Comparison
Bromantane vs Melatonin
Side-by-side of Bromantane and Melatonin. 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.
Melatonin
Melatonin as a sleep supplement: 0.3-1 mg matches physiological output, 3-10 mg is pharmacological. Shifts circadian phase, shortens sleep latency.
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
Melatonin
- •Shortens sleep onset latency by ~7 to 12 minutes at physiological 0.3 to 1 mg doses
- •Advances circadian phase when taken 30 to 60 minutes before target bedtime, useful for jet lag and shift work
- •Does not meaningfully increase total sleep time in healthy adults without circadian misalignment
- •Endogenous nighttime production is not suppressed by short-term exogenous supplementation
- •Higher doses (3 to 10 mg) raise plasma levels above physiological range and often increase morning grogginess
- •Effective for delayed sleep-wake phase disorder and reducing jet-lag severity in eastward travel
Side-by-side
| Attribute | Bromantane | Melatonin |
|---|---|---|
| Category | nootropic | supplement |
| Also known as | Ladasten, ADK-709, N-(4-bromophenyl)adamantan-2-amine | N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine |
| Half-life (hr) ↗ | 11 | 0.75 |
| Typical dose (mg) ↗ | 75 | 0.5 |
| Dosing frequency | daily, morning | daily, 30 to 60 minutes before target sleep time |
| Routes | oral | oral, sublingual |
| Onset (hr) | 3 | 0.5 |
| Peak (hr) | 168 | 1 |
| Molecular weight | 280.21 | 232.28 |
| Molecular formula | C16H20BrN | C13H16N2O2 |
| Mechanism | Indirect dopaminergic and serotonergic actogenic activity via induction of tyrosine hydroxylase and selective increases in serotonin synthesis in hippocampus and hypothalamus. | Agonist at MT1 and MT2 receptors in the suprachiasmatic nucleus, signaling biological night and promoting sleep-onset gating plus circadian phase shifts. |
| Legal status | Approved in Russia (Ladasten); unscheduled and unapproved in US, EU, UK | OTC in US; prescription in UK, EU, Japan |
| WADA status | banned | allowed |
| DEA / Rx | Not scheduled in the US | OTC supplement in US; Rx in UK, EU, Japan, Australia |
| Pregnancy | Not recommended | Insufficient data; not routinely recommended |
| CAS | 87913-26-6 | 73-31-4 |
| PubChem CID | 9576456 | 896 |
| Wikidata | Q4093816 | Q179243 |
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)
Melatonin
Common side effects
- vivid dreams
- morning grogginess (higher doses)
- headache
- dizziness
Contraindications
- autoimmune disease (theoretical)
- concurrent anticoagulant therapy without monitoring
Interactions
- fluvoxamine: CYP1A2 inhibition raises melatonin levels substantially(major)
- warfarin: possible increased bleeding risk(moderate)
- benzodiazepines and alcohol: additive sedation(moderate)
- antihypertensives: may alter blood pressure response(minor)
Which Should You Take?
Melatonin comes out ahead for most readers on the criteria we weight: 2 catalogued goals, OTC, oral dosing, with a Tier-A outcome catalogued. Bromantane is the right call when one of the conditionals below applies.
- → If your priority is focus or working memory, pick Bromantane.
- → If your priority is fatigue resistance, pick Bromantane.
- → If your priority is sleep onset or sleep quality, pick Melatonin.
- → If your priority is circadian regulation, pick Melatonin.
Edge case: If you want to avoid controlled substance, Melatonin is the more accessible choice.
Default choice: Melatonin. Wider use case, a Tier-A evidence outcome catalogued, 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 Melatonin?
Bromantane and Melatonin differ in category (nootropic vs supplement), mechanism, and typical dosing. See the side-by-side table for full details.
Which has a longer half-life, Bromantane or Melatonin?
Bromantane half-life is 11 hours; Melatonin half-life is 0.75 hours.
Can you stack Bromantane with Melatonin?
Stack compatibility depends on mechanism overlap, legal status, and individual response. Check each compound page for specific interactions and contraindications before combining.
Go deeper