In-vivo radiolabelled oxiracetam binding to rat brain

Piracetam and other structurally related nootropics

Nearly three decades have now passed since the discovery of the piracetam-like nootropics, compounds which exhibit cognition-enhancing properties, but for which no commonly accepted mechanism of action has been established. This review covers clinical, pharmacokinetic, biochemical and behavioural results presented in the literature from 1965 through 1992 (407 references) of piracetam, oxiracetam, pramiracetam, etiracetam, nefiracetam, aniracetam and rolziracetam and their structural analogues. The piracetam-like nootropics are capable of achieving reversal of amnesia induced by, e.g., scopolamine, electroconvulsive shock and hypoxia. Protection against barbiturate intoxication is observed and some benefit in clinical studies with patients suffering from mild to moderate degrees of dementia has been demonstrated. No affinity for the alpha 1-, alpha 2-, beta-, muscarinic, 5-hydroxytryptamine-, dopamine, adenosine-A1-, mu-opiate, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) (except for nefiracetam (GABAA)), benzodiazepine and glutamate receptors has been found. The racetams possess a very low toxicity and lack serious side effects. Increased turnover of different neurotransmitters has been observed as well as other biochemical findings, e.g., inhibition of enzymes such as prolylendopeptidase. So far, no generally accepted mechanism of action has, however, emerged. We believe that the effect of the racetams is due to a potentiation of already present neurotransmission and that much evidence points in the direction of a modulated ion flux by, e.g., potentiated calcium influx through non-L-type voltage-dependent calcium channels, potentiated sodium influx through alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor gated channels or voltage-dependent channels or decreases in potassium efflux. Effects on carrier mediated ion transport are also possible.

Absorption and disposition of 14C-labelled oxiracetam in rat, dog and man

The absorption and disposition of the nootropic drug oxiracetam (4-hydroxy-2-oxo-pyrrolidine-1-yl acetamide) were studied in rats and dogs (10 mg/kg i.v. and 10, 50 and 3000 mg/kg p.o.) and two healthy male volunteers (800 mg p.o.) using a [14C]-labelled preparation. Peroral absorption of [14C]-oxiracetam was incomplete in rats (28-42%), high in dogs (81-90%) and intermediate in man (about 56%). The rate of absorption was high in all species. Elimination was biphasic and the concentration of total radioactivity in blood and plasma declined rapidly with an initial elimination half-life of 1-3 h in all species. The specific systemic exposure to [14C]-oxiracetam was lowest in the rat, intermediate in the dog and highest in man. In all species the systemically available radioactivity was nearly exclusively excreted in urine in the form of unmetabolized oxiracetam. Whole-body autoradiography and quantitative determination of the radioactivity in various organs following i.v. and p.o. administration of [14C]-oxiracetam to rats demonstrated extensive distribution of the compound with high levels in kidney, liver, lung and skin, and very low levels in the brain. The radioactivity was rapidly eliminated from the body and minimal accumulation was observed upon repeated administration of 10 mg/kg for 8 days. Levels in the brain were still low, but higher than following a single dose, indicating slow diffusion across the blood-brain barrier. In pregnant rats treated with [14C]-oxiracetam radioactivity passed reversibly and to a limited extent through the placenta into fetal tissue.