Desoxyn® CII is a brand of methamphetamine hydrochloride (also known as desoxyephedrine, hence the name "Desoxyn"), indicated for treatment of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), narcolepsy, and exogenous obesity. Desoxyn is a Schedule II medication under the U.S. DEA Schedule system. This article is about the psychostimulant, d-methamphetamine. ... DISCLAIMER Please remember that Wikipedia is offered for informational use only. ... For other uses, see Narcolepsy (disambiguation). ... This box:      The Controlled Substances Act (CSA) was enacted into law by the Congress of the United States as Title II of the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970. ... The DEAs enforcement activities may take agents anywhere from distant countries to suburban U.S. homes. ...

[edit] History

After being first developed in the United States in 1942, Desoxyn was manufactured and marketed by Abbott Laboratories as an immediate-release tablet. Later, a sustained-release formulation in the form of a plastic-matrix tablet, "Desoxyn Gradumet," was also distributed. Abruptly, however, Abbott discontinued production of the Gradumet form of Desoxyn in Fall 1999, citing "manufacturing difficulties" as the reason for discontinuation. The 5mg pill is the only form currently available Year 1942 (MCMXLII) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Abbott Laboratories (NYSE: ABT) is a diversified pharmaceuticals and health care company. ...

In 2002, Abbott sold their rights to Desoxyn to Ovation Pharma, which took over production and marketing of the drug (although initially, Abbott maintained production at their facilities). Able Labs produced a generic formulation of dextromethamphetamine hydrochloride at a lower price than brand-name Desoxyn, until the company went out of business. Ovation Pharma is a manufacturer of pharmaceuticals products including Desoxyn. ... Able Laboratories, Inc. ... A generic drug (pl. ...

[edit] Use and tolerance

Because methamphetamine hydrochloride is reported to be effective longer and fifty percent more effective per dose than amphetamine, prescriptions for this drug may increase as ADD/ADHD treatment increases and as long-term users of other treatments gain tolerance to the other stimulant drugs used to treat ADD/ADHD. Amphetamine or Amfetamine(Alpha-Methyl-PHenEThylAMINE), also known as beta-phenyl-isopropylamine and benzedrine, is a prescription stimulant commonly used to treat Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adults and children. ...

[edit] Indications and contraindications

Generally, the recommended uses of Desoxyn are similar to the other amphetamine-class stimulants (such as Adderall and Dexedrine, or for example). Because of the enhanced potency of dextromethamphetamine hydrochloride over the aforementioned stimulant drugs, Desoxyn is often used as a "second-line" medication when the "first-line" (i.e., most commonly prescribed) medications have been found deficient, or with unacceptable side effects. Adderall XR 15 mg capsule Adderall is a pharmaceutical psychostimulant comprised of mixed amphetamine salts. ... Dextroamphetamine (also known as dextroamphetamine sulfate, dexamphetamine, dexedrine, Dexampex, Ferndex, Oxydess II, Robese, Spancap #1, and, informally, Dex), a stereoisomer of amphetamine, is an indirect-acting stimulant that releases norepinephrine from nerve terminals, thus promoting nerve impulse transmission. ...

Further, because the secondary effects of dextromethamphetamine hydrochloride are least among the amphetamine-class stimulants or methylphenidate but the highest degree of primary effectiveness (i.e., most effective at enhancing concentration and decreasing distractibility, with the least occurrence of side effects), Desoxyn can be useful for patients who find other medications ineffective or for whom the side effects of such other medications are too severe.

The greater primary effectiveness of Desoxyn is believed to be caused by the extra methyl group of dextromethamphetamine hydrochloride which is lacking in basic amphetamine, which may increase the solubility of dextromethamphetamine hydrochloride in lipids (and therefore be more deeply and thoroughly absorbed into the fatty tissue of the brain). Methyl group In chemistry, a methyl group is a hydrophobic alkyl functional group derived from methane (CH4). ... Some common lipids. ... Human brain In animals, the brain (enkephale) (Greek for in the skull), is the control center of the central nervous system, responsible for behavior. ...

Similarly to other stimulants, use of Desoxyn is not recommended for patients with known cardiovascular issues, or within fourteen days of having ingested an MAOI medication. It is also not recommended for patients with a history of psychotic episodes, because stimulants may exacerbate any preexisting tendencies toward psychotic behavior. The circulatory system or cardiovascular system is the organ system which circulates blood around the body of most animals. ... Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) are a class of antidepressant drugs prescribed for the treatment of depression. ... Psychosis is a generic psychiatric term for a mental state in which thought and perception are severely impaired. ...

[edit] Pharmacology

DESOXYN (methamphetamine hydrochloride tablets, USP), chemically known as (S)-N,αlpha-dimethylbenzeneethanamine hydrochloride, is a member of the amphetamine group of sympathomimetic amines.

[edit] Chirality

The active salt of Desoxyn is dextro-methamphetamine hydrochloride. This is the right-hand isomer of methamphetamine bonded to hydrochloride. The left-handed isomer of methamphetamine, levomethamphetamine, is less centrally acting and more peripherally acting; therefore no racemic mixture of dextro/levo-methamphetamine salts is in production. Dextrorotation is the property of rotating plane polarized light clockwise. ... In chemistry, isomers are molecules with the same chemical formula and often with the same kinds of chemical bonds between atoms, but in which the atoms are arranged differently (analogous to a chemical anagram). ... Levorotation (also spelled laevorotation) is the counterclockwise rotation of plane polarized light. ... Levomethamphetamine (other names: l-desoxyephedrine, l-methamphetamine, levmetamfetamine ) is the l- stereoisomer of methamphetamine, a sympathomimetic vasoconstrictor which is the active ingredient used in some over-the-counter nasal decongestants. ... A diagram showing the CNS: 1. ... The Peripheral nervous system resides or extends outside the CNS central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord) to serve the limbs and organs. ... In chemistry, a racemate is a mixture of equal amounts of left- and right-handed stereoisomers of a chiral molecule. ... Dextrorotation is the property of rotating plane polarized light clockwise. ... Levorotation (also spelled laevorotation) is the counterclockwise rotation of plane polarized light. ...

[edit] Effects to the central nervous system

Dextro-methamphetamine hydrochloride is a potent central nervous system stimulant that reverses the direction of flow in the norepinephrine, dopamine and serotonin transporters, sending these neurotransmitters from the vesicle into the synapse instead of storing them in the vesicle for future use. The compound also inhibits the reuptake of the transmitters into the pre-synaptic (sending) neuron, causing them to remain in the synaptic cleft longer. The resulting increased levels of dopamine and norepinephrine in these synapses affect neurochemical mechanisms responsible for regulating heart rate, body temperature, blood pressure, appetite, attention, mood and responses associated with alertness or alarm conditions. A diagram showing the CNS: 1. ... Stimulants are drugs that temporarily increase alertness and wakefulness. ... The norepinephrine transporter or NET is a monoamine transporter that transports the neurotransmitter norepinephrine from the synapse back to its vesicles for storage until later use. ... The dopamine transporter or DAT is a monoamine transporter that is specific for clearing the neurotransmitter dopamine out of the synaptic cleft and into a glial cell or the presynaptic neuron. ... The serotonin transporter is a monoamine transporter protein. ... Chemical structure of D-aspartic acid, a common amino acid neurotransmitter. ... In cell biology, a vesicle is a relatively small and enclosed compartment, separated from the cytosol by at least one lipid bilayer. ... Reuptake, or re-uptake, is the reabsorption of a neurotransmitter by the neurotransmitter transporter of a pre-synaptic neuron after it has performed its function of transmitting a neural impulse. ... Synapses allow nerve cells to communicate with one another through axons and dendrites, converting electrical signals into chemical ones. ... For other uses, see Dopamine (disambiguation). ... Norepinephrine (INN)(abbr. ...

[edit] Concerns impeding prescription

Desoxyn has retained a degree of controversy because of concerns of abuse. Despite the potential benefits Desoxyn has over other stimulants in treating ADHD and narcolepsy, there is an enormous stigma attached to it due to its association with street methamphetamine ("crystal meth", "ice" etc.), and the enormous social and medical harm often caused by meth abuse and addiction. For this reason, many doctors are either unwilling or unable to prescribe it. However, research has indicated that ADD/ADHD patients treated with stimulants are in fact less likely to use substances problematically than patients who are not treated with these drugs, and there is little evidence that prescription stimulant use under a medical program administered by a doctor leads to problematic use. MedWatch Methamphetamine is a synthetic stimulant drug which induces a strong feeling of euphoria and is highly psychologically addictive. ...

[edit] Adverse effects

Negative side effects at prescribed dosages are similar to those of other amphetamines, and include:

• Significant elevation of plasma corticosteroids
• Risk of premature birth and low birth weight
• Tachycardia, palpitations, arrhythmia, hyper/hypotension, and circulatory collapse
• Psychotic episodes, dizziness, dysphoria, insomnia, headache, and tremors
• Diarrhea, constipation, dryness of mouth, unpleasant taste, and other gastrointestinal disturbances
• Urticaria- a skin rash caused by an allergic reaction
• Impotence / unusual changes in libido
• Suppression of growth with long term use in children

As with other amphetamines, the majority of these side-effects are uncommon in therapeutic use, with the exception of growth retardation in children. Desoxyn also has a higher benefit relative to the incidence of side-effects than other amphetamines.

[edit] External links

• Product description of Desoxyn at Ovation
• Molecular Formula #10 Desoxyn
• FDA MedWatch
• DESOXYN SUPPORT GROUP-----Talk with people who are prescribed to Desoxyn..