# Propranolol in Nigeria

Propranolol has 2 active NAFDAC registrations in our October 2026 copy of the register, from 2 registration holders; 5 further listings have lapsed.

- Source: https://ogbogwu.com/drugs/propranolol/
- Drug class: Non-selective beta-blocker (Hypertension)
- Also known as: Propranolol hydrochloride, Inderal, Non-selective beta-blocker
- Prescription required: yes
- Last updated: October 2026

## Price in Nigeria

Our sampled online pharmacies held no propranolol listing this cycle, so we quote no price. Every registered product in Nigeria is a plain 40 mg tablet from an Indian maker, and they are among the cheapest heart medicines in the chemist — a strip of ten costs roughly what a strip of paracetamol does. The 10 mg tablets used for anxiety and the long-acting 80 mg capsules sold abroad have no registration in our copy of the register. Ask a licensed pharmacy and check the NAFDAC number before paying.

## What is Propranolol?

Propranolol is the oldest beta-blocker still in everyday use. It blocks the effects of adrenaline on the heart and blood vessels and, unlike newer 'cardioselective' beta-blockers such as metoprolol and atenolol, on the lungs and other tissues too. The heart slows and beats less forcefully, tremor settles, and the physical surge of anxiety — the pounding chest, shaking hands, sweating — is blunted. That last effect is why it is so often asked for in Nigeria by students, speakers and performers, and why it is also used for migraine prevention and for the symptoms of an overactive thyroid.

Every propranolol product in our copy of the NAFDAC register is a 40 mg tablet imported from India: Festpropra (B4-7842) and Eden's Propranolol Hydrochloride 40 mg (B4-9819) are recorded Active, Mankind's Propranolol Tablets (B4-5907) and Timec Propranolol (A4-7847) Inactive since 2026, First J. Pocco's Propranolol 40 is recorded Inactive, and two older entries have expired. Inderal, the ICI original that older prescribers still write, does not appear in our copy; nor do the 10 mg tablets or long-acting capsules common elsewhere, so a 40 mg tablet split in half is how a small anxiety dose is usually taken here.

It is a prescription-only medicine for good reason. Because it blocks beta-receptors in the lungs, it can provoke a dangerous asthma attack in someone who wheezes; it hides the warning signs of low blood sugar in people with diabetes; and stopping it suddenly after regular use can trigger rebound palpitations, angina or a heart attack. Taken as prescribed it is safe and very useful. Bought loose for exam nerves by someone who has never been asked whether they have asthma, it is not.

## What is Propranolol used for?

- Situational and generalised anxiety — the physical symptoms (racing heart, tremor, sweating), not the worry itself
- Migraine prophylaxis — reducing how often attacks come
- Essential tremor
- Symptom control in thyrotoxicosis (overactive thyroid) and thyroid storm
- High blood pressure and angina; prevention after a heart attack
- Fast heart rhythms; prevention of variceal bleeding in cirrhosis; infantile haemangioma (specialist use)

## Dosage

Always follow a doctor's or pharmacist's instructions; this is general reference information.

- Adults: Doses vary a great deal by use, so follow the prescription. For the physical symptoms of anxiety, 10 to 40 mg taken 30 to 60 minutes before the event, or 40 mg two to three times a day for ongoing symptoms — since only 40 mg tablets are registered in Nigeria, half a tablet is the usual small dose. For migraine prevention, 40 mg two or three times daily, increased to 80 to 160 mg a day if needed. For an overactive thyroid, 10 to 40 mg three or four times daily. For high blood pressure, 80 mg twice daily, raised as needed to 160 to 320 mg a day. Taken with or without food, at regular times.
- Children: Specialist use only — for example a few drops of an oral solution for infant haemangiomas, or weight-based doses for certain heart conditions and migraine — with the dose calculated by a paediatrician. Not a medicine to give a child for exam nerves.
- Elderly: Start low. Older adults are more prone to a slow pulse, dizziness, cold extremities, confusion and sleep disturbance, and often have the lung or circulation problems that make a non-selective beta-blocker a poor choice; a cardioselective one is usually preferred.

Never stop propranolol abruptly after regular use: taper over one to two weeks under a doctor. If you have ever wheezed or been told you have asthma, say so before the first tablet — a non-selective beta-blocker can close the airways. Check your pulse: a resting rate under 50, faintness or cold blue fingers mean the dose is too high for you.

## Side effects

Common: Tiredness, low energy and reduced tolerance of exercise; Cold hands and feet; a slow pulse; Dizziness, especially on standing; low blood pressure; Disturbed sleep, vivid dreams, nightmares; low mood; Nausea, diarrhoea; erectile difficulty in some men.

Serious (seek medical help immediately): Bronchospasm — sudden wheeze and breathlessness — in anyone with asthma or COPD; can be life-threatening; A very slow heartbeat or heart block with fainting; Worsening of heart failure or of poor circulation in the legs; In diabetes, a severe hypo without the usual warning signs; Hallucinations or confusion, mostly in older adults; rarely, a severe skin reaction.

When to see a doctor: Seek help urgently for wheezing or chest tightness, fainting, a resting pulse under 50, or new breathlessness and swollen ankles. See a doctor before stopping for any reason — tiredness, low mood or poor sleep can usually be managed by adjusting the dose or switching, but abrupt withdrawal is the dangerous option.

## Warnings

Do not take if: Asthma, or a history of wheezing or bronchospasm — the clearest contraindication to any non-selective beta-blocker; Second- or third-degree heart block, sick sinus syndrome, a resting pulse under 50, or severe low blood pressure; Uncontrolled or decompensated heart failure; cardiogenic shock; Severe peripheral arterial disease; Prinzmetal (variant) angina; Untreated phaeochromocytoma; metabolic acidosis; prolonged fasting; Known allergy to propranolol.

Interactions: Verapamil and diltiazem — severe slowing of the heart and heart block; avoid the combination; Insulin and sulfonylureas (glibenclamide, glimepiride) — hypos are masked and prolonged; Adrenaline — in someone on propranolol an adrenaline injection can cause a dangerous rise in blood pressure; tell any clinic you attend that you take it; Rizatriptan and other triptans (migraine), chlorpromazine, cimetidine, fluoxetine and fluvoxamine raise propranolol levels; rifampicin, carbamazepine and phenobarbital lower them; Clonidine — must not be stopped while on a beta-blocker; digoxin and amiodarone add to the slowing of the pulse; NSAIDs (ibuprofen, diclofenac) blunt its blood-pressure effect; alcohol increases dizziness.

Pregnancy & breastfeeding: Propranolol crosses the placenta and prolonged use can slow the baby's growth and heart rate, so in pregnancy it is used only when clearly needed — for example for an overactive thyroid — with obstetric monitoring; labetalol is preferred for high blood pressure in pregnancy. Small amounts pass into breast milk and breastfeeding is generally considered compatible; watch the baby for unusual sleepiness, poor feeding or a slow pulse.

## Brands in Nigeria

Well-known NAFDAC-registered brands: Propranolol Tablets (Mankind) (Mankind Life-Sciences Limited, made in India); Timec Propranolol (Great Timec Pharma Nigeria Limited, made in India); Festpropra (Manfes Pharmaceutical Company Limited, made in India); Eden Propranolol Hydrochloride 40 mg (Eden U-K Pharm Ltd, made in India); Propranolol 40 (First J. Pocco) (First J. Pocco Pharmacy Limited, made in India).
Full searchable brand list: https://ogbogwu.com/drugs/propranolol/brands/

## How to verify it is genuine

1. Check the strip or box for its NAFDAC registration number. In our copy of the register Festpropra (B4-7842) and Eden Propranolol Hydrochloride 40 mg (B4-9819) are Active; Mankind's Propranolol Tablets (B4-5907) and Timec Propranolol (A4-7847) are recorded Inactive
2. First J. Pocco's Propranolol 40 (B4-6323) is recorded as Inactive, and Multichris Propranolol and Propraderel have Expired registrations — confirm the current status of any of these on the official Greenbook before relying on it
3. Inderal does not appear in our copy of the register, nor does any 10 mg tablet or long-acting capsule. A pack carrying those names or strengths should be looked up by its printed number and refused if it carries none
4. Enter the number in our free NAFDAC checker and confirm the product name, strength and holder match the pack. Several of these registrations fall due for renewal within the next year, so a lapse can appear between register refreshes

Verify any NAFDAC number free (no login): https://ogbogwu.com/nafdac-checker/

## FAQs

### Is propranolol NAFDAC approved in Nigeria?

Yes, under several brands, all 40 mg tablets made in India: Festpropra (B4-7842) and Eden Propranolol Hydrochloride 40 mg (B4-9819) are Active in our copy of the register, while Mankind's Propranolol Tablets (B4-5907) and Timec Propranolol (A4-7847) are recorded Inactive since 2026. Inderal, the original brand, does not appear in our copy. Check the number printed on your own pack in our NAFDAC checker.

### Can I take propranolol for anxiety before an exam or a presentation?

Doctors do prescribe it for exactly this — 10 to 40 mg taken an hour before — because it stops the pounding heart, shaking hands and sweating without sedating you or affecting thinking. It needs a prescription because it is dangerous for people with asthma and can mask hypos in diabetes, so the first time should follow a conversation with a doctor or pharmacist, not a purchase across a counter. It treats the body's symptoms of anxiety, not the anxiety itself.

### Is propranolol safe if I have asthma?

No. Propranolol is non-selective: it blocks the beta-receptors that keep the airways open as well as those in the heart, and it can provoke a severe asthma attack. Anyone who has ever wheezed or used an inhaler should not take it. If a beta-blocker is genuinely needed, a doctor may consider a cardioselective one such as metoprolol with care, or a different class of medicine entirely.

### What is the difference between propranolol and atenolol or metoprolol?

Propranolol blocks beta-receptors everywhere — heart, lungs, blood vessels, and it enters the brain, which is why it works for tremor and anxiety and migraine. Atenolol and metoprolol act mainly on the heart, so they are safer in people with lung problems and are the usual choices for blood pressure, angina and heart failure. For performance anxiety and migraine prevention propranolol remains the one used.

### Can I stop propranolol suddenly?

Not after regular use. Stopping abruptly can cause rebound: a racing heart, high blood pressure, severe angina or, in people with heart disease, a heart attack within days. A single dose taken before an event does not need tapering, but anyone taking it daily should reduce it gradually over one to two weeks on a doctor's advice.

## Sources

- NAFDAC Greenbook (official register of approved products in Nigeria)
- British National Formulary (BNF)
- Nigerian Standard Treatment Guidelines (Federal Ministry of Health)