Methadone was originally developed in Germany during the 1930s as a synthetic alternative to opium. Post World War II, the United States obtained all research records for the substance and noted that it was less sedating and less of a respiratory depressant than morphine. In 1947, Methadone was approved by the FDA for the treatment …
Adderall is a well-known medication used to treat ADHD that has been on the market since 1996. Years after its initial approval, Shire Pharmaceuticals developed an “extended-release” format of the drug called “Adderall XR.” This format of the drug was launched in 2001 as a means to provide extended relief from attentional-deficits spanning up to …
Vyvanse (Lisdexamfetamine) is a drug developed by Shire Pharmaceuticals as a successor to Adderall. Vyvanse was first approved for the treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in 2007. In 2015, Vyvanse was approved for binge eating disorder and was found to successfully minimize appetite and number of binge eating episodes per week compared to a placebo. …
Provigil (Modafinil) is a eugeroic drug that was originally approved in 1998 for the treatment of excessive daytime sleepiness associated with narcolepsy, shift work sleep disorder, and obstructive sleep apnea. Despite never attaining FDA approval for the treatment of depression, many anecdotal reports highlight the efficacy of Provigil as an antidepressant. The drug tends to …
Dexedrine is a psychostimulant drug primarily used to treat severe cases of ADHD and narcolepsy. The active ingredient in Dexedrine is “dextroamphetamine” which is regarded as the “right-handed” stereoisomer of the molecule amphetamine. Dextroamphetamine is considered a popular military stimulant, and has been utilized throughout history such as in World War II to offset fatigue …
Methylphenidate is considered the first medication approved for the treatment of the condition known as “hyperactivity” in the 1960s. As attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder gained more mainstream attention in the 1990s, the number of diagnoses continued to skyrocket, increasing the demand for new treatments. By the year 1996, mixed amphetamine salts (i.e. Adderall) were approved for the …
Provigil (modafinil) is a drug that was approved in 1998 for the treatment of excessive daytime sleepiness associated with narcolepsy. It has since been granted FDA approval for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea as well as shift work sleep disorder. Adderall (mixed amphetamine salts) is a psychostimulant drug that was initially approved in 1996 …