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Piracetam
Piracetam is reported to be an intelligence booster and CNS (central nervous system) stimulant with no known toxicity or addictive properties. Piracetam is inexpensive and available by mail. The subjective effect described by some people is that piracetam, 'wakes up your brain'. You'll find more personal accounts of the effects of this remarkable drug in the case histories and testimonials appendix. Its effects and safety are so impressive that piracetam prompted the creation of a new pharmaceutical category called the nootropics.
The term nootropic comes from a Greek word meaning "acting on the mind". Since the invention of piracetam by UCB Laboratories in Belgium, other pharmaceutical companies have been scrambling to develop their own nootropics. Some of them being researched now include; vinpocetine, aniracetam, pramiracetam, and oxiracetam.
Piracetam is very similar in molecular structure to the amino acid pyroglutamate. Piracetam and pyroglutamate have the same "base" chemical structure, the 2-oxo-pyrrolidine, but they differ by the side chain. Pyroglutamate is 2-oxo-pyrrolidone carboxylic acid, and piracetam is 2-oxo-pyrrolidine acetamide.
Piracetam enhances cognition under conditions of hypoxia (too little oxygen), and also enhances memory and some kinds of learning in normal humans. Outside of the U.S., piracetam is used to treat alcoholism, stroke, vertigo, senile dementia, sickle-cell anaemia, dyslexia, and numerous other health problems.
One of the most intriguing effects of piracetam is that it promotes the flow of information between the right and left hemispheres of the brain. We know that communication between the two sides of the brain is associated with flashes of creativity. This may also be the basis for piracetam's usefulness in the treatment of dyslexia. The effect of Piracetam can be increased if taken with DMAE, centrophenoxine, choline, or Hydergine. When choline and piracetam are taken together there is a synergistic effect that causes a greater improvement in memory than the sum of each when taken alone.
We know of one person who claims she feels slightly agitated and depressed if she takes piracetam for more than a week without a choline supplement. This feeling is alleviated for her with a single dose of choline. It may be that the piracetam causes acetylcholine to be used up more quickly and that the choline helps to replace this important neurotransmitter.
One fascinating study suggests that piracetam might increase the number of cholinergic receptors in the brain. Older mice were given piracetam for two weeks and then the density of muscarinic cholinergic receptors in their frontal cortexes was measured. The researchers found that these older mice had 30-40% higher density of these receptors than before. Piracetam, unlike many other drugs, appears to have a regenerative effect on the nervous system.
One theory of Alzheimer's disease is that the decline of intellectual functions is partly caused by a decreased activity of the cholinergic system in the brain caused by cell death and cell degeneration. The researchers in the above study speculated that their findings could explain how piracetam works regarding a profound effect of combining choline with piracetam on memory enhancement of old rats.
As mentioned previously, the late drug researcher Arthur Gherkin related to us that he believed the combination of Hydergine and piracetam potentiate each other by 5 times. This highlights the importance of adjusting the dosages when multiple substances are taken because, some of these substances will cause paradoxical effects when excessive amounts are taken.
Although piracetam is a derivative of GABA (Gamma Amino Butyric Acid, a neurotransmitter), there is no evidence that piracetam works through the GABAergic system. Some research even suggests GABA may even inhibit memory and learning.
Precautions: Piracetam may increase the effects of certain drugs, such as amphetamines, psychotropics, and Hydergine, as stated. Adverse effects are rare but include insomnia, psychomotor agitation, nausea, gastrointestinal distress, and headaches. Piracetam has virtually no known toxicity or contraindications.
Dosage: Piracetam is supplied in 400mg or 800mg capsules or tablets. The usual dose is 2400 to 4800 mg per day in three divided doses. Some literature recommends that the first two days a high "attack" dose should be taken. We have noticed that often when people first take piracetam they do not notice any effect at all until they take a high dose (approximately 4000 to 8000mg). Thereafter, they may notice that a lower dosage is sufficient. Piracetum takes effect within 30 to 60 minutes.