File:Modafinil_structure.svg · Wikimedia Commons · See Wikimedia Commons
modafinil
Sign in to saveAlso known as Provigil®, 2-((diphenylmethyl)sulfinyl)acetamide, Modafinilum, Modafinilo, Moderateafinil, Alertec
Modafinil, sold under the brand name Provigil among others, is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant medication used to treat narcolepsy, sleep apnea, and shift work sleep disorder. It is taken by mouth. Modafinil is a first-line treatment for narcolepsy in the United States and Europe.
OverviewAI-generated
Modafinil is a chemical compound with the formula C₁₅H₁₅NO₂S. Its IUPAC name is 2-benzhydrylsulfinylacetamide. The substance has a mass of 273.08235 and a weight of 273.4. It possesses a defined daily dose of 0.3.
Chemical properties include an xlogp value of 1.7 and a topological polar surface area of 79.4. The molecule contains one hydrogen bond donor and three hydrogen bond acceptors, with a charge of 0. The canonical SMILES representation is C1=CC=C(C=C1)C(C2=CC=CC=C2)S(=O)CC(=O)N.
Modafinil is referenced by 1,549 other encyclopedia articles. It has 40,956 social media followers. A search query for modafinil yields 2,378 results.
Synthesized by Vinony from 19 facts across 4 sources: Wikidata, PubMed, PubChem, Vinony graph. Generated from structured data (not the Wikipedia text) and checked against those facts — may still contain errors.
Key facts
- Drug.image
- Modafinil structure.svg
- Drug.image_class
- skin-invert-image
- Drug.width
- 215px
- Drug.caption
- Modafinil skeletal formula
- Drug.image2
- (S)-Modafinil molecule ball.png
- Drug.image_class2
- bg-transparent
- Drug.width2
- 225px
- Drug.caption2
- Esmodafinil ball-and-stick model
- Drug.tradename
- Provigil, others
- Drug.MedlinePlus
- a602016
- Drug.DailyMedID
- Modafinil
- Drug.pregnancy_AU
- D
- Drug.dependency_liability
- Relatively low
- Drug.addiction_liability
- Low
- Drug.routes_of_administration
- Oral (tablets)
- Drug.ATC_prefix
- N06
- Drug.ATC_suffix
- BA07
- Drug.legal_AU
- S4
via Wikipedia infobox
Chemical data
- Formula
- C15H15NO2S
- Molecular weight
- 273.4 g/mol
- IUPAC name
- 2-benzhydrylsulfinylacetamide
- SMILES
- C1=CC=C(C=C1)C(C2=CC=CC=C2)S(=O)CC(=O)N
- InChIKey
- YFGHCGITMMYXAQ-UHFFFAOYSA-N
- XLogP
- 1.7
- Polar surface area
- 79.4 Ų
- H-bond donors
- 1
- H-bond acceptors
- 3
- Formal charge
- 0
via PubChem
Research
2,378 papers- Modafinil for poststroke patients: A systematic review.International journal of clinical practice · 2019
- Cognitive enhancement effects of stimulants: a randomized controlled trial testing methylphenidate, modafinil, and caffeine.Psychopharmacology · 2021
- Modafinil and orexin system: interactions and medico-legal considerations.Frontiers in bioscience (Landmark edition) · 2019
- Modafinil Versus Amphetamine-Dextroamphetamine For Idiopathic Hypersomnia and Narcolepsy Type 2: A Randomized, Blinded, Non-inferiority Trial.CNS drugs · 2024
- Repurposing of modafinil as an anti-inflammatory drug: a systematic review of experimental studies.Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's archives of pharmacology · 2025
via PubMed
~38 min read
Encyclopedic overview
46 sectionsContents
- Uses
- Medical
- Sleep disorders
- Multiple sclerosis-related fatigue
- Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
- Bipolar disorder
- Occupational
- Non-medical
- Sports
- Available forms
- Contraindications
- Adverse effects
- Tolerance
- Addiction and dependence
- Overdose
- Interactions
- Pharmacology
- Pharmacodynamics
- Pharmacokinetics
- Absorption
- Distribution
- Metabolism
- Elimination
- Specific populations
- Chemistry
- Enantiomers
- Detection in body fluids
- Structural analogues
- History
- Society and culture
- Legal status
- Brand names
- Economics
- Patent protection and litigation
- Social views
- Research
- Psychiatric conditions
- Major depressive disorder
- Substance dependence
- Schizophrenia
- Motivational disorders
- Cognitive enhancement
- Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome
- Other conditions
- References
- External links
Modafinil, sold under the brand name Provigil among others, is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant medication used to treat narcolepsy, sleep apnea, and shift work sleep disorder. It is taken by mouth. Modafinil is a first-line treatment for narcolepsy in the United States and Europe.
The mechanism of action is not fully understood, but modafinil acts mainly as an atypical dopamine reuptake inhibitor, increasing dopamine levels without the rapid or overt signaling seen with classical stimulants such as amphetamine or cocaine. Unlike these drugs, modafinil has low addiction and dependence potential and does not produce strong euphoria, which contributes to its classification as a Schedule IV controlled substance in the United States. It is a prescription medication in most countries.
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “modafinil” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.