methylphenidate vs selegiline
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Side-by-side comparison of methylphenidate and selegiline. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
minor Known Drug Interaction
Examples selegiline, tranylcypromine, isocarboxazid, phenelzine, linezolid, methylene blue Antihypertensive Drugs Clinical Impact Methylphenidate hydrochloride extended-release capsules may decrease the effectiveness of drugs used to treat hypertension [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.3 )] .
Ritalin, Concerta
Emsam
Methylphenidate extended-release capsules are a stimulant medicine. They are used to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in children ages 6 to 12.
Selegiline is a medicine that can help manage Parkinson's disease. It is used along with levodopa/carbidopa when that medicine is not working as well as it used to.
This medicine treats Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in children. ADHD can make it hard to focus, pay attention, and control impulsive behavior. This medicine can help improve focus and reduce hyperactivity.
Selegiline is used to help people with Parkinson's disease. It's for those who are already taking levodopa/carbidopa. Selegiline can help when their response to levodopa/carbidopa starts to weaken. It can reduce 'off' time and improve movement.
Methylphenidate is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant. It works by affecting chemicals in the brain that contribute to hyperactivity and impulsivity. The extended-release capsules release the medicine in two stages, providing both an immediate and a delayed effect.
Selegiline is a selective MAO-B inhibitor. It works by blocking an enzyme in the brain that breaks down dopamine. This helps to increase the amount of dopamine available, which can improve motor control in Parkinson's disease.
- • Headache
- • Trouble sleeping (insomnia)
- • Upper abdominal pain
- • Decreased appetite
- • Loss of appetite (anorexia)
- • Nausea
- • Dizziness
- • Light-headedness
- • Fainting
- • Abdominal pain
- Product Quality Issue 5,241
- Drug Administration Error 1,901
- Wrong Technique In Drug Usage Process 1,772
- Application Site Erythema 1,684
- Drug Dose Omission 1,478
- Insomnia 184
- Application Site Erythema 183
- Dizziness 168
- Hallucination 166
- Fall 137
This medicine has a high potential for abuse and dependence. Your doctor will assess your risk before prescribing it and monitor you during treatment. Misuse of this medicine may cause sudden death or serious heart problems.
Taking selegiline with meperidine (Demerol) is dangerous and can cause serious reactions. Also, use caution when taking selegiline with tricyclic antidepressants or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) due to the risk of severe toxicity. One patient had a hypertensive crisis when taking selegiline with a sympathomimetic medicine (ephedrine).
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if this medicine will harm your unborn baby. There is a pregnancy registry for women who take ADHD medicines during pregnancy.
It is not known if selegiline can harm an unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is also not known if selegiline passes into breast milk, so talk to your doctor if you are breastfeeding.
Also Compare, Nearby Drugs
Compare methylphenidate with
How to Read This methylphenidate vs selegiline Comparison
methylphenidate is classified in the CNS Stimulant drug class, while selegiline sits within the Selective MAO-B Inhibitor class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.
Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, methylphenidate has 12,076 submissions while selegiline has 838. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume, not per-patient risk, so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. These two drugs have a known minor interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to methylphenidate can raise blood pressure, which makes drugs used to lower blood pressure work less effectively.. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.
A table cannot represent individual circumstances. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This registry does not provide medical, treatment, substitution, or medication-change directions for methylphenidate or selegiline.
Registry boundary: This comparison displays source-record fields and does not provide individualized medical direction.