• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.105-109
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• 1999

The sustained release of piracetam by complexation with ion exchange resin was prepared. The complex was coated with Eudragit RS100 and their releases in vitro were conducted with various different kinds of medium solution. Dissolution rate increased as ionic strength, acidity and drug concentrations increased and reached its maximal plateau concentration within 5 min. Based on these data, The controlled release of piracetam using ion-exchange piracetam complex coated with Eudragit RS100 could be available.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.164-173
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• 2000

This study was carried out to investigate the direct neurotoxicity of alcohol on CNS and the effects of piracetam or vitamins on ultrastructural changes of the rat cerebellar and hippocampal neurons during long-term alcohol treatment. To evaluate the results, quantitative analysis were done for light and electronic microscopic findings. On the light microscopy, red degeneration of pyramidal cells and Purkinje cells was found more apparently in the alcohol only treated group than in the control group. On the electron microscopy, increased lipofuscin pigments were found in cerebellum and hippocampus. In quantitative analysis, vitamins significantly reduced red degeneration in both hippocampus and cerebellum. However, piracetam significantly reduced red degeneration in cerebellum but not in hippocampus. Lipofuscin pigments in Purkinje cells and pyramidal cells were significantly reduced in the alcohol with piracetam treated group than the alcohol only treated group. However, vitamins had no significant reducing effect of lipofuscin pigments in Purkinje cells and pyramidal cells. According to the results, it is concluded that vitamins deficiency might cause red degeneration of pyramidal cell after long-term alcohol treatment, but increment of lipofuscin pigments in pyramidal and Purkinje cell may be caused by alcohol itself or its metabolite rather than vitamins deficiency. Piracetam seems to improve cognitive function impairment caused by alcohol consumption.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.109-113
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• 1998

This study is purposed to develop the sustained release and bioavailability of piracetam (PA). The use of alginate beads as a means to achieve sustained release of piracetam was evaluated in comparison with that of piracetam alone. In the PA-sodium alginate(SA) beads was confirmed by differential scanning calorimetry thermogram(DSC), indicating a relative shift of an endometric peak of PA to higher temperature. The changes in dissolution rates from PA-SA beads and PASA beads coated by chitosan(CHO) were significantly slower than that of intact PA. The release rate of PA-SA in the gastric fluid was markedly decreased compared with that in the intestinal fluid, suggesting that PA is mostly released in the intestinal fluid. However, the PA/SA ratio scarcely affected the release profile. The blood concentration- time curves of PA, PA-SA and PA-SA-CHO were obtained by oral administration to rats. $T_{max}$ of PA, PA-SA and PA-SA-CHO were 1, 10 and 6 hours, respectively. It was confirmed that the release of PA was prolonged by the formulation of PA-SA beads and PA-SA-CHO beads.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.55 no.4
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• pp.324-331
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• 2011

Although the dissolution test can serve as an effective tool for quality control and predictor of in vivo performance, there are a number of drugs with no established dissolution specifications in Korean Pharmaceutical Codex (KPC). Among those commercially available, Piracetam Tablets and Fenoterol hydrobromide Tablets were selected to develop the dissolution testing method. The dissolution condition was determined based on the "Guidelines on Specifications of Dissolution tests for Oral dosage forms" of Korea Food & Drug Administration (KFDA). The dissolution test for Piracetam Tablets was carried out under sink condition with distilled water as dissolution medium, paddle rotation speed at 50 rpm and medium volume of 900 ml. More than 80% of its label claim was released within 30 min. In case of Fenoterol hydrobromide Tablets, distilled water was also found to be suitable to ensure sink condition. The rotation speed of 50 rpm and 900 ml of dissolution medium were used to evaluate the dissolution profile. The dissolution rate of fenoterol hydrobromide was over 90% in 15 min. The HPLC analysis methods were validated in terms of accuracy, precision, specificity, linearity, quantitation limit and range. The results suggested that the analytical methods used are simple and suitable to measure the dissolution rate of piracetam and fenoterol hydrobromide. Therefore, the analysis methods could be utilized in setting dissolution specifications of Piracetam Tablets and Fenoterol hydrobromide Tablets in the revised version of KPC.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.182-190
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• 2007

Alzheimer's disease is a neurodegenerative disorder associated with a decline in cognitive abilities. Dementia is one of the aged related mental problems and a characteristic symptom of Alzheimer's disease. Nootropic agents like piracetam and cholinesterase inhibitors like $Donepezil^{\circledR}$ are used in situations where there is organic disorder in learning abilities, but the resulting side-effects associated with these agents have limited their utility. Foeniculum (F.) vulgare Linn. is widely used in Indian traditional systems of medicines and also as a house remedy for nervous debility. The present work was undertaken to assess the potential of F. vulgare as a nootropic and anti-cholinesterase agent in mice. Exteroceptive behavioral models such as Elevated plus maze and Passive avoidance paradigm were employed to assess short term and long term memory in mice. To delineate the possible mechanism through which F. vulgare elicits the anti-amnesic effects, its influence on central cholinergic activity was studied by estimating the whole brain acetylcholinesterase activity. Pretreatment of methanolic extract of fruits of F. vulgare Linn. for 8 successive days, ameliorated the amnesic effect of scopolamine (0.4 mg/kg) and aging induced memory deficits in mice. F. vulgare extract significantly decreased transfer latencies of young mice and aged mice, increased step down latency and exhibited significant anti-acetyl cholinesterase effects, when compared to piracetam, scopolamine and control groups of mice. F. vulgare might prove to be a useful memory restorative agent in the treatment of dementia seen in the elderly.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.197-201
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• 1995

The present study was undertaken to elucidate the behavioral characteristics of nootropic candidates, entrophenoxine, N-methyl-D-glucamine, piracetam and red ginseng saponin components on stereotyped sniffing behavior induced by apomorphine in rats. Apomorphine, a direct dopaminergic receptor agonist, induced stereotyped behaviors including sniffing licking growing and biting in a dosedependent manner, and that behaviors were completely inhibited when measured at 1 week after 6-ydroxydopamine(6-HDA) treatment. Centrophenoxine, N-methyl-D-glucamine, red ginseng total saponin(TS), panaxatriol (PT), and Rg1 enhanced but panaxadiol (PD) inhibited, whereas piracetam and Rb1 were not effective of the sterotyped sniffing behavior induced by apomorphine(1mg/kg). The enhanced stereotyped behavior by centrophenoxine, N-methyl-D-glucamine, red ginseng total saponin, panaxatriol(PT), and Rg1 seems to have a similarity to entrophenoxine, N-methyl-D-glucamate in modulating of dopaminergic neuroal activity and also my be useful for the nootropic candidates.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.32 no.spc8
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• pp.3167-3170
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• 2011

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 1994.04a
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• pp.283-283
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• 1994

뇌기능개선 약물들(nootropic drugs)은 항치매약물로 기대되나 현재까지 약리학적으로 공통점이 보고되어 있지는 않다. 최근 수종의 뇌기능 개선약물의 작용이 중추도파민신경 활성을 매개로 함이 보고된바 있다. 따라서 apomorphine 투여에 의해 유발되는 상동행동을 지표로 하여 현재 사용중인 뇌기능개선약물과 국내 자원생약 성분의 작용을 비교 검토하였다. 1. apomorphine 투여에 의하여 유발된 상동행동에 대하여 centrophenoxine 과 N-methyl -D-glucamine은 현저한 상승효과를 나타내었으나 Piracetam은 영향을 미치지 않았다. 2. 인삼사포닌 성분 중 panaxatriol 및 Rgl 성분은 현저한 상승효과를 나타내었으나 total saponine, panaxadiol 및 Rbl 성분은 거의 영향을 미치지 않았다.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.23 no.2 s.54
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• pp.115-121
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• 1999

Effects of single and repeated administration of various nootropic candidates were examined on impaired acquisition by single oral administration of 3 g/kg ethanol (EtOH) in step through test. The inhibitory effect of EtOH on acquisition was significantly reduced by single picrotoxin, but not affected by diazepam, acetyl-L-carnitine and apomorphine. Single or repeated red ginseng total saponin and deprenyl, single piracetam, repeated N-methyl-D-glucamine, but not single or repeated protopanaxadiol, protopanaxatriol and centrophenoxine significantly ameliorated the impairment of acquisition by EtOH. On the other hand, the inhibitory effect of repeated red ginseng total saponin but not that of repeated N-methyl-D-Glucamine, was significantly blocked by pretreatment of $\alpha$-methyl-$\rho$-tyrosine, a inhibitor of catecholamine synthesis. Whereas, the inhibitory effect of repeated deprenyl on EtOH amnesia was exaggerated by $\alpha$-methyl-$\rho$-tyrosine. These results suggest that the amelioration processes of drugs on ethanol amnesia involve complex mechanism between the central GABAergic and dopaminergic neuronal activity in memory and learning, although the effects of repeated drugs administration are not yet clear.