Overview

• The FDA issued a formal warning last month labeling tianeptine a dangerous health trend and urging swift action to prevent potential opioid-style crisis.
• Poison control centers have logged a steady rise in tianeptine-related calls over the past decade, with more than half of recent cases among young users requiring intensive care.
• Tianeptine binds to the same brain receptors as opioids, producing effects such as depressed breathing, seizures and rapid heartbeat.
• Brightly colored tianeptine supplements are sold at gas stations and convenience stores under names like Zaza, Tianaa, Pegasus and TD Red without FDA approval.
• States that have banned or restricted tianeptine, including Alabama, recorded significant drops in related emergency visits after restrictions took effect.