- Related Topics:
- attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder
- Adderall
- amphetamine
- On the Web:
- National Center for Biotechnology Information - Amphetamine (Nov. 08, 2026)
dextroamphetamine
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What is dextroamphetamine?
Dextroamphetamine is a stimulant that affects the central nervous system and is used to treat narcolepsy and ADHD. It increases attention and wakefulness while decreasing restlessness.
Dextroamphetamine stimulates the CNS through sympathomimetic actions, mimicking the sympathetic nervous system. It can increase blood pressure and stimulate respiration. Common side effects include headache, insomnia, and weight loss. More serious side effects include cardiovascular complications, behavioral changes, and seizures. Dextroamphetamine can be addictive with improper use and is classified as a Schedule II controlled substance in the United States, indicating a high risk for abuse. It is sold under brand names like Dexedrine Spansule, ProCentra, and Zenzedi, and is often combined with amphetamine in Adderall.
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What medical conditions is dextroamphetamine used to treat?
Dextroamphetamine is a stimulant of the central nervous system (CNS) used to treat narcolepsy and control symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It increases attention and wakefulness while decreasing restlessness. Dextroamphetamine stimulates the CNS through sympathomimetic actions, mimicking the sympathetic nervous system. It can increase blood pressure and stimulate respiration.
However, dextroamphetamine can have side effects, including headache, insomnia, and changes in libido. More serious side effects include seizures, mood changes, and cardiovascular issues. It can also be addictive if misused, leading to overdose, which can cause restlessness, dizziness, and even death.
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How does dextroamphetamine affect the brain and body?
Dextroamphetamine, a stimulant of the central nervous system (CNS), is prescribed for narcolepsy and ADHD. It enhances focus and alertness while reducing restlessness, mimicking the sympathetic nervous system's natural stimulation. Dextroamphetamine impacts the brain by preventing the reuptake of monoamine neurotransmitters such as dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin. It also directly boosts dopamine and norepinephrine release from neurons.
Common side effects include headache, insomnia, and weight loss. More serious side effects include changes in cardiovascular function, mood or behavioral changes, and seizures. Dextroamphetamine can be addictive and carries a high risk of misuse.
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What are some common side effects of taking dextroamphetamine?
Common side effects of taking dextroamphetamine include headache, insomnia, weight loss, dry mouth, and changes in libido. More significant side effects can include seizures, changes in mood or behavior, and changes in cardiovascular function. Dextroamphetamine-based medications may also interact with other prescription and non-prescription medications, as well as with vitamin and herbal supplements. The drug can also adversely affect patients with other medical conditions, particularly glaucoma, hyperthyroidism, heart conditions, or mood disorders.
Dextroamphetamine poses additional risks in young patients, potentially affecting growth and inducing severe cardiovascular anomalies that culminate in sudden death.
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Why is dextroamphetamine considered a controlled substance?
Dextroamphetamine is a chemical compound used to treat ADHD and narcolepsy because of its stimulatory effects on the central nervous system (CNS). Dextroamphetamine is classified as a Schedule II controlled substance due to its high potential for abuse, which can lead to addiction, overdose, and a range of symptoms, including restlessness, dizziness, seizures, and even death. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) regulates controlled substances like dextroamphetamine, dividing them into schedules based on their potential for abuse or dependence.
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How should dextroamphetamine be used safely under a doctor's care?
Dextroamphetamine, a central nervous system stimulant, is prescribed for conditions like ADHD and narcolepsy and is sold under brand names such as Dexedrine Spansule, ProCentra, and Zenzedi. To use it safely under a doctor's care, adhere to the prescribed dosage and schedule. The medication can cause side effects, including headache, insomnia, and changes in libido.
Inform your doctor of any existing medical conditions, especially glaucoma, hyperthyroidism, heart conditions, or mood disorders, to avoid adverse effects. Also, discuss all medications, supplements, and herbal products you are taking to prevent potential interactions.
Long-term misuse can lead to addiction, requiring increased doses to achieve the desired effect. Sudden cessation can cause mental depression, and high doses may result in toxic psychosis. Dextroamphetamine carries a high risk for abuse and is classified as a Schedule II controlled substance.
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dextroamphetamine, chemical compound known for its stimulatory effects on the central nervous system (CNS). Dextroamphetamine is commonly used to treat narcolepsy and to control symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It is marketed under the brand names Dexedrine Spansule, ProCentra, and Zenzedi and often is combined with amphetamine in a formulation marketed as Adderall.
History
The first amphetamine compound was synthesized by Romanian chemist Lazar Edeleanu in 1887. The effects of the drug, however, were not well understood. In the late 1920s amphetamine was synthesized again, by American chemist Gordon Alles, in the form of amphetamine sulfate. Its stimulant effects were recognized soon after, with the dextro enantiomer—dextroamphetamine—found to be the more potent of the molecule’s two isomers. In 1937 the pharmaceutical company Smith, Kline, and French began to synthesize and market dextroamphetamine under the name Dexedrine. As more-stringent drug regulations were implemented in the following decades, Dexedrine was formally approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1976 to treat ADHD and narcolepsy. In 1996 Adderall entered the market and quickly supplanted Dexedrine as the drug of choice for ADHD.
Use and mechanisms
Dextroamphetamine controls symptoms of ADHD and narcolepsy by increasing attention and wakefulness and decreasing restlessness. It stimulates the CNS via its sympathomimetic actions, which mimic natural mechanisms of sympathetic nervous system stimulation. Other effects associated with dextroamphetamine include increased blood pressure and respiratory stimulation. Medications that include dextroamphetamine can take the form of liquid, tablet, or extended-release capsule.
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The exact mechanisms by which dextroamphetamine produces its effects remain unclear. The drug induces chemical changes within the brain by inhibiting the reuptake into neurons of monoamine neurotransmitters, such as dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin, that are released into the synaptic cleft (the space between the ends of neurons). In addition, dextroamphetamine directly stimulates the release of dopamine and norepinephrine from neurons. The physiological significance of these actions is unknown.
Side effects and potential for misuse
Dextroamphetamine can cause a variety of side effects, the most common of which include headache, insomnia, weight loss, dry mouth, and changes in libido. More significant side effects can include seizures, mood or behavioral changes, and changes in cardiovascular function. Dextroamphetamine-based medications also may interact with other prescription and non-prescription medications, as well as with vitamin and herbal supplements. The drug also can adversely affect patients with other medical conditions, particularly glaucoma, hyperthyroidism, heart conditions, or mood disorders. Dextroamphetamine poses additional risks in young patients, in whom it can potentially affect growth and induce severe cardiovascular anomalies that culminate in sudden death.
Dextroamphetamine can become addictive when taken improperly, especially when taken in unusually large doses, at increased frequency, or for long periods of time. Excessive misuse of dextroamphetamine may lead to overdose, which is associated with a variety of symptoms, ranging from restlessness and dizziness to seizures, loss of consciousness, and death. In the United States both dextroamphetamine sulfate and dextroamphetamine-amphetamine are classified by the FDA and the Drug Enforcement Administration as Schedule II controlled substances, a classification indicating high risk for abuse.