Comparison
Armodafinil vs TB-500
Side-by-side of Armodafinil and TB-500. 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.
TB-500
TB-500 peptide, a 17-aa thymosin beta-4 fragment. Preclinical tendon and wound healing via actin sequestration. Typical dosage 2 to 5 mg weekly. No human RCTs.
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
TB-500
- •17-amino-acid fragment of endogenous Thymosin Beta-4, an actin-sequestering peptide
- •Preclinical models show accelerated tendon, ligament, and dermal wound healing
- •Equine veterinary use for soft-tissue injury is the most documented real-world application
- •Anecdotal human protocols use 2 to 5 mg twice weekly subcutaneously for 4 to 6 weeks
- •WADA banned under S2 (peptide hormones, growth factors) since 2018
- •No completed phase II or III human RCTs as of 2026; long-term safety unestablished
Side-by-side
| Attribute | Armodafinil | TB-500 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | pharmaceutical | peptide |
| Also known as | Nuvigil, R-modafinil, (R)-(-)-modafinil | Thymosin Beta-4 fragment, TB4-Frag, Thymosin Beta 4 |
| Half-life (hr) ↗ | 15 | 2 |
| Typical dose (mg) ↗ | 150 | 2.5 |
| Dosing frequency | daily, morning | 2x weekly (anecdotal protocols) |
| Routes | oral | subcutaneous, intramuscular |
| Onset (hr) | 1 | - |
| Peak (hr) | 3 | - |
| Molecular weight | 273.35 | 4963.4 |
| Molecular formula | C15H15NO2S | C212H350N56O78S |
| Mechanism | Weak dopamine reuptake inhibition plus downstream activation of histaminergic, noradrenergic, and orexinergic wake systems; R-enantiomer of modafinil with longer half-life. | Sequesters G-actin monomers, modulates cell migration and angiogenesis, and upregulates VEGF and myosin transcription. Promotes endothelial differentiation and stem-cell migration to injury sites in preclinical models. |
| Legal status | Schedule IV (US); prescription-only globally; not a supplement | Not FDA approved; research-use-only grey market; banned by WADA |
| WADA status | banned | banned |
| DEA / Rx | Schedule IV | Not FDA approved; not scheduled; research-chemical status |
| Pregnancy | Not recommended | Insufficient data |
| CAS | 112111-43-0 | 885340-08-9 |
| PubChem CID | 9148206 | 62707662 |
| Wikidata | Q4791953 | Q7799921 |
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)
TB-500
Common side effects
- injection-site irritation
- fatigue (anecdotal)
- lethargy in early dosing (anecdotal)
Contraindications
- pregnancy
- active malignancy (theoretical angiogenic concern)
- no established human safety profile
Interactions
- BPC-157: Frequently co-administered in anecdotal healing protocols; no controlled interaction data(minor)
Which Should You Take?
Armodafinil comes out ahead for most readers on the criteria we weight: 3 catalogued goals, controlled substance, oral dosing, with a Tier-A outcome catalogued. TB-500 is the right call when one of the conditionals below applies.
- → If your priority is wakefulness, pick Armodafinil.
- → If your priority is focus or working memory, pick Armodafinil.
- → If your priority is post-training recovery, pick TB-500.
- → If your priority is tendon repair, pick TB-500.
Edge case: If you cannot self-administer injections, Armodafinil is the only oral option in this pair.
Default choice: Armodafinil. Wider use case, a Tier-A evidence outcome catalogued, and broader goal coverage. Reach for TB-500 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 TB-500?
Armodafinil and TB-500 differ in category (pharmaceutical vs peptide), mechanism, and typical dosing. See the side-by-side table for full details.
Which has a longer half-life, Armodafinil or TB-500?
Armodafinil half-life is 15 hours; TB-500 half-life is 2 hours.
Can you stack Armodafinil with TB-500?
Stack compatibility depends on mechanism overlap, legal status, and individual response. Check each compound page for specific interactions and contraindications before combining.
Go deeper