Baclofen
A skeletal muscle relaxant used to relieve muscle spasm, especially when due to trauma or disease of the central nervous system, such as multiple sclerosis, meningitis, or cerebral palsy. Dosages should be increased slowly to avoid side effects. It is available, on * prescription only, as tablets or a sugar-free liquid.
Side effects: sedation, drowsiness, and nausea are the most common. Less common side effects include confusion, dizziness, headache, insomnia, tremor, loss of sensation in the extremities, muscle pain and weakness, and (rarely) hallucinations and convulsions.
Precautions: baclofen should not be taken by people with peptic ulcer and it should be used with caution in those with psychiatric illness, liver or kidney disease, stroke, diabetes, epilepsy, and porphyria and in women who are pregnant or breastfeeding. The drug should be withdrawn gradually at the end of treatment.
Interactions with other drugs:
Anti-arrhythmic drugs: procainamide and quinidine increase the effect of baclofen.
Antihypertensives: baclofen increases their effect in lowering blood pressure.
Tricyclic antidepressants: increase the effect of baclofen.
Proprietary preparations: Baclospas; Balgifen; Lioresal.