Prescription medication · Cannabinoid Antiemetic
dronabinol
Also sold as Marinol. Dronabinol is used to treat loss of appetite and weight loss in adults with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS).
Data updated 2026-05-15
- 7,819
- FDA reportsLightly reported
- 9
- InteractionsFew interactions
- $4.20
- Generic price (NADAC)
What the data shows
dronabinol (Marinol) is a prescription Cannabinoid Antiemetic, reported less often than most tracked drugs (7,819 FDA reports), with 9 documented drug interactions.
Reporting volume reflects how widely a drug is used and studied, not how dangerous it is, a FAERS report documents a temporal association, never proof of cause.
dronabinol (Marinol) is a prescription Cannabinoid Antiemetic. Dronabinol is used to treat loss of appetite and weight loss in adults with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS).
Dronabinol capsules contain a synthetic form of THC, the active ingredient in marijuana. It is used to treat loss of appetite in AIDS patients and nausea/vomiting from chemotherapy.
Verify with FDA → · CMS NADAC pricing →
Drug Pricing (NADAC)
Generic Price
$4.20/unit
Generic Available
Yes (2 manufacturers)
Pricing data from NADAC (CMS), effective December 18, 2024. Compare all drug costs →
NADAC price trail: DRONABINOL 10 MG CAPSULE
Same CMS presentation as the headline generic unit price above (2 effective dates). Adjacent % compares consecutive NADAC releases for this description only, not a patient out-of-pocket quote. Latest step: 0% vs prior release.
| Effective | NADAC / unit | vs prior | NDCs |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 23, 2024 | $4.20/EA | - | 1 |
| December 18, 2024 | $4.20/EA | 0% | 3 |
What it does
Dronabinol is used to treat loss of appetite and weight loss in adults with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS).
Common side effects
Abdominal pain, Dizziness, Feeling very happy
Key warnings
Dronabinol can cause mental and mood changes.
The sections below are summarized in plain English from dronabinol's FDA-approved prescribing information. They describe what the official label says, and are not personal medical advice.
How It Works
Dronabinol works by activating cannabinoid receptors in your brain. These receptors affect appetite, mood, and the sensation of nausea. By activating these receptors, dronabinol can increase appetite and reduce nausea and vomiting.
Side Effects (from patient reports)
Based on 7,819 FDA adverse event reports.
Most-reported reactions
Adverse reactions in FAERS for dronabinol, by number of reports
- Nausea
Nausea
878 reports
- Fatigue
Fatigue
696 reports
- Diarrhoea
Diarrhoea
604 reports
- Death
Death
593 reports
- Vomiting
Vomiting
580 reports
- Decreased Appetite
Decreased Appetite
446 reports
- Pain
Pain
427 reports
- Weight Decreased
Weight Decreased
413 reports
- Dyspnoea
Dyspnoea
377 reports
- Asthenia
Asthenia
375 reports
What this shows Bars show how often each reaction was reported, not how likely it is to happen, a report records a temporal association, never proof that the drug caused it.
Reports over time
Adverse-event reports filed for dronabinol each year to the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS).
Year-to-year volume tracks usage, prescribing, and scrutiny, not a change in per-patient risk. Source: FDA FAERS.
Where dronabinol sits
dronabinol has more FDA adverse-event reports than 34% of the drugs FAERS tracks. A high position reflects how widely a drug is used and watched, not how dangerous it is.
Percentile across all drugs PlainMeds tracks by FAERS report volume. The dot is dronabinol; the line is the median (50th percentile).
FDA Adverse Event Report Analysis
Detailed analysis of 7,819 reports from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Reports span 2004–2025.
Total Reports
7,819
Reports Mentioning Death
1,639
21.0% of reports — not proof of cause
Hospitalization Reports
3,063
Top Indication
Product Used For Unknown Indication
Gender Distribution
Age Distribution
Most Reported Adverse Reactions (FAERS)
| # | Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | NAUSEA | 878 |
| 2 | FATIGUE | 696 |
| 3 | DIARRHOEA | 604 |
| 4 | DEATH | 593 |
| 5 | VOMITING | 580 |
| 7 | DECREASED APPETITE | 446 |
| 8 | PAIN | 427 |
| 9 | WEIGHT DECREASED | 413 |
| 10 | DYSPNOEA | 377 |
| 11 | ASTHENIA | 375 |
| 13 | TOXICITY TO VARIOUS AGENTS | 314 |
| 14 | HEADACHE | 310 |
| 15 | PNEUMONIA | 302 |
| 16 | DRUG ABUSE | 282 |
| 17 | DEHYDRATION | 281 |
Reactions in Death Reports
Reactions in Hospitalization Reports
Source: FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System) Reports are voluntary and do not establish causation
Serious Warnings
Dronabinol can cause mental and mood changes. Tell your doctor if you have a history of mental illness. Do not drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how this medicine affects you. This medicine can also affect your heart, causing changes in blood pressure or heart rate. Dronabinol may also increase the risk of seizures.
Known Drug Interactions
(7.3) Highly protein-bound drugs: Potential for displacement of other drugs from plasma proteins; monitor for adverse reactions to concomitant highly protein-bound drugs and narrow therapeutic index drugs (e.g., warfarin, cyclosporine, amphotericin B) when initiating or increasing the dosage of dronabinol capsules. Although this displacement has not been confirmed in vivo , monitor patients for increased adverse reactions to narrow therapeutic index drugs that are highly protein-bound (e.g., warfarin, cyclosporine, amphotericin B) when initiating treatment or increasing the dosage of...
Mechanism: Dronabinol can push warfarin off the proteins in your blood that normally hold it. This leaves more active warfarin in your system, which can increase the risk of bleeding.
Monitor for potentially increased dronabinol-related adverse reactions when dronabinol capsules are co-administered with inhibitors of CYP2C9 (e.g., amiodarone, fluconazole) and inhibitors of CYP3A4 enzymes (e.g., ketoconazole, itraconazole, clarithromycin, ritonavir, erythromycin, grapefruit juice).
Mechanism: Ketoconazole blocks the natural process your body uses to get rid of dronabinol. This can cause dronabinol levels to build up, making side effects more likely.
Monitor for potentially increased dronabinol-related adverse reactions when dronabinol capsules are co-administered with inhibitors of CYP2C9 (e.g., amiodarone, fluconazole) and inhibitors of CYP3A4 enzymes (e.g., ketoconazole, itraconazole, clarithromycin, ritonavir, erythromycin, grapefruit juice).
Mechanism: Fluconazole stops the liver from breaking down dronabinol, which can lead to higher levels of the drug in your blood.
(7.3) Highly protein-bound drugs: Potential for displacement of other drugs from plasma proteins; monitor for adverse reactions to concomitant highly protein-bound drugs and narrow therapeutic index drugs (e.g., warfarin, cyclosporine, amphotericin B) when initiating or increasing the dosage of dronabinol capsules. Although this displacement has not been confirmed in vivo , monitor patients for increased adverse reactions to narrow therapeutic index drugs that are highly protein-bound (e.g., warfarin, cyclosporine, amphotericin B) when initiating treatment or increasing the dosage of...
Mechanism: Dronabinol may knock cyclosporine off the proteins it usually sticks to in your blood, making the cyclosporine more active.
Monitor for potentially increased dronabinol-related adverse reactions when dronabinol capsules are co-administered with inhibitors of CYP2C9 (e.g., amiodarone, fluconazole) and inhibitors of CYP3A4 enzymes (e.g., ketoconazole, itraconazole, clarithromycin, ritonavir, erythromycin, grapefruit juice).
Mechanism: Erythromycin slows down the liver enzymes that process dronabinol, which can cause the drug to stay in your body longer.
This is a plain-language summary of FDA-label interaction records and does not provide individual medication-combination directions.
Common Questions
Can I drive while taking dronabinol?
What should I do if I feel too high?
Can I take dronabinol with other medications?
How long does it take for dronabinol to start working?
What if dronabinol makes my nausea worse?
Can elderly patients take dronabinol?
What are the signs of a hypersensitivity reaction?
Is dronabinol the same as marijuana?
Can dronabinol cause mental health problems?
What should I do if I have side effects?
What are the common side effects of dronabinol?
Does dronabinol interact with other medications?
What drug class is dronabinol?
What pregnancy or breastfeeding source fields are listed for dronabinol?
Related Medications in Cannabinoid Antiemetic
Other drugs grouped near dronabinol - same-class peers and common alternatives.
alosetron
Lotronex
Alosetron (Lotronex) is a medicine for women with severe diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
Compare with dronabinol →
aprepitant
Emend
Aprepitant (Emend) is a medicine that helps prevent nausea and vomiting.
Compare with dronabinol →
bisacodyl
Dulcolax
Bisacodyl is a medicine that helps you have a bowel movement.
Compare with dronabinol →
bismuth subsalicylate
Pepto-Bismol
Bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol) is a medicine that can treat diarrhea and upset stomach.
Compare with dronabinol →
cimetidine
Tagamet
Cimetidine (Tagamet) reduces stomach acid.
Compare with dronabinol →
Compare beyond drug class
Nationwide peers by FAERS volume & death-report share
Two PlainMeds-derived comparison paths for dronabinol: nearest FDA FAERS report volume and nearest death-report share among drugs with at least 1,000 logged reports, excluding same-class neighbors listed above. Counts reflect reporting volume, not proven individual harm.
Similar FAERS report volume
Nearest drugs by total FAERS reports. This record: 7,819.
Similar death-report share
Nearest drugs by FAERS death-report share. This record: 20.96%.
- isavuconazonium Δ 0.02 pts · 3,219 reports · Azole Antifungal 20.94%death share
- tetrabenazine Δ 0.14 pts · 7,235 reports · VMAT2 Inhibitor 21.11%death share
- carisoprodol Δ 0.24 pts · 18,851 reports · Centrally Acting Muscle Relaxant 21.20%death share
- pyridoxine Δ 0.42 pts · 2,439 reports · Vitamin B6 Supplement 20.54%death share
Medication Guides
Understanding Drug Interactions
How CYP450 enzymes, inhibitors, and inducers affect your medications
Generic vs Brand Name Drugs
FDA requirements, cost savings, and when the difference matters
Narrow Therapeutic Index Drugs
FDA bioequivalence and label-record context for narrow therapeutic index medicines
Common Drug Interactions
Dangerous medication combinations and how to protect yourself
Save on dronabinol
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What the FDA Data Shows for dronabinol
The FDA label for dronabinol (sold under brand names such as Marinol) classifies it as a prescription-only medication in the Cannabinoid Antiemetic class. Dronabinol is used to treat loss of appetite and weight loss in adults with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). Official labeling lists 8 commonly reported side effects, including Abdominal pain, Dizziness, Feeling very happy.
Post-market surveillance from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) captures real-world experience. For this drug, FAERS contains 7,819 voluntary reports. The database also lists 9 documented drug interactions derived from FDA labeling, with the top-flagged interaction rated minor severity. NADAC pricing from CMS shows a generic unit cost of $4.20.
Report counts do not establish causation, a FAERS entry documents a temporal association, not proof that the drug produced the outcome. Widely prescribed medications naturally accumulate more reports than niche therapies, so raw totals must be interpreted alongside total exposure. Shortage status, recall history, and patent information are separate source-record fields. This page is a public FDA/CMS registry and does not provide medical, treatment, substitution, or medication-change directions.
Data Sources
Drug labeling: FDA Drug Labels (SPL/DailyMed). Adverse events: FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Pricing: CMS National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC).
FAERS reports are voluntary and do not establish causation. Drug interactions are derived from FDA labeling and clinical references. This registry does not provide medication decisions.
Last updated: January 7, 2025
PlainMeds is rendered directly from FDA openFDA/FAERS extracts, DailyMed labels, and CMS drug-pricing files, no number is typed in by an editor. FAERS counts, recalls, shortages, and price figures on this page are queried live from those federal extracts. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-05-15. Primary sources: openFDA / FAERS, DailyMed and CMS Part B ASP.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Data currency: FDA FAERS adverse-event reports through 2025, CMS NADAC acquisition-cost pricing effective December 2024, compiled from the source snapshot dated . See our methodology for per-source dates and refresh cadence. Spot a figure that looks wrong? Report a data issue.
All federal data sources used on this page
- FDA Orange Book - approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence. accessdata.fda.gov/cder/ob
- FDA DailyMed - NIH-hosted drug labeling for FDA-approved meds. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov
- FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) - post-marketing safety surveillance. fda.gov/drugs/faers
- NLM RxNorm - standardized clinical drug nomenclature. nlm.nih.gov/research/umls/rxnorm
- CMS Medicare Part B Drug Average Sales Price Files - federal drug pricing data. cms.gov/medicare/part-b-drugs/asp
- FDA Drug Shortages Database - current and resolved drug shortage tracking. accessdata.fda.gov/drugshortages