Talk:Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder/List of ADHD medications


 * Methylphenidate &mdash; Available in:
 * Regular formulation, sold as Ritalin, Metadate, Focalin (different in that it is derived from dexmethylphenidate, the d-isomer), or Methylin. Duration: 4–6 hours per dose. Usually taken morning, lunchtime, and in some cases, afternoon.
 * Long acting formulation, sold as Ritalin LA, Metadate ER. Duration: 6–8 hours per dose. Usually taken twice daily.
 * All-day formulation, sold as Ritalin SR, Metadate CD, Concerta (Methylphenidate Hydrochloride), Focalin XR and Daytrana (patch). Duration: 10–12 hours per dose. Usually taken once a day.
 * Amphetamines &mdash;
 * Dextroamphetamine &mdash; Available in:
 * Regular formulation, sold as Dexedrine. Duration: 4–6 hours per dose. Usually taken 2–3 times daily.
 * Long-acting formulation, sold as Dexedrine Spansules. Duration: 8–12 hours per dose. Taken once a day.
 * Adderall, a trade name for a mixture of dextroamphetamine and laevoamphetamine salts. &mdash; Available in:
 * Regular formulation, Adderall. Duration: 4–6 hours a dose.
 * Long-acting formulation, Adderall XR. Duration: 12 hours. Taken once a day.
 * Methamphetamine &mdash; Available in:
 * Regular formulation, sold as Desoxyn by Ovation Pharmaceutical Company.
 * Bupropion. A dopamine and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, marketed under the brand name Wellbutrin.
 * Atomoxetine. A norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (NRI) introduced in 2003, it is the newest class of drug used to treat ADHD, and the first non-stimulant medication to be used as a first-line treatment for ADHD. Available in:
 * Once daily formulation, sold by Eli Lilly and Company as Strattera. This medicine doesn't have an exact duration. It is to be taken once or twice a day, depending on the individual, every day, and takes up to 6 weeks to begin working fully. If the intake schedule is interrupted, it may take a few weeks to begin working correctly again.

Second-line medications include:
 * Benzphetamine &mdash; a less powerful stimulant. Research on the effectiveness of this drug is not yet complete.
 * Provigil/Alertec/modafinil &mdash; In the US, it is currently offlabel pending decision by the FDA on August 22, 2006. Was originally pending marketting on-label as Alertec but denied for a reported incidence of Stevens-Johnson Syndrome.
 * Cylert/Pemoline &mdash; a stimulant used with great success until the late 1980s when it was discovered that this medication could cause liver damage. In March 2005, the makers of Cylert announced that it would discontinue the medication's production.  It is no longer available in the United States.
 * Amineptine/Survector/Maneon &mdash; a tricyclic antidepressant now illegal in many countries for being thought to have a small potential for abuse. It is still legal in some parts of the EU, such as Spain and Italy; it is no longer available in the US, Canada, France or the UK.
 * Clonidine &mdash; Initially developed as a treatment for high blood pressure, low doses in evenings and/or afternoons are sometimes used in conjunction with stimulants to help with sleep and because Clonidine sometimes helps moderate impulsive and oppositional behavior and may reduce tics.
 * Emsam/Selegiline &mdash; an MAOI currently being investigated for ADHD; Emsam is not a pill, but a patch.
 * Tianeptine/Stablon/Coaxil/Tatinol &mdash; an SSRE tricyclic antidepressant used primarily in Europe which is being investigated. It is currently off-patent in the United States and is therefore not likely to be approved by the FDA.
 * Amantadine &mdash; an anti-viral and dopamine agonist. There have been reports that low-dose amantadine has been successfully used off-label to treat ADHD.