cyclobenzaprine vs meperidine
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Side-by-side comparison of cyclobenzaprine and meperidine. 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
Examples: Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), triptans, 5-HT3 receptor antagonists, drugs that effect the serotonin neurotransmitter system (e.g., mirtazapine, trazodone, tramadol), certain muscle relaxants (i.e., cyclobenzaprine, metaxalone), monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) (those intended to treat psychiatric disorders and also others, such as linezolid and intravenous methylene blue). Examples: Cyclobenzaprine, metaxalone.
Flexeril, Amrix
Demerol
Cyclobenzaprine is a muscle relaxant. It helps relieve muscle spasms and pain.
Meperidine is a strong pain medicine. It is used to treat severe, acute pain when other pain medicines are not strong enough.
This medicine treats muscle spasms caused by painful conditions. It is meant to be used with rest and physical therapy. It should only be used for a short time, usually 2 to 3 weeks.
Meperidine is used to manage acute pain that is severe enough to need an opioid pain medicine. It is for use when other treatments do not work well enough. Meperidine should not be used for chronic, long-lasting pain. Taking meperidine for a long time may increase the risk of seizures.
Cyclobenzaprine works in the brain and spinal cord to relax your muscles. It reduces muscle spasms, which helps to relieve pain and improve movement. It does not directly work on the muscles themselves.
Meperidine is an opioid agonist. It works by binding to receptors in the brain and spinal cord. This reduces the feeling of pain.
- • Drowsiness
- • Dry mouth
- • Fatigue
- • Headache
- • Lightheadedness
- • Dizziness
- • Sleepiness
- • Nausea
- • Vomiting
- Pain 4,871
- Fatigue 3,808
- Nausea 3,303
- Headache 3,292
- Chronic Kidney Disease 2,749
- Drug Hypersensitivity 3,249
- Pain 1,248
- Nausea 1,132
- Hyperhidrosis 821
- Rash 775
You should not take this medicine if you are allergic to any of its ingredients. You should not take this medicine if you are taking a monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor or have taken one in the past 14 days. Taking cyclobenzaprine with an MAO inhibitor can cause serious problems, including seizures and death. Also, do not take it if you have heart problems or an overactive thyroid.
Meperidine has a boxed warning. This means it has serious risks. These risks include: Medication errors that can cause overdose, addiction, abuse, and misuse, life-threatening respiratory depression, accidental ingestion (especially by children) can cause a fatal overdose, dangerous effects when taken with benzodiazepines or other CNS depressants, and neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome. Make sure you read the Medication Guide.
It is not known if cyclobenzaprine can harm an unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding.
Taking meperidine for a long time during pregnancy can cause withdrawal symptoms in the newborn. Meperidine is not recommended during or right before labor because it can cause breathing problems in the baby.
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How to Read This cyclobenzaprine vs meperidine Comparison
cyclobenzaprine is classified in the Muscle Relaxant drug class, while meperidine sits within the Opioid Analgesic 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, cyclobenzaprine has 18,023 submissions while meperidine has 7,225. 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 this muscle relaxant and this pain medicine both raise serotonin levels. this combination can lead to a serious medical condition that affects your mood and muscles.. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.
A table cannot represent individual circumstances. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This registry does not provide medical, treatment, substitution, or medication-change directions for cyclobenzaprine or meperidine.
Registry boundary: This comparison displays source-record fields and does not provide individualized medical direction.