Dronabinol is a cannabinoid designated chemically as (6aR,10aR)-6a,7,8,10a-Tetrahydro-6,6,9-trimethyl-3-pentyl-6H-dibenzo[b,d]-pyran-1-ol. Dronabinol has the following empirical and structural formulas: C 21 H 30 O 2 (molecular weight = 314.46) Dronabinol, the active ingredient in MARINOL (dronabinol capsules, USP), is synthetic delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (delta-9-THC). Dronabinol is a light yellow resinous oil that is sticky at room temperature and hardens upon refrigeration. Dronabinol is insoluble in water and is formulated in sesame oil. It has a pKa of 10.6 and an octanol-water partition coefficient: 6,000:1 at pH 7. Each MARINOL capsule strength is formulated with the following inactive ingredients: 2.5 mg capsule contains gelatin, glycerin, sesame oil, and titanium dioxide; 5 mg capsule contains iron oxide red and iron oxide black, gelatin, glycerin, sesame oil, and titanium dioxide; 10 mg capsule contains iron oxide red and iron oxide yellow, gelatin, glycerin, sesame oil, and titanium dioxide. marinol-struct

What kind of drug is dronabinol?

The FDA classifies dronabinol as a cannabinoid. If you are checking whether it is safe to combine with something else, the class is what matters — two drugs from the same class usually should not be stacked.

Can you take dronabinol with other medicines?

It depends on the medicine. We check it against the FDA labels rather than guessing: our interaction checker searches each drug's own label for the other and quotes what it says, naming the section it came from. Run dronabinol against whatever else you take — and remember that a label not naming a drug is not the same as that combination being safe.

What brand names is dronabinol sold under?

We track 3 dronabinol-containing products in the U.S.: Dronabinol, Marinol and Syndros. They are the same active ingredient; they differ in form, manufacturer, price and FDA recall record.

What forms does dronabinol come in?

Across the brands we track, dronabinol is currently marketed as capsule and solution, per the FDA's National Drug Code Directory. Each form is dosed differently — follow the label for the exact product you were prescribed.

Is there a generic dronabinol?

Yes. Our catalog lists 1 generic dronabinol product alongside the brand versions. A generic has the same active ingredient and must meet the FDA's bioequivalence standard; it usually costs less. Ask your pharmacist which one your plan covers.

Dronabinol: uses, dosing, side effects & brands

Dronabinol is a cannabinoid sold in the U.S. under 3 brand and generic names, for anorexia, nausea and vomiting. Below: what the FDA label says, every product that contains it, what the pills look like, and its recall record.

By the pharmaranks editorial teamReviewed against the FDA (openFDA label, NDC Directory & Enforcement) sourcesHow we research

Key facts

Drug class: Cannabinoid
Treats: Anorexia, Nausea and Vomiting
Available as: Capsule · Solution
Sold as: 3 products — Dronabinol, Marinol and Syndros
Prescription?: Prescription only
Generic available?: Yes

How dronabinol is dosed

From the FDA label for Marinol (application NDA018651). Other dronabinol products — different forms, different strengths — are dosed differently. Follow the label for the one you were prescribed.

Anorexia Associated with Weight Loss in Adult Patients with AIDS Starting Dosage The recommended adult starting dosage of MARINOL is 2.5 mg orally twice daily, one hour before lunch and dinner. In elderly patients or patients unable to tolerate 2.5 mg twice daily, consider initiating MARINOL at 2.5 mg once daily one hour before dinner or at bedtime to reduce the risk of central nervous system (CNS) symptoms [see Use in Specific Populations (8.5)] . Dosing later in the day may reduce the frequency of CNS adverse reactions. CNS adverse reactions are dose-related [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1)] ; therefore monitor patients and reduce the dosage as needed. If CNS adverse reactions of feeling high, dizziness, confusion, and somnolence occur, they usually resolve in 1 to 3 days and usually do not require dosage reduction. If CNS adverse reactions are severe or persistent, reduce the dosage to 2.5 mg in the evening or at bedtime. Dosage Titration If tolerated and further therapeutic effect is desired, the dosage may be increased gradually to 2.5 mg one hour before lunch and 5 mg one hour before dinner. Increase the dose of MARINOL gradually in order to reduce the frequency of dose-related adverse reactions [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1)] . Most patients respond to 2.5 mg twice daily, but the dose may be further increased to 5 mg one hour before lunch and 5 mg one hour…

Dronabinol side effects

Clinical Trials Experience Because clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical trials of a drug cannot be directly compared to rates in the clinical trials of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in practice. The following serious adverse reactions are described below and elsewhere in the labeling. • Neuropsychiatric Adverse Reactions [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1)] • Hemodynamic Instability [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2)] • Seizures [see Warnings and Precautions (5.3)] • Paradoxical Nausea, Vomiting, and Abdominal Pain [see Warnings and Precautions (5.5)] Studies of AIDS-related weight loss included 157 patients receiving MARINOL at a dose of 2.5 mg twice daily and 67 receiving placebo. Studies of nausea and vomiting related to cancer chemotherapy included 317 patients receiving MARINOL and 68 receiving placebo. In the tables below is a summary of the adverse reactions in 474 patients exposed to MARINOL in studies. Studies of different durations were combined by considering the first occurrence of events during the first 28 days. A cannabinoid dose-related "high" (easy laughing, elation and heightened awareness) has been reported by patients receiving MARINOL in both the antiemetic (24%) and the lower dose appetite stimulant clinical trials (8%). The most frequently reported adverse…

Every dronabinol product we track (3)

Same active ingredient — different manufacturer, form, price and FDA recall record. That last one is what our independent score measures.

Dronabinol products
#	Drug	Rating	Type	Form	Generic?	Typical price
1	Dronabinol	Not yet rated	Prescription	Capsule	—	—	View →
2	Marinol	Not yet rated	Prescription	Capsule	—	—	View →
3

What dronabinol pills look like

Imprint codes, colour and shape from the FDA’s labelling data. Match the imprint on your pill — or search any imprint.

Dronabinol pill imprints
Imprint	Strength	Colour	Shape	Maker
M2	2.5 mg	white	round	—
M5	5 mg	brown	round	—
M2	2.5 mg	white	round	—
M5	5 mg	brown	round	—
MX	10 mg	orange	round	—
A	2.5 mg	brown

Frequently asked questions

What is dronabinol?: Dronabinol is a cannabinoid designated chemically as (6aR,10aR)-6a,7,8,10a-Tetrahydro-6,6,9-trimethyl-3-pentyl-6H-dibenzo[b,d]-pyran-1-ol. Dronabinol has the following empirical and structural formulas: C 21 H 30 O 2 (molecular weight = 314.46) Dronabinol, the active ingredient in MARINOL (dronabinol capsules, USP), is synthetic delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (delta-9-THC). Dronabinol is a light yellow resinous oil that is sticky at room temperature and hardens upon refrigeration. Dronabinol is insoluble in water and is formulated in sesame oil. It has a pKa of 10.6 and an octanol-water partition coefficient: 6,000:1 at pH 7. Each MARINOL capsule strength is formulated with the following inactive ingredients: 2.5 mg capsule contains gelatin, glycerin, sesame oil, and titanium dioxide; 5 mg capsule contains iron oxide red and iron oxide black, gelatin, glycerin, sesame oil, and titanium dioxide; 10 mg capsule contains iron oxide red and iron oxide yellow, gelatin, glycerin, sesame oil, and titanium dioxide. marinol-struct
What kind of drug is dronabinol?: The FDA classifies dronabinol as a cannabinoid. If you are checking whether it is safe to combine with something else, the class is what matters — two drugs from the same class usually should not be stacked.
Can you take dronabinol with other medicines?: It depends on the medicine. We check it against the FDA labels rather than guessing: our interaction checker searches each drug's own label for the other and quotes what it says, naming the section it came from. Run dronabinol against whatever else you take — and remember that a label not naming a drug is not the same as that combination being safe.
What brand names is dronabinol sold under?: We track 3 dronabinol-containing products in the U.S.: Dronabinol, Marinol and Syndros. They are the same active ingredient; they differ in form, manufacturer, price and FDA recall record.
What forms does dronabinol come in?: Across the brands we track, dronabinol is currently marketed as capsule and solution, per the FDA's National Drug Code Directory. Each form is dosed differently — follow the label for the exact product you were prescribed.

Sources: FDA openFDA drug label, National Drug Code Directory, and Enforcement (recall) database. This page reproduces public FDA data and is not medical advice. Dosing is set by your prescriber.

Dronabinol drug interactions

Additive CNS Effects Additive CNS effects (e.g., dizziness, confusion, sedation, somnolence) may occur when MARINOL is taken concomitantly with drugs that have similar effects on the central nervous system such as CNS depressants [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1)] . 7.2 Additive Cardiac Effects Additive cardiac effects (e.g., hypotension, hypertension, syncope, tachycardia) may occur when MARINOL is taken concomitantly with drugs that have similar effects on the cardiovascular system [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2)] . 7.3 Effect of Other Drugs on Dronabinol Dronabinol is primarily metabolized by CYP2C9 and CYP3A4 enzymes based on published in vitro studies. Inhibitors of these enzymes may increase, while inducers may decrease, the systemic exposure of dronabinol and/or its active metabolite resulting in an increase in dronabinol-related adverse reactions or loss of efficacy of MARINOL. Monitor for potentially increased dronabinol-related adverse reactions when MARINOL is co-administered with inhibitors of CYP2C9 (e.g., amiodarone, fluconazole) and inhibitors of CYP3A4 enzymes (e.g., ketoconazole, itraconazole, clarithromycin, ritonavir, erythromycin, grapefruit juice). 7.4 Highly Protein-Bound Drugs Dronabinol is highly bound to plasma proteins, and therefore, might displace and increase the free fraction of other concomitantly administered protein-bound drugs. Although…