Meprobamate, a sedative-
hypnotic drug classified as a minor tranquilizer, is used primarily for the treatment of anxiety.
Introduced in the mid-1950s, it became widely prescribed; its most common trade names are Miltown and Equanil. The pharmacological effects of
meprobamate are very similar to those of the barbiturates. In low doses it is relatively safe. Sleepiness is its major side effect. Although meprobamate is often used in suicide attempts, the lethal dose is quite large, estimated to be approximately 100 times the usual single oral therapeutic dose. Chronic use of high doses results in tolerance and a physical dependence typical of
sedative-hypnotic drugs, with withdrawal characterized by convulsive seizures, delirium, or hallucinations.