Baclofen

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Also indexed as:

Lioresal

Baclofen is used to treat muscle spasms associated with multiple sclerosis and spinal cord injury, and it may help with face pain due to trigeminal neuralgia. It is in a class of drugs known as centrally acting skeletal muscle relaxants.

Herbs

Summary of Interactions for Baclofen

Depletion or interference	None known
Adverse interaction	None known
Side effect reduction/prevention	None known
Supportive interaction	None known
Reduced drug absorption/bioavailability	None known

An asterisk (*) next to an item in the summary indicates that the interaction is supported only by weak, fragmentary, and/or contradictory scientific evidence.

Other Interactions

Food

Baclofen absorption is not affected by food, but the drug should be taken with a meal to minimize stomach upset.¹

Alcohol

Drinking alcohol may enhance the side effects of baclofen, such as drowsiness, dizziness, weakness, and fatigue.² Therefore, people taking baclofen should avoid alcoholic beverages, especially if staying alert is necessary.

References

1. Peterson GM, McLean S, Millingen KS. Food does not affect the bioavailability of baclofen. Med J Aust 1985;142:689-90.
2. Olin BR, ed. Central Nervous System Drugs, Muscle Relaxants, Centrally Acting. In Facts and Comparisons Drug Information. St. Louis, MO: Facts and Comparisons, 1993, 1529-30.

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Last Review: 09-01-2007

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