Pipradrol

Pipradrol
Clinical data
ATC code
Legal status
Legal status
Identifiers
  • Diphenyl(piperidin-2-yl)methanol
CAS Number
PubChem CID
ChemSpider
UNII
CompTox Dashboard (EPA)
ECHA InfoCard100.006.723
Chemical and physical data
FormulaC18H21NO
Molar mass267.372 g·mol−1
3D model (JSmol)
  • OC(c1ccccc1)(c2ccccc2)C3NCCCC3
  • InChI=1S/C18H21NO/c20-18(15-9-3-1-4-10-15,16-11-5-2-6-12-16)17-13-7-8-14-19-17/h1-6,9-12,17,19-20H,7-8,13-14H2 Y
  • Key:XSWHNYGMWWVAIE-UHFFFAOYSA-N Y
 NY (what is this?)  (verify)

Pipradrol, also known by its brand name Meratran, is a mild central nervous system stimulant that acts as a norepinephrine-dopamine reuptake inhibitor. Developed in the United States in the 1940s and patented in 1953, pipradrol was initially marketed as an antidepressant in the mid-1950s. It was subsequently used as an adjunct treatment for various conditions, including obesity, senile dementia, narcolepsy, and schizophrenia.

Despite its initial promise and relatively mild stimulant effects compared to stronger alternatives, concerns about its abuse potential led to its regulation and withdrawal from widespread use in many countries during the late 1970s. Pipradrol is now classified as a controlled substance in several nations, including the United Kingdom, where it is typically placed in less restrictive drug schedules due to its lower abuse potential compared to other stimulants.