Pentazocine: Uses, Side Effects, Dosage - Drugvu

ℹ️ Compiled from public regulatory records · Last regulator revision: May 15, 2026🚩 Report this page

Pentazocine

Benzomorphan Derivatives

GB MHRA

Drug class: Benzomorphan Derivatives
Availability: See label
Markets covered: 1
Products on record: 6

Overview

Pentazocine is an active pharmaceutical ingredient in the Benzomorphan Derivatives group (N02AD). The information below is compiled per regulator from the product labels on record, with direct links to the original documents.

Regulatory status by market

Market	Regulator	Products	Last revision
GB United Kingdom	MHRA	6	May 15, 2026

GBUnited Kingdom· MHRA

6 products

Uses

GBOfficial regulatory label· revised May 15, 2026[1]

For the relief of moderate to severe pain.

How to take

GBOfficial regulatory label

Drug interactions

Known interactions involving Pentazocine. Select one for details. This list is informational and not a complete interaction checker.

Alprazolam Alvimopan Amobarbital Aripiprazole Asenapine Baclofen Benzhydrocodone Brexpiprazole Buprenorphine Bupropion Buspirone Butabarbital Butalbital Butorphanol Cariprazine Carisoprodol Chlordiazepoxide Chlormezanone Chlorphenesin Chlorpromazine Chlorzoxazone Citalopram Clobazam Clonazepam Clorazepate Clozapine Codeine Cyclobenzaprine Dantrolene Desvenlafaxine Dexfenfluramine Dezocine Diazepam Dichloralphenazone Dihydrocodeine Dihydroergotamine Dolasetron Duloxetine Escitalopram Estazolam Eszopiclone Ethchlorvynol Fenfluramine Fentanyl Fluoxetine Fluphenazine Flurazepam Fluvoxamine Gabapentin Granisetron Halazepam Haloperidol Hydrocodone Hydromorphone Hydroxyzine Iloperidone Iohexol Iopamidol Isocarboxazid Lasmiditan Lemborexant Levomilnacipran Levorphanol Linezolid Lorazepam Lorcaserin Loxapine Lumateperone Lurasidone Meperidine Mephobarbital Meprobamate Mesoridazine Metaxalone Methadone Methocarbamol Methylene Blue Milnacipran Mirtazapine Molindone Morphine Nalbuphine Naltrexone Nefazodone Olanzapine Oliceridine Ondansetron Opium Orphenadrine Oxazepam Oxycodone Oxymorphone Ozanimod Paliperidone Palonosetron Paraldehyde Paroxetine Pentobarbital Perphenazine Phenelzine Phenobarbital Pimavanserin Pimozide Pregabalin Primidone Procarbazine Promazine Propiomazine Propoxyphene Quazepam Quetiapine Ramelteon Remimazolam Risperidone Secobarbital Selegiline Sertraline Sibutramine Suvorexant Tapentadol Tasimelteon Temazepam Thioridazine Thiothixene Tizanidine Tramadol Tranylcypromine Triazolam Trifluoperazine Triflupromazine Venlafaxine Vilazodone Vortioxetine Zaleplon Ziprasidone Zolpidem Acebutolol Aldesleukin Alfentanil Alfuzosin Amifampridine Amiloride Amitriptyline Amlodipine Amoxapine Amphetamine Amyl Nitrite Apomorphine Apraclonidine Atenolol Atropine Attapulgite Azatadine Azelastine Azilsartan Baricitinib Bendroflumethiazide Benzphetamine Benzthiazide Bepridil Betaxolol Biperiden Bismuth Subgallate Bismuth Subsalicylate Bisoprolol Brexanolone Brimonidine Brivaracetam Bromocriptine Brompheniramine Bumetanide Cannabidiol Captopril Carbamazepine Carbinoxamine Carvedilol Celecoxib Cenobamate Cetirizine Chlorcyclizine Chlorothiazide Chlorpheniramine Chlorthalidone Cimetidine Clemastine Clevidipine Clidinium Clomipramine Clonidine Clopidogrel Cyclizine Cyproheptadine Darifenacin Desflurane Desipramine Desmopressin Deutetrabenazine Dexbrompheniramine Dexmedetomidine Dextroamphetamine Diazoxide Diclofenac Dicyclomine Diltiazem Dimenhydrinate Diphenhydramine Doxazosin Doxepin Doxylamine Dronabinol Droperidol Eluxadoline Enalapril Enflurane Entacapone Eprosartan Esketamine Eslicarbazepine Esmolol Ethanol Ethosuximide Ethotoin Ezogabine Felbamate Felodipine Fesoterodine Flavoxate Flibanserin Fosinopril Fosphenytoin Fospropofol Furosemide Glycopyrronium Guanethidine Halothane Hydralazine Hydrochlorothiazide Hydroflumethiazide Hyoscyamine Ifosfamide

Showing 240 of 388. Type above to find a specific drug.

Interaction data compiled from DDInter (academic, CC-BY). Severity classification only - this is not a complete interaction checker and not medical advice.

Sources & citations

[1]MHRA (UK) · PL045690208 · revised May 15, 2026

Information on this page is compiled from public regulatory records. Drugvu is not affiliated with any regulator or pharmaceutical manufacturer. This is not medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional.

Side effects & warnings

GBOfficial regulatory label· Adverse reactions· revised May 15, 2026[1]

In chronic usage, care should be exercised to avoid any unnecessary increase in dosage since prolonged use of high dosage of pentazocine may produce dependence. At normal therapeutic doses, side-effects are generally of a minor nature.
Sedation, the most common side effect, is less than that associated with morphine. The most frequent side effects are light-headedness, dizziness, nausea, vomiting and sweating.
The following side effects have also been reported:
Blood and lymphatic system disorders: transient eosinophilia, depression of white blood cell count Immune system disorders: oedema of the face, flushing of the skin including facial plethora, skin rashes, urticaria, dermatitis including pruritus, chills and allergic reactions.
4) Nervous system disorders: hallucinations may occur occasionally, dysphoria, headache, disorientation mood changes, nightmares, insomnia, paraesthesia, syncope, euphoria, grand mal convulsions, raised intracranial pressure, confusion, muscle tremor, thought disturbances.
Eye disorders: miosis, disturbances of vision. Cardiac disorders: tachycardia, bradycardia, palpitations. Vascular disorders: transient hypertension, hypotension, circulatory depression Respiratory, thoracic and mediastinal disorders: respiratory depression.
Gastrointestinal disorders: dry mouth, constipation, biliary tract spasm, Skin and subcutaneous system disorders: toxic epidermal necrolysis. Renal and urinary disorders: urinary retention, ureteric tract spasm. Pregnancy, puerperium and perinatal conditions: alterations in rate or strength uterine contractions during labour.
Reproductive system and breast disorders: decreased libido or potency. General disorders and administration site conditions: hypothermia, drug withdrawal syndrome (uncommon). Reporting of suspected adverse reactions Reporting suspected adverse reactions after authorisation of the medicinal product is important.
It allows continued monitoring of the benefit/risk balance of the medicinal product. uk/yellowcard or search for MHRA Yellow Card in the Google Play or Apple App Store.

GBOfficial regulatory label· Warnings and precautions· revised May 15, 2026[1]

Pentazocine can both depress as well as elevate blood pressure possibly through the release of endogenous catecholamines. Particular caution should be observed therefore in using it in the presence of phaeochromocytoma, in the acute phase following myocardial infarction when it may increase pulmonary and systemic arterial pressure and vascular resistance, and in other clinical situations where alteration of vascular resistance and blood pressure might be particularly undesirable.
Caution should be observed in patients with severe renal or hepatic impairment and in elderly patients, who may additionally be especially sensitive to the effects of opioids, as both conditions may lead to an increase in bioavailability of pentazocine and call for a reduction in dosage.
Administer with caution to patients previously on large doses of narcotics. Caution should also be observed in patients who are prone to seizures and in the presence of other opioids or opioid-dependence since the weak opioid antagonistic effects of pentazocine may provoke withdrawal symptoms.
Caution should also be observed in patients with hypothyroidism, adrenocortical insufficiency, prostatic hypertrophy and in patients with inflammatory or obstructive bowel disorders, cholecystitis, pancreatitis or other unidentified abdominal pain.
After long term treatment (> 3 months) of analgesics, with use every second day or more frequently, headache may develop or aggravate. Headache caused by overuse of analgesics (MOH-medication-overuse headache) should not be treated by increasing the dose.
Risk from concomitant use of sedative medicines such as benzodiazepines or related drugs: Concomitant use of Pentazocine and sedative medicines such as benzodiazepines or related drugs may result in sedation, respiratory depression, coma and death.
Because of these risks, concomitant prescribing with these sedative medicines should be reserved for patients for whom alternative treatment options are not possible. If a decision is made to prescribe Pentazocine concomitantly with sedative medicines, the lowest effective dose should be used, and the duration of treatment should be as short as possible.
The patients should be followed closely for signs and symptoms of respiratory depression and sedation. 5). Some opioids can cause CNS excitation or depression. Pentazocine, like most other strong analgesics, should not be used in patients who are receiving monoamine oxidase inhibitors or who have received them within the past 14 days.

This is not medical advice. Consult a qualified healthcare professional.