Table 1.

Agents Used in the Prevention and Treatment of Jet Lag

Drug	Availability	Class	How Supplied34	Dose	Cost*34
Melatonin	Over the counter	Nutraceutical	1-, 2.5-, 3-, or 5-mg tablets Sublingual tablets available	0.5–5 mg†	$7.99 per bottle of 120
Ramelteon (Rozerem)	Prescription only; brand available	Melatonin receptor analogue (agonist)	8-mg tablets	1,4, or 8 mg five minutes before bedtime‡	$66.99 for 10 days
Zolpidem (Ambien)	Prescription only; generic available CIV	Non-benzodiazepine hypnotic agent	5- and 10-mg tablets 5- and 10-mg sublingual tablets 5- and 10-mg oral spray 6.25- and 12.5-mg controlled-release tablets	10 mg at bedtime‡	$14.99 for 10 days
Caffeine	Over the counter	Methylxanthine	250-mg capsules 200-mg tablets	200 mg every three hours p.r.n.	$6.99 per box of 40
Diphenhydramine (e.g., Benadryl)	Over the counter	Antihistamine	25- and 50-mg capsules 50-mg capsule, liquid-filled 25- and 50-mg tablets	50 mg at bedtime p.r.n.	$3.49 per box of 48
Armodafinil (Nuvigil)	Prescription only; brand available CIV	Amphetamine-related CNS stimulant	50-, 150-, and 250-mg tablets	150 mg daily‡	$72.99 for 10 days

CIV = Schedule IV controlled substance; CNS = central nervous system; p.r.n. = as needed.

^*Represented as the dollar amount for 10 days of the first tablet strength listed in the table for prescription-only products.

^†The 5-mg dose is commonly used in clinical trials.

^‡Phase 3 clinical trial dose for jet lag; not FDA-approved for jet lag at the time of publication.

Data from Drugstore.com, February 28, 2011.³⁴