What is Modvigil?

Modvigil is a generic version of modafinil. It’s prescribed by doctors for ADD/ADHD, narcolepsy, or shift workers managing sleep disturbances.

It’s also popular outside of this prescribed range among students, creative professionals, and business owners for its ability to increase focus and productivity. Many refer to this drug as a “study drug” for this reason.

Several different companies make modafinil.

The brand name of this drug, Provigil®, is made by the American company Cephalon Inc.

Modvigil is a generic and off-brand version of modafinil made by the Indian pharmaceutical company HAB Pharma. It’s essentially the same chemical as the brand name product but comes at a much lower price.

There are few differences in regards to quality and testing standards between generic drugs and brand name drugs. The major difference, however, is the price.

Brand name modafinil (Provigil®) can cost as much as 50 times the off-brand versions like Modvigil or Modalert.

This is the same with other industries as well, like clothing. A brand name shirt made from one company may be many times more expensive than an otherwise virtually identical shirt made by another company.

You are essentially paying for the company’s reputation.

Where to Buy Modvigil

Due to the legal status of Modvigil, it can’t be bought in stores based out of Europe, the United States, Canada, or Australia.

Modvigil can, however, be bought from online vendors selling modafinil and armodafinil generics based out of countries like India that don’t classify the drug as a prescription-only medication.

Modvigil & Generic Modafinil

Whenever a new drug is invented, the company who developed it will secure a patent. This patent prevents other companies from manufacturing the drug for a certain period (usually 20 years).

Once the patent expires, other companies have the option of making their own generic versions of the drug.

In the case of modafinil, and armodafinil, companies like HAB Pharma and Sun Pharma have stepped up to produce their own versions, which is where we get Modvigil and Modalert.

What’s The Difference Between Modvigil And Other Versions of Modafinil?

Although both Modvigil and Modalert contain the same active ingredient, the strength and additives used are different depending on who makes the drug.

HAB Pharma makes both Modvigil and an armodafinil generic called Waklert. This company is an ISO certified contract manufacturing company, as well as the producer of several other generic drugs.

Sun Pharmaceuticals is their main competition in this market. They produce Modalert and Artvigil (an armodafinil generic). Sun Pharmaceuticals is a much larger international pharmaceutical company primarily operating out of the United States and India.

Both Modvigil and Modalert contain 200 mg of the active ingredient. However, Modvigil is considered the weaker of the two. 

This isn’t a bad thing, as some people find 200 mg of Provigil or Modalert too stimulating, and prefer the more subtle effects of Modvigil.

This also makes it more suitable for long-term use than Modalert.

Modvigil is also cheaper than Modalert, making it more accessible to people on a budget.

Modvigil vs. Other Study Drugs

Other drugs share the same classification and use. Drugs like Adderall, Ritalin, and Dexedrine are all used to treat ADD/ADHD and narcolepsy. These drugs are also used outside the prescribed uses to improve focus and concentration.

Ritalin is classified chemically as methylphenidate, while Adderall and Dexedrine are classified as amphetamines. These chemicals are very different from the afinil class of compounds despite having similar benefits.

Some of these drugs, like Ritalin and Adderall, are much more stimulating than modafinil.

They can cause notable crashes in energy levels later in the day as the drug wears off. These drugs also tend to produce side effects involved with overstimulation. This can include anxiety, insomnia, poor appetite, teeth grinding, and paranoia. They’re also more addictive.

Modafinil is much less stimulating on the brain, and users tend to feel a gradual transition back to normal as the modafinil wears off. It’s also less common to feel side effects on modafinil.

When compared to other drugs of this class, modafinil has been shown to have significantly fewer side effects. A recent study found fewer incidences of side effects among participants of a modafinil treatment group compared to an amphetamine (Adderall) group being treated for bipolar disorder [7].

The Legal Status of Modvigil

Modafinil is considered a schedule IV controlled substance in the United States and Australia. This class is defined as substances offering medicinal benefit, but with potential for abuse. These drugs require a doctor’s prescription to purchase.

You can purchase modafinil quite easily online, however. 

Other countries, such as Canada, Finland, and Sweden have different ways of classifying drugs but places the same limitations on modafinil as the United States and Australia.

Some parts of the world outright ban modafinil.

Russia, Japan, and China have explicitly criminalized the use of modafinil, punishable by varying lengths of jail sentences and fines if caught with the substance. You cannot buy modafinil from most online vendors in these countries.

How Modvigil Works

Modafinil has several different effects on the brain that work together to provide the wakefulness-promoting and cognitive enhancing benefits.

Modvigil increases dopamine [1], histamine [2], norepinephrine [3], and orexin[4] levels in the brain.

All of which play a part in the process of wakefulness, motivation, and concentration [1].

Modvigil & Dopamine

One of dopamine’s main roles is its involvement in the reward center of the brain, which gives us a jolt of pleasure when we do something that benefits our body.

The reason we have this system is to build positive habits that make us want to perform a task again. This happens for activities like eating, exercising, or sex.

We also rely on dopamine for motivation and concentration. A region in our brain known as the nucleus accumbens drives this process, which is notoriously high in dopamine.

People suffering from attention deficit disorders like ADHD have been shown to have lower concentrations of dopamine than average [5]. This means that they regularly need to stimulate their brain to trigger the reward center, making it especially difficult to concentrate on or perform just one task at a time.

Dopamine reuptake inhibitors like modafinil and other drugs like Adderall and Ritalin are used to increase dopamine concentrations in the brain to allow the reward center to function more effectively.

This makes it easier for people suffering from attention deficit disorder (ADD) to concentrate.

In healthy individuals, it increases dopamine above and beyond normal levels, providing a potent boost in concentration for several hours while the drug is in effect. Once it wears off, the brain quickly returns to normal levels of dopamine.

Modvigil & Histamine

What do you think of when you hear the word histamine?

Most people go straight to allergies when they think of histamine.

This is because many people reach for the antihistamine drugs when they start to experience classic symptoms of allergies like a runny nose or sneezing.

There are many other uses of histamine in the human body, however.

In the brain, histamine is released from neurons connected to the control center of the brain (the hypothalamus). It’s used to control stimulation in the brain as part of our circadian rhythm.

Studies have shown that increases in histamine release in the brain result in stimulation and changes to the sleep-wake cycle [6].

Modvigil & Orexin

Orexin is a peptide in the brain involved with the regulation of the sleep-wake cycle, appetite, and neurostimulation [7].

People suffering from narcolepsy often have a dysfunctional orexin system. Narcolepsy is a sleeping disorder where sufferers suddenly go from a waking state to deep sleep.

Modvigil and other versions of modafinil have been shown to increase orexin activation in the brain [4]. This is likely the mechanism behind most of the wakefulness-promoting benefits of modafinil.

How Much Does Modvigil Cost?

HAB Pharmaceuticals, the manufacturer of Modvigil, is well-known for their lower cost of medications.

Most suppliers of Modvigil offer different quantities of the drug, which can change the cost of the tablets.

AfinilExpress.com offers quantities of 50, 100, 200, 300, and 500 tablets per order.

The price will vary from USD $0.80 to USD $2.10 depending on the quantity ordered.

This compares to Modalert, which ranges from USD $0.98 to USD $2.80 per tablet.

Provigil® on the other hand, the brand name modafinil, costs as much as USD $51 per tablet.

If shopping for Modvigil at Afinil Express, use our coupon code: MODAFINILOTC to save 10% on your order!

The History Of Modvigil

Modafinil is a benzhydryl sulfinyl compound related to adrafinil and armodafinil.

Adrafinil was first discovered in 1974 by a French company called Laboratoire Lafon.

The large American pharmaceutical company Cephalon Inc later purchased Lafon Laboratories, along with the exclusive rights to manufacture adrafinil.

Researchers later learned that adrafinil was metabolized by the liver to produce an inactive metabolite known as modafinilic acid and the active metabolite modafinil.

They then focused on this active metabolite and produced the original version still sold today called Provigil®.

Cephalon Inc held the patent for this substance from 1990 until 2010. Once this patent expired, various other companies began manufacturing their own generic versions of the drug.

HAB Pharma came out with Modvigil shortly after, which has become one of the most popular generic versions to date.

Of course, other companies also produce their own generic versions, including Teva Pharmaceuticals, Shire Pharmaceuticals, Sun Pharmaceuticals, Mylan, Barr, and Ranbaxy.

Other Generic Versions of Modafinil Include:

• Alertec
• Alertex
• Carim
• Mentix
• Modapro
• Modasomil
• Modiodal
• Provake
• Resotyl
• Stavigile
• Vigia
• Vigicer
• Vigil
• Zalux

What’s the Dose of Modvigil?

Each Modvigil tablet contains 200 mg of modafinil.

The tablets come with a convenient crease down the center that allows users to break the pill in half for a 100 mg dose if desired.

The standard dose is one full tablet per day. This can be taken on a daily basis or one at a time to get through particularly demanding tasks. For smaller or more sensitive individuals, the 100 mg dose is often preferred.

It takes about 30 minutes for Modvigil to take effect as it’s absorbed through the small intestines and passes the blood-brain barrier. It then peaks at around the 2–3 hour mark and gradually declines from that point on.

After about 14 hours, most of the drug is cleared from the system through the kidneys.

This can vary depending on the size of the person, the health of the liver and kidneys, and what foods were consumed along with the Modvigil.

Conclusion

Modvigil is a great alternative to other stimulating cognitive enhancers because it has fewer side effects and tends to be less stimulating.

It’s great for those looking to increase their productivity when trying to cram for an exam, finish a tiring or fatiguing task, or get through creative blocks.

Compared to other forms of modafinil, Modvigil is excellent for those who are looking for something effective but more subtle. 

It’s cheaper than other forms and isn’t likely to cause over stimulation.

We recommend Modvigil for daily use, or for those who are looking for a gentle (but highly effective) cognitive stimulant to finish that tough project, study for that big exam, or finish tedious and mentally tasking activities.

References:

1. Volkow, N. D., Fowler, J. S., Logan, J., Alexoff, D., Zhu, W., Telang, F., … & Hubbard, B. (2009). Effects of modafinil on dopamine and dopamine transporters in the male human brain: clinical implications. Jama, 301(11), 1148-1154.
2. Ishizuka, T., Sakamoto, Y., Sakurai, T., & Yamatodani, A. (2003). Modafinil increases histamine release in the anterior hypothalamus of rats. Neuroscience letters, 339(2), 143-146.
3. Madras, B. K., Xie, Z., Lin, Z., Jassen, A., Panas, H., Lynch, L., … & Miller, G. M. (2006). Modafinil occupies dopamine and norepinephrine transporters in vivo and modulates the transporters and trace amine activity in vitro. Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, 319(2), 561-569.
4. Scammell, T. E., Estabrooke, I. V., McCarthy, M. T., Chemelli, R. M., Yanagisawa, M., Miller, M. S., & Saper, C. B. (2000). Hypothalamic arousal regions are activated during modafinil-induced wakefulness. Journal of Neuroscience, 20(22), 8620-8628.
5. Li, D., Sham, P. C., Owen, M. J., & He, L. (2006). Meta-analysis shows significant association between dopamine system genes and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Human molecular genetics, 15(14), 2276-2284.
6. Brown, R. E., Stevens, D. R., & Haas, H. L. (2001). The physiology of brain histamine. Progress in neurobiology, 63(6), 637-672.
7. Nasr, S., Wendt, B., & Steiner, K. (2006). Absence of mood switch with and tolerance to modafinil: a replication study from a large private practice. Journal of affective disorders, 95(1), 111-114.