruit juice with this medicine unless your pharmacist or the label says it's fine — check, because not every drug in a class is affected the same way.
Source: Grapefruit Juice and Some Drugs Don't Mix — U.S. FDA
How long does Buspirone Hydrochloride stay in your body?
The elimination half-life of buspirone hydrochloride is about 2 to 3 hours — the time it takes the body to clear about half of it. As a rule of thumb, a medicine is mostly gone after roughly 4 to 5 half-lives, though this varies from person to person with age and kidney or liver function. This is the parent drug's elimination half-life; buspirone has an active metabolite (1-PP) with roughly one-quarter of its activity, but the label documents no longer metabolite half-life, so effective duration is not materially extended. Buspirone shows nonlinear pharmacokinetics, and blood levels rise sharply in liver impairment (steady-state AUC ~13-fold higher) and kidney impairment (~4-fold higher).
This is general information, not medical advice. It doesn’t tell you when a drug test would read negative (tests detect substances for different, often longer, windows) or when it’s safe to take another dose — ask your pharmacist or prescriber. Source: BUSPAR (buspirone hydrochloride) tablet — DailyMed.
May treat (source: NIH RxClass)
Dosage forms
Tablet
The forms currently marketed in the U.S., per the FDA National Drug Code Directory.
Ways to save
Ask for the generic
Same active ingredient, far cheaper. Is there a generic? →
Request a 90-day supply
Bulk fills usually lower the per-dose price vs monthly refills.
Use copay cards
Manufacturer copay cards & patient-assistance programs — especially for brand drugs.
Compare alternatives
A same-class option may cost less. See alternatives →
Frequently asked questions
- What does Buspirone Hydrochloride treat?
- Buspirone Hydrochloride (Buspirone Hydrochloride) may be used to treat anxiety disorders, depressive disorder, intellectual disability, based on NIH RxClass drug-classification data (conditions a drug may treat — not a verbatim copy of the FDA-approved label). This is general reference, not medical advice.
- How is Buspirone Hydrochloride rated?
- pharmaranks gives Buspirone Hydrochloride a composite score of 3.5 out of 5, currently based on 1 weighted source (FDA regulatory recall-safety data weighted highest). See our methodology at /how-we-rate.
- How much does Buspirone Hydrochloride cost?
- Nobody can tell you what you will pay — your price is set by your insurer's formulary, your deductible and the pharmacy's markup, and none of those are published. What IS published is what the pharmacy paid to acquire it: about $1.27 for 30, per the CMS NADAC survey. Treat that as the floor, not the quote — ask the pharmacist for the cash price as well as your copay, because for cheap generics the cash price often wins.
- Is there a coupon or discount for Buspirone Hydrochloride?
- pharmaranks is an independent ratings site, not a pharmacy — we don't issue coupons or sell Buspirone Hydrochloride. To pay less, Buspirone Hydrochloride is already a generic — usually the lowest-cost version — so the main levers are comparing cash prices between pharmacies and using a pharmacy discount-card service. Prices vary by pharmacy, insurance, and location, so always confirm at the counter. This is general reference, not medical or financial advice.
- Who makes Buspirone Hydrochloride?
- Buspirone Hydrochloride is marketed by Impax. You can see Impax's full profile, rating, and other products on pharmaranks.
- Is Buspirone Hydrochloride a brand-name or generic drug?
- Buspirone Hydrochloride is a generic medication; its active ingredient is Buspirone Hydrochloride. Generics contain the same active ingredient as the brand-name original and are usually lower cost.
- Is Buspirone Hydrochloride available over the counter?
- No. Buspirone Hydrochloride is a prescription (Rx) medication in the US — you need a prescription from a licensed clinician (in person or via telehealth); it isn't sold over the counter. For some conditions there are OTC alternatives — ask your pharmacist.
- What forms does Buspirone Hydrochloride come in?
- Buspirone Hydrochloride is currently marketed as tablet, per the FDA's National Drug Code Directory.
- Is Buspirone Hydrochloride FDA-registered?
- Buspirone Hydrochloride is on record with the U.S. FDA under application number ANDA074253. You can verify this on its official FDA label.
- Has Buspirone Hydrochloride been recalled by the FDA?
- Buspirone Hydrochloride has no FDA recalls recorded under its own application in the openFDA enforcement database. Its recall-safety score reflects its manufacturer's overall recall record. This is general reference, not medical advice — check the FDA recall database for the latest alerts.
- Is Buspirone Hydrochloride safe?
- There's no single safe-or-not verdict. pharmaranks gives Buspirone Hydrochloride a recall-safety score of 70/100, based on its FDA recall history (no recalls under its own FDA application) — not an efficacy or side-effect rating. Review its FDA-label side effects and warnings before use, and always consult a licensed professional.
- What are the side effects of Buspirone Hydrochloride?
- Buspirone Hydrochloride's side effects are taken directly from its FDA label. From the label: (See also PRECAUTIONS) Commonly Observed The more commonly observed untoward events associated with the use of buspirone hydrochloride not seen at an equivalent incidence among placebo-treated patients include dizziness, nausea, headache, nervousness, lightheadedness, and excitement.… Both common and serious reactions are documented in full on this page. This is general reference from the FDA, not medical advice — always consult a professional.
Clinical content sourced from the FDA label via openFDA (U.S. FDA). View the FDA label on DailyMed → Provided for general reference only — not medical advice. Always consult a licensed professional and the current prescribing information.
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