alosetron vs prochlorperazine
Side-by-side comparison of alosetron and prochlorperazine Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
Lotronex
Compazine
Alosetron (Lotronex) is a medicine for women with severe diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). It helps to reduce diarrhea and stomach pain.
Prochlorperazine is a medicine that can help control severe nausea and vomiting. It can also treat schizophrenia and anxiety for a short time.
Alosetron is used to treat severe diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in women. It is for women whose IBS symptoms have lasted for 6 months or longer. You should have already ruled out other possible causes of your symptoms. This medicine is only for you if other treatments have not worked well enough.
This medicine can help control severe nausea and vomiting. It is also used to treat schizophrenia, a mental disorder that affects how you think, feel, and behave. Prochlorperazine can also be used for the short-term treatment of anxiety. However, it is not usually the first choice for anxiety because other medicines may be safer.
Alosetron blocks a substance called serotonin in your gut. Serotonin can speed up bowel movements. By blocking serotonin, alosetron slows down your bowel and reduces diarrhea.
Prochlorperazine belongs to a class of drugs called phenothiazines. It works by affecting the balance of certain chemicals in your brain. This can help reduce nausea, vomiting, and the symptoms of schizophrenia and anxiety.
- • Constipation
- • Abdominal discomfort and pain
- • Nausea
- • Gastrointestinal discomfort and pain
- • Drowsiness
- • Dizziness
- • Missed menstrual periods
- • Blurred vision
- • Skin reactions
- Medicine not working 11
- Diarrhea 10
- Feeling sick to your stomach 8
- Using the medicine for something it's not approved for 7
- Stomach pain 6
- Feeling sick to your stomach 3,262
- Feeling very tired 2,706
- Loose, watery stools 2,321
- Throwing up 1,843
- Fever with low white blood cell count 1,832
Alosetron can cause serious gut problems, like ischemic colitis (reduced blood flow to the bowel) and severe constipation. These problems can lead to hospitalization, surgery, or even death. Stop taking alosetron right away if you get constipated or have symptoms of ischemic colitis, like bloody diarrhea or bad stomach pain. Call your doctor immediately.
This medicine can cause serious side effects, including Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS). NMS can cause high fever, muscle stiffness, confusion, and changes in breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure. Tell your doctor right away if you have any of these symptoms. Long-term use or high doses may cause tardive dyskinesia, a condition with uncontrollable muscle movements that may not go away.
It is not known if alosetron can harm your unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is also not known if alosetron passes into breast milk. Talk to your doctor about the best way to feed your baby if you take alosetron.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if this medicine will harm your unborn baby. Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of taking this medicine while pregnant or breastfeeding.
How to Read This alosetron vs prochlorperazine Comparison
alosetron is classified in the 5-HT3 Antagonist (IBS-D) drug class, while prochlorperazine sits within the Phenothiazine Antiemetic class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.
Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, alosetron has 42 submissions while prochlorperazine has 11,964. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume — not per-patient risk — so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. No direct interaction between these two drugs is listed in our FDA-derived dataset, though co-prescription still warrants pharmacist review. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.
A table cannot substitute for clinical judgment. Effectiveness, tolerability, drug-drug interactions with your other medications, kidney and liver function, pregnancy status, insurance formulary, and price all feed into a decision that only a licensed prescriber can make responsibly. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This page is for educational purposes only, is not medical advice, and should not be used to self-switch between alosetron and prochlorperazine — always consult your physician or pharmacist first.
Important: This comparison is for informational purposes only. Drug effects vary between individuals. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist for personalized medical advice.