Tag: Centrally acting

First approved for medical use in 1959, Soma, or its generic carisoprodol, is a prescription medication used to treat painful muscle conditions. So, what kind of muscle relaxer is Soma and why is its use so strictly controlled?

First described pharmacologically in 1959, fenyramidol is a centrally-acting skeletal muscle relaxant and analgesic that was developed to treat painful musculoskeletal conditions. While it showed effectiveness in relieving pain and muscle spasms, it is no longer widely used or approved in many countries due to the availability of newer, safer alternatives. It is also known by its United States Adopted Name (USAN), phenyramidol, and was marketed under the trade name Cabral.

Though once prescribed for hypertension, both the brand-name version (Wytensin) and generic forms of **guanabenz** have been discontinued in the United States. So, **what does Guanabenz do** and how did it affect the body? It functioned primarily as a centrally-acting alpha-2 adrenergic agonist to lower blood pressure.