Phenytoin and Methylphenidate Interaction

Drug interaction information between Phenytoin and Methylphenidate.

Phenytoin and Methylphenidate have a documented minor interaction in FDA labeling.

FDA drug labeling documents a minor-severity interaction between Phenytoin and Methylphenidate. This page displays the available source-record category and label text. The category is not an individual risk estimate or medication-combination direction.

Drug A

Phenytoin

Anticonvulsant (Hydantoin)

Drug B

Methylphenidate

CNS Stimulant

How They Interact

Methylphenidate can slow down how your liver processes phenytoin, which may cause the phenytoin to build up in your body.

Frequently Asked Questions

What SPL severity band is on file for Phenytoin + Methylphenidate?

Compiled FDA labeling labels this pair minor. That is a source-record field, not an individual medication-combination decision.

Which drug in this pair has the larger labeled-interaction portfolio?

Phenytoin has 147 labeled pairs on file vs Methylphenidate's 11. In the minor band specifically: Phenytoin has 120 (also Atorvastatin, Omeprazole, Simvastatin, Paroxetine); Methylphenidate has 8 (also Linezolid, Phenelzine, Tranylcypromine, Selegiline).

What mechanism field is on file for Phenytoin and Methylphenidate?

Methylphenidate can slow down how your liver processes phenytoin, which may cause the phenytoin to build up in your body.

Phenytoin carries more major-labeled pairs than Methylphenidate

SPL source-record counts only. This page's band is minor · classes on file: Phenytoin (Anticonvulsant (Hydantoin)); Methylphenidate (CNS Stimulant).

Phenytoin has 4 major-labeled pairs vs Methylphenidate's 1. This page itself is in the minor band, not the major band.

Phenytoin

4 major · 23 moderate · 120 minor · 147 total

Methylphenidate

1 major · 2 moderate · 8 minor · 11 total

Sources: FDA Drug Labels (SPL) via openFDA (2026). This is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. This registry does not provide individual medication-combination directions.