Sedatives & Hypnotics
Mandrax (Methaqualone + Antihistamine)
Street names: Mandrax, buttons, whites, MX
Overdose? Act now. Call emergency services — say "unresponsive, not breathing". Give naloxone for opioid-like signs. Hotlines
⚡What it does
- Deep sedation, heavy limbs, warmth — a cheap, powerful knockout combined with dagga
- The smoked route hits in minutes
⚠Key risks
- Illicit manufacture: dose and contents vary wildly between batches
- Smoking the tablet mix damages lungs and delivers unknown pyrolysis products
- Dependence builds fast; withdrawal from heavy use can seize
- Frequently cut with benzodiazepines and other sedatives
✚Overdose signs
- Unrousable sedation
- Slow, shallow breathing
- Blue lips, unresponsiveness
Category comparison — Sedatives & Hypnotics
| Substance | Class | Top risks | Street price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mandrax (Methaqualone + Antihistamine) | Methaqualone is Schedule I | Illicit manufacture: dose and contents vary wildly between batches; Smoking the tablet mix damages lungs and delivers unknown pyrolysis products | A few rand per tablet on the South African street market |
| Zolpidem (Ambien/Stilnox) | Schedule IV | Sleep-walking, sleep-driving, hallucinations; Dependence and rebound insomnia | ~$2–$10 per 10 mg tablet |
| Secobarbital (Seconal) | Schedule II | Barbiturates: tiny margin between dose and death; Fatal in overdose, brutal withdrawal (seizures) — replaced by benzos in medicine | ~$15–$40 per capsule where diverted |
| Carisoprodol (Soma) | Schedule IV | Converts to meprobamate (Miltown) — dependence; Popular 'Soma Coma' mix with opioids — deadly | ~$1–$8 per 350 mg tablet |
| Cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril) | Not scheduled | Overdose causes hallucinations, seizures, heart rhythm problems; Abuse usually in combination (potentiates opioids) | ~$1–$5 per 10 mg tablet |
| Pentobarbital (Nembutal) | Schedule II | Veterinary euthanasia drug — overdose is usually fatal; Narrow safety margin (barbiturate) | ~$30–$100+ per vial/capsule-equivalent |
Street prices are regional estimates. Potency and cuts vary constantly.
?Frequently asked questions
What does Mandrax (Methaqualone + Antihistamine) look like?
Pressed white tablets, usually crushed and smoked with cannabis ('white pipe') — Southern Africa's signature downer
What are the signs of a Mandrax (Methaqualone + Antihistamine) overdose?
Unrousable sedation; Slow, shallow breathing; Blue lips, unresponsiveness Call emergency services immediately.
How addictive is it?
Illicit manufacture: dose and contents vary wildly between batches Dependence can develop with regular use.
🔗Sources & further reading
Facts on this page are compiled from these primary sources. External links open in a new tab.