Methylphenidate (Ritalin)

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Methylphenidate is a stimulant that’s widely used in the treatment of ADHD. It is also used for narcolepsy and has been looked at for many other conditions.

Outside of medical settings, it can provide recreational and work-enhancing effects. As such, prescriptions are often diverted.

The effects provided by methylphenidate (e.g. stimulation and euphoria) are generally less significant than what’s seen with an amphetamine like adderall.

Methylphenidate = Ritalin; Concerta; Methylin; methyl 2-phenyl-2-(piperidin-2-yl)acetate

Dose

Oral

Light: 20 – 40 mg

Common: 40 – 60 mg

Strong: 60 – 80 mg

Intranasal

Light: 5 – 15 mg

Common: 15 – 40 mg

Strong: 40 – 60 mg

Timeline

Oral

Total: 4 – 6 hours

Onset: 00:30 – 01:00

Intranasal

Total: 2 – 5 hours

Onset: 00:05 – 00:15

Experience Reports

Erowid

Test Results

References

(2016) Methylphenidate for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Children and Adolescents.

(2016) Methylphenidate does not enhance visual working memory but benefits motivation in macaque monkeys.

(2015) Methylphenidate for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children and adolescents: Cochrane systematic review with meta-analyses and trial sequential analyses of randomised clinical trials

(2014) Fatal oral methylphenidate intoxication with postmortem concentrations.

(2014) Tactile hallucinations with fluoxetine and methylphenidate.

(2012) Methylphenidate enhances NMDA-receptor response in medial prefrontal cortex via sigma-1 receptor: a novel mechanism for methylphenidate action.

(2011) Illicit methylphenidate use among Iranian medical students: prevalence and knowledge

(2010) Electrocardiographic effects of methylphenidate overdose.

(2010) A case of suicide attempt with long-acting methylphenidate (Concerta).

(2010) Intermittent methylphenidate during adolescent development produces locomotor hyperactivity and an enhanced response to cocaine compared to continuous treatment in rats.

(2008) Misuse and diversion of stimulants prescribed for ADHD: a systematic review of the literature.

(2005) Characteristics of methylphenidate misuse in a university student sample.

(2003) Poison centers’ experience with methylphenidate abuse in pre-teens and adolescents.

(2002) Illicit intravenous use of methylphenidate (ritalin) tablets: A review of four cases

(2002) Abuse and toxicity of methylphenidate.

(2001) Near-fatal methylphenidate misuse.

(2001) Therapeutic doses of oral methylphenidate significantly increase extracellular dopamine in the human brain.

(2001) Assessing the abuse potential of methylphenidate in nonhuman and human subjects: a review.

(2000) Methylphenidate: its pharmacology and uses.

(2000) Methylphenidate Abuse and Psychiatric Side Effects

(2000) Methylphenidate Misuse in Substance Abusing Adolescents

(2000) Ethylphenidate formation in human subjects after the administration of a single dose of methylphenidate and ethanol.

(2000) A profile of methylphenidate exposures.

(1999) Association of the dopamine transporter gene (DAT1) with poor methylphenidate response.

(1998) Selective effects of methylphenidate in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: A functional magnetic resonance study

(1997) Clinical efficacy of methylphenidate in conduct disorder with and without attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

(1997) Effects of methylphenidate on extracellular dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine: comparison with amphetamine.

(1996) Increased methylphenidate usage for attention deficit disorder in the 1990s.

(1995) Bupropion versus methylphenidate in the treatment of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.

(1995) Differential effects of methylphenidate on working memory in ADHD children with and without comorbid anxiety.

(1991) Intranasal abuse of prescribed methylphenidate by an alcohol and drug abusing adolescent with ADHD.

(1991) Methylphenidate and dextroamphetamine treatments of hyperactivity: are there true nonresponders?

(1986) Fatality resulting from methylphenidate overdose.

(1972) Fatal pulmonary hypertension from intravenous injection of methylphenidate (Ritalin) tablets.

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  • lele boo

    What about the reports about Ritalin causing constriction
    of veins and arteries, causing the heart to work overtime and inevitably leading
    to damage to the organ itself and a number of children’s deaths, that have been
    linked with these types of drugs used as treatment for ADHD?

    • Methylphenidate isn’t associated with death in children when used therapeutically. It has a minor/mild effect on the cardiovascular system in those settings. Organ damage also is not associated with the drug when used for ADHD.