💊 Baclofen Tablet 5 mg
📘 Description:
Baclofen 5 mg tablet is a muscle relaxant and antispastic agent, primarily used to treat muscle spasticity due to neurological disorders like multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury, or cerebral palsy. It works by acting on the central nervous system (CNS) to reduce excessive nerve signals to the muscles.
🔬 Formulation:
- Active Ingredient: Baclofen
- Strength: 5 mg per tablet
- Form: Oral tablet (round, scored or unscored, varies by brand)
- Common Brands: Lioresal®, Bacloflex®, Bacfen®, Baclofen-Aurobindo, etc.
🧪 Nature / Mechanism of Action:
- Class: Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) agonist
- Mechanism: Stimulates GABA-B receptors in the spinal cord → inhibits excitatory neurotransmitter release → reduces spasticity and muscle tone
🩺 Indications / Uses:
- ✅ Muscle spasticity due to:
- Multiple sclerosis
- Spinal cord lesions or injury
- Cerebral palsy
- Stroke (in some cases)
- ✅ Sometimes used off-label for:
- Alcohol dependence/cravings
- Chronic hiccups
- Trigeminal neuralgia
✅ Advantages:
- Effective in reducing involuntary muscle spasms
- Improves mobility and comfort in patients with neurological disorders
- Well absorbed orally
- Can be titrated for optimal effect with minimal side effects
⚠️ Precautions:
- Start low dose and titrate slowly to avoid CNS depression
- Use caution in:
- Renal impairment (drug is renally excreted)
- Elderly patients (more sensitive to side effects)
- History of psychiatric illness or seizures
- Do not stop abruptly – may cause withdrawal symptoms like confusion, hallucinations, rebound spasticity, or seizures
📦 Storage:
- Store at room temperature (15–30°C)
- Protect from light and moisture
- Keep out of reach of children