Vinpocetine

Vinpocetine is derived from an extract of the periwinkle plant and is related to vincamine. Vinpocetine has been clinically proven to be effective for over 70% of users and yet remarkably free of side effects, toxicity, and contraindications. Vinpocetine improves brain energy and brain blood supply and has therefore been used to treat stroke and other brain injury. It is advocated as a preventative measure for these same conditions. A dose of 10mg has been shown to be more effective than much larger doses of other brain enhancing drugs.

Whilst Vinpocetine has been shown to act as a vasodilator, it does not appear to affect the heart rate, blood pressure, or blood condition. Clinical trials have shown that regular use of vinpocetine can actually improve hearing and eyesight and help with menopause, tinnitus, vertigo, dizziness, headache, anxiety, and concentration. It is also known to be an antioxidant and can protect the brain from the effects of aging.

Vinpocetine acts as a cerebral metabolic activator, which can improve cerebral circulation and enhance oxygen and glucose utilization in the brain. Vinpocetine diminishes or reduces disturbances due to hypoxia or those due to deficient cerebral metabolism.

Vinpocetine produces improvement in mental and neurological symptoms that are realted to cerebral hemorrhage, cerebral infarction, and cerebrosclerosis. Cerebral circulation is particularly enhanced in response to low oxygen levels in the brain, and thus increased blood flow to the brain is not accompanied by the reduced peripheral blood flow and side effects associated with hypertension. Vinpocetine improves oxygen and glucose utilization by brain cells and increases their resistance to damage by hypoxia.

DOSAGE

Usual preventative doses are 5mg taken one to three times a day. The dose is often increased to 10mg taken three times daily in a treatment situation.

At higher dosages, caution is advised if combining with potent vasodilators such as ginkgo biloba, hydergine, nicergoline, picamilone, or xanthinol nicotinate etc.

CAUTIONS

Vinpocetine doen not react with other drugs. However, it is contraindicated in those patients having suffered from a Hemorrhagic stroke. This is a very rare type of stroke involving bleeding within the brain, damaging nearby brain tissue.

Side effects at anti-aging doses are few and very rare but include nausea, eruption, and individual hypersensitivity.

At very high doses it may affect the gastrointestinal system and cause anorexia, abdominal pain and diarrhea. In the circulatory system, erythroposopalgia and excitation may occur. Very rarely, leukocytopenia may occur, along with slight changes in SGOT or SGPT liver parameters and slight changes to BUN liver parameters.