Ritalin - how does it work?Methylphenidate, the active substance within the known drug named "Ritalin" is the most commonly prescribed psychostimulant and is indicated in the treatment of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and narcolepsy, although off-label uses include treating lethargy, depression, neural insult and obesity. In North America it is most commonly known as the brand name Ritalin which is an instant-release racemic mixture, although a variety of brand names, and formulations exist. Methylphenidate is a mild central nervous system stimulant thought to exert its effect by enhancing dopaminergic transmission in the brain. ethylphenidate was patented in 1954 by the CIBA pharmaceutical company (now Novartis) as a potential cure for Mohr's disease.[citation needed] Beginning in the 1960s, it was used to treat children with ADHD or ADD, known at the time as hyperactivity or minimal brain dysfunction (MBD). Today methylphenidate is the most commonly prescribed medication to treat ADHD around the world.[citation needed] Production and prescription of methylphenidate rose significantly in the 1990s, especially in the United States, as the ADHD diagnosis came to be better understood and more generally accepted within the medical and mental health communities. Most brand-name Ritalin is produced in the United States, and methylphenidate is produced in the United States, Mexico, Argentina and Pakistan. Other generic forms, such as "methylin", are produced by several U.S. pharmaceutical companies. Ritalin is also sold in the United Kingdom, Germany and other European countries (although in much lower volumes than in the United States). These generic versions of methylphenidate tend to outsell brand-name Ritalin four to one.[citation needed] In Belgium the product is sold under the name "Rilatine" and in Portugal as "Ritalina". Another medicine is Concerta, a once-daily extended-release form of methylphenidate, which was approved in April 2000. Studies have demonstrated that long-acting methylphenidate preparations such as Concerta are just as effective, if not more effective, than IR (instant release) formulas. Time-release medications are also less prone to misuse[citation needed] In April 2006, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a transdermal patch for the treatment of ADHD called Daytrana.
Methylphenidate is the most commonly prescribed psychostimulant and works by increasing the activity of the central nervous system
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