Somaphen

Somaphen is a fixed-dose combination pharmaceutical product primarily used as a skeletal muscle relaxant and analgesic for the treatment of acute musculoskeletal pain and spasms. It contains three active ingredients: carisoprodol, paracetamol (acetaminophen), and caffeine. Carisoprodol is a centrally acting muscle relaxant that is metabolized into meprobamate, which acts as a positive allosteric modulator at the GABA-A receptor, thereby inhibiting interneuronal transmission in the spinal cord and reticular formation. Paracetamol provides analgesic and antipyretic effects, likely through the inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis within the central nervous system. Caffeine is included as an adjuvant to enhance the analgesic efficacy of paracetamol and to mitigate the sedative effects commonly associated with carisoprodol. This combination is typically administered orally and is indicated for short-term relief of painful musculoskeletal conditions.

Brand names

Somaphen

Other names

carisoprodol + paracetamol + caffeine