Two medicines, side by side
Dextromethorphan vs memantine
Dextromethorphan is labeled for cough and cold; memantine for alzheimer's disease. Their labels share no use, so they are not alternatives to each other. Pharmacies paid $0.122 per unit (Dextromethorphan 15 mg softgel) and $0.063 per memantine HCl 10 mg tablet (NADAC, October 7, 2026); the strengths differ, so the two prices are not like for like. In FDA's classes, dextromethorphan is a sigma-1 agonist and memantine a n-methyl-d-aspartate receptor antagonist.
Check it at the source: the dextromethorphan FDA label on DailyMed (effective August 27, 2026); the memantine FDA label on DailyMed (effective November 1, 2018).
Highlights of the dextromethorphan record
Dextromethorphan (Delsym) · label of August 27, 2026
Used for
From the label: indicationstemporarily relieves • cough due to minor throat and bronchial irritation as may occur with the common cold or inhaled irritants • the impulse to cough to help you get to sleep
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- n/a
- Generic labelers
- 28 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.122 per unit
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 0
Highlights of the memantine record
Memantine (Namenda) · label of November 1, 2018
Used for
From the label: indicationsMemantine hydrochloride tablets are indicated for the treatment of moderate to severe dementia of the Alzheimer’s type. Memantine hydrochloride tablets are an N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist indicated for the treatment of moderate to severe dementia of the Alzheimer’s type.
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- October 16, 2003
- Generic labelers
- 38 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.063 per tablet
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 7
Source: FDA drug labels via openFDA (Dextromethorphan label of August 27, 2026, Memantine label of November 1, 2018); NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA, NADAC, FDA shortages and recalls (October 8, 2026)
How do dextromethorphan and memantine differ on the record?
In FDA's classes, dextromethorphan is a sigma-1 agonist and memantine a n-methyl-d-aspartate receptor antagonist.
Generics: dextromethorphan none approved; memantine since 2010 (Drugs@FDA).
| Dextromethorphan | Memantine | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | Cough and cold | Alzheimer's disease |
| Pharmacologic class | Sigma-1 Agonist, Uncompetitive N-methyl-D-aspartate Receptor Antagonist | N-methyl-D-aspartate Receptor Antagonist |
| How it works (label) | n/a | Persistent activation of central nervous system N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors by the excitatory amino acid glutamate has been hypothesized to contribute to the symptomatology of Alzheimer’s disease. |
| Half-life (label) | n/a | n/a |
| Earliest approval on file (Drugs@FDA) | n/a | October 16, 2003 |
| First generic approved | none | April 14, 2010 |
| Generic labelers (NDC) | 28 labelers | 38 labelers |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC, each one's most listed form; strengths differ) | $0.122 per unit (Dextromethorphan 15 mg softgel) | $0.063 per tablet (Memantine HCl 10 mg tablet) |
| 12-month price change | +13% | -1% |
| Boxed warning | No | No |
| Shortage now | No current entry | No current entry |
| Recalls recorded | 0 | 7 |
| FAERS reports (a report is not proof of cause; counts follow how widely a medicine is used) | 8,389 | 13,605 |
| DEA schedule | none | none |
Source: Drugs@FDA, FDA NDC Directory, CMS NADAC of October 7, 2026, FDA shortages and recalls, FAERS via openFDA (FDA files October 8, 2026)
What next?
- Alternatives to dextromethorphan
- every medicine labeled for the same conditions