Comparison
Bromantane vs Lion's Mane
Side-by-side of Bromantane and Lion's Mane. 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.
Bromantane
Bromantane, the Russian nootropic sold as Ladasten (ADK-709), acts on dopamine to cut fatigue and anxiety without classical stimulant rebound.
Lion's Mane
Lion's mane mushroom (Hericium erinaceus) supplement profile: hericenones and erinacines stimulate NGF in vitro. Human cognition trials are small.
Effects at a glance
Bromantane
- •Russian RCT base (Voznesenskaya 2010, n=728) supports 50 mg daily for asthenia and fatigue over 4 weeks
- •Atypical actogenic mechanism: induces tyrosine hydroxylase rather than direct monoamine release
- •Subjective profile is anxiolytic plus mildly motivating, distinct from classical stimulants
- •Long half-life of around 11 hours supports once-daily morning dosing
- •WADA-banned since 1996; relevant for tested athletes
- •Western evidence base is thin; most published trials are Russian-language and not independently replicated
Lion's Mane
- •Edible medicinal mushroom containing NGF-stimulating hericenones and erinacines
- •Mori 2009 trial (n=30) in mild cognitive impairment showed cognitive improvement at 3 g/day for 16 weeks, reversing 4 weeks after discontinuation
- •Saitsu 2019 (n=31) in older adults reported MoCA improvements at 3.2 g/day over 12 weeks
- •Multiple small mood trials suggest reduced anxiety and depression scores at 1 to 4 g/day extract
- •Mechanistic case rests on NGF stimulation and remyelination support; in vivo human NGF measurement is absent
- •Product quality varies substantially; mycelium-on-grain products can be over 50% grain by weight
Side-by-side
| Attribute | Bromantane | Lion's Mane |
|---|---|---|
| Category | nootropic | natural |
| Also known as | Ladasten, ADK-709, N-(4-bromophenyl)adamantan-2-amine | Hericium erinaceus, Yamabushitake, Bearded Tooth, Hou Tou Gu |
| Half-life (hr) ↗ | 11 | 6 |
| Typical dose (mg) ↗ | 75 | 1000 |
| Dosing frequency | daily, morning | 1 to 2 times daily |
| Routes | oral | oral |
| Onset (hr) | 3 | 168 |
| Peak (hr) | 168 | 1344 |
| Molecular weight | 280.21 | - |
| Molecular formula | C16H20BrN | mixed extract |
| Mechanism | Indirect dopaminergic and serotonergic actogenic activity via induction of tyrosine hydroxylase and selective increases in serotonin synthesis in hippocampus and hypothalamus. | Hericenones and erinacines stimulate NGF mRNA expression and NGF protein release in cultured neurons; secondary anti-inflammatory and remyelination-supportive activity in preclinical models. |
| Legal status | Approved in Russia (Ladasten); unscheduled and unapproved in US, EU, UK | Dietary supplement and food worldwide; unscheduled and unrestricted |
| WADA status | banned | allowed |
| DEA / Rx | Not scheduled in the US | OTC supplement and food |
| Pregnancy | Not recommended | Insufficient data for routine supplementation; consumed historically as food without documented harm |
| CAS | 87913-26-6 | |
| PubChem CID | 9576456 | |
| Wikidata | Q4093816 | Q146050 |
Safety profile
Bromantane
Common side effects
- mild GI upset
- headache
- skin rash
- occasional insomnia at higher doses
Contraindications
- pregnancy
- lactation
- severe hepatic impairment
- severe renal impairment
- pediatric use
Interactions
- MAOIs: theoretical additive dopaminergic and serotonergic activity(major)
- levodopa and dopamine agonists: additive dopaminergic activity(moderate)
- SSRIs and other serotonergic drugs: theoretical serotonergic additivity(moderate)
- classical stimulants: theoretical additive activity, undocumented(moderate)
Lion's Mane
Common side effects
- mild GI upset
- occasional skin rash
- contact dermatitis (rare)
Contraindications
- mushroom allergy
Interactions
- anticoagulants: theoretical antiplatelet effect, no documented clinical events(minor)
Which Should You Take?
Lion's Mane comes out ahead for most readers on the criteria we weight: 3 catalogued goals, OTC dietary supplement, oral dosing, with a Tier-B outcome catalogued. Bromantane is the right call when one of the conditionals below applies.
- → If your priority is fatigue resistance, pick Bromantane.
- → If your priority is stress and HPA-axis regulation, pick Bromantane.
- → If your priority is nerve health, pick Lion's Mane.
- → If your priority is mood, pick Lion's Mane.
Edge case: If you want to avoid controlled substance, Lion's Mane is the more accessible choice.
Default choice: Lion's Mane. Lower friction to source, and broader goal coverage. Reach for Bromantane 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 Bromantane and Lion's Mane?
Bromantane and Lion's Mane differ in category (nootropic vs natural), mechanism, and typical dosing. See the side-by-side table for full details.
Which has a longer half-life, Bromantane or Lion's Mane?
Bromantane half-life is 11 hours; Lion's Mane half-life is 6 hours.
Can you stack Bromantane with Lion's Mane?
Stack compatibility depends on mechanism overlap, legal status, and individual response. Check each compound page for specific interactions and contraindications before combining.
Go deeper