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buspirone vs nabilone

Side-by-side comparison of buspirone and nabilone. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.

minor Known Drug Interaction

CONCOMITANT DRUG CLINICAL EFFECT(S) Amphetamines, cocaine, other sympathomimetic agents Additive hypertension, tachycardia, possibly cardiotoxicity Atropine, scopolamine, antihistamines, other anticholinergic agents Additive or super-additive tachycardia, drowsiness Amitriptyline, amoxapine, desipramine, other tricyclic antidepressants Additive tachycardia, hypertension, drowsiness Barbiturates, benzodiazepines, ethanol, lithium, opioids, buspirone, antihistamines, muscle relaxants, other CNS depressants Additive drowsiness and CNS depression Disulfiram A reversible hypomanic reaction was...

Recommendation: Use caution when taking these together and tell your doctor if you feel unusually sleepy or lightheaded.

Drug Class
buspirone Azapirone Anxiolytic
nabilone Cannabinoid Antiemetic
Type
buspirone Prescription
nabilone Prescription
Summary
buspirone

Buspirone is a medicine that can help manage anxiety disorders. It can also provide short-term relief from anxiety symptoms.

nabilone

Cesamet contains nabilone, a synthetic cannabinoid. It helps reduce nausea and vomiting caused by cancer chemotherapy when other medicines don't work.

What It Treats
buspirone

Buspirone is used to manage anxiety disorders. It can also help relieve anxiety symptoms for a short time. This medicine is often used for Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), which involves constant worry and tension.

nabilone

Cesamet is used to treat nausea and vomiting caused by cancer chemotherapy. You should only use it if other anti-nausea medicines have not worked for you. This medicine can change your mental state, so someone should watch over you when you first start taking it and when your dose changes.

How It Works
buspirone

Buspirone affects certain chemicals in your brain that may be unbalanced. This helps to reduce anxiety. It is different from other anxiety medicines like benzodiazepines.

nabilone

Cesamet is a synthetic cannabinoid, similar to the active ingredient in marijuana. It works by affecting the parts of your brain that control nausea and vomiting. This helps to reduce these side effects of chemotherapy.

Common Side Effects
buspirone
  • Dizziness
  • Nausea
  • Headache
  • Nervousness
  • Lightheadedness
nabilone
  • Drowsiness
  • Vertigo (feeling dizzy)
  • Dry mouth
  • Euphoria (feeling "high")
  • Ataxia (loss of coordination)
FAERS Reports
buspirone
  • Tiredness 759
  • Feeling sick to your stomach 744
  • Head pain 675
  • Worry 636
  • Aches 541
nabilone
  • Pain 473
  • Muscle and joint stiffness 285
  • Trouble sleeping 265
  • Rheumatoid arthritis 265
  • Drug allergy 254
Serious Warnings
buspirone

You should not take buspirone if you are taking a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) antidepressant or have taken one in the past 14 days. Do not start buspirone if you are being treated with linezolid or intravenous methylene blue because of the risk of serotonin syndrome. Serotonin syndrome is a very serious condition.

nabilone

Cesamet can change your mental state. It has a high potential for abuse. Your doctor should watch you for signs of overuse or misuse, especially if you have a history of substance abuse or mental illness.

Pregnancy
buspirone

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding. It is not known if buspirone will harm your unborn baby. Buspirone may pass into breast milk.

nabilone

The effects of Cesamet during pregnancy and breastfeeding are not well known. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding.

Also Compare, Nearby Drugs

Compare nabilone with

How to Read This buspirone vs nabilone Comparison

buspirone is classified in the Azapirone Anxiolytic drug class, while nabilone sits within the Cannabinoid 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, buspirone has 3,355 submissions while nabilone has 1,542. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume, not per-patient risk, so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. These two drugs have a known minor interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to these medications both slow down the central nervous system, which can lead to a combined effect of increased tiredness or dizziness.. 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 buspirone and nabilone - 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.