cannabidiol vs clobazam
Side-by-side comparison of cannabidiol and clobazam. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
moderate Known Drug Interaction
7.2 Effect of EPIDIOLEX on Other Drugs Antiepileptic Drugs Clobazam Concomitant use of EPIDIOLEX with clobazam increases plasma concentrations of N‑desmethylclobazam, the active metabolite of clobazam [see Clinical Pharmacology ( 12.3 )], which may increase the risk of clobazam-related adverse reactions [see Adverse Reactions ( 6.1 ) and Warnings and Precautions ( 5.1 , 5.2 )]. Consider a reduction in dosage of clobazam if adverse reactions known to occur with clobazam are experienced when concomitantly used with EPIDIOLEX.
Recommendation: If you experience increased side effects, your doctor may need to reduce your dose of clobazam.
Epidiolex
Onfi, Sympazan
Epidiolex is a medicine that contains cannabidiol. It is used to treat seizures in people with certain conditions.
Clobazam oral suspension is a medicine used with other medicines to treat seizures caused by Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. It is a type of drug called a benzodiazepine.
Epidiolex is used to treat seizures linked to Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS), Dravet syndrome (DS), or tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC). It is for patients who are at least 1 year old. These conditions can cause seizures that are hard to control.
Clobazam oral suspension is used to treat seizures in people 2 years and older who have Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS). LGS is a severe form of epilepsy that begins in childhood. This medicine helps to control seizures when used with other seizure medicines.
Epidiolex contains cannabidiol, which is a substance that may affect how the brain works. It is thought to reduce seizures by acting on certain brain chemicals. The exact way it works is not fully understood.
Clobazam belongs to a class of drugs called benzodiazepines. It works by affecting certain chemicals in the brain that may be unbalanced in people with seizures. This helps to reduce the frequency of seizures.
- • Feeling sleepy
- • Decreased appetite
- • Diarrhea
- • Changes in liver blood tests
- • Feeling tired or weak
- • Constipation
- • Sleepiness or drowsiness
- • Fever
- • Sluggishness
- • Drooling
- Seizure 5,791
- Hospital stay 2,073
- Diarrhea 1,695
- Sleepiness 1,242
- Death 1,204
- Seizure 4,619
- Sleepiness 1,798
- Medicine interaction 1,123
- Tiredness 1,090
- Epilepsy 805
Epidiolex can cause liver problems. Your doctor will check your liver before you start and during treatment. Tell your doctor right away if you feel very tired, have yellowing of the skin or eyes, dark urine, or loss of appetite. Epidiolex may also cause sleepiness or suicidal thoughts. Tell your doctor if you have any changes in mood or behavior.
Clobazam can cause serious side effects: * **Risk of Using with Opioids:** Taking clobazam with opioid medicines can cause severe sleepiness, slowed breathing, coma, and death. Only take them together if no other treatment works, and use the lowest dose for the shortest time. * **Risk of Abuse, Misuse, and Addiction:** Clobazam can be abused, misused, and lead to addiction, overdose or death. Your doctor will assess your risk before and during treatment. * **Risk of Dependence and Withdrawal:** Taking clobazam can lead to physical dependence. Stopping it suddenly can cause life-threatening withdrawal symptoms. To stop, your doctor will slowly lower your dose.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Epidiolex may harm your unborn baby. There are pregnancy programs to monitor outcomes, so talk to your doctor about enrolling. It is not known if Epidiolex passes into breast milk, so talk to your doctor about the best way to feed your baby if you are taking this medicine.
Clobazam may harm your unborn baby. If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant, talk to your doctor. There is a pregnancy registry for women who take anti-epilepsy drugs like clobazam. You can enroll by calling 1-888-233-2334.
How to Read This cannabidiol vs clobazam Comparison
cannabidiol is classified in the Cannabinoid (Anticonvulsant) drug class, while clobazam sits within the Benzodiazepine (Anticonvulsant) 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, cannabidiol has 12,005 submissions while clobazam has 9,435. 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 moderate interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to cannabidiol increases the amount of an active byproduct of clobazam in your blood, which can lead to more side effects.. 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 cannabidiol and clobazam - 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.