Chemists Produce Ritalin Analogues That May Have Fewer Side Effects

Pennsylvania chemists have produced analogues of the drug Ritalin that may be as effective as Ritalin in treating attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, but have fewer side effects. The new chemicals also show promise in blocking the effects of cocaine, since they bind to the same brain receptor that cocaine uses.

As many as 1.5 million American children take Ritalin, but it often produces nervousness and insomnia. Chemist Jeffrey Winkler of the University of Pennsylvania told the American Chemical Society meeting on Monday that the new compounds are effective in cultured cells and will soon be tested in mice.

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Compiled by Times medical writer Thomas H. Maugh II