Piracetam
Also called 2-Oxo-1-pyrrolidineacetamide, Nootropil, Pyracetam
Dosage
Oral bands as drawn from PsychonautWiki's ranges below. The table is the source of truth.
When sources disagree, both rows are shown as published. Nothing is averaged or merged.
Oral
| Source | Threshold | Light | Common | Strong | Heavy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PsychonautWiki | 0.25–0.5 g PW | 0.5–2 g PW | 2–3 g PW | 3–5 g PW | 5 g+ PW |
| TripSit | – | – | 1200–4800 mg TS | – | – |
Note: Doses are normally split up to be taken 3x a day. TS
TripSit dose text
TripSit's factsheet also states its doses as text.
Common: 1200-4800mg | Note: Doses are normally split up to be taken 3x a day. TS
What dose are you on? (self-reported, unverified)
No reports yet.
Reports are anonymous, one per browser per day per route. Counts under 20 are shown but marked as too few to mean anything. Until accounts launch, reports stay in this browser only.
Duration
| Route · source | Onset | Come-up | Peak | Offset | Total | After-effects |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oral · PsychonautWiki | 30–90 minutes PW | – | – | – | 4–8 hours PW | – |
TripSit factsheet
Mixing
Acute combinations: what happens when these are taken close together. Entries backed by a medical journal or agency are listed first.
Backed by medical journals
Risks and toxicity
Adverse effects, although rare and of short duration are limited to anxiety, insomnia, drowsiness, headaches and agitation. It may be safe for up to 18 months in humans at doses of 3.2g daily with one year-long study in ambulatory patients with Alzheimer's using 8g daily reporting no side effects. However, a possibility for adverse drug-drug interactions persists for piracetam due to it interacting with blood in an anti-clotting manner. Therefore, caution should be taken when pairing piracetam with pharmaceutical blood thinning agents such as Warfarin or potent nutraceutical options and individuals prone to brain hemorrhaging are discouraged from using piracetam.[5] PW
Patients with renal insufficiency should also not use piracetam. PW
No fatal overdoses associated with piracetam use have been reported as of 2016. In animal models (rodents, dogs, and marmoset), an LD₅₀ failed to be established at the dosage of 8-10g/kg. PW
Regardless, it is strongly recommended that one use harm reduction practices when using this substance. PW
Lethal dosage
The median lethal dosage (LD50) of piracetam has not been officially published as it has low abuse potential, but the typical dosage is two grams once to three times a day. PW
Dependence and abuse potential
The chronic use of piracetam can be considered as not addictive with a low potential for abuse. It does not seem to be capable of causing psychological dependence among certain users. PW
Tolerance to many of the effects of piracetam develops with prolonged and repeated use. This results in users having to administer increasingly large doses to achieve the same effects. After that, it takes about 3 - 7 days for the tolerance to be reduced to half and 1 - 2 weeks to be back at baseline (in the absence of further consumption). Piracetam may presents cross-tolerance with all racetam nootropics, meaning that after the consumption of piracetam certain nootropics such as aniracetam and pramiracetam may have a reduced effect. PW
Dangerous interactions
Piracetam showed nonselective MAO activity in a rat study. Piracetam and MAOIs are a potentially dangerous combination. It is likely that MAOIs could increase the effects of piracetam unpredictably. Taking this chemical while on prescription MAOIs is strongly discouraged.[6]
Median lethal dose (LD50) in animals
Quoted from PubChem's Non-Human Toxicity Values, which come from the Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB). PubChem describes them as: “Quantitative non-human toxicity values (e.g., lethal dose) for this compound. The data shown here are mostly for lab animals (e.g., rat, mouse, guinea pig, and rabbit).” and defines the “LD50 (median lethal dose, the estimated amount of a chemical expected to kill 50% of test animals in a single dose)”. PC
| LD50 (as the source gives it) | Reference |
|---|---|
| LD50 Mouse oral 26 g/kg PC | Medicines.org.uk; Nootropil 800mg & 1200mg Tablets and Solution. (UCB Pharma Limited; August 2005) electronic Medicines Compendium. Datapharm Communications. Available from, as of July 31, 2007: https://emc.medicines.org.uk/ (via HSDB record 7529) |
Testing
Effects
Overview
Piracetam (2-oxo-1-pyrrolidine acetamide) is a nootropic substance of the racetam class. It is a derivative of GABA. PW
A racetam nootropic claimed by many to have cognitive benefits however this has never been strongly supported in healthy individuals. Prescribed in the UK as a treatment for myoclonus. Potentially an ampakine. One of the first popular 'nootropics.' TS
Piracetam is a drug that has efficacy in cognitive disorders, vertigo, cortical myoclonus, dyslexia, and sickle cell anemia; sources differ on its usefulness for dementia. Piracetam is sold as a medication in many European countries. Piracetam in the United States is not approved for general use.[1–4] WP
Piracetam is in the racetams group, with chemical name 2-oxo-1-pyrrolidine acetamide. It is a cyclic derivative of the neurotransmitter GABA and shares the same 2-oxo-pyrrolidone base structure with pyroglutamic acid. Related drugs include the anticonvulsants levetiracetam and brivaracetam, and the putative nootropics aniracetam and phenylpiracetam.[2] WP
History
History
Piracetam was first made some time between the 1950s and 1964 by Corneliu E. Giurgea. There are reports of it being used for epilepsy in the 1950s.[8]
Legal status
- Piracetam, being a member of the racetam family, currently is legally available to buy and sell in most countries, but may still vary by region. PW
- Czech Republic: Piracetam is not regulated and can be bought in a pharmacy. PW
- Germany: Piracetam is a prescription medicine, according to Anlage 1 AMVV.[10] PW
- Switzerland: Piracetam is listed as a "Abgabekategorie B" pharmaceutical, which requires a prescription. PW⚠ PsychonautWiki itself has flagged this text: citation needed.
- United Kingdom: Piracetam and other racetams are prescription only drugs; however, there is no penalty for possession or importing them. PW
- New Zealand: Piracetam is considered a prescription drug, and as such will be seized by the Ministry of Health. It is not able to be imported without a signed note from a doctor. PW
Society and culture
In 2009 piracetam was reportedly popular as a cognitive enhancement drug among students.[11] WP
Legal status
Piracetam is an uncontrolled substance in the United States, meaning it is legal to possess without a license or prescription. Use of piracetam in food, supplements, medical devices, insecticides, infant formula, cosmetics, animal feed, animal drugs, tobacco products, and drugs is unlawful and constitutes an act of misbranding.[12] WP
Regulatory status
In the United States, piracetam is not approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Piracetam is not permitted in compounded drugs or dietary supplements in the United States. Like most research chemicals, it has been available over-the-counter, self-regulated, and third-party lab tested by many U.S. companies for decades. Nonetheless it is still, for the purposes of U.S. law, a "New Drug" as defined by 21 U.S. Code § 321(p)(1).[4]
In the United Kingdom, piracetam is approved as a prescription drug for adults with myoclonus of cortical origin, irrespective of cause, and should be used in combination with other anti-myoclonic therapies.[15]
In Japan, piracetam is approved as a prescription drug.[17] WP
In the Czech Republic, piracetam is available without prescription.[18]
Piracetam has no DIN in Canada, and thus cannot be sold, but can be imported for personal use in Canada.[20] WP
In Hungary, piracetam was a prescription-only medication, but as of 2020, no prescription is required and piracetam is available as an over-the-counter drug under the name Memoril Mite, and is available in 600 mg pills. WP
Pharmacology
Chemistry
User reports
Erowid erowid.org
ListingsErowid Experience Vault listing
Link as published on TripSit's factsheet.
Top storiesBluelight bluelight.org
ListingsReddit reddit.com
ListingsPop culture
No references added yet.
Add a reference
Registered users can add songs, films, books, shows, games and art about this substance. Link a source that names the substance, such as the work's Wikipedia article, a review or an interview, not only the work itself. Entries are voted on and moderated like every other value on this page.
Opens when accounts launch.
References
- Other Nootropil Tablets 1200 mg. 2017-02-15
- Journal / agency Winblad B. Piracetam: a review of pharmacological properties and clinical uses. CNS Drug Reviews. 2005. doi:10.1111/j.1527-3458.2005.tb00268.x · PMID 16007238 · PMC6741724
- Journal / agency Flicker L, Grimley Evans G. Piracetam for dementia or cognitive impairment. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2001. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD001011 · PMID 11405971 · PMC12016011
- Journal / agency Cohen PA, Zakharevich I, Gerona R. Presence of Piracetam in Cognitive Enhancement Dietary Supplements. JAMA Internal Medicine. March 2020. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2019.5507 · PMID 31764936 · PMC6902196
- Journal / agency Fedi, M., Reutens, D., Dubeau, F., Andermann, E., D’Agostino, D., Andermann, F. Long-term efficacy and safety of piracetam in the treatment of progressive myoclonus epilepsy. Archives of Neurology. May 2001. doi:10.1001/archneur.58.5.781
- Journal / agency Stancheva, S. L., Alova, L. G. Effect of centrophenoxine, piracetam and aniracetam on the monoamine oxidase activity in different brain structures of rats. Farmakologiia I Toksikologiia. June 1988
- Journal / agency Trabucchi, M., Govoni, S., Battaini, F. Changes in the interaction between CNS cholinergic and dopaminergic neurons induced by L-alpha-glycerylphosphorylcholine, a cholinomimetic drug. Il Farmaco; Edizione Scientifica. April 1986
- Other Li JJ, Corey EJ. Drug Discovery: Practices, Processes, and Perspectives. 2013
- Other Schmidt D, Shorvon S. The End of Epilepsy?: A History of the Modern Era of Epilepsy Research 1860-2010. 2016
- Other Anlage 1 AMVV - Einzelnorm
- Other Medew J. Call for testing on 'smart drugs'. 1 October 2009
- Harm reduction site Erowid Piracetam Vault: Legal Status
- Harm reduction site Piracetam
- Other Bellamy J. FDA proposes ban on curcumin and other naturopathic favorites in compounded drugs. 26 September 2019
- Other Parallel import (PI) licences granted in June 2015
- Other Nootropil Tablets 800 mg
- Other UCB's piracetam approved in Japan. 1999-11-25
- Other Fulltext
- Other Data file for medicines?
- Other Guidance Document on the Import Requirements for Health Products under the Food and Drugs Act and its Regulations (GUI-0084). 1 June 2010
Text and values on this page are quoted from PsychonautWiki (CC BY-SA 4.0), Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0), TripSit factsheets, PubChem (public domain). Each value links to the exact revision it came from.