Aspirin Mepobramate Combinations
Equagesic and other aspirin mepobramate combinations were once common in use as painkillers. They are used as sedatives and pain killers. These have a combination of different doses of Aspirin and meprobamate.
Bruce Lee the famous martial arts artist and actor was believed to have died by edema developing in the brain after a reaction to Equagesic, according to the coroner examination.
The most commonly used trade name of aspirin mepobramate combinations is Equagesic. The drug is indicated for short term pain treatment accompanied by tension or anxiety in patients with musculoskeletal disorders or tension headache.
Equagesic is now not used in the United States because of its toxicity and since other more powerful, potent and specific pain killers are now available.
These pain killers unlike aspirin mepobramate combinations don’t have any sedating properties or abuse potential.
This combination was used in pains due to muscle spasms and back aches. This is because it not only had analgesic effect but also the muscle relaxing property of meprobamate.
Reason for discontinuation
One of the reasons why this combination fell out of favor of medical community is that it was more toxic than benzodiazepines, which were also useful as a mild muscle relaxant.
Meprobamate is classified as a Schedule 4 controlled substance under the Controlled Substance Act (CSA).
They are more physically sedating and mind numbing. Meprobamate, sold most commonly under the trade name Milltown which was used for its minor tranquilizing effect in 1950’s.
The incidence of increasing number of cases of abuse of meprobamate and its combinations raised concerns to make these drugs more controlled. Later on these were even banned in some countries of the world.
Due to the highly sedating nature and mind-numbing effects, the use of meprobamate and its combinations like aspirin mepobramate combination dropped greatly when valium, the first benzodiazepine was introduced into the market and began its distribution..