Medicines Nootropil or Piracetam contain the same active ingredient (piracetam) and are used for a number of pathologies of the central nervous system (CNS). These medications differ from each other by manufacturers and names.
Medicines Nootropil or Piracetam are used for a number of pathologies of the central nervous system (CNS).
Description of the medicine
The drug "Nootropil" is a representative of nootropic drugs. Its main purpose is to improve memory.
The active substance of the drug is piracetam. It makes up almost 100% of the tablet's weight. That is why the main analogue of Nootropil is the drug Piracetam.
It should be said that the last medicine was discovered back in the 70s. The medication Piracetam was used exclusively for astronauts. After all, the medicine increased overall tone and provided resistance to external pressure.
Along with its beneficial effect on the body, the medication caused very few side effects. These properties became decisive for the further development of drugs based on piracetam.
This medication (like the main analogue of Nootropil) is an excellent stimulant of the nervous system. The medicine increases the body's carrying capacity. Thanks to this, the brain consumes more glucose, and blood circulation accelerates. And at the same time, a person does not feel a lack of energy.
However, patients should be aware that the drug Nootropil does not affect the body instantly. The first positive results can be observed after 1 week of therapy. And peak effectiveness is achieved by the end of the second week. Thus, the drug has a “cumulative effect”.
What is the difference and similarity between Nootropil and Piracetam?
The drug Nootropil is produced in doses of 800 and 1200 mg for tablets and 400 mg for capsules. Piracetam is sold in the same doses, but in addition to them, there is a 200 mg option. However, this concentration of the active substance can only be used for prevention.
Soluble forms of medications also exist, but they are used exclusively in hospital settings.
Nootropil is produced by a Belgian company, and the raw materials for its production are produced in Italy and Belgium. Piracetam is produced in the Russian Federation, but the substance for its production is purchased in India and China.
Indications for use
The medicine is widely used in psychiatry, neurology and narcology. Let us consider in more detail what the indications for use of the drug “Nootropil” are.
In neurological practice, it is advisable to use the medicine for:
- pathologies of the nervous system that disrupt the emotional-volitional sphere (Alzheimer's disease);
- decrease in intellectual-mnestic activity;
- intoxications, brain injuries;
- cerebrovascular insufficiency (severe dizziness, headaches, disturbances of attention, memory, speech);
- vascular pathologies of the brain;
- comatose, subcomatose states;
- residual symptoms of impaired cerebral circulation of the ischemic type.
In psychiatry, the drug is prescribed for:
- flaccid apathetic defective states (schizophrenia, psychoorganic syndrome);
- depressive states (which are resistant to the action of antidepressants);
- nephrotic syndromes;
- intolerance to neuroleptics, antipsychotic medications (to eliminate neurological, mental, somatovegetative complications);
- asthenodepressive syndromes;
- cortical forms of myoclonus.
In narcology, the medication is used for:
- relief of alcohol withdrawal syndrome;
- relief from acute poisoning with phenamine, ethanol, barbiturates, morphine;
- treatment of chronic alcoholism;
- relief of morphine withdrawal syndrome.
The medicine is used in pediatrics. The drug is prescribed for the following conditions:
- consequences of perinatal damage to brain structures;
- difficult learning process;
- cerebral palsy;
- mental retardation.
Contraindications to the use of the drug
"Nootropil" is not allowed for use if the patient has the following conditions or diseases:
- Individual susceptibility to the active or auxiliary components of the drug.
- Negative reaction to pyrrolidone derivatives.
- Poor blood circulation in the brain.
- The last stages of chronic renal dysfunction.
- Age up to 3 years (when using tableted Nootropil)
- Age up to 1 year (when using oral solution).
- Huntington's syndrome.
Caution should be exercised when prescribing the drug to patients who have hemostasis, severe bleeding, or chronic renal failure.
Dosage of the product
Depending on the patient’s condition, the patient may be prescribed a drug in the form of tablets (capsules) or injections. In severe cases, intravenous administration of the drug is recommended. For serious pathologies, the drug (up to 12 g per day) is administered over 20-30 minutes.
Injections are carried out if oral administration of the drug Nootropil is difficult. Injections are prescribed in the same doses as tablets.
The instructions provide the following recommendations:
- It is recommended to take the medicine 2 times a day. The daily dose is 30-160 mg/kg. If necessary, the frequency of use is increased to 3-4 times a day. The duration of therapy is 2-6 months.
- For memory disorders, it is recommended to take 1600 mg 3 times a day. Then the dosage is reduced to 800 mg.
- Acute cerebrovascular diseases require the following treatment. Initially, the patient should take 12 g per day for 2 weeks. Then the dosage is reduced to 6 g per day.
- For ischemic strokes, the patient is recommended to take 4.8 g daily.
- In case of brain injury, it is initially recommended to consume 9-12 g per day. Then the dosage is reduced to 2.4 g per day. Therapy usually lasts about 3 weeks.
Nootropil - composition and release form of the drug
Active ingredient:piracetam; 1 tablet contains 800 or 1200 mg of piracetam;
Excipients: macrogol 6000, colloidal anhydrous silicon dioxide, magnesium stearate, croscarmellose sodium, opadry Y-1-7000 (hypromellose (E 464), titanium dioxide (E 171), macrogol 400), opadry OY-S-29019 (hypromellose ( E 464), macrogol 6000).
Dosage form: film-coated tablets.
Basic physical and chemical properties: oblong tablets, white film-coated, scored on both sides; On one side of the tablet there is an imprint “N” on both sides of the score.
Side effects
During drug therapy, unwanted symptoms may develop.
The abstract indicates the following adverse reactions:
- impaired concentration;
- headache;
- vomiting, nausea;
- motor disinhibition;
- loss of appetite;
- imbalance;
- dizziness;
- mental excitement;
- sleep disturbance;
- gastralgia;
- anxiety;
- bowel dysfunction;
- convulsive syndrome;
- increased sexual activity;
- extrapyramidal disorders;
- tremor of the limbs.
Deterioration of the condition is observed in patients with angina pectoris. As a rule, negative manifestations occur in people who exceed the daily dosage of the medication.
Doctors' opinion
Igor Koklushnikov (neurologist), 44 years old, Smolensk
Using the medication Piracetam normalizes brain function. A similar effect can be achieved not only with long-term, but also with one-time use of the product. After completing the full therapeutic course, patients' mood improves, fear and increased anxiety are eliminated. Its analogue (Nootropil) costs almost 3 times more. This is due to the fact that it is produced in Belgium from expensive raw materials.
Domestic Piracetam has the same properties, but is produced from more accessible raw materials, so adverse reactions occur more often when used.
Galina Svetikova (therapist), 40 years old, Moscow
These drugs have the same composition and pharmacological profile. The only difference is in names, manufacturers and price. Nootropil is more expensive because... High-quality Italian or Belgian raw materials are used in its production. In addition, European drugs undergo more thorough clinical control than domestic ones. Despite this, I often prescribe Piracetam to my patients. So far there have been no adverse reactions. Patients are satisfied with its cost and effectiveness.
In addition, these medications are also available in the form of an injection solution. However, such medications are used only in hospital settings. Outpatients should use tablet forms.
Analogues of the drug
There are many medications that can replace the original drug. The most basic analogue of Nootropil, as mentioned above, is the drug Piracetam. The question often arises about which drug is better. Only a doctor can solve such a dilemma. However, you should know that the medicine “Piracetam” is a domestic medicine. Therefore, its cost is quite reasonable.
At the same time, the drug “Piracetam” affects the body in the same way as the above-mentioned drug. This is evidenced by the instructions supplied with the medicine “Nootropil”. The price of the latter drug is much higher, since it is produced abroad.
However, the drug "Nootropil" is considered a more purified product.
Other analogues are drugs:
- "Biotropil"
- "Memotropil."
- "Lucetam."
What is better to take - Nootropil or Piracetam?
Medicines have identical composition and level of effectiveness, because have the same active ingredient. Experts note that the drug Nootropil is less likely to cause adverse reactions, because is produced from higher quality raw materials than Piracetam. Therefore, it is prescribed more often.
In addition, opinions are mixed regarding which product is best for adults.
Some doctors believe that foreign medicine is better than Russian medicine, because Long-term use of the domestic drug can cause the development of kidney and liver dysfunction. However, this version has no official evidence.
The drug Piracetam, which is taken for memory problems, is cheaper than Nootropil.
Opinion about the drug
Reviews of the drug "Nootropil" indicate that the drug is very useful for improving memory. This product stimulates brain activity and makes it easier to remember large amounts of information. At the same time, the medicine adds energy and invigorates.
It is quite effective in treating delayed speech development in children. However, patients claim that the beneficial effects are not noticed immediately.
The disadvantages of the drug include the bitter taste of the medicine. In addition, people also point out the occurrence of side effects. Most often it is a headache.
The best nootropic drugs without additional effects
| Nootropil (piracetam) 250 (tablets, 0.8 No. 30) Piracetam is the first of the discovered nootropics, and the first drug introduced into widespread clinical practice to improve memory mechanisms. Available in both tablet form and solution for intravenous administration. Effective with long-term and course use and in patients of all ages. Nootropil improves memory and affects learning processes. Along the way, it increases nutritional processes both in nerve cells and in glial elements. It is important that the improvement in microcirculation is not accompanied by vasodilation, that is, Nootropil does not have a vasodilating effect. Main advantages:
Minuses:
| 10 / 10 Rating Reviews I didn’t think that my children were capable of completely mastering all the material in such a short time allotted for preparing for exams. This nootropic drug is a real miracle, the best vitamins for the brain. Gently improves memory, without any nervousness. |
| Cavinton (vinpocetine) 260 (tablets 0.01 No. 30) Cavinton (vinpocetine) is a cerebral circulation corrector that has a powerful nootropic effect. In fact, Cavinton is a drug for improving cerebral circulation, but the nootropic effect it has allows us to classify this drug as a “mind improver.” It is derived from the medicinal periwinkle, a flowering plant. The scope of the drug is wide: strokes and encephalopathy, vertebral artery syndrome, vascular visual and hearing impairment, tinnitus, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, Meniere's disease. Cavinton is able to help brain tissue tolerate hypoxia with minimal consequences. It protects nerve cells from free radical oxidation, prevents capillary aggregation of platelets, and is able to dilate brain vessels. One of the indications for the use of Cavinton, in which it has a pronounced nootropic effect, is the complex therapy of traumatic brain injuries and concussions. Cavinton is very well tolerated, both in old and young people. The form of administration to the body may vary: tablets of 5 and 10 mg, or forms for parenteral administration. Minuses: Perhaps the only negative property of this wonderful drug is the slow drip administration of Vinpocetine when administered intravenously. Also, this drug should be prescribed especially carefully to elderly patients with cardiac arrhythmias. | 9.9 / 10 Rating Reviews Cavinton cured the consequences of a concussion in her daughter after she hit her head at the skating rink. At first, headaches arose and school performance worsened. After two weeks of treatment, there were no more complaints, my daughter began to study well, and one day she even got an A in geometry, which had never happened before. |
| Pantogam500 (tablets 0.25 g No. 50) Pantogam is a natural metabolite of gamma-aminobutyric acid, one of the best nootropic drugs, which is indicated even for children. The active ingredient of the drug, hopantenic acid, has been very well studied in pediatric psychoneurology, where it successfully treats many functional and organic disorders. Pantogam is also available in the form of cherry-flavored syrup, which is why children like it so much. It can be used even from the first days of life. Like other nootropic drugs, Pantogam helps neutralize the effects of toxic substances on brain tissue, and has such a rare combination of a fairly mild stimulating effect with a mild sedative effect. Therefore, in general, it can be considered a neutral drug. Thanks to this “selectivity”, “Pantogam” is used to treat cerebral palsy and various forms of mental retardation in childhood. The drug is mildly capable of correcting mental retardation in children, while at the same time it eliminates “hyperactivity” syndrome and neurosis-like conditions. This drug is used to treat neuro-reflex urinary disorders (incontinence, enuresis). Minuses: The drug is not recommended for use during pregnancy and lactation, as well as in cases of severe renal impairment. | 9.8 / 10 Rating Reviews It was not a child, but an imp. Pure hell. Completely uncontrollable, wild. After being given Pantogam for a week, he turned into a normal boy - balanced, moderately mischievous, of course, but without excesses. |
| Semax360 (nasal drops 0.1%) “Semax” is a unique drug, since among nootropic drugs, regulatory peptides (short chains of proteins) created in such a convenient form for instillation into the nose have not yet been found. In fact, this drug is a structural analogue of ACTH (adrenocorticotropic hormone) that has been specifically deprived of this hormonal activity. As a result, it is a powerful neuroregulatory agent with nootropic, protective and antioxidant effects. It is important that the mechanism of drug administration into the body is physiological. Intranasal administration allows the drug to quickly penetrate the blood-brain barrier, and its effect lasts more than 24 hours after a single administration. The manufacturer stated only mild irritation of the mucous membrane of the nasal passages with prolonged use. Minuses: Among the contraindications, it is not recommended to use Semax for acute psychosis, during pregnancy and lactation. | 9.7 / 10 Rating Reviews The form of release of this product is so convenient that no one would guess that these nasal drops are the best vitamins for improving the mind. |
What do patients think?
If we rely on the available statistics, then everything is obvious here - the reaction to Piracetam or Nootropil is entirely individual, and everyone can conclude that only by using the drug, the body’s reaction to the medications presented can be radically different, as evidenced by the reviews of patients and the opinions of their relatives.
I take Nootropil systematically, every winter. It is at this time that my body exhausts all possible resources - I am haunted by depression and apathetic moods, absolute laziness, it seems that my brain simply freezes.
Just 1-2 tablets every day, and after two weeks it’s like inserting a battery. This year I replaced the usual drug with Piracetam capsules, I didn’t see any difference.
Evgeniya
The doctor prescribed Piracetam to my father (now 73 years old) when he was diagnosed with dementia. After taking it for 3 years, with short breaks, the examination showed that the regression had stopped - in our case, there is no hope for more, but even in such a situation, Piracetam is our salvation.
Sophia
The best nootropics with an energizing effect
| Phenotropil900 (tablets 0.1g No. 30) This drug is one of the best nootropic drugs with a noticeable psychostimulating effect. Therefore, with its help, asthenic syndrome, which develops after severe somatic diseases and infections, is very well treated. In addition, Phenotropil has anticonvulsant and general neuromodulatory effects. The drug has a direct activating effect on cortical and subcortical structures. It is capable of accelerating the exchange of information, both between the hemispheres and vertically - from the periphery to the center. It is capable of significantly increasing the background mood. It is important that this drug can be used in complex therapy for weight loss, as it has a mildly expressed anorexigenic effect, which manifests itself only with a course of taking the drug. Phenotropil is able to increase the threshold for pain perception, so it can also be used as an analgesic drug, for example, in the treatment of neuropathic pain. Phenotropil is able to increase the body's nonspecific resistance to difficult conditions, during stress and periods of increased physical and mental stress. It is important to improve vision, which is reflected in improved color perception and overall image contrast, and an increase in visual fields. One of the “non-core” indications is the diagnosis of chronic ischemia of the lower extremities (varicose veins, thrombophlebitis). Minuses: The drug has no side effects. It is low toxic and does not affect the development of the fetus. | 10 / 10 Rating Reviews Phenotropil is a concentration of joy and active life literally from one capsule... this is a real miracle, vivid impressions and excellent memory! The best vitamins for the mind. |
pharmachologic effect
Nootropil is a nootropic drug. The active component is piracetam, a cyclic derivative of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Improves cognitive (cognitive) processes such as learning ability, memory, attention, and mental performance. Nootropil affects the central nervous system in various ways: it changes the rate of spread of excitation in the brain, improves metabolic processes in nerve cells, improves microcirculation, affecting the rheological characteristics of the blood and without causing a vasodilator effect. Improves connections between the cerebral hemispheres and synaptic conduction in neocortical structures, increases mental performance, and improves cerebral blood flow. Inhibits platelet aggregation and restores the elasticity of the erythrocyte membrane, reduces the adhesion of erythrocytes. At a dose of 9.6 g, it reduces the level of fibrinogen and von Willibrand factors by 30%-40% and prolongs bleeding time. Nootropil has a protective and restorative effect in cases of impaired brain function due to hypoxia and intoxication. Reduces the severity and duration of vestibular nystagmus.
