Anxiety Zone - Adderall

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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.

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.

Adderall is manufactured by Catalytica Pharmaceuticals Inc. of Greenville, North Carolina and is marketed by Shire Pharmaceuticals. Adderall is available 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). Grapefruit juice (as with any acidic beverage) should not be taken with Adderall XR as it alters the pH balance of your stomach. However, sprinkling Adderall XR on applesauce is fine incase your child does not like swallowing pills.

Common side effects of Adderall include: insomnia, loss of appetite, diarrhea, upset stomach, dizziness, headache, and nervousness. Also, as with all amphetamines, tachycardia (rapid heart beat) and tics (uncontrolled muscle movements) may occur in some people.

Mechanism of Action

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.

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: "amps", "addies", "bennies", and "jollies".

Manufacturers

Brand-name Adderall is distributed by Shire Pharmaceuticals, but 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.

The information above is not intended for and should not be used as a substitute for the diagnosis and/or treatment by a licensed, qualified, health-care professional. This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It incorporates material originating from the Wikipedia article "Adderall".