Flumazenil reversal of carisoprodol (soma) intoxication

A 52-year-old woman presented with central nervous system depression and a Glasgow Coma Score of 9 secondary to ingestion of carisoprodol, a centrally acting muscle relaxant analgesic. After administration of i.v. flumazenil, the patient's neurologic status normalized and she required no further the rapy. Carisoprodol and its active sedative-hypnotic metabolite, meprohamate , are gamma aminobutyric acid receptor indirect agonists with central nervo us system chloride ion channel conduction effects similar to the benzodiaze pines, thus making flumazenil a potentially useful antidote in toxic presen tations. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Inc.