Comparison
Armodafinil vs Fisetin
Side-by-side of Armodafinil and Fisetin. Every row below is pulled from the compound schema and will update as our data grows. For deeper reads, follow through to each compound page.
Armodafinil
Armodafinil is the R-enantiomer sold as Nuvigil. Half-life 10-15 h, 150 mg standard dose, narcolepsy and shift-work approvals, Schedule IV.
Fisetin
Fisetin is a flavonoid found in strawberries with senolytic activity in mouse models. Hickson 2019 confirmed senescent-cell clearance in human adipose tissue.
Effects at a glance
Armodafinil
- •FDA approved in 2007 for narcolepsy, shift-work sleep disorder, and OSA residual sleepiness
- •R-enantiomer of modafinil; 150 mg armodafinil is roughly equivalent to 200 mg modafinil
- •Schedule IV controlled in the US; prescription-only globally
- •Longer terminal half-life of about 15 hours produces extended late-day wakefulness coverage
- •Same CYP3A4 induction as modafinil; reduces hormonal contraceptive efficacy
- •Side-effect profile and dermatologic risk warnings mirror modafinil
Fisetin
- •Flavonoid found in strawberries; most potent natural senolytic in screening assays (Yousefzadeh 2018)
- •Hickson 2019 confirmed reduced senescent-cell burden in human adipose tissue at 20 mg/kg pulsed for 2 days
- •Pulsed Mayo protocol (20 mg/kg/day x 2 days monthly) is the only dose with human biomarker evidence
- •Daily low-dose (100-500 mg) is mechanistically weaker but commonly used
- •Low oral bioavailability; with-fat dosing modestly improves absorption
- •Active cancer is a relative contraindication pending clearer polyphenol-treatment data
Side-by-side
| Attribute | Armodafinil | Fisetin |
|---|---|---|
| Category | pharmaceutical | supplement |
| Also known as | Nuvigil, R-modafinil, (R)-(-)-modafinil | 3,7,3',4'-tetrahydroxyflavone |
| Half-life (hr) ↗ | 15 | 2 |
| Typical dose (mg) ↗ | 150 | 500 |
| Dosing frequency | daily, morning | pulsed 2 days/month (Mayo protocol) or daily continuous (empirical) |
| Routes | oral | oral |
| Onset (hr) | 1 | 1 |
| Peak (hr) | 3 | 4 |
| Molecular weight | 273.35 | 286.24 |
| Molecular formula | C15H15NO2S | C15H10O6 |
| Mechanism | Weak dopamine reuptake inhibition plus downstream activation of histaminergic, noradrenergic, and orexinergic wake systems; R-enantiomer of modafinil with longer half-life. | Senolytic via Bcl-2 family inhibition (Bcl-xL, Bcl-w); broad polyphenol with Nrf2 activation, mTOR inhibition at high concentrations, and antioxidant effects. |
| Legal status | Schedule IV (US); prescription-only globally; not a supplement | OTC dietary supplement |
| WADA status | banned | allowed |
| DEA / Rx | Schedule IV | OTC supplement |
| Pregnancy | Not recommended | Insufficient data |
| CAS | 112111-43-0 | 528-48-3 |
| PubChem CID | 9148206 | 5281614 |
| Wikidata | Q4791953 | Q230614 |
Safety profile
Armodafinil
Common side effects
- headache
- nausea
- dizziness
- anxiety
- insomnia (with later-day dosing)
- dry mouth
- mild blood pressure elevation
Contraindications
- recent myocardial infarction
- unstable angina
- left ventricular hypertrophy
- significant arrhythmia
- history of Stevens-Johnson syndrome
- psychotic disorders
- pregnancy
- concurrent MAOI use
Interactions
- hormonal contraceptives: CYP3A4 induction reduces contraceptive efficacy; use barrier method(major)
- cyclosporine: reduced cyclosporine levels via CYP3A4 induction(major)
- warfarin: CYP2C9 inhibition raises INR(moderate)
- phenytoin: CYP2C19 inhibition raises phenytoin levels(moderate)
- MAOIs: potential hypertensive reaction(major)
- classical stimulants: additive cardiovascular and sleep-disruption effects(moderate)
Fisetin
Common side effects
- mild GI upset
- headache (rare)
Contraindications
- active cancer (theoretical, polyphenol interactions)
- pregnancy and lactation (insufficient data)
- concurrent CYP3A4-sensitive medications
Interactions
- statins (CYP3A4 substrates): theoretical reduction in statin clearance at high fisetin doses(minor)
- warfarin: theoretical CYP-mediated interaction; monitor INR if combining(moderate)
- other senolytics (rapamycin, dasatinib + quercetin): additive senolytic effect; pairing is investigational(minor)
Which Should You Take?
Fisetin comes out ahead for most readers on the criteria we weight: 2 catalogued goals, OTC dietary supplement, oral dosing, with a Tier-B outcome catalogued. Armodafinil is the right call when one of the conditionals below applies.
- → If your priority is wakefulness, pick Armodafinil.
- → If your priority is fatigue resistance, pick Armodafinil.
- → If your priority is healthspan extension, pick Fisetin.
Edge case: If you want to avoid controlled substance, Fisetin is the more accessible choice.
Default choice: Fisetin. Lower friction to source, and broader goal coverage. Reach for Armodafinil only if your priority sits squarely in the goals it owns above.
This verdict is generated from each compound's schema (goals, legal status, evidence outcomes, dosing route). It updates automatically as our compound data evolves; the deeper read sits on each individual compound page.
Common questions
What is the difference between Armodafinil and Fisetin?
Armodafinil and Fisetin differ in category (pharmaceutical vs supplement), mechanism, and typical dosing. See the side-by-side table for full details.
Which has a longer half-life, Armodafinil or Fisetin?
Armodafinil half-life is 15 hours; Fisetin half-life is 2 hours.
Can you stack Armodafinil with Fisetin?
Stack compatibility depends on mechanism overlap, legal status, and individual response. Check each compound page for specific interactions and contraindications before combining.
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