PHENYLPIRACETAM

Phenylpiracetam was developed in Russia and is clinically used there as Phenotropil (fonturacetam) for cognitive, asthenic, and neurological disorders. Preclinical studies demonstrate that both enantiomers selectively bind to DAT, with the S-isomer reducing weight gain and hyperglycemia in obese animal models without affecting locomotor activity. The R-isomer shows neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory effects in LPS-induced endotoxaemia and carrageenan-induced inflammation models. Human clinical evidence is limited largely to Russian-language studies; robust Western randomized controlled trials are lacking. It is more potent than piracetam on a per-milligram basis. WADA prohibited phenylpiracetam (carphedon) in sport in 1998, and the FDA has not approved it for human use in the United States, though it has been detected in dietary supplements sold online.