Comparing Phenobarbital vs Zonisamide

View side-by-side comparisons of medication uses, ratings, cost, side effects and interactions.
Phenobarbital	Zonisamide	Enter another drug to compare

Phenobarbital

Zonisamide

Prescription only

Prescribed for Epilepsy, Hyperbilirubinemia, Seizures, Insomnia, Sedation. Phenobarbital may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

Prescription only

Prescribed for Migraine Prevention, Benign Essential Tremor, Seizures, Parkinsonian Tremor, Epilepsy. Zonisamide may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

More about Phenobarbital

More about Zonisamide

Ratings & Reviews

Phenobarbital has an average rating of 9.1 out of 10 from a total of 36 ratings on Drugs.com. 92% of reviewers reported a positive effect, while 6% reported a negative effect.

Zonisamide has an average rating of 5.6 out of 10 from a total of 146 ratings on Drugs.com. 39% of reviewers reported a positive effect, while 37% reported a negative effect.

View all 36 reviews

View all 146 reviews

Side Effects Experienced by Users Side effects are reported in Drugs.com user reviews and not clinically verified.

View all Phenobarbital side effects

Memory loss (13.0%)
Depression (11.6%)
Loss of appetite (9.6%)
Weight loss (9.6%)
Headaches (8.9%)
Anger (6.8%)
Anxiety (6.8%)

View all Zonisamide side effects

Drug Class

Carbonic anhydrase inhibitor anticonvulsants

Generic Availability

Lower cost generic

Pricing and Coupons * Prices are without insurance

Quantity	100 each
Strength	32.4 mg
Per unit^*	$0.30
Cost^*	$29.91

View all Phenobarbital prices

Quantity	50 each
Strength	100 mg
Per unit^*	$0.82
Cost^*	$41.24

View all Zonisamide prices

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Dosage Forms

Injectable solution
Oral elixir
Oral tablet

Oral capsule

Half Life Drug half-life is the time required for plasma concentration to reduce to half its original value.

118 hours

63 hours

CSA Schedule ¹ View glossary of CSA terms

Some potential for abuse

Has a low potential for abuse relative to those in schedule 3. It has a currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States. Abuse may lead to limited physical dependence or psychological dependence relative to those in schedule 3.

Not a controlled drug

Is not subject to the Controlled Substances Act.

Pregnancy Category

Category D Positive evidence of risk

See the full pregnancy warnings document.

Category C Risk cannot be ruled out

See the full pregnancy warnings document.

Drug Interactions

A total of 807 drugs are known to interact with Phenobarbital:

243 major drug interactions (715 brand and generic names)
517 moderate drug interactions (3293 brand and generic names)
47 minor drug interactions (180 brand and generic names)

A total of 413 drugs are known to interact with Zonisamide:

101 major drug interactions (588 brand and generic names)
307 moderate drug interactions (1120 brand and generic names)
5 minor drug interactions (11 brand and generic names)

Alcohol/Food/Lifestyle Interactions

Ask your doctor before using PHENobarbital together with alcohol, this can add to dizziness... View more

Alcohol can increase the nervous system side effects of zonisamide such as dizziness, drowsiness... View more

Disease Interactions

First Approval Date

N/A

March 27, 2000

WADA Class View classifications

N/A

More Information

Patient Resources

Phenobarbital uses

Professional Resources

¹ The Controlled Substances Act (CSA) schedule information displayed applies to substances regulated under federal law. There may be variations in CSA schedules between individual states.

Further information

Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.

Medical Disclaimer

Comparing Phenobarbital vs Zonisamide

See also:

Lamictal

Carbamazepine

Levetiracetam

Lyrica

Topiramate

Diazepam

Lorazepam

Pregabalin

Lamotrigine

Clonazepam

Further information

Comparing Phenobarbital vs Zonisamide

See also:

Further information

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