This page describes pharmacological agents that may have legal restrictions, side effects, and drug interactions in your jurisdiction. Information is for educational research only — consult a clinician before considering any compound.
Aniracetam
First-generation lipophilic racetam (Hoffmann-La Roche, 1970s).
Aliases (10)
Overview
What is Aniracetam?
Aniracetam is a fat-soluble racetam-class nootropic developed in the 1970s. It is a derivative of piracetam with broader effect profile, used for memory, mood, anxiety, and creativity. Prescription in some EU countries (Italy, Spain) for cognitive disorders; sold as a research compound elsewhere.
Key Benefits
Anxiolytic effect with cognitive enhancement, improved verbal fluency and creativity, mild mood lift, and synergy with cholinergic stacks. Faster onset than piracetam due to lipid solubility.
Mechanism of Action
Positive allosteric modulator of AMPA glutamate receptors (slows desensitization), modulates cholinergic and dopaminergic transmission, and influences D2/5-HT2A signaling. Lipid-soluble — crosses BBB rapidly.
▸Brand options8 known
StatusNot US-scheduled. **FDA-unapproved "new drug"** — not legal in US dietary supplements (per Centera Bioscience / Nootropics Depot DOJ enforcement, plea Oct 2023 / sentenced Feb 2024). Prescription medicine in **Italy** (Ampamet) and **Greece** (Memodrin, Referan) for cognitive/cerebrovascular disorders. **Withdrawn from Japan** (1990s) after a confirmatory placebo-controlled trial failed. **Schedule 4 (Rx-only)** in Australia. Legal personal-purchase (no prescription) in UK.
Research Protocols
Disclaimer: These are commonly discussed research protocols and not medical advice.
Peptide Interactions
(already in the canonical stack at 500 mg/day Cognizin) — covers the choline cofactor requirement, prevents headache, supports the cholinergic arm of anirace…
alternative choline source; some users prefer for racetam stacks due to higher CNS penetration. Citicoline is fine and already in V4.
required for absorption. the canonical stack fish oil (Carlson Super DHA) at breakfast naturally provides this.
orthogonal mechanism (DAT/NET inhibition + histaminergic for modafinil; AMPA-PAM + mGluR for aniracetam). No published interaction concerns; theoretically ad…
mitochondrial energy support + acetylcholine precursor; mechanism-aligned with the cholinergic arm. Reasonable PRN combo.
(pramiracetam, oxiracetam, coluracetam, piracetam, phenylpiracetam, nefiracetam, fasoracetam) — cross-tolerance, choline competition, signal-muddying. Pick o…
(phenelzine, tranylcypromine, moclobemide; high-dose selegiline) — theoretical serotonin-syndrome risk. Low-dose selegiline at 1-2.5 mg (the canonical stack …
same general AMPA-PAM family. No mechanistic point in stacking, additive AMPA potentiation, multiplies the "AMPA + subconcussive impact" theoretical concern.…
additive cortical excitability; theoretical seizure-threshold concern at the upper end (likely irrelevant at biohacker doses, worth flagging).
Quality Indicators
Pharmacy-dispensed, intact packaging
Prescription tablets in original sealed packaging from a licensed pharmacy.
Generic vs branded
Generics are usually fine but bioavailability can vary slightly; track if you switch.
Unbranded blister or counterfeit risk
Counterfeit pharmaceuticals are a known issue; verify pharmacy and lot if buying internationally.
What to Expect
- Onset20-45 min. Depends on fat content and gastric transit. Faster on top of an existing meal vs taken alone.
- Peak1-2 h. Mood lift, verbal fluency, mild cognitive sharpness, often described as "music sounds better" / "colors more saturated" / "dialogue flows easier in co…
- Taper3-5 h. Subjective effects fade as N-anisoyl-GABA clears CSF. No "crash" reported in the typical user report; some report mild headache or fatigue at the 4-6 …
Side Effects & Safety
- Common (>10% in clinical trials and user reports):
- Headache (frontal, cholinergic-depletion type) — most common; mitigated by adequate choline cofactor (citicoline 250-500 mg or alpha-GPC 300 mg).
- Mild GI discomfort — nausea, occasional stomach cramps; typically resolves with food.
- Less common (1-10%):
- Anxiety / nervousness (paradoxical) — reported in a subset; mechanistically plausible at higher doses (AMPA potentiation overshoot).
- Fatigue — reported, possibly via cholinergic depletion or post-effect drop.
- Insomnia if dosed late in the day (rare but reported).
- Mild dizziness / lightheadedness — uncommon.
- Rare-serious (<1% but worth knowing):
- MAOI interaction. Aniracetam showed nonselective MAOI activity in a rat study. Combination with prescription MAOIs (selegiline at antidepressant doses, phenelzine, tranylcypromine), reversible MAOIs (moclobemide), or natural MAOIs (Syrian rue, Banisteriopsis caapi) carries a theoretical serotonin-syndrome risk. For the user: low-dose selegiline (1-2.5 mg AM, V5 plan) is not full MAOI inhibition, but caution is warranted on dosing days. Avoid concurrent moclobemide or any high-dose MAOI.
- Hepatic — CYP-mediated metabolism means standard liver-panel watch on chronic high-dose use; no hepatic toxicity signal in the registrational trials, but limited chronic safety data >12 months in healthy adults.
- Bipolar mood instability — theoretical concern given dopaminergic/serotonergic release; clinical relevance unknown for the dose range.
- Specific watch periods:
- First 1-2 weeks of any new use: monitor for paradoxical anxiety, headache pattern, and sleep-onset effects.
- Chronic daily use >4 weeks: liver panel if running >1500 mg/day (low priority but non-zero).
- Coadministration with selegiline / other MAOI activity: avoid stacking until single-compound tolerance is established.
References
Aniracetam — Wikipedia
chemical identity (CAS 72432-10-1), brand names, regulatory status by country, metabolism summary, pharmacokinetics summary.
View StudyAniracetam: An Evidence-Based Model for Preventing the Accumulation of Amyloid-β Plaques in Alzheimer's Disease (Karri & Spann, J Alzheimers Dis 2024; PMC11091568)
2024 mechanism model paper proposing alpha-secretase / BDNF / mGluR amyloid-prevention pathway. Hypothesis only, no in vivo data.
View StudyThe Mechanism of Action of Aniracetam at Synaptic AMPA Receptors: Indirect and Direct Effects on Desensitization (Ito et al., Mol Pharmacol 2003; PubMed 12869631)
reference paper for AMPA-PAM mechanism; slows channel closing + desensitization microscopic rates.
View StudyAniracetam (Ro 13-5057) in the treatment of senile dementia of Alzheimer type (SDAT): results of a placebo controlled multicentre clinical study (1991, Eur Neuropsychopharmacol; PubMed 1822317)
registrational EU trial, 1500 mg/day, n=109, 6 months; SCAG 12-35% improvement vs 9-19% placebo decline.
View StudyClinical Efficacy of Aniracetam, Either as Monotherapy or Combined with Cholinesterase Inhibitors (Koliaki et al., Adv Ther 2012; PMC6493642)
open-label MCI / mild dementia data.
View StudyAniracetam: Its Novel Therapeutic Potential in Cerebral Dysfunctional Disorders (PMC6741661)
mechanism review covering neurochemistry, mGluR / cholinergic / dopaminergic effects.
View StudyDetermination of aniracetam's main metabolite, N-anisoyl-GABA, in human plasma by LC-MS/MS (Endo et al., 2012; PubMed 22552003)
N-anisoyl-GABA pharmacokinetics in humans; plasma quantification reference.
View StudyAMPA receptor modulation through sequential treatment with perampanel and aniracetam mitigates post-stroke damage in experimental model of ischemic stroke (2023; PubMed 37231168)
rat MCAo model, sequential perampanel → aniracetam reduces infarct via BDNF/TrkB and AMPAR upregulation.
View StudyAniracetam Ameliorates ADHD Behavior in Adolescent Mice (eNeuro 2025; PMC11927935)
TARP γ-8 KO mouse ADHD model; aniracetam restores behavior.
View StudyAniracetam restores excitation-inhibition balance of neurotransmitters in PFC of mice with ADHD (Sci Reports 2026; PMC12932677)
follow-up PFC neurotransmitter / receptor mechanism work.
View StudyAniracetam Does Not Alter Cognitive and Affective Behavior in Adult C57BL/6J Mice (PLOS One 2014; PMC4123976)
healthy-mouse null result.
View StudyAniracetam — PsychonautWiki
biohacker-corpus reference; subjective effects, dosing tiers (threshold 350 mg / light 500-1200 / common 1200-1800 / strong 1800-2400 mg), tolerance kinetics, MAOI interaction warning.
View StudyArizona Company and CEO Sentenced for Illegal Distribution of Tianeptine and Other Drugs (FDA / DOJ press release, Feb 2024)
Centera Bioscience / Nootropics Depot DOJ case, Oct 2023 plea, Feb 2024 sentencing, $2.4M forfeiture, racetams + tianeptine + adrafinil + phenibut named.
View Study16 Best Nootropic Vendors 2026: Tested & Reviewed (Outliyr)
current vendor landscape (SwissChems, Cosmic Nootropic, Limitless Biotech, Liftmode) post-Nootropics Depot exit.
View StudyNootropics Expert — Aniracetam
secondary biohacker source; dosing guidance, choline cofactor stack rationale, side effects.
View StudyNCATS Inxight Drugs — ANIRACETAM
regulatory status reference (US: unapproved new drug; Italy/Greece prescription).
View StudyRoche's Aniracetam (Pharmaletter, archival)
historical context on Roche's launches in Italy + Japan as Draganon.
View StudyHow was your experience with this compound?
Anonymous · one vote per session · results below at 5+ votes.
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