Dexedrine (pronounced [dek�'sidrEn]), is the trade name for the drug Dextroamphetamine sulfate. It belongs to the family of drugs known as psychostimulants. It is used in the treatment of attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity. It is also used in the treatment of narcolepsy. Dexedrine is an amphetamine, belonging to the group of medicines called central nervous system (CNS) stimulants. It is a Schedule II controlled substance.
Dexedrine was often used in the late 60s and early 70s as a prescription diet aid, because one of the effects of such stimulant drugs is to suppress appetite. Dexedrine and its more potent cousin Benzedrine, were also commonly (and illegally) used by college students, either for the stimulant high it provided or as a study aid to stay awake.
Dexedrine works by enhancing receptor functioning, inhibiting the breakdown of certain neurotransmitters in the brain, and acting as neurotransmitters. New research shows that drugs commonly taken by children to combat hyperactivity such as Dexedrine affect two chemicals in the brain. In a study using genetically engineered mice, researchers from Duke University Medical Center found that stimulant drugs such as Dexedrine used to treat attention deficit disorder boost levels of both dopamine, a message-carrying brain chemical associated with activity, and serotonin, associated with a sense of well-being. The findings are reported in the latest issue of the journal Science.
Because Dexedrine is a stimulant, it has high abuse potential. The stimulant effect may give way to a letdown period of depression and fatigue. If you habitually take Dexedrine in doses higher than recommended, or if you take it over a long period of time, you may eventually become dependent on the drug and suffer from withdrawal symptoms when it is unavailable.
Dexedrine is available in spansule (capsule) and tablet form. �' Spansules (capsule): 10�'mg: Each brown-capped, natural-coloured body, taper-end capsule, with two shades of orange pellets, marked "3513" on the cap with "10�'mg" and "SB" on the body in white ink, contains Dextroamphetamine 10�'mg. �' 15�'mg: Each brown-capped, natural-coloured body, taper-end capsule, with two shades of orange pellets, marked "3514" on the cap with "15�'mg" and "SB" on the body in white ink, contains Dextroamphetamine 15�'mg. �' Nonmedicinal ingredients: cetyl alcohol, D&C Yellow No. 10, dibutyl sebacate, ethylcellulose, FD&C Blue No. 1, FD&C Blue No. 1 Aluminum Lake, FD&C Red No. 40, FD&C Yellow No. 6, gelatin, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, propylene glycol, povidone, silicon dioxide, sodium lauryl sulfate, sugar spheres, and trace amounts of other inactive ingredients. �' Tablets: Each orange, round-cornered, triangular, scored tablet, engraved "SKF E19", contains Dextroamphetamine 5�'mg. Nonmedicinal ingredients: calcium sulfate, gelatin, lactose, FD&C Yellow No. 5, FD&C Yellow No. 6, starch, stearic acid, sucrose, and talc.