Racemic amphetamine was first
synthesized under the chemical name "phenylisopropylamine" in
Berlin, 1887 by the Romanian chemist
Lazăr Edeleanu. It was not widely marketed until 1932, when the pharmaceutical company
Smith, Kline & French (now known as
GlaxoSmithKline) introduced it in the form of the
Benzedrine inhaler for use as a
bronchodilator. Notably, the amphetamine contained in the Benzedrine inhaler was the liquid free-base, not a chloride or sulfate salt. In 1935, the medical community became aware of the stimulant properties of amphetamine, specifically the dextroamphetamine isomer, and in 1937 Smith, Kline, and French introduced tablets under the brand name
Dexedrine. In the United States, Dexedrine was approved to treat
narcolepsy and
attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Dextroamphetamine was marketed in various other forms in the following decades, primarily by Smith, Kline, and French, such as several combination medications including a mixture of dextroamphetamine and
amobarbital (a
barbiturate) sold under the brand name
Dexamyl and, in the 1950s, an extended release capsule (the "Spansule"). Preparations containing dextroamphetamine were also used in
World War II as a treatment against
fatigue. It quickly became apparent that dextroamphetamine and other amphetamines had a high potential for
misuse, although they were not heavily
controlled until 1970, when the
Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act was passed by the United States Congress. Dextroamphetamine, along with other sympathomimetics, was eventually classified as Schedule II, the most restrictive category possible for a drug with a government-sanctioned, recognized medical use. Internationally, it has been available under the names AmfeDyn (Italy), Curban (US), Obetrol (Switzerland), Simpamina (Italy), Dexedrine/GSK (US & Canada), Dexedrine/UCB (United Kingdom), Dextropa (Portugal), and Stild (Spain). It became popular on the
mod scene in England in the early 1960s, and carried through to the
Northern Soul scene in the north of England to the end of the 1970s. In October 2010,
GlaxoSmithKline sold the rights for Dexedrine Spansule to Amedra Pharmaceuticals (a subsidiary of CorePharma). The U.S. Air Force uses dextroamphetamine as one of its "go pills", given to pilots on long missions to help them remain focused and alert. Conversely, "no-go pills" are used after the mission is completed, to combat the effects of the mission and "go-pills". The
Tarnak Farm incident was linked by media reports to the use of this drug on long term fatigued pilots. The military did not accept this explanation, citing the lack of similar incidents. Newer
stimulant medications or awakeness promoting agents with different side effect profiles, such as
modafinil, are being investigated and sometimes issued for this reason. Dextroamphetamine sulfate is also available as a
controlled-release (CR) capsule preparation in strengths of 5 mg, 10 mg, and 15 mg under the brand name Dexedrine Spansule, with generic versions marketed by Barr and Mallinckrodt. A bubblegum flavored oral solution is available under the brand name ProCentra, manufactured by FSC Pediatrics, which is designed to be an easier method of administration in children who have difficulty swallowing tablets, each 5 mL contains 5 mg dextroamphetamine. The conversion rate between dextroamphetamine sulfate to amphetamine free base is .728. In Australia, dexamfetamine is available in bottles of 100 instant release 5 mg tablets as a
generic drug or slow release dextroamphetamine preparations may be compounded by individual chemists. In the United Kingdom, it is available in 5 mg instant release sulfate tablets under the generic name dexamfetamine sulfate as well as 10 mg and 20 mg strength tablets under the brand name Amfexa. It is also available in generic dexamfetamine sulfate 5 mg/ml oral sugar-free syrup. The brand name Dexedrine was available in the United Kingdom prior to
UCB Pharma disinvesting the product to another pharmaceutical company,
Auden Mckenzie.
Lisdexamfetamine Dextroamphetamine is the active
metabolite of the
prodrug lisdexamfetamine (L-lysine-dextroamphetamine), available by the brand name Vyvanse (Elvanse in the European market and Venvanse in the Brazilian market). Dextroamphetamine is liberated from lisdexamfetamine enzymatically following contact with red blood cells. The conversion is rate-limited by the enzyme, which prevents high blood concentrations of dextroamphetamine and reduces lisdexamfetamine's drug liking and
abuse potential at clinical doses. Vyvanse is marketed as once-a-day dosing as it provides a slow release of dextroamphetamine into the body. Vyvanse is available as
capsules, and chewable tablets, and in seven strengths; 10 mg, 20 mg, 30 mg, 40 mg, 50 mg, 60 mg, and 70 mg. The conversion rate between lisdexamfetamine dimesylate (Vyvanse) to dextroamphetamine base is 29.5%.
Adderall Another pharmaceutical that contains dextroamphetamine is commonly known by the brand name Adderall. It is available as immediate release (IR) tablets and extended release (XR) capsules. Adderall contains equal amounts of four amphetamine salts: • One-quarter racemic (d,l-)amphetamine
aspartate monohydrate • One-quarter dextroamphetamine
saccharate • One-quarter dextroamphetamine
sulfate • One-quarter racemic (d,l-)amphetamine sulfate Adderall has a total amphetamine base equivalence of 63%. While the enantiomer ratio by dextroamphetamine salts to levoamphetamine salts is 3:1, the amphetamine base content is 75.9% dextroamphetamine, 24.1% levoamphetamine. == Research ==