Adderall

Adderall® CII is a pharmaceutical amphetamine used to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and narcolepsy. It was first prescribed in the 1970s as an anorectic (under the brand name Obetrol®), but such usage is now rare.

Contents

1 Use 1.1 Effects 2 Performance-enhancing use and abuse 3 Manufacturers 4 See also 5 External links

Use

Adderall is a central nervous system stimulant composed of four amphetamine salts: amphetamine aspartate, amphetamine sulfate, dextroamphetamine saccharate, and dextroamphetamine sulfate (the last salt is also prescribed alone as Dexedrine®). These four component salts are metabolised at different rates, making its effects smoother, with softer highs and lows, than those of other treatments for the same disorders. The average elimination half-life for dextroamphetamine is 10 hours in adults, and for levoamphetamine, 13 hours. Its effects are otherwise similar to other central nervous system stimulants (see amphetamine for details.).

It is sold in either an immediate-release tablet or an extended-release capsule, marketed as Adderall XR. Doses for both immediate-release and extended-release form come in 5mg, 10mg, 15mg, 20mg, 25mg, and 30mg increments.

Adderall XR utilizes the Microtrol® delivery system to achieve the extended-release mechanism. This delivery system incorporates two beads: the first type of bead dissolves immediately and the second type releases four hours later. Maximum plasma concentration is achieved in seven hours, compared to regular Adderall IR (immediate-release) which reaches maximum plasma concentration within three hours. As a result of its high bioavailability, Adderall XR's effectiveness is not altered by food absorption in the GI tract. However, tmax (mean plasma concentration) is prolonged by 2.5 hours (using a standard high-fat meal as the control). Acidic beverages should not be taken with Adderall XR as they alter the pH balance of the stomach. However, parents may sprinkle Adderall XR on applesauce if a child does not like swallowing pills.

Effects

Adderall works by blocking the reuptake of dopamine and norepinephrine into the presynaptic neuron and increasing their release from the presynaptic neuron into the extraneuronal space. In other words, Adderall "reverses" the reuptake mechanism, turning it into a pump instead of a vacuum.

The increased flow of dopamine and norepinephrine into the extraneuronal space causes the brain, as one psychiatrist explains, to enjoy a "higher," more intense level of concentration. The purpose of the drug thus achieved, causing an increased ability to focus for extended periods of time, and a desire to be "productive."

Common side effects of Adderall include: insomnia, anorexia (loss of appetite), diarrhea, upset stomach, vertigo, headache, nervousness, mydriasis, bruxism, formication, urinary retention, pyrexia, tachycardia, and tics.

Performance-enhancing use and abuse

Because Adderall uses amphetamine stimulants to help the user concentrate on one thing at a time, many students today request Adderall from doctors in order to use it for tests and finals. It can improve concentration, but only for a small period of time because of its short plasma half-life. It is becoming very popular for this method and could be considered abused and highly dangerous. Additionally, as with other CNS stimulants, recreational/social abuse is popular, and becoming more and more prevalent on college campuses. In addition to the college/young adult population, Adderall is increasingly being abused by those who are looking to lose weight quickly.

On the street, Adderall is sold illegally for $1-5 a pill (generally for a 20-30mg capsule). Slang terms for Adderall are: "bennies", "amps", "addies", and "jollies".

Manufacturers

Adderall is manufactured by Catalytica Pharmaceuticals Inc. of Greenville, North Carolina and is distributed by Shire Pharmaceuticals. Generic equivalents (known to pharmacists as "amphetamine salts," "mixed amphetamines," or simply "amphetamines," inter alia) are also distributed in the United States by Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals and Ranbaxy Laboratories.

See also

• amphetamine
• methamphetamine
• methylphenidate
• dextroamphetamine
• HT-0712

External links

• Report of study indicating Adderall more effective than Ritalin for ADHD treatment (http://www.docguide.com/dg.nsf/PrintPrint/984995355FC6C9548525674A004A175C)
• Article by a medical doctor outlining the benefits of Adderall as an ADHD medication (http://add.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.addult.org%2Fadder.htm)
• Adderall Abuse (http://professionals.epilepsy.com/newsfeed/pr_1103380219.html)
• Adderall a crutch for students pressed for study time (http://www.idsnews.com/story.php?id=26756)
• Adderall XR® barred in Canada (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20050211.wxhhyper11/BNStory/specialScienceandHealth/)
• The Adderall Me - My romance with ADHD meds (http://slate.msn.com/id/2118315) by Joshua Foer in Slate