moleculefinder

Donepezil

C24H29NO3379.5 g/mol Calculated

Also called Aricept, Donaz and donezpil hydrochloride.

A dementia medicine sold as Aricept, used for the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease. It slows the breakdown of acetylcholine in the brain.

Sources and notes
  • The introductionfrom sourceMoleculeFinder curated
  • Other namesfrom sourcePubChem / Wikidata
  • Formula and weightcomputedPubChem
  • 2D drawingcomputedPubChem structure, drawn by RDKit
  • 3D modelfrom sourcePubChem 3D conformerLoaded after the page has painted, and on a phone only when you ask for it; the 2D drawing shows until it arrives.

Where you encounter it

Dispensed on prescription, not sold on a shelf. Donepezil on the product labels we hold.

Medicines

AriceptAdded by the makerActive ingredient

Every product and list we hold

Sources and notes
  • The product labels and their strengthsfrom sourceDailyMed (FDA label)Each label lists the molecule as an ingredient, and an active ingredient at the strength shown.
  • How it gets therefrom sourceMoleculeFinder curatedEach mark is set by hand on our lists, never inferred; a label's ingredient is added by the maker. A row with no mark data says Not marked.
  • The line abovefrom sourceMoleculeFinder curatedFrom the group the molecule belongs to.

Explore its structure

Choose a part to light it up.

A C=O with a carbon on each side. Its oxygen accepts hydrogen bonds but has no hydrogen to give, and it resists oxidation better than an aldehyde.

From: standard chemistry.

Sources and notes
  • The drawingcomputedPubChem structure, drawn by RDKitThe page's one shipped drawing, with the chosen part lit in amber under it.
  • The partscomputedFound by ruleEach part is found by a chemical pattern, never picked by hand atom by atom; its words say where they come from.

Compare a related molecule

Donepezil

Memantine

Donepezil makes the remaining acetylcholine last longer by blocking acetylcholinesterase, while memantine partly blocks the NMDA glutamate receptor.

Donepezil vs Memantine, side by side
Sources and notes
  • The sentencefrom sourceMoleculeFinder comparison notesThe pair's answer line.
  • The two drawingscomputedPubChem structures, drawn by RDKitThe two drawings side by side.

Properties and sources

Calculated by PubChem

Molecular formula
C24H29NO3
Molecular weight
379.5 g/mol
XLogP3octanol/water, log units
4.3
Polar surface areatopological
38.8 Ų
H-bond donors
0
H-bond acceptors
4
Rotatable bonds
6
Complexity
510

Reported Hazard label (GHS), ECHA via PubChem

Danger Toxic pictogram (GHS06) and Irritant pictogram (GHS07); hazard statements H300, H302, H315, H319, H335, H413

Reported Licence

The US Food and Drug Administration licenses Donepezil for human use (NDA 020690, authorized November 25, 1996). Drugs@FDA

Groups it belongs to

Category
Prescription medicine
Chemical groups
Aromatics, Ketones, Ethers
Elements
Nitrogen
Hazard classes
Acutely toxic, Irritant, GHS Danger
SMILESCOC1=C(C=C2C(=C1)CC(C2=O)CC3CCN(CC3)CC4=CC=CC=C4)OC

PubChem CID 3152 · Wikidata Q415081 · InChIKey ADEBPBSSDYVVLD-UHFFFAOYSA-N · Data refreshed

How MoleculeFinder sources and labels its data

Questions
What is Donepezil?
A dementia medicine sold as Aricept, used for the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease. It slows the breakdown of acetylcholine in the brain.
How toxic is Donepezil?
Its GHS hazard label carries the signal word Danger and the hazard pictograms Toxic and Irritant. from source
What kind of molecule is Donepezil?
Donepezil has the formula C24H29NO3 and a molecular weight of 379.5 g/mol. MoleculeFinder files it under dementia medicine, in the prescription medicine group. from sourcefrom sourcefrom sourcefrom source
Who licenses Donepezil as a medicine?
The US Food and Drug Administration licenses Donepezil for human use (NDA 020690, authorized November 25, 1996). from source
Sources and notes
  • Calculated valuescomputedPubChemComputed from the structure, so no laboratory conditions apply; complexity is PubChem's own structural score.
  • Hazard labelfrom sourceECHA via PubChemThe label combines these classifications.
  • ECHAfrom sourceAttributionSource: European Chemicals Agency, echa.europa.eu.
  • Licencefrom sourceDrugs@FDARead 2026-10-21.
  • Data refreshedfrom sourceMoleculeFinder2026-11-09

Keep exploring

Compared side by side with donepezilMemantineC12H21N
Sources and notes
  • Compared side by sidefrom sourceMoleculeFinder comparison notesA molecule we compare it with on its own page.
  • The drawingscomputedPubChem structures, drawn by RDKit