Comparative Pharmacology
Head-to-head clinical analysis: ADDERALL 15 versus ADDERALL XR 20.
Peer-Reviewed Evidence
Head-to-head clinical analysis: ADDERALL 15 versus ADDERALL XR 20.
ADDERALL 15 vs ADDERALL XR 20
Comparing the clinical profiles, pharmacokinetic behaviors, and safety indices of these two therapeutic agents.
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.
Adderall XR 20 is a combination of amphetamine enantiomers (dextroamphetamine and levoamphetamine). It increases synaptic levels of dopamine and norepinephrine by inhibiting their reuptake and promoting their release from presynaptic terminals.
10-20 mg orally once daily in the morning; may increase by 5-10 mg weekly; maximum 40 mg/day.
20 mg orally once daily in the morning.
None Documented
None Documented
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 10-13 hours for d-amphetamine and 13-15 hours for l-amphetamine in adults; in children, 9-11 hours. The extended-release formulation provides a prolonged therapeutic effect masking shorter elimination.
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%).
Approximately 90% of an oral dose is excreted renally, with 30% as unchanged amphetamine and the remainder as metabolites (including hippuric acid, benzoic acid, and hydroxylated derivatives). Fecal/biliary excretion accounts for <10%.
Category C
Category C
CNS Stimulant
CNS Stimulant