Clinical medicine profile
Phenobarbitone
Therapeutic agent (verify pharmacological class)
- Route
- See product SmPC
- Schedule
- POM
- ATC
- Not assigned
- PPB status
- registered
This profile needs source confirmation
Some sections contain general class guidance rather than medicine-specific evidence. Confirm prescribing decisions against the current SmPC and Kenya STG/EML.
Safety essentials
The information most likely to change a prescribing or dispensing decision.
Contraindications
- Hypersensitivity to the active substance or excipients.
- Additional absolute contraindications are indication- and product-specific — consult SmPC.
Precautions
- hyperthyroidism
- diabetes mellitus
- severe anaemia
- perform periodic laboratory evaluation of organ systems
- including hepatic, renal, and haemapoetic systems
Dosing matrix
Population and organ-function guidance, shown together for faster comparison.
By mouth 60-180mg at night. Child: 5-8mg/kg daily. By 1.V or I.M. 50-200mg repeated after 6 hours when required [max, 600mg daily]. Status epilepticus: 1.V at rate lower than 100mg/min [max. 15mg/kg].All forms of epilepsy except typical absence seizures. By mouth or by I.V injection, neonate, initially 20 mg/kg by slow intravenous injection then 2.55 mg/kg once daily either by slow intravenous injection or by mouth; dose and frequency adjusted according to response. By mouth, Child 1 month12 years initially 11.5 mg/kg twice daily, increased by 2 mg/kg daily as required; usual maintenance dose 2.54 mg/kg once or twice daily; Child 1218 years, 60180 mg once daily.
See label paediatric section if present; otherwise use paediatric formulary — do not extrapolate adult doses.
Review renal impairment dosing; many agents need CrCl/eGFR adjustment.
- CrCl 0–120: Confirm renal dosing in product SmPC / primary label.
Review hepatic impairment dosing; monitor LFTs if agent is hepatically cleared or hepatotoxic.
Use, effects & interactions
Indications
- All forms of epilepsies except absence seizures Clinical selection for Phenobarbitone should follow culture results where relevant, Kenya STG/EML recommendations, and the current product SmPC.
- Class context: Therapeutic agent (verify pharmacological class).
- Confirm site-specific dose, duration and monitoring before prescribing.
Adverse effects
- Exfoliative dermatitis and Stevens-Johnson syndrome
- severe respiratory depression, apnea, laryngospasm, bronchospasm, or hypoten-sion may occur with intravenous administration
- prolonged barbiturate therapy may result in osteopenia or rickets
- barbiturate dependence
- drowsiness
- mental depression
- hyperkinesia in children
- paradoxical excitement
- lethargy
- restless and confusion in elderly.
Drug interactions
Open multi-drug checker ↗- Professional use: confirm indication, dose, duration, monitoring and patient counselling points against current Kenya STG / EML and the product SmPC.
- Document allergy status and key interactions.
Mechanism & disposition
It acts as non-selective depressants CNS.
Read complete mechanism
It acts as non-selective depressants CNS. Its action may be related to its ability to enhance and /or mimic the inhibitory synaptic action of gamma-aminobutyric acid [GABA].
Product-specific
Product-specific
See product SmPC
are product-specific. Consider food effects, protein binding, hepatic CYP/UGT
when adjusting for organ impairment, age and drug interactions. Verify parameters in the current SmPC.
Pregnancy, lactation & diet
Use only if potential benefit justifies potential risk; prefer agents with better reproductive data when alternatives exist.
Assess infant risk vs benefit of maternal therapy; prefer agents with lactation data.
Brands & loaded prices
| Brand | Manufacturer | Pack | Observed price |
|---|---|---|---|
| PHENOBARBITONE | DAIMA BIASHARA / Wholesale Import | 30MG TABS 100*S (COSMOS) -DDA | KES 225.75daima_biashara_price_list |
Sources & review state
Decision support only. Confirm patient-specific decisions against the current product SmPC, Kenya STG/EML, and professional judgement.