Two medicines, side by side
Acebutolol vs allopurinol
Acebutolol is labeled for high blood pressure; allopurinol for gout. Their labels share no use, so they are not alternatives to each other. Drugs@FDA records approvals of acebutolol since 1984 and of allopurinol since 1966. Pharmacies paid $0.615 per acebutolol 200 mg capsule and $0.0315 per allopurinol 100 mg tablet (NADAC, October 7, 2026); the strengths differ, so the two prices are not like for like. In FDA's classes, acebutolol is a beta-adrenergic blocker and allopurinol a xanthine oxidase inhibitor.
Check it at the source: the acebutolol FDA label on DailyMed (effective December 11, 2024); the allopurinol FDA label on DailyMed (effective May 21, 2026).
Highlights of the acebutolol record
Acebutolol (Sectral) · label of December 11, 2024
Used for
From the label: indicationsHypertension Acebutolol hydrochloride capsules are indicated for the management of hypertension in adults. It may be used alone or in combination with other antihypertensive agents, especially thiazide-type diuretics. […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- December 28, 1984
- Generic labelers
- 6 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.615 per capsule
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 0
Highlights of the allopurinol record
Allopurinol (Zyloprim) · label of May 21, 2026
Used for
From the label: indicationsAllopurinol tablet is indicated for: The management of adults with signs and symptoms of primary or secondary gout (acute attacks, tophi, joint destruction, uric acid lithiasis, and/or nephropathy) The management of adult and pediatric patients with leukemia, lymphoma and solid tumor malignancies who are receiving cancer therapy which causes elevations of serum and urinary uric acid levels The management of adult […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- August 19, 1966
- Generic labelers
- 44 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.0315 per tablet
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- A presentation being discontinued
- Recalls
- 6
Source: FDA drug labels via openFDA (Acebutolol label of December 11, 2024, Allopurinol label of May 21, 2026); NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA, NADAC, FDA shortages and recalls (October 8, 2026)
How do acebutolol and allopurinol differ on the record?
In FDA's classes, acebutolol is a beta-adrenergic blocker and allopurinol a xanthine oxidase inhibitor.
Half-life, in each label's words: Acebutolol, “The plasma elimination half-life of acebutolol is approximately 3 to 4 hours, while that of its metabolite, diacetolol …”; Allopurinol, “Elimination The half-life of allopurinol and oxipurinol are approximately 1 hour to 2 hours and 15 hours following oral …”
Generics: acebutolol since 1995; allopurinol since 1985 (Drugs@FDA).
| Acebutolol | Allopurinol | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | High blood pressure | Gout |
| Pharmacologic class | beta-Adrenergic Blocker | Xanthine Oxidase Inhibitor |
| How it works (label) | n/a | Allopurinol is a structural analogue of the natural purine base, hypoxanthine. Allopurinol acts on purine catabolism, without disrupting the biosynthesis of purines. |
| Half-life (label) | The plasma elimination half-life of acebutolol is approximately 3 to 4 hours, while that of its metabolite, diacetolol, is 8 to 13 hours. | Elimination The half-life of allopurinol and oxipurinol are approximately 1 hour to 2 hours and 15 hours following oral dose of allopurinol, respectively. |
| Earliest approval on file (Drugs@FDA) | December 28, 1984 | August 19, 1966 |
| First generic approved | April 24, 1995 | December 10, 1985 |
| Generic labelers (NDC) | 6 labelers | 44 labelers |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC, each one's most listed form; strengths differ) | $0.615 per capsule (Acebutolol 200 mg capsule) | $0.0315 per tablet (Allopurinol 100 mg tablet) |
| 12-month price change | -0.3% | -20% |
| Boxed warning | No | No |
| Shortage now | No current entry | A presentation being discontinued |
| Recalls recorded | 0 | 6 |
| FAERS reports (a report is not proof of cause; counts follow how widely a medicine is used) | 1,258 | 155,998 |
| DEA schedule | none | none |
Source: Drugs@FDA, FDA NDC Directory, CMS NADAC of October 7, 2026, FDA shortages and recalls, FAERS via openFDA (FDA files October 8, 2026)
What next?
- Alternatives to acebutolol
- every medicine labeled for the same conditions