Comparative Pharmacology
Head-to-head clinical analysis: ADDERALL 12 5 versus ADDERALL 15.
Peer-Reviewed Evidence
Head-to-head clinical analysis: ADDERALL 12 5 versus ADDERALL 15.
ADDERALL 12.5 vs ADDERALL 15
Comparing the clinical profiles, pharmacokinetic behaviors, and safety indices of these two therapeutic agents.
Adderall 12.5 is a combination of dextroamphetamine and amphetamine. It increases the levels of dopamine and norepinephrine in the central nervous system by inhibiting their reuptake and promoting their release from presynaptic neurons.
Adderall 15 is a combination of amphetamine and dextroamphetamine, which increase synaptic concentrations of norepinephrine and dopamine by inhibiting their reuptake and promoting their release from presynaptic terminals.
5-60 mg orally once or twice daily; immediate-release: initial 5 mg once or twice daily, increase by 5 mg weekly; extended-release: initial 20 mg once daily in the morning, increase by 10 mg weekly.
10-20 mg orally once daily in the morning; may increase by 5-10 mg weekly; maximum 40 mg/day.
None Documented
None Documented
The terminal elimination half-life of d-amphetamine is approximately 10–13 hours in adults (range 9–14 h) and 6–8 hours in children. Clinical context: Typically allows twice-daily dosing; extended-release formulations provide 8–12 hours of effect.
Mean terminal half-life: d-amphetamine 10 h, l-amphetamine 13 h (range 9-14 h); for ADDERALL 15 (3:1 mix), effective half-life ~11 h; clinical context: dosing interval typically QD-BID.
Approximately 30% of the dose is excreted unchanged in urine; the remainder is metabolized primarily via deamination and oxidation. Renal elimination of unchanged amphetamine is pH-dependent: acidic urine increases elimination, alkaline urine decreases it. Fecal excretion accounts for <5%.
Primarily renal (90% as unchanged drug and metabolites; ~30% unchanged, 40% as 4-hydroxyamphetamine and conjugates, 20% as other metabolites); minimal biliary/fecal elimination (<3%).
Category C
Category C
CNS Stimulant
CNS Stimulant