Key facts
- Active ingredient
- Meprobamate
- Form
- Tablet
- Strength
- Meprobamate 400MG
- Type
- Prescription (Rx)
- Brand or generic
- Generic
- May treat
- anxiety disorders, headache, muscle rigidity
- Manufacturer
- Tablicaps
- What the pharmacy pays
- ~$162.29 for 30 — not your price
- FDA application
- ANDA083494
- Availability
- Discontinued (per FDA)
What is Meprobamate?
From the FDA label:Meprobamate is a white powder with a characteristic odor and a bitter taste. It is slightly soluble in water, freely soluble in acetone and alcohol, and sparingly soluble in ether. The structural formula of meprobamate is: C 9 H 18 N 2 O 4 M.W. 218.25 Meprobamate Tablets USP 200 mg and 400 mg for oral administration contain the following inactive ingredients: colloidal silicon dioxide, magnesium stearate, microcrystalline cellulose, sodium starch glycolate and pregelatinised starch. Structure
How to use
Meprobamate Tablets USP: The usual adult daily dosage is 1200mg to 1600 mg, in three or four divided doses; a daily dosage above 2400 mg is not recommended. The usual daily dosage for children ages six to twelve years is 200 mg to 600 mg, in two or three divided doses. Not recommended for children under age 6 (see Usage in Children ).
Side effects
Central Nervous System Drowsiness, ataxia, dizziness, slurred speech, headache, vertigo, weakness, paresthesias, impairment of visual accommodation, euphoria, overstimulation, paradoxical excitement, fast EEG activity. Gastrointestinal Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea. Cardiovascular Palpitation, tachycardia, various forms of arrhythmia, transient ECG changes, syncope; also hypotensive crisis (including one fatal case). Allergic or Idiosyncratic Allergic or idiosyncratic reactions are usually seen within the period of the first to fourth dose in patients having had no previous contact with the drug. Milder reactions are characterized by an itchy, urticarial, or erythematous maculopapular rash which may be generalized or confined to the groin. Other reactions have included leukopenia, acute nonthrombocytopenic purpura, petechiae, ecchymoses, eosinophilia, peripheral edema, adenopathy, fever, fixed drug eruption with cross reaction to carisoprodol, and cross sensitivity between meprobamate/mebutamate and meprobamate/carbromal. More severe hypersensitivity reactions, rarely reported, include hyperpyrexia, chills, angioneurotic edema, bronchospasm, oliguria and anuria. Also, anaphylaxis, erythema multiforme, exfoliative dermatitis, stomatitis, proctitis, Stevens-Johnson syndrome and bullous dermatitis, including one fatal case of the latter following administration of meprobamate in…
Warnings
Important safety information
Drug Dependence Physical dependence, psychological dependence, and abuse have occurred. When chronic intoxication from prolonged use occurs, it usually involves ingestion of greater than recommended doses and is manifested by ataxia, slurred speech, and vertigo. Therefore, careful supervision of dose and amounts prescribed is advised, as well as avoidance of prolonged administration, especially for alcoholics and other patients with a known propensity for taking excessive quantities of drugs. Sudden withdrawal of the drug after prolonged and excessive use may precipitate recurrence of pre-existing symptoms such as anxiety, anorexia, insomnia, or withdrawal reactions such as vomiting, ataxia, tremors, muscle twitching, confusional states, hallucinosis, and rarely, convulsive seizures. Such seizures are more likely to occur in persons with central nervous system damage or pre-existent or latent convulsive disorders. Onset of withdrawal symptoms occurs usually within 12 to 48 hours after discontinuation of meprobamate; symptoms usually cease within the next 12 to 48 hours. When excessive dosage has continued for weeks or months, dosage should be reduced gradually over a period of one or two weeks rather than abruptly stopped. Alternatively, a long-acting barbiturate may be substituted, then gradually withdrawn. Potentially Hazardous Tasks Patients should be warned that meprobamate may impair the mental and/or physical abilities required for performance of potentially hazardous tasks such as driving or operating machinery. Additive Effects Since the effects of meprobamate and alcohol or meprobamate and other CNS depressants or psychotropic drugs may be additive, appropriate caution should be exercised with patients who take more than one of these agents simultaneously. Usage in Pregnancy and Lactation An increased risk of congenital malformations associated with the use of minor tranquilizers (meprobamate, chlordiazepoxide and diazepam) during the first trimester of pregnancy has been suggested in several studies. Because use of these drugs is rarely a matter of urgency, their use during this period should almost always be avoided. The possibility that a woman of childbearing potential may be pregnant at the time of institution of therapy should be considered. Patients should be advised that if they become pregnant during therapy or intend to become pregnant they should communicate with their physician about the desirability of discontinuing the drug. Meprobamate passes the placental barrier. It is present both in umbilical cord blood at or near maternal plasma levels and in breast milk of lactating mothers at concentrations two to four times that of maternal plasma. When use of meprobamate is contemplated in breastfeeding patients, the drug's higher concentration in breast milk as compared to maternal plasma should be considered. Usage in Children Meprobamate tablets should not be administered to children under age six, since there is a lack of documented evidence for safety and effectiveness in this age group.
Who should not take Meprobamate
Acute intermittent porphyria as well as allergic or idiosyncratic reactions to meprobamate or related compounds such as carisoprodol, mebutamate, tybamate, or carbromal.
Overdose — what happens if you take too much
Suicidal attempts with meprobamate have resulted in drowsiness, lethargy, stupor, ataxia, coma, shock, vasomotor, and respiratory collapse. Some suicidal attempts have been fatal. The following data on meprobamate tablets have been reported in the literature and from other sources. These data are not expected to correlate with each case (considering factors such as individual susceptibility and length of time from ingestion to treatment), but represent the usual ranges reported. Acute simple overdose (meprobamate alone): Death has been reported with ingestion of as little as 12 g meprobamate and survival with as much as 40 g. Blood Levels 0.5-2 mg% represents the usual blood level range of meprobamate after therapeutic doses. The level may occasionally be as high as 3 mg%. 3-10 mg% usually corresponds to findings of mild to moderate symptoms of overdosage, such as stupor or light coma. 10-20 mg% usually corresponds to deeper coma, requiring more intensive treatment. Some fatalities occur. At levels greater than 20 mg%, more fatalities than survivals can be expected. Acute combined overdose (meprobamate with alcohol or other CNS depressants or psychotropic drugs): Since effects can be additive, a history of ingestion of a low dose of meprobamate plus any of these compounds (or of a relative low blood or tissue level) cannot be used as a prognostic indicator. In cases where…
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.
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 Meprobamate treat?
- Meprobamate (Meprobamate) may be used to treat anxiety disorders, headache, muscle rigidity, muscle spasticity, spasm, 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 much does Meprobamate 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 $162.29 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. Pharmacies pay less for a same-class option, Lorazepam — about $1.14 on the same basis.
- Is there a coupon or discount for Meprobamate?
- pharmaranks is an independent ratings site, not a pharmacy — we don't issue coupons or sell Meprobamate. To pay less, Meprobamate 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 Meprobamate?
- Meprobamate is marketed by Tablicaps. You can see Tablicaps's full profile, rating, and other products on pharmaranks.
- Is Meprobamate a brand-name or generic drug?
- Meprobamate is a generic medication; its active ingredient is Meprobamate. Generics contain the same active ingredient as the brand-name original and are usually lower cost.
- Is Meprobamate available over the counter?
- No. Meprobamate 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 Meprobamate come in?
- Meprobamate is currently marketed as tablet, per the FDA's National Drug Code Directory.
- Is Meprobamate FDA-registered?
- Meprobamate is on record with the U.S. FDA under application number ANDA083494. You can verify this on its official FDA label.
- Is Meprobamate safe?
- There's no single safe-or-not verdict, and we don't yet have a composite recall-safety score for Meprobamate. Review its FDA-label side effects and warnings below, and always consult a licensed professional.
- What are the side effects of Meprobamate?
- Meprobamate's side effects are taken directly from its FDA label. From the label: Central Nervous System Drowsiness, ataxia, dizziness, slurred speech, headache, vertigo, weakness, paresthesias, impairment of visual accommodation, euphoria, overstimulation, paradoxical excitement, fast EEG activity. Gastrointestinal Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea. Cardiovascular Palpitation,… 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.
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to write one.
People also viewed
botox
Onabotulinumtoxina
botox cosmetic
Onabotulinumtoxina
robaxin
Methocarbamol
buspirone hydrochloride
Buspirone Hydrochloride
lanoxin pediatric
Digoxin
lorazepam
Lorazepam
Compare Meprobamate head-to-head
Browse medications A–Z
Research products from A to Z, compare independent ratings, and find alternatives.
meprobamate
New