methocarbamol

What is Methocarbamol?

From the FDA label:Methocarbamol Tablets USP,1000 mg, a carbamate derivative of gualfenesin, is a central nervous system (CNS) depressant with sedative and musculoskeletal relaxant properties. The chemical name of methocarbamol is a 3-(2 methoxyphenoxy)-1,2-propanediol 1-carbamate and has the empirical formula C11H15NO5. Its molecular weight is 241.24. The structural formula is shown below. Methocarbamol is a white powder, sparingly soluble in water and chloroform, soluble in alcohol (only with heating) and propylene glycol, and insoluble in benzene and n-hexane. Methocarbamol tablet, 1000 mg is available as an orange, film coated, oblong-shaped tablet containing 1000 mg of methocarbamol, USP for oral administration. The inactive ingredients present are microcrystalline cellulose, croscarmellose sodium, FD&C Yellow 6 aluminum lake, hydroxypropyl cellulose, hypromellose, magnesium stearate, lactose monohydrate, polyethylene glycol, triacetin, titanium dioxide. Methocarbamol Structure

How to use

Methocarbamol is sold in more than one form (Injectable and Tablet), and each is dosed differently. The instructions below come from the FDA label for application ANDA200958 — follow the label that came with the product you were actually prescribed.

Side effects

Warnings

Who should not take Methocarbamol

Overdose — what happens if you take too much

Interactions

How long does Methocarbamol stay in your body?

The elimination half-life of methocarbamol is about 1 to 2 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. The FDA label reports a mean plasma elimination half-life of 1 to 2 hours in healthy volunteers (about 1.1 hours in a younger group). It names no active metabolite: methocarbamol is cleared by dealkylation, hydroxylation and likely conjugation, and essentially all metabolites leave in the urine, with the label describing no lingering active one. Older adults clear it only slightly more slowly (mean 1.5 hours at a mean age of 69, vs 1.1 hours in a younger group). Kidney impairment barely changes the half-life — in 8 hemodialysis patients it was 1.2 hours vs 1.1 hours in normal subjects — even though total clearance fell about 40%. Liver disease matters most: in 8 patients with alcohol-related cirrhosis, total clearance dropped roughly 70% and the mean half-life rose to about 3.4 hours. Protein binding is 46-50% normally and drops to roughly 40-45% in cirrhosis and 41-43% in older adults. These figures come from immediate-release oral tablets and the IM/IV injection; the label covers no extended-release methocarbamol form.

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: Methocarbamol Tablets USP — FDA label, Clinical Pharmacology (Pharmacokinetics), DailyMed.

Frequently asked questions

What does Methocarbamol treat?

Methocarbamol (Methocarbamol) may be used to treat muscle cramp, muscle rigidity, myositis, pain, spasm, tetanus, 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 does Methocarbamol work?

Methocarbamol is a muscle relaxant. Most muscle relaxants work in the brain and spinal cord rather than on the muscle itself: they damp down the overactive nerve signals and reflexes that keep muscles tense, easing spasms and tightness. Some specialized agents instead act directly on muscle calcium release.

How much does Methocarbamol 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. Pharmacies pay less for a same-class option, Amrix — about $0.63 on the same basis.

Is there a coupon or discount for Methocarbamol?

pharmaranks is an independent ratings site, not a pharmacy — we don't issue coupons or sell Methocarbamol. To pay less, Methocarbamol 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 Methocarbamol?

Methocarbamol is marketed by Bostal. You can see Bostal's full profile, rating, and other products on pharmaranks.

Is Methocarbamol a brand-name or generic drug?

Methocarbamol is a generic medication; its active ingredient is Methocarbamol. Generics contain the same active ingredient as the brand-name original and are usually lower cost.

Is Methocarbamol available over the counter?

No. Methocarbamol 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 Methocarbamol come in?

Methocarbamol is currently marketed as injectable and tablet, per the FDA's National Drug Code Directory.

What class of drug is Methocarbamol?

Methocarbamol is classified as muscle relaxant, per the FDA's Established Pharmacologic Class.

Is Methocarbamol FDA-registered?

Methocarbamol is on record with the U.S. FDA under application number ANDA200958. You can verify this on its official FDA label.

Is Methocarbamol safe?

There's no single safe-or-not verdict, and we don't yet have a composite recall-safety score for Methocarbamol. Review its FDA-label side effects and warnings below, and always consult a licensed professional.

What are the side effects of Methocarbamol?

Methocarbamol's side effects are taken directly from its FDA label. From the label: Adverse reactions reported coincident with the administration of methocarbamol include: Body as a whole: Anaphylactic reaction, angioneurotic edema, fever, headache Cardiovascular system: Bradycardia, flushing, hypotension, syncope, thrombophlebitis Digestive system: Dyspepsia,… 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.