Meclofenoxate (
INN
Inns are generally establishments or buildings where travelers can seek lodging, and usually, food and drink. Inns are typically located in the country or along a highway; before the advent of motorized transportation they also provided accommo ...
,
BAN; brand name Lucidril, also known as centrophenoxine) is a
cholinergic
Cholinergic agents are compounds which mimic the action of acetylcholine and/or butyrylcholine. In general, the word " choline" describes the various quaternary ammonium salts containing the ''N'',''N'',''N''-trimethylethanolammonium cati ...
nootropic
Nootropics ( , or ) (colloquial: smart drugs and cognitive enhancers, similar to adaptogens) are a wide range of natural or synthetic dietary supplement, supplements or drugs and other substances that are claimed to improve cognitive function ...
used as a
dietary supplement.
It is an
ester
In chemistry, an ester is a compound derived from an oxoacid (organic or inorganic) in which at least one hydroxyl group () is replaced by an alkoxy group (), as in the substitution reaction of a carboxylic acid and an alcohol. Glycerides a ...
of
dimethylethanolamine
Dimethylethanolamine (DMAE or DMEA) is an organic compound with the formula (CH3)2NCH2CH2OH. It is bifunctional, containing both a tertiary amine and primary alcohol functional groups. It is a colorless viscous liquid. It is used in skin care prod ...
(DMAE) and
4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid (pCPA).
In elderly patients, meclofenoxate has been shown to improve performance on certain
memory
Memory is the faculty of the mind by which data or information is encoded, stored, and retrieved when needed. It is the retention of information over time for the purpose of influencing future action. If past events could not be remembered ...
tests. Meclofenoxate also increases cellular membrane phospholipids. It is sold in
Japan and some
Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a subcontinent of Eurasia and it is located entirel ...
an countries, such as
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
,
Hungary
Hungary ( hu, Magyarország ) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning of the Pannonian Basin, Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the ...
, and
Austria
Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
, as a
prescription drug.
Side effects
Meclofenoxate is considered to be very safe and high in
tolerability
Tolerability refers to the degree to which overt adverse effects of a drug can be tolerated by a patient. Tolerability of a particular drug can be discussed in a general sense, or it can be a quantifiable measurement as part of a clinical study. U ...
.
However, possible side effects may include, rarely,
insomnia
Insomnia, also known as sleeplessness, is a sleep disorder in which people have trouble sleeping. They may have difficulty falling asleep, or staying asleep as long as desired. Insomnia is typically followed by daytime sleepiness, low energy, ...
,
dizziness
Dizziness is an imprecise term that can refer to a sense of disorientation in space, vertigo, or lightheadedness. It can also refer to disequilibrium or a non-specific feeling, such as giddiness or foolishness.
Dizziness is a common medical c ...
,
restlessness,
muscle tremor,
depression,
nausea
Nausea is a diffuse sensation of unease and discomfort, sometimes perceived as an urge to vomit. While not painful, it can be a debilitating symptom if prolonged and has been described as placing discomfort on the chest, abdomen, or back of the ...
,
muscle tension
In physiology, medicine, and anatomy, muscle tone (residual muscle tension or tonus) is the continuous and passive partial contraction of the muscles, or the muscle's resistance to passive stretch during resting state.O’Sullivan, S. B. (2007). ...
, and
headache; these side effects may be due to
overdosage and may indicate the need for the dosage to be reduced.
Research
Meclofenoxate, as well as DMAE, have been found to increase the
lifespans of mice by 26.5%.
Brand names
In addition to Lucidril, meclofenoxate has also been marketed under the brand names Amipolen, Analux, Brenal, Cellative, Centrophenoxin, Cerebron, Cerutil, Closete, Helfergin, Lucidryl, Lutiaron, Marucotol, Proserout, Proseryl, and Ropoxyl.
See also
*
Adafenoxate
Adafenoxate is a compound related to centrophenoxine, that has been found to act as a nootropic in rats. Synthesis
Ex 1: 4-Chlorophenoxyacetic acid (pCPA) 22-88-3is converted to its acid chloride to give 4-chlorophenoxyacetyl chloride 122-68-3 ...
*
Cyprodenate
Cyprodenate (Actebral) is a stimulant drug. It was used for counteracting the effects of benzodiazepine tranquillizer drugs before the development of newer antidotes such as flumazenil. It produces dimethylethanolamine as a metabolite
In bioc ...
*
ISRIB
ISRIB (integrated stress response inhibitor) is an experimental drug that reverses the effects of eIF2α phosphorylation with an IC50 of 5 nM. It was discovered in the laboratory of Peter Walter at University of California, San Francisc ...
References
{{Acetylcholine receptor modulators
Dimethylamino compounds
Antidementia agents
Carboxylate esters
Chloroarenes
Cholinergics
Nootropics
Phenol ethers