Two medicines, side by side
Pilocarpine vs timolol
Pilocarpine and timolol are both labeled for glaucoma. Drugs@FDA records approvals of pilocarpine since 1974 and of timolol since 1978. Pharmacies paid $0.338 per pilocarpine HCl 5 mg tablet and $0.774 per mL (Timolol maleate 0.5% eye drops) (NADAC, October 7, 2026); the strengths differ, so the two prices are not like for like. In FDA's classes, pilocarpine is a cholinergic receptor agonist and timolol a beta-adrenergic blocker.
Check it at the source: the pilocarpine FDA label on DailyMed (effective December 5, 2024); the timolol FDA label on DailyMed (effective June 27, 2025).
Highlights of the pilocarpine record
Pilocarpine (Salagen) · label of December 5, 2024
Used for
From the label: indicationsSALAGEN ® Tablets are indicated for 1) the treatment of symptoms of dry mouth from salivary gland hypofunction caused by radiotherapy for cancer of the head and neck; and 2) the treatment of symptoms of dry mouth in patients with Sjogren's Syndrome.
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- July 29, 1974
- Generic labelers
- 7 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.338 per tablet
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- A presentation being discontinued
- Recalls
- 4
Highlights of the timolol record
Timolol (Timoptic) · label of June 27, 2025
Used for
From the label: indicationsBetimol ® is indicated in the treatment of elevated intraocular pressure in patients with ocular hypertension or open-angle glaucoma.
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- August 17, 1978
- Generic labelers
- 22 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.774 per mL
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 20
Source: FDA drug labels via openFDA (Pilocarpine label of December 5, 2024, Timolol label of June 27, 2025); NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA, NADAC, FDA shortages and recalls (October 8, 2026)
How do pilocarpine and timolol differ on the record?
In FDA's classes, pilocarpine is a cholinergic receptor agonist and timolol a beta-adrenergic blocker.
Half-life, in each label's words: Pilocarpine, “the mean elimination half-life was 0.76 hours for the 5 mg dose and 1.35 hours for the 10 mg dose.”; Timolol, “The half-life of timolol in plasma is approximately 4 hours.”
Generics: pilocarpine since 2004; timolol since 1989 (Drugs@FDA).
| Pilocarpine | Timolol | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | Glaucoma | Glaucoma, High blood pressure, Migraine |
| Pharmacologic class | Cholinergic Receptor Agonist | beta-Adrenergic Blocker |
| How it works (label) | n/a | n/a |
| Half-life (label) | the mean elimination half-life was 0.76 hours for the 5 mg dose and 1.35 hours for the 10 mg dose. | The half-life of timolol in plasma is approximately 4 hours. |
| Earliest approval on file (Drugs@FDA) | July 29, 1974 | August 17, 1978 |
| First generic approved | November 16, 2004 | April 13, 1989 |
| Generic labelers (NDC) | 7 labelers | 22 labelers |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC, each one's most listed form; strengths differ) | $0.338 per tablet (Pilocarpine HCl 5 mg tablet) | $0.774 per mL (Timolol maleate 0.5% eye drops) |
| 12-month price change | -7% | -6% |
| Boxed warning | No | No |
| Shortage now | A presentation being discontinued | No current entry |
| Recalls recorded | 4 | 20 |
| FAERS reports (a report is not proof of cause; counts follow how widely a medicine is used) | 2,463 | 9,878 |
| 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 pilocarpine
- every medicine labeled for the same conditions