Anti-Epileptic Drug Question - Lyrica vs Neurontin?

[SportsLover21]

Hiya Folks

My coworker and I got into a discussion regarding Lyrica and Gabapentin. I found it interesting that Lyrica is a C5 Drug while Neurontin is not listed as a controlled substance. Besides the obvious factors controlled substances are based on, does anyone know why exactly one analog is considered controlled while the other is not? It is interesting to think Lyrica requires some form of monitoring (due to it's controlled substance classification) while Neurontin is not.. despite similar drug classes and mechanisms.

THANKS ))

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[FarmD711]

I would guess it's because gabapentin is old and lyrica is new. A stupid reason but a reason

 

[Dred Pirate]

Probably two people in the study felt a craving for the drug because of hightened monitoring

 

[zelman]

It's one of three things. Either:
The withdrawal from Lyrica is more likely to dangerously lower seizure threshold.
OR
The regulators/Pfizer saw how much people abused Neurontin and didn't want it to become a point of conversation during the approval of Lyrica.
OR
They have different mechanism of actions, so comparing them based on their names will be fruitless. Gabapentin was developed as a GABA analog and named thusly, but in vitro doesn't bind GABA receptors. Its MOA isn't completely known.

 

[farmadiazepine]

Google "gabapentin abuse" .. When I did, it was pretty interesting to see what came up.

I never thought of gabapentin as a drug that people like to abuse, but after everything I read, and what I was taught, it is a drug people like to abuse. Why it's not controlled? I don't know. I forget where I read it, but there was an issue with a particular prison and gabapentin abuse, and a lot of restrictions for a physician to prescribe it.

 

[pharmasaur]

i asked this question on this forum a while back cuz I was also curious about Lyrica and the answer i got was that they feed mice the drug to determine its addiction potential during clinicial trials and if the mice prefer it over X (i donno if its food or water or placebo or whatever) then it gets controlled substance status. not sure how true that is

 

[SportsLover21]

Excellent! Thank you gentlemen for your responses.. I appreciate your time. I am definitely planning to look up all your guys' information that ya'll provided

 

[maria1oh]

Lyrica does have GABA in the generic name pregabalin.

 

[zelman]

Lyrica does have GABA in the generic name pregabalin.

In other news, grass is green.

 

[gwarm01]

I was always under the impression that Lyrica and Neurontin had the same mechanism of action and that Lyrica was kind of a cash grab new drug. Is this incorrect? Is Lyrica actually more effective for neurological pain?

 

[zelman]

I was always under the impression that Lyrica and Neurontin had the same mechanism of action and that Lyrica was kind of a cash grab new drug. Is this incorrect? Is Lyrica actually more effective for neurological pain?

They both have incompletely known mechanisms of action.

 

[rph3664]

The reason is in the "Side Effects" section.

https://www.centerwatch.com/drug-information/fda-approved-drugs/drug/900/lyrica-pregabalin

My mother thinks gabapentin is the greatest drug ever invented. She takes a low dose for trigeminal neuralgia, and it gave her her life back. She's had no side effects from it, and does not abuse it.

 

[BidingMyTime]

I'm thinking that gabapentin is a controlled drug in certain states, but I can't remember for sure.
Practice-wise, I think the addictive potential of gabapentin & Lyrica are the same.