This page shows what was measured, who it was measured in, and what that does not settle.
What Methylphenidate does in the body
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
From the FDA-approved label: Methylphenidate HCl is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant. The mode of therapeutic action in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is not known. Methylphenidate is thought to block the reuptake of norepinephrine and dopamine into the presynaptic neuron and increase the release of these monoamines into the extraneuronal space.
What happened in people
RNAWiki has not yet published a reviewed conclusion for this use.
§ A fixed RNAWiki sentence
Where this came from
Wording RNAWiki always uses, not a finding about this substance.
No reviewed claim names a result for any goal on this record.
No source is stored against this line.
The limit that matters most
Not recorded.
Where it acts
Not recorded.
Kind of result
No result is published, so no kind of result applies yet
Supervision
Professional supervision is normally required. A regulator classifies this substance in a way that restricts how it is supplied.
What the registries record it as
The substance registry classes this as chemical.
FDA substance registry · 207ZZ9QZ49 · read 2026-08-29
Its recorded molecular formula is C14H19NO2•HCl, weighing 269.77.
US prescribing information · 7124df7e-6273-a68d-6e35-dc06122d8686 · read 2026-08-30
Where each sentence above came from
No recorded sentence describes the change this makes in a way that stands on its own. The page opens with what it is taken for instead, and the recorded explanation follows below.
Shown as the opening line on this page.
No statement of the main limit is recorded.
The four opening statements run to 70 words.
Words this page uses
Four words worth knowing first
Chosen from what this page shows, with each one explained before the word it depends on.
Stand-in result
A stand-in result is a number measured because the real result takes too long.
A picture of it, and where the picture fails
It is like judging a journey by the speedometer rather than by arriving.
Where that stops being true. Speed does predict arrival. Many stand-in results do not predict the real one.
What people get wrong. A stand-in result is often reported as the result itself.
A surrogate endpoint substituted for a clinical endpoint, valid only where the substitution has been shown to hold.
Enzyme
An enzyme is a protein that speeds up one chemical change.
A picture of it, and where the picture fails
An enzyme is like a machine on a production line doing one cut.
Where that stops being true. A machine is switched on and off by a person. Enzymes are controlled by the cell.
What people get wrong. Enzymes are thought to be used up. They are not; they work again and again.
A catalytic protein that lowers the activation energy of a specific reaction.
Receptor
A receptor is a part of a cell that a signal fits into.
A picture of it, and where the picture fails
A receptor is like a lock waiting for one key.
Where that stops being true. A lock either opens or does not. A receptor can be half-triggered, or worn out.
What people get wrong. Fitting a receptor is read as causing a benefit. It causes a step, and nothing more.
A protein that binds a specific ligand and converts that binding into a cellular response.
Pathway
A pathway is a chain of steps inside a cell, each one setting off the next.
A picture of it, and where the picture fails
A pathway is like a row of dominoes.
Where that stops being true. Dominoes fall one way. Pathways loop back and can switch themselves off.
What people get wrong. Changing one step is read as changing the outcome. Other steps often absorb it.
An ordered series of molecular interactions producing a defined cellular change.
What happened in people◇Read from sources, not yet reviewed
What was measured, goal by goal
One row for each goal a registered study measured something for. One column for each kind of thing that could be measured.
Registered studies list 40 outcome measures that RNAWiki could read. A registered study says what someone planned to measure. It does not say what they found. 0 of the matched studies tested this substance, and 0 posted a result.
There is no single score. A strong test result and a weak life result are different facts.
Goals down the side, kinds of measurement across the top. Each cell says what kind of thing was registered, not what was found.
Goal
Life outcome
What a body can do
How a person feels
A test result
A step in the body
Harms
How long
Who was studied
Focus
∅Nothing in the sources checkedNo registered study lists a life outcome for this goal.
∅Nothing in the sources checkedNo registered study lists a performance measure for this goal.
∅Nothing in the sources checkedNo registered study lists a symptom measure for this goal.
∅Nothing in the sources checkedNo registered study lists a test result for this goal.
∅Nothing in the sources checkedNo registered study lists a body-step measure for this goal.
—Not recordedHarms were not a registered measure for this goal.
—Not recordedNo finished study window is recorded.
…Waiting for a reviewerWho was studied is listed further down the page.
Sleep
∅Nothing in the sources checkedNo registered study lists a life outcome for this goal.
∅Nothing in the sources checkedNo registered study lists a performance measure for this goal.
∅Nothing in the sources checkedNo registered study lists a symptom measure for this goal.
∅Nothing in the sources checkedNo registered study lists a test result for this goal.
∅Nothing in the sources checkedNo registered study lists a body-step measure for this goal.
—Not recordedHarms were not a registered measure for this goal.
—Not recordedNo finished study window is recorded.
…Waiting for a reviewerWho was studied is listed further down the page.
Which registered measures put each goal on this table
Focus
cognitive test scores at end of treatment period; wender reimherr adult attention deficit disorder scale
Sleep
sleep latency
Sorted by fixed word lists, version v1. A name the rules do not recognise stays unsorted rather than moving to the nearest column.
What each mark on this table means
∅ Nothing in the sources checked
No registered study lists a life outcome for this goal.
— Not recorded
Harms were not a registered measure for this goal.
… Waiting for a reviewer
Who was studied is listed further down the page.
What happened in people◇Read from sources, not yet reviewed
What happened in people
Each card is one study: the exact question it asked, who was in it, and whether it showed what it set out to show.
To determine whether the genetic-brain-cognition function markers (or combination of markers) 'normalize' with acute drug treatment in ADHD.
✗ The study did not show it
Who was studied
NCT00863499
How many people
1344
Study design
Phase 4
Compared against
Not recorded for this study
Kind of result
What a body can do day to day
What was found
Result not recorded on this page
Repeated elsewhere
Unreplicated
What this does not prove. A study that did not show an effect does not show that no effect exists anywhere.
The limits of this study, and where it came from
Main limit. No limitation is recorded for this study.
How far it carries. This study is recorded from the curated record, not from the registry match.
Form and route. Oral
Interval reported. Not recorded in this summary
Written into the record, not signed off as a reviewed claim.
openFDA Drugs@FDA · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
openFDA NDC Directory · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
openFDA SPL label · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
PubChem PUG-REST · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
Observed and change from baseline measures for ADHD-RS total scores will be summarized by descriptive statistics and analyzed by repeated measures of analysis of covariance.
✗ The study did not show it
Who was studied
NCT00866996
How many people
1323
Study design
Phase 4
Compared against
Not recorded for this study
Kind of result
A number that stands in for health
What was found
Result not recorded on this page
Repeated elsewhere
Unreplicated
What this does not prove. A study that did not show an effect does not show that no effect exists anywhere.
The limits of this study, and where it came from
Main limit. No limitation is recorded for this study.
How far it carries. This study is recorded from the curated record, not from the registry match.
Form and route. Oral
Interval reported. Not recorded in this summary
Written into the record, not signed off as a reviewed claim.
openFDA Drugs@FDA · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
openFDA NDC Directory · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
openFDA SPL label · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
PubChem PUG-REST · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
Conners' Global Index - Parent Version (CGI-P)
✗ The study did not show it
Who was studied
NCT00483106
How many people
885
Study design
Phase 4
Compared against
Not recorded for this study
Kind of result
A number that stands in for health
What was found
Result not recorded on this page
Repeated elsewhere
Unreplicated
What this does not prove. A study that did not show an effect does not show that no effect exists anywhere.
The limits of this study, and where it came from
Main limit. No limitation is recorded for this study.
How far it carries. This study is recorded from the curated record, not from the registry match.
Form and route. Oral
Interval reported. Not recorded in this summary
Written into the record, not signed off as a reviewed claim.
openFDA Drugs@FDA · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
openFDA NDC Directory · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
openFDA SPL label · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
PubChem PUG-REST · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
Metabolic syndrome score
✗ The study did not show it
Who was studied
NCT01457794
How many people
834
Study design
Not applicable
Compared against
Not recorded for this study
Kind of result
A number that stands in for health
What was found
Result not recorded on this page
Repeated elsewhere
Unreplicated
What this does not prove. A study that did not show an effect does not show that no effect exists anywhere.
The limits of this study, and where it came from
Main limit. No limitation is recorded for this study.
How far it carries. This study is recorded from the curated record, not from the registry match.
Form and route. Oral
Interval reported. Not recorded in this summary
Written into the record, not signed off as a reviewed claim.
openFDA Drugs@FDA · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
openFDA NDC Directory · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
openFDA SPL label · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
PubChem PUG-REST · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
Mean Change From Baseline (End of Phase A) in the CAARS-O:SV ADHD Symptoms Total Score (18 Items) to End of Phase B
✗ The study did not show it
Who was studied
NCT01074294
How many people
740
Study design
Phase 2
Compared against
Not recorded for this study
Kind of result
A number that stands in for health
What was found
Result not recorded on this page
Repeated elsewhere
Unreplicated
What this does not prove. A study that did not show an effect does not show that no effect exists anywhere.
The limits of this study, and where it came from
Main limit. No limitation is recorded for this study.
How far it carries. This study is recorded from the curated record, not from the registry match.
Form and route. Oral
Interval reported. Not recorded in this summary
Written into the record, not signed off as a reviewed claim.
openFDA Drugs@FDA · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
openFDA NDC Directory · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
openFDA SPL label · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
PubChem PUG-REST · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
Change From Baseline of Period 1 (Baseline 1) to End of Period 1 on Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Rating Scale (DSM-IV ADHD RS) Total Score by Treatment
✗ The study did not show it
Who was studied
NCT01259492
How many people
725
Study design
Phase 3
Compared against
Not recorded for this study
Kind of result
A number that stands in for health
What was found
Result not recorded on this page
Repeated elsewhere
Unreplicated
What this does not prove. A study that did not show an effect does not show that no effect exists anywhere.
The limits of this study, and where it came from
Main limit. No limitation is recorded for this study.
How far it carries. This study is recorded from the curated record, not from the registry match.
Form and route. Oral
Interval reported. Not recorded in this summary
Written into the record, not signed off as a reviewed claim.
openFDA Drugs@FDA · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
openFDA NDC Directory · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
openFDA SPL label · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
PubChem PUG-REST · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
What we know
RNAWiki holds 6 written-up human studies for this substance, each with the question it asked.
How we know it
Each card names the study, the number of people and what the study set out to measure.
What this does not prove
These summaries were written by a person and have not been signed off as reviewed claims.
Why it matters
A study that failed is as informative as one that worked, and both are here.
What we still do not know
No reviewed claim exists, so no exact population, effect size or interval is published yet.
What happened in people◇Read from sources, not yet reviewed
How close this is to real life
The top step is something a person would feel or care about. The bottom is a guess from software. Filled steps are where evidence exists for this substance.
□Living longer, or avoiding a major eventNo evidence recorded. Death, a heart attack, a stroke, a hospital stay.No registered study measures this.
□What a body can do day to dayNo evidence recorded. Walking, dressing, breathing, recovering.No registered study measures this.
□Measured performanceNo evidence recorded. How much was lifted, how far was run, how fast.No registered study measures this.
■Symptoms and quality of lifeEvidence recorded. Pain, tiredness, mood, sleep, as the person rated it.6 registered measures of this kind.
■A number that stands in for healthEvidence recorded. Cholesterol, blood sugar, bone density. A stand-in, not the thing itself.5 registered measures of this kind.
■A step measured inside a personEvidence recorded. Something measured in human tissue or human cells.A human record sits on the stored organism ladder.
■AnimalsEvidence recorded. Mice, rats, dogs. Useful for ideas, not proof about people.Stored records in Mouse. A result in animals says what to test next. It does not say what happens in people.
□Cells in a dishNo evidence recorded. Cells or chemistry on a bench, far from a whole body.No cell or bench record is stored.
□A guess from softwareNo evidence recorded. Nobody measured it. RNAWiki never publishes one as a finding.RNAWiki stores no prediction for this record. Software can suggest a link. RNAWiki does not publish one as a finding.
Higher on these steps means closer to something a person would feel. It does not mean better done.
What it would be like to take◇Read from sources, not yet reviewed
Felt, measured, or meaningful
Three different things that get called the same word. Registered studies measured all three, and mixing them is how a blood test becomes a health claim.
Felt
Things a person could notice without a test.
adhd symptom severity based on the adhd rating scale
addiction research centre inventory
clinical global impression scale improvement
dichotomized clinical global impression effectiveness scale
clinical global impression severity
clinical global impression improvement
Measured
Things only a test, a scale or a device shows.
systolic blood pressure
diastolic blood pressure
maximum plasma concentration of guanfacine
time of maximum plasma concentration of guanfacine
time of plasma half life of guanfacine
Meaningful
Things that change how a life goes, not only a number.
No registered study measured anything of this kind.
A registered study says what someone planned to measure. It does not say what they found. A number moving is not the same as a life going better. The two are shown apart here.
Felt, but not shown to help. A person notices a change. No study showed it leads anywhere good.
Measured, but not felt. A number moves. The person notices nothing. Both can be true.
Measured, but not shown to matter. A number moves in the good direction. Nobody showed that lives went better.
Matters, but takes years. The result that counts may take longer than anyone would keep watching.
Names that fit none of the three (29)
retention
cocaine use
global improvement
cocaine withdrawal
cocaine related high
safety assessments
hyperactivity impulsiveness and distractibility
adhd rs
adhd rs total
aggression
improvement of adhd symptoms
apathy evaluation scale caregiver
side effects
cognitive test scores at end of treatment period
adhd iv rating scale
adhd symptoms
adverse drug reactions
discrimination effects assessed by operant responses
discrimination effects assessed by distribution
discrimination effects assessed by discrete choice
These are harms, study-process measures, or names the rules did not recognise. They are shown rather than dropped.
What it would be like to take◇Read from sources, not yet reviewed
How long anything takes
Nine different lengths of time that get confused with each other. None of them is worked out from another.
Before anything is noticed.RNAWiki does not store this separately, and never works it out from another figure on this page.
Before a test result moves.RNAWiki does not store this separately, and never works it out from another figure on this page.
Before performance moves.RNAWiki does not store this separately, and never works it out from another figure on this page.
How long the result was watched.No finished study window is recorded for a study that tested this substance.
How long people took it.How long people actually took it is not stored. The study window is not the same thing.
How long people were followed.Follow-up length is not stored separately. It is never read off the study window, which would be a different thing.
How fast the body clears it. 3.6 hours hours
Read from the label, which states: “The mean half-life was about 3.6 hours.”
How long effects linger.RNAWiki does not store this separately, and never works it out from another figure on this page.
Beyond the studies. Nothing is recorded about the long term.
The longest finished study sets the edge of what anyone measured.
A study window is not how long people took it, and neither is how long they were followed. Where RNAWiki holds only one of the three, it shows one.
What is missing or unclear◇Read from sources, not yet reviewed
Were people like you studied?
RNAWiki cannot tell whether a study fits you. It can show who was in it, and where the result stops carrying.
Who was studied
People similar to this profile were included.
Methylphenidate hydrochloride extended-release tablets are indicated for the treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in children 6 years of age and older, adolescents, and adults up to the age of 65 [see Clinical Studies ( 14 )].
Who is missing from the studies
Which groups were under-represented in the studies has not been recorded for this substance. Pregnancy, breastfeeding, children, older adults, and people with liver or kidney conditions are commonly excluded from trials; nothing here says whether they were.
What the label states about particular groups
On pediatric, the label states: “Methylphenidate hydrochloride extended-release tablets should not be used in children under six years, since safety and efficacy in this age group have not been established.”
US prescribing information · 7124df7e-6273-a68d-6e35-dc06122d8686 · read 2026-08-30
On older people, the label states: “Methylphenidate hydrochloride extended-release tablets has not been studied in patients greater than 65 years of age.”
US prescribing information · 7124df7e-6273-a68d-6e35-dc06122d8686 · read 2026-08-30
On people who are pregnant, the label states: “The safety of methylphenidate for use during human pregnancy has not been established.”
US prescribing information · 7124df7e-6273-a68d-6e35-dc06122d8686 · read 2026-08-30
On people who are breastfeeding, the label states: “It is not known whether methylphenidate is excreted in human milk.”
US prescribing information · 7124df7e-6273-a68d-6e35-dc06122d8686 · read 2026-08-30
Where the result stopped carrying
This is a scope explorer, not a diagnosis engine.
It shows who was studied so you can see whether people similar to you were included.
RNAWiki cannot tell whether a study fits you. It can show who was in it.
What it would be like to take◇Read from sources, not yet reviewed
Why it might seem to do nothing
A real effect and a noticed effect are different things. These are the recorded reasons the two come apart.
It was studied for a different goal
The studies measured something else entirely.
On this record: Some registered studies measured things that match no goal on this page.
It was studied in different people
The people in the studies were not much like the reader.
On this record: Which groups were under-represented in the studies has not been recorded for this substance. Pregnancy, breastfeeding, children, older adults, and people with liver or kidney conditions are commonly excluded from trials; nothing here says whether they were.
The evidence may simply be wrong
Small early studies often do not hold up.
On this record: RNAWiki has not yet published a reviewed conclusion for this use.
Other reasons RNAWiki checked and found nothing for (10)
A different form was studied
The studied form is not the form on the shelf. Nothing in this record points to this reason.
There was nothing to correct
Where a level is already normal, topping it up may change nothing. Nothing in this record points to this reason.
Something else had to happen too
In the studies it was paired with training, a diet or another treatment. Nothing in this record points to this reason.
The change is too small to feel
A real change can still sit below what a person notices. Nothing in this record points to this reason.
Day-to-day swing hides it
Sleep, food, stress and time of day move most numbers more than this would. Nothing in this record points to this reason.
Not enough time yet
The studies ran longer than the person has waited. Nothing in this record points to this reason.
It was not taken as studied
Missed days change the result, and studies count them. Nothing in this record points to this reason.
Something else changed at the same time
Two changes at once cannot be told apart afterwards. Nothing in this record points to this reason.
The product may not be what it says
Contents of a sold product are not always what the label states. Nothing in this record points to this reason.
No recorded reason
RNAWiki has nothing stored that would explain it. Nothing in this record points to this reason.
None of these is a reason to take more. Taking more is not a step this page ever suggests.
What it would be like to take◇Read from sources, not yet reviewed
What taking it involves
The recorded facts about getting hold of it and using it. Nothing here is a suggestion about what you should do.
How it is supplied
Prescription only
❝ Quoted from a source
Where this came from
Copied from a source RNAWiki stored, with the source named.
Read from the recorded approval status.
No source is stored against this line.
Form and route
Oral
✎ Source-linked record
Where this came from
A person wrote this into the record with the study named beside it. No reviewer has signed it off.
The form and route recorded on this substance.
No source is stored against this line.
Who oversees it
Professional supervision is normally required. A regulator classifies this substance in a way that restricts how it is supplied.
❝ Quoted from a source
Where this came from
Copied from a source RNAWiki stored, with the source named.
Suppression classes recorded: S2, S6.
No source is stored against this line.
What is in the pack
Sold as capsule, extended release, for suspension, extended release, tablet, solution, given by the oral, transdermal route.
✎ Source-linked record
Where this came from
A person wrote this into the record with the study named beside it. No reviewer has signed it off.
Recorded notes on how this is sold and what that means for what is in the pack.
No source is stored against this line.
Where it is registered
Regulatory records are listed in the technical disclosure at the foot of this page.
# Counted from records
Where this came from
A count of rows RNAWiki holds. It describes our records, not your body.
Register entries are stored per jurisdiction and shown with their dates.
No source is stored against this line.
Why people stop
Not recorded.
∅ Nothing recorded
Where this came from
RNAWiki holds nothing here and says so rather than guessing.
No record of why people stopped taking it is stored for this substance.
No source is stored against this line.
What it would be like to take∅Nothing found in the sources checked
What can go wrong
Sorted by where each line came from. A regulator's label and a report somebody sent in are not the same kind of fact.
∅Nothing found in the sources checked
No harm is recorded against this substance in the sources RNAWiki checked. Finding nothing is not the same as showing there is nothing.
The sources listed were searched and held nothing. That is not the same as nothing existing.
Reports sent to a regulator
These are reports people sent to a regulator. They do not show the medicine caused the reaction.
Nobody counted how many people took the medicine and reported nothing.
The same event can be reported more than once, and many reports are incomplete.
News coverage, lawsuits and new warnings change how often people report.
A count is not a rate and not a risk.
Methylphenidate appears in spontaneous reports to regulators. Across the 10 most-reported reaction terms, 2141 reaction mentions were counted. One report can name several reactions.
The recorded terms (10)
toxicity to various agents — 351 reaction mentions
agitation — 262 reaction mentions
tachycardia — 257 reaction mentions
application site erythema — 228 reaction mentions
insomnia — 190 reaction mentions
aggression — 186 reaction mentions
hypertension — 186 reaction mentions
anxiety — 170 reaction mentions
decreased appetite — 170 reaction mentions
somnolence — 141 reaction mentions
open-targets-adr · recorded 2026-06-24 · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
Over a long time. No completed tested study window is recorded, so long-term effects are not established by the registry record.
Groups the studies covered thinly. Which groups were under-represented in the studies has not been recorded for this substance. Pregnancy, breastfeeding, children, older adults, and people with liver or kidney conditions are commonly excluded from trials; nothing here says whether they were.
What is missing or unclear◇Read from sources, not yet reviewed
Does the exact form matter?
Evidence belongs to the exact thing that was tested. A different salt, a different mixture or a different preparation is a different question.
The form that was studied
Oral
✎ Source-linked record
Where this came from
A person wrote this into the record with the study named beside it. No reviewer has signed it off.
The form used in the studies cited on this page.
No source is stored against this line.
What is sold
Not recorded.
∅ Nothing recorded
Where this came from
RNAWiki holds nothing here and says so rather than guessing.
Nothing further is recorded about which forms are sold.
No source is stored against this line.
What is recorded as being sold
306 products list this as an active ingredient in the United States drug directory. 306 of them contain it and nothing else.
FDA National Drug Code directory · 72162-2041 · read 2026-08-29
They are sold as capsule, capsule, extended release, patch, powder, solution and suspension, extended release, taken oral and transdermal.
FDA National Drug Code directory · 72162-2041 · read 2026-08-29
The regulator's established pharmacologic class for it is central nervous system stimulant [epc] and central nervous system stimulation [pe].
FDA National Drug Code directory · 72162-2041 · read 2026-08-29
87 published labels name it as an active ingredient. 87 of them describe this substance alone, which is where its own label text on this page comes from.
US prescribing information · 213ca0da-dde8-48ee-ac8c-c66558e6f62d · read 2026-08-29
Those labels are classed as human prescription drug.
US prescribing information · 213ca0da-dde8-48ee-ac8c-c66558e6f62d · read 2026-08-29
Methylphenidate Hydrochloride is oral at 3 DOSAGE FORMS AND STRENGTHS Methylphenidate hydrochloride extended-release tablets, USP are available in the following dosage strengths: Methylphenidate hydrochloride extended-release tablets USP, 18 mg are purple colo…, recorded as fda label in effect 2021-12-03 in the United States.
US prescribing information · 7124df7e-6273-a68d-6e35-dc06122d8686 · read 2026-08-30
Recorded price in US: 0.07831–0.11891 USD per one millilitre, across 6 priced products whose strengths and pack forms differ, as of 2026-08-26, paid by retail pharmacies buying the product, as surveyed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. It is not a list price, an insurance price, or what anyone pays at a counter..
Recorded source · 2026-08-26 · read 2026-08-28
Recorded price in US: 0.13088–7.89039 USD per one unit as the pricing file counts it — a tablet, capsule, patch or single item, across 55 priced products whose strengths and pack forms differ, as of 2026-08-26, paid by retail pharmacies buying the product, as surveyed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. It is not a list price, an insurance price, or what anyone pays at a counter..
Recorded source · 2026-08-26 · read 2026-08-28
Evidence carries across two names for one substance. It does not carry across a salt, a mirror form or a mixture.
What it would be like to take◇Read from sources, not yet reviewed
What you could measure
This one is decided with a clinician, so this section holds questions to ask rather than a plan to run.
Self-experiment planning is not offered for a prescription or clinician-supervised medicine. The questions below are for a clinician or pharmacist.
Questions worth asking
Which of the trials of Methylphenidate studied people like me?
What was measured, and for how long?
Was the result a laboratory value or a health outcome?
What would we watch for, and when would we stop?
Tracking can show whether something changed for you. It cannot show what caused it.
RNAWiki records evidence. It does not say whether this substance is right for you.
What is missing or unclear◇Read from sources, not yet reviewed
What nobody knows yet
Open questions, each with why it is open and what would close it.
Missing populations
Which groups were under-represented in the studies has not been recorded.
Why it matters. Recorded by the evidence model as a gap on this record.
What would answer it
A study that measures it, and a reviewer to sign it off.
Last checked 2026-09-04. Searched: The sources listed in the receipts at the foot of this page.
Missing long-term data
No completed tested study window is recorded.
Why it matters. Recorded by the evidence model as a gap on this record.
What would answer it
A study that measures it, and a reviewer to sign it off.
Last checked 2026-09-04. Searched: The sources listed in the receipts at the foot of this page.
No reviewed conclusion
RNAWiki has not yet published a reviewed conclusion for this use.
Why it matters. Recorded by the evidence model as a gap on this record.
What would answer it
A study that measures it, and a reviewer to sign it off.
Last checked 2026-09-04. Searched: The sources listed in the receipts at the foot of this page.
Missing interaction studies
No interaction was found in the registers checked. Not finding one is not the same as showing there is none.
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What would answer it
A study that measures it, and a reviewer to sign it off.
Last checked 2026-09-04. Searched: The sources listed in the receipts at the foot of this page.
Formulation uncertainty
Several salts, forms or products of Methylphenidate are recorded. Results from one form may not transfer to another.
Why it matters. Recorded by the evidence model as a gap on this record.
What would answer it
A study that measures it, and a reviewer to sign it off.
Last checked 2026-09-04. Searched: The sources listed in the receipts at the foot of this page.
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No reviewed mechanism story exists for this substance.
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A study that measures it, and a reviewer to sign it off.
Last checked 2026-09-04. Searched: The sources listed in the receipts at the foot of this page.
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Check any of this yourself
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How many documents were read
86 documents were read for this substance.
RNAWiki source record
17 of them state the same proteinBinding, and they agree.
RNAWiki source record
52 of them state the same volumeOfDistribution, and they agree.
RNAWiki source record
Where else this substance is registered
FDA substance identifier (UNII)
207ZZ9QZ49
CAS registry number
20748-11-2
ChEMBL
CHEMBL796
ChEBI
6887
WHO international nonproprietary name list entry
485
RxNorm concept
6901
EMA substance identifier
100000080907
European Chemicals Agency number
204-028-6
DrugBank
DB00422
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How this medicine reached us
Kept near the foot of the page. A historical event moves up only when it changes something about this substance today.
What the approval register records
90 approved applications cover products containing this substance. The earliest was NDA010187, approved 19551205 to SANDOZ.
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5 questions this page could not answer
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Recorded evidence blocks (12)
Q2
What did Methylphenidate's largest trial (430000 people) and its longest (20 years) measure?
430000 people in Methylphenidate's largest registered study, 20 years in its longest registered window, measuring Peak Plasma Concentration of d-Methylphenidate. ClinicalTrials.gov · 2026-09-01
112 phase4, 78 phase3, 65 phase2, 54 na, 38 phase1, 22 na or unstated, 14 early phase1; NCT00483106; 2020-03-31; no ageing endpoint recorded. Last human test completed 2026, NCT07314333.
Interpretation These counts include studies where Methylphenidate was a comparison treatment, a background treatment or an exposure in an observational study, and the longest window may be a planned end date. Trial roles have not yet been classified for this record.
Show the evidence
phase4
112
phase3
78
phase2
65
na
54
phase1
38
na or unstated
22
2 more recorded rows
early phase1
14
Last recorded human testNCT07314333
2026-04-15
recorded 2026-09-01 · last checked 2026-09-04
Q3
From mouse to human: where has Methylphenidate shown biomarker?
15 recorded entries; human; tablet; also "Methylphenidate 20 mg long-acting capsules", "Methylphenidate 40 mg", "Ritalin LA 20 mg"
Show the evidence
human
NCT00428792
Methylphenidate 20 mg long-acting capsules
NCT01218425
Methylphenidate 40 mg
NCT01259492
Ritalin LA 20 mg
NCT01259492
Ritalin LA 30 mg
NCT01416948
Methylphenidate Hydrochloride 20 mg
NCT01879202
Ritalin LA 20mg
9 more recorded rows
humanNCT01879202
Ritalin LA 30mg
humanNCT01879202
Ritalin LA 40mg
humanNCT02071615
tablet; Methylphenidate 20 mg tablet given once by mouth
humanNCT02265718
tablet; methylphenidate hydrochloride 20mg tablet taken once on day 0 and once on day 28
humanNCT03190681
Ritalin (methylphenidate)10Mg Tablet
humanNCT03515668
Ritalin 20 mg Tablet
humanNCT03769064
Methylphenidate 60 mg
humanNCT04968522
Methylphenidate Hydrochloride 18 MG
humanNCT05272397
Methylphenidate 20 Mg Oral Tablet
recorded 2026-09-01 · last checked 2026-09-04
Q6
More Methylphenidate was worse in human: at what point?
U-shaped in human: "Finally, for methylphenidate and lisdexamphetamine, we found evidence of U-shaped associations between doses used and risks of all-cause hospitalization/mortality and psychosis." Europe PMC · dose-response search · 2025-07-01
5 recorded sentences naming Methylphenidate; U-shaped, dose-response, biphasic
Show the evidence
U-shapedPMID 40595332
"Finally, for methylphenidate and lisdexamphetamine, we found evidence of U-shaped associations between doses used and risks of all-cause hospitalization/mortality and psychosis."
dose-responsePMID 38348853
"The aim of this study was to use 'real-world' data to evaluate the effect and side effects of using methylphenidate in palliative cancer care with a focus on the late palliative phase and dose-response."
biphasic
PMID 31786618
"In all subjects, d-threo-methylphenidate was detectable in plasma for at least 15 h after the dose with a biphasic profile. l-threo-Methylphenidate was measurable in only five subjects and in most cases in low concentrations."
PMID 31786618
"However, one female subject displayed a biphasic concentration-time profile for l-threo-methylphenidate."
PMID 31786618
"In eleven subjects, dl-threo-methylphenidate in oral fluid mirrored the biphasic profile of methylphenidate (sum of d- and l-threo-enantiomers) in plasma, but the concentrations in oral fluid were on average 1.8 times higher than in plasma. dl-threo-Methylphenidate was detected in exhaled breath in all subjects, but there was no consistent concentration-time pattern."
recorded 2025-07-01 · last checked 2026-09-04
Q7
Methylphenidate's half-life is 3.6 hours — which schedules were studied?
3.6 hours, the half-life Methylphenidate's label states. openfda-label · e5db854a-1c77-4faf-9e60-daf9c9b6cfa0 · 2026-08-30
Show the evidence
half life
3.6 hours hours; The mean half-life was about 3.6 hours.
bioavailability
Absorption The absolute oral bioavailability of methylphenidate in children was 22 ± 8% for d-methylphenidate and 5 ± 3% for l- methylphenidate.
metabolism
Metabolism The absolute oral bioavailability of methylphenidate in children was 22 ± 8% for d-methylphenidate and 5 ± 3% for l- methylphenidate, suggesting pronounced presystemic metabolism.
recorded 2026-08-30 · last checked 2026-09-04
Q8
Which of addiction research centre inventory, adhd iv rating scale and adhd rs did Methylphenidate's trials measure?
addiction research centre inventory, adhd iv rating scale and adhd rs lead 40 outcome terms across Methylphenidate's trials. ClinicalTrials.gov · 2026-09-01
Interpretation cocaine withdrawal, cocaine related high, safety assessments, hyperactivity impulsiveness and distractibility, adhd symptom severity based on the adhd rating scale and adhd rs follow.
Show the evidence
retention
1
cocaine use
1
global improvement
1
cocaine withdrawal
1
cocaine related high
1
safety assessments
1
14 more recorded rows
hyperactivity impulsiveness and distractibility
1
adhd symptom severity based on the adhd rating scale
1
adhd rs
1
adhd rs total
1
aggression
1
improvement of adhd symptoms
1
addiction research centre inventory
1
apathy evaluation scale caregiver
1
side effects
1
cognitive test scores at end of treatment period
1
adhd iv rating scale
1
adhd symptoms
1
adverse drug reactions
1
discrimination effects assessed by operant responses
1
recorded 2026-09-01 · last checked 2026-09-04
Q9
Which of Methylphenidate's 42 ongoing trials reports first?
Change in Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy - Fatigue (FACIT-F) subscale scores; Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) Score Change; latest 2031-08-31
Show the evidence
Trial
NCT01410942
"Multimodal Therapy for the Treatment of Fatigue in Patients With Prostate Cancer Receiving Radiotherapy With Androgen Deprivation Therapy"; n 175; "Change in Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy - Fatigue (FACIT-F) subscale scores"; 2026-09-30
NCT01628029
"Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Multimodal Therapy in Treating Sleep Disturbance in Patients With Cancer"; n 68; "Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) Score Change"; 2028-12-31
NCT03420339
"Stimulant Effects on Disruptive Behavior"; n 10; "Change in Behavioral Function"; 2027-08-01
NCT03511118
"Pharmacokinetics and Safety of Commonly Used Drugs in Lactating Women and Breastfed Infants"; n 1600; "M/P ratio"; 2028-07-31
NCT03525873
"A Study of Cancer Related Fatigue in Patients With Metastatic Cancer Receiving Anti-PD1 Immunotherapy"; n 212; "Assessment of the effects of methylphenidate (MP) plus physical activity in reducing cancer-related fatigue (CRF)"; 2026-12-31
NCT03772834
"Methylphenidate and Exercise in Reducing Cancer-Related Fatigue in Patients With Prostate Cancer"; n 200; "Level of cancer-related fatigue in all groups"; 2026-11-30
14 further recorded trials
NCT03814356
"Stimulant Therapy Targeted to Individualized Connectivity Maps to Promote ReACTivation of Consciousness"; n 10; "Number of Participants With Adverse Events at Each Dose"; 2026-06-30
NCT04219280
"Evaluating Treatment of ADHD in Children With Down Syndrome"; n 100; "Mean magnitude of change in ADHD Symptoms as measured by parent and teacher report on the Vanderbilt ADHD Parent and Teacher Rating Scales, compared to placebo, during the optimal MPH dosage period. [ Time Frame: Phase 2, Phase 3 ]"; 2026-08-31
NCT04419272
"Methylphenidate for the Treatment of Epilepsy-related Cognitive Deficits"; n 226; "Change in Conners Continuous Performance Test (CPT), Following Placebo vs. Methylphenidate"; 2028-05-31
NCT04421248
"Biomarker Validation in Motor System Physiology in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder"; n 214; "Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)-evoked Short Interval Cortical Inhibition (SICI) Test-Retest Reliability"; 2026-07-01
NCT04781972
"Multimodal Brain Imaging of the Neural Effects of Methylphenidate in Patients With ADHD"; n 30; "BOLD signal during response inhibition"; 2029-04-30
NCT05133804
"Efficacy of Reboxetine and Methylphenidate Treatment on Attentional, Sensory and Emotional Dysregulation in Adults With PTSD"; n 53; "Change in Clinician-Administered Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Scale for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM)-5 (CAPS-5) between baseline score (before treatment) and score on day 26 (after treatment)"; 2026-12-01
NCT05285683
"The Role of Brain Dopamine in Chronic Pain"; n 10; "mean change in amygdala volume"; 2027-12-22
NCT05301361
"Sensitivity of the NIH Toolbox to Stimulant Treatment in Intellectual Disabilities"; n 68; "Composite score of NIHTB-CB Flanker, Dimensional Change Card Sort, List Sorting and Speeded Matching tests."; 2026-09-29
NCT05474846
"Combination Therapy for Treatment of Sleep Disturbance in Patients With Advanced Cancer"; n 188; "Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) questionnaires"; 2027-02-28
NCT05536011
"WAKIX® (Pitolisant) Pregnancy Registry"; n 1329; "Major congenital malformation"; 2030-06-30
NCT05561205
"rTMS for Apathy Clinical Trial"; n 10; "Neuropsychiatric Inventory-apathy"; 2026-12-01
NCT05600881
"Towards an Understanding of the Mechanism of Action of Methylphenidate in ADHD"; n 35; "MRI"; 2026-09
NCT05630781
"Orexin s Role in the Neurobiology of Substance Use Disorder"; n 140; "fMRI - cue reactivity"; 2027-12-31
NCT05669170
"Methylphenidate for Apathy in Veterans With Parkinson's Disease"; n 60; "Apathy Evaluation Scale (AES)"; 2028-06
recorded 2026-09-01 · last checked 2026-09-04
Q10
Which 134 trials of Methylphenidate posted no result?
Posted no result
134 of 134 completed trials
Registrations
NCT00693212, NCT00269789, NCT00269776, NCT00269802, NCT00015223 and NCT00015054, and 128 more
Completion dates
oldest 1994-11; newest 2024-04-26
Show the evidence
Trial
NCT00693212
1994-11
NCT00269789
1998-05
NCT00269776
1999-01
NCT00269802
1999-02
NCT00015223
1999-08
NCT00015054
1999-11
14 further recorded trials
NCT00269815
1999-12
NCT00012584
2002-05
NCT00381758
2002-08
NCT00249353
2002-10
NCT00136734
2004-03
NCT00061087
2004-10
NCT00486083
2004-10
NCT00663442
2004-11
NCT00824317
2005-02
NCT00485550
2005-03
NCT00466791
2005-05
NCT00444574
2005-06
NCT00015301
2005-08
NCT00181987
2005-08
Q11
At the median, Methylphenidate's trials enrolled 48 people — anything larger?
Median enrolment
48
Largest enrolment
430000
Registered trials counted
356
Q12
What do 2141 spontaneous reports say about Methylphenidate — and not say?
These are reports people sent to a regulator. They do not show the medicine caused the reaction. Nobody counted how many people took the medicine and reported nothing. The same event can be reported more than once, and many reports are incomplete. News coverage, lawsuits and new warnings change how often people report. A count is not a rate and not a risk.
Methylphenidate appears in spontaneous reports to regulators. Across the 10 most-reported reaction terms, 2141 reaction mentions were counted: toxicity to various agents 351; agitation 262; tachycardia 257; application site erythema 228. open-targets-adr · CHEMBL796 · 2026-06-24
Show the evidence
toxicity to various agents
351
agitation
262
tachycardia
257
application site erythema
228
insomnia
190
aggression
186
4 more recorded rows
hypertension
186
anxiety
170
decreased appetite
170
somnolence
141
recorded 2026-06-24 · last checked 2026-09-04
Q13
Was Methylphenidate studied with fasting and exercise?
fasting and exercise are named in Methylphenidate's label sentences: "We conducted an open-label, single-dose, randomized, crossover study in healthy adults to assess the impact of food on the bioavailability of 60 mg methylphenidate extended-release oral suspension (MEROS; Quillivant XR™)-a long-acting stimulant for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity…" openfda-label+europepmc · 2017-06-19
2 recorded statements; fasting, exercise
Show the evidence
fasting
We conducted an open-label, single-dose, randomized, crossover study in healthy adults to assess the impact of food on the bioavailability of 60 mg methylphenidate extended-release oral suspension (MEROS; Quillivant XR™)-a long-acting stimulant for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder-by comparing the pharmacokinetic parameters under fed and fasting conditions.
exercise
Subjects ingested either placebo (PLA; 20 mg) or methylphenidate (MPH; Ritalin; 20 mg) 1 h before the start of exercise in temperate (18 degrees C) or warm (30 degrees C) conditions and cycled for 60 min at 55% Wmax, immediately followed by a time trial (TT; PLA18 and MPH18; PLA30 and MPH30) to measure exercise performance.
recorded 2017-06-19 · last checked 2026-09-04
Where it is registeredIdentifiers, relations and other names
ChEMBL ATC CC BY-SA · ClinicalTrials.gov — US Government work · Europe PMC — metadata only, under the recorded legal gate · Open Targets 26.06 — CC0 · derived from this page's own recorded fields; no external licence · mixed register set; per-register licences in docs/specs/corpus-20k-sources.md · openFDA / DailyMed — US Government work
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