Overview

• Tianeptine products, marketed as energy shots under names like Zaza and Pegasus, remain unapproved by the FDA but are widely sold at gas stations and convenience stores.
• Poison control centers have recorded a steady rise in tianeptine-related calls over the past decade, with many cases requiring intensive care for seizures, rapid heartbeat and depressed breathing.
• Though used as an antidepressant in countries abroad, tianeptine’s opioid-like effects stem from its binding to the same brain receptors as traditional opioids, raising abuse concerns.
• States such as Alabama reported a decline in emergency calls after banning or restricting tianeptine, demonstrating the impact of regulatory measures.
• The FDA is calling on federal and state authorities to impose controls on tianeptine to avert a possible opioid-style public health crisis.