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Istradefylline: uses, dosing, side effects & brands

Istradefylline is a medicine sold in the U.S. under one brand, for parkinson disease. 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) sourcesUpdated Jul 24, 2026How we research

Key facts

Treats
Parkinson Disease
Available as
Tablet
Sold as
Nourianz
Prescription?
Prescription only
Generic available?
Not in our catalog

How istradefylline is dosed

From the FDA label for Nourianz (application NDA022075). Other istradefylline products — different forms, different strengths — are dosed differently. Follow the label for the one you were prescribed.

The recommended dosage is 20 mg orally once daily. The dosage may be increased to a maximum of 40 mg once daily ( 2.1 ). May be taken with or without food ( 2.1 ). Patients with hepatic impairment: Maximum recommended dosage with moderate hepatic impairment is 20 mg once daily; use of NOURIANZ in patients with severe hepatic impairment should be avoided ( 2.4 , 8.7 ). Patients who smoke 20 or more cigarettes per day (or the equivalent of another tobacco product): Recommended dosage is 40 mg once daily ( 2.5 , 8.8 ). 2.1 Dosing Information The recommended dosage of NOURIANZ is 20 mg administered orally once daily. The dosage may be increased to a maximum of 40 mg once daily, based on individual need and tolerability. Initial dose titration is not required. NOURIANZ can be taken with or without food [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3) ] . 2.2 Dosage Adjustment with Strong CYP3A4 Inhibitors The maximum recommended dosage of NOURIANZ with concomitant use of strong CYP3A4 inhibitors is 20 mg once daily [see Drug Interactions (7.1) ] . 2.3 Dosing with Strong CYP3A4 Inducers Avoid use of NOURIANZ with strong CYP3A4 inducers [see Drug Interactions (7.1) ] . 2.4 Dosage Adjustment in Patients with Hepatic Impairment The maximum recommended dosage of NOURIANZ in patients with moderate hepatic impairment (Child-Pugh Class B) is 20 mg once daily. Closely monitor patients with moderate…

Istradefylline side effects

The following clinically significant adverse reactions are discussed in greater detail in other sections of the labeling: Dyskinesia [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ] Hallucinations / Psychotic Behavior [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2) ] Impulse Control / Compulsive Behaviors [see Warnings and Precautions (5.3) ] The most common adverse reactions (at least 5% and more frequent than placebo) were dyskinesia, dizziness, constipation, nausea, hallucination, and insomnia ( 6.1 ). To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Kyowa Kirin Inc. at 1-844-768-3544 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch. 6.1 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 safety of NOURIANZ was evaluated in 734 patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) taking a stable dose of levodopa and a DOPA decarboxylase inhibitor, with or without other PD medications, in four randomized, multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials 12 weeks in duration (Studies 1, 2, 3 and 4) [see Clinical Studies (14) ] . Of the patient population exposed to NOURIANZ, 50% were male, 32% White, 67% Asian, and the mean age was 65 years (range: 33 to 84 years). Of…

Who shouldn’t take istradefylline

None. None ( 4 ).

Istradefylline drug interactions

Strong CYP3A4 inhibitors: Recommended maximum dosage with concomitant use is 20 mg once daily ( 2.2 , 7.1 ). Strong CYP3A4 inducers: Avoid use ( 2.3 , 7.1 ). 7.1 Effect of Other Drugs on NOURIANZ Strong CYP3A4 Inhibitors Coadministration of NOURIANZ with a strong CYP3A4 inhibitor (ketoconazole) increased istradefylline AUC inf by 2.5-fold [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3) ] . Therefore, the recommended maximum dosage of NOURIANZ in patients concomitantly using strong CYP3A4 inhibitors (e.g., itraconazole, ketoconazole, clarithromycin) is 20 mg once daily [see Dosage and Administration (2.2) ]. Strong CYP3A4 Inducers Coadministration of NOURIANZ with a strong CYP3A4 inducer (rifampin) decreased istradefylline C max and AUC inf by 45% and 81%, respectively [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3) ] . Therefore, it is recommended to avoid use of NOURIANZ with strong CYP3A4 inducers (e.g., carbamazepine, rifampin, phenytoin, St. John's wort) [see Dosage and Administration (2.3) ]. 7.2 Effect of NOURIANZ on Other Drugs CYP3A4 Substrates Coadministration of NOURIANZ 20 mg with a CYP3A4 substrate (midazolam) did not affect the CYP3A4 substrate exposure, while concomitant administration of NOURIANZ 40 mg increased the CYP3A4 substrate (atorvastatin) C max and AUC inf by 1.5-fold [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3) ] . Monitor for an increase in adverse reactions of concomitant drugs that are CYP3A4 substrates when coadministering with NOURIANZ 40 mg. P-glycoprotein (P-gp) Substrates Coadministration of NOURIANZ with a P-gp substrate (digoxin) increased the P-gp substrate C max and AUC inf by 33% and 21%, respectively [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3) ] . Monitor for an increase in adverse reactions of concomitant drugs that are P-gp substrates when coadministering with NOURIANZ.

Every istradefylline product we track (1)

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

Only one: Nourianz.

What istradefylline pills look like

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

Istradefylline pill imprints
ImprintStrengthColourShape
2020 mgpinkrectangle
4040 mgpinktear

What people report to the FDA about istradefylline

The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) collects reports from patients and clinicians. It holds 263 reports naming istradefylline, and the FDA flagged 88% of those reports as serious. The effects reported most often — leaving out reports about overdose, misuse or the condition being treated, which dominate the raw list for common medicines:

  • dyskinesia42 reports
  • hallucination26 reports
  • delirium25 reports
  • fall23 reports
  • parkinson^s disease22 reports
  • therapeutic response shortened20 reports
  • on and off phenomenon18 reports
  • constipation16 reports

Read these as a signal, not a rate. A report does not mean istradefylline caused the effect — anyone can file one, and many describe people taking several medicines for several conditions. Crucially there is no denominator: FAERS does not record how many people took the drug, so these counts cannot be turned into “X% of patients” — a bigger number often just means a more widely used or more talked-about drug. Duplicates exist, and publicity drives reporting. For what is actually established, read the FDA label section above.

Source: openFDA drug/event (FAERS), retrieved July 25, 2026.

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Frequently asked questions

What is istradefylline?

NOURIANZ contains istradefylline, an adenosine receptor antagonist, which has a xanthine derivative structure.

Can you take istradefylline 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 istradefylline against whatever else you take — and remember that a label not naming a drug is not the same as that combination being safe.

What forms does istradefylline come in?

Across the brands we track, istradefylline is currently marketed as tablet, 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 istradefylline?

We do not currently list a generic-labelled istradefylline product. That does not always mean none exists — it means none appears under a generic name in the FDA data we track. Ask your pharmacist.

Cite this page
APA
pharmaranks. (2026, July 24). Istradefylline: uses, dosing, side effects & brands. https://pharmaranks.com/drugs/istradefylline
MLA
“Istradefylline: uses, dosing, side effects & brands.” pharmaranks, 24 July 2026, https://pharmaranks.com/drugs/istradefylline.

We summarise public FDA and NIH sources — for a clinical claim, cite the primary source we link to as well.

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.

Read the full FDA label for istradefylline on DailyMed (NIH) ↗.