Amantadine and Memantine: Interaction Details
AI-assisted, pharmacist-reviewed · Source data updated Aug 8, 2026 · Sources: FDA labeling, DDInter 2.0, cited literature
Amantadine
No brand names on recordMemantine
How we grade severity & evidence
Severity levels
- Contraindicated: These should generally not be used together.
- Major: Potentially serious — often needs a change or close monitoring.
- Moderate: Can be significant — usually manageable with monitoring.
- Minor: Usually limited clinical impact.
Evidence grades
- Established: Well documented — supported by controlled studies or strong clinical data.
- Probable: Good supporting evidence, though not definitively proven.
- Suspected: Some evidence suggests this interaction, but it is not well established.
- Possible: Limited or conflicting evidence; the interaction may occur.
- Theoretical: Predicted from the drugs' pharmacology; not yet confirmed in people.
Ratings come from the documented interaction literature and are reviewed by a pharmacist. They describe the documented risk of the combination, not what will necessarily happen to you — your dose, timing, and health picture all matter.
What happens
Increased adverse events of N-methyl-D-aspartate antagonists
Interaction Deep Dive
Concomitant use of memantine (a N-methyl-D-aspartate [NMDA] antagonist) with other NMDA antagonists should be used cautiously as combined use has not been studied1. If coadministered, monitor for enhanced effect and increased adverse events.
Why it happens (mechanism)
Additive N-methyl-D-aspartate antagonist effect
Common questions
Can I take Amantadine and Memantine together?
Increased adverse events of N-methyl-D-aspartate antagonists Always confirm with your pharmacist or prescriber before making any change.
How serious is the Amantadine and Memantine interaction?
It is rated major. Potentially serious — often needs a change or close monitoring.
How quickly could this interaction happen?
The documented onset is "unspecified". The timing of this interaction is not well characterized.
How strong is the evidence for this interaction?
The evidence is graded "theoretical". Predicted from the drugs' pharmacology; not yet confirmed in people.
Questions for your pharmacist
- Does my dose of Amantadine or Memantine need adjusting while I take them together?
- What symptoms should prompt me to call you or my prescriber right away?
- Does the timing of my doses matter for this combination?
- Is there a safer alternative to one of these medications for me?
References (1)
- Product Information: NAMZARIC oral capsules, memantine HCl extended-release donepezil HCl oral capsules. Forest Laboratories LLC (per manufacturer), St. Louis, MO, 2014. DailyMed
Keep reading about Amantadine
Keep reading about Memantine
These medications also interact with supplements
Prescription drugs aren't the whole picture — herbal and dietary supplements can interact with them too. From the evidence-graded Natural Medicines database:
major · moderate · minor — check everything you take with our drug–supplement interaction checker.
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