Supplements for Neuroprotection

An injectable neuropeptide preparation made from enzymatically digested pig (porcine) brain tissue — a mix of low-molecular-weight peptides and free amino acids marketed as a neurotrophic agent for stroke, dementia and traumatic brain injury. It is approved and widely used in Russia, China and parts of Europe/Asia, but is NOT FDA-approved. Honest appraisal: the highest-quality syntheses contradict the marketing. The Cochrane review of acute ischaemic stroke found no benefit on death or function and a possible harm signal (more non-fatal serious adverse events); the Cochrane review of vascular dementia rated the evidence very-low-quality and warned any benefit may be too small to matter. Many positive trials and meta-analyses are industry-funded and heterogeneous.

A synthetic heptapeptide (an analogue of the ACTH(4-10) fragment) developed in Russia and used there intranasally as a neuroprotective 'nootropic' for ischemic stroke and cognition. Honest appraisal: the mechanistic evidence (BDNF/TrkB induction, monoamine modulation, neuroprotection) is mostly rat and cell studies from a small cluster of Russian labs, and the human data are Russian stroke/cognition trials of variable rigor with very little independent replication. It is NOT a regulated dietary supplement outside Russia — sold 'for research use only', with no Western regulatory approval and unknown long-term safety.

A low-molecular-weight polypeptide complex extracted from cattle/pig brain cortex, registered and very widely prescribed as a neuroprotective 'nootropic' medicine in Russia and CIS countries — so it has real (if mostly Russian-language and methodologically weak) human studies. Cortexin is given by intramuscular injection for stroke, cognitive impairment, epilepsy and pediatric neurology, with claimed neuroprotective and antioxidant effects mediated via glutamatergic/GABAergic activity. Animal work shows it crosses the blood-brain barrier and binds AMPA/kainate/GABA receptors. But the honest picture is sobering: in a rigorous double-blind rodent stroke comparison, cortexin was no better than saline (only cerebrolysin beat placebo), and Russian human trials are typically small, unblinded, single-center, and often show cortexin underperforming comparator drugs. It is NOT FDA-approved or a dietary supplement. Treat the neuroprotection claims as weakly evidenced.

A synthetic angiotensin-IV-derived peptide developed as a procognitive/anti-dementia research compound, promoted online as a potent nootropic. Honest appraisal: all efficacy data are in rodents and cell culture — there are no published human trials. Research-use-only.

A mitochondrial-derived peptide (a sibling of MOTS-c) studied for cytoprotection, neuroprotection, and metabolic effects. Honest appraisal: the evidence is almost entirely cell-culture and animal work plus human biomarker associations — there are no human efficacy trials of administered humanin. Research-use-only.

A synthetic three-amino-acid 'Khavinson' peptide (Glu-Asp-Arg) with only thin, low-quality evidence — almost entirely in-vitro and animal work from a single Russian research group, plus a handful of small, unblinded human 'biological age' reports. Pinealon is marketed as a neuroprotective, anti-aging 'cytogen' bioregulator. Its preclinical literature describes effects on neuron survival, learning, serotonin-related gene expression, and caspase-3 under hypoxic stress — but these come overwhelmingly from one institute, are mostly non-clinical, and have not been independently replicated or tested in rigorous blinded human trials. It is not an approved drug or a regulated dietary ingredient, and the material sold online is an unregulated grey-market peptide. This entry exists to inform, not to recommend.

An MAO-B-inhibitor drug approved for Parkinson's disease and depression, long studied as a longevity/neuroprotection agent. It extended lifespan in some rodent studies (with mixed results across labs), but there is no human longevity evidence, and it carries MAO-inhibitor interaction risks. A prescription drug used off-label, not a supplement.

An element and mood-stabilizer drug studied at low doses as a geroprotector and neuroprotectant. Intriguing signals — drinking-water epidemiology links trace lithium to lower mortality and dementia, and it extends lifespan in worms — but human evidence is associational, model-organism results are mixed, and therapeutic lithium has a narrow safety window. A prescription drug used off-label; the OTC microdose form is lithium orotate.