Adrafinil (Olmifon) is a eugeroic agent originally synthesized in the 1970s by chemists at Group Lafon, a pharmaceutical company based in France. Following its synthesis, researchers discovered that adrafinil induced wakefulness in humans, and by the mid-1980s, it was being marketed as an experimental treatment for narcolepsy. Though its exact pharmacodynamics aren’t fully elucidated, adrafinil …
Phenibut (brand name “Noofen”) is a neuropsychiatric drug originally synthesized in St. Petersburg, Russia by a team of researchers at the Department of Organic Chemistry of the Herzen Pedagogic Institute. By the 1960s, phenibut was introduced as a pharmaceutical agent in Russia for the treatment of various medical conditions including: anxiety, insomnia, and PTSD. Since …
Noopept (N-phenylacetyl-L-prolylglycine ethyl ester) is a synthetic peptide manufactured in Russia by JSC LEKKO Pharmaceuticals. Chemically, noopept is a hydrophilic proline with a dipeptide structure consisting of a phenylacetyl subunit bound to a small peptide chain of proline and glycine. Although it isn’t technically classified as a “racetam” (due to its lacking of a 2-oxo-pyrrolidine …
Piracetam is a drug that was synthesized in 1964 by Corneliu E. Giurgea et al. at the pharmaceutical company “UCB” headquartered in Belgium. Chemically, it is identified as 2-oxo-1-pyrrolidine acetamide, shares the same base structure with pyroglutamic acid, and as a result of its pyrrolidone nucleus, is classified as a “racetam” compound. Following the synthesis …
Clomid (Clomiphene) is a medication that hit the market in the 1960s for the treatment of oligomenorrhea (light or infrequent menstrual periods). After its approval, medical practitioners discovered that utilization of Clomid for oligomenorrhea increased odds of fertility, principally via induction of ovulation. This finding spurred an investigation of Clomid as a potential treatment for …
Niacin (Vitamin B3), also known as “nicotinic acid,” is a colorless, hydrophilic derivative of pyridine and an essential dietary nutrient for humans. Inadequate dietary intake of niacin is the root cause of a medical condition known as “pellagra,” characterized by a host of neuropsychiatric symptoms including: anxiety, amnesia, brain fog, cognitive impairment, delirium, depression, and …
NyQuil is a popular over-the-counter medication sold under the brand “Vicks” utilized to treat symptoms of the common cold, influenza, and allergies – all while simultaneously enhancing sleep and/or without sleep disruption. The name “NyQuil” is a portmanteau of the words “night” and “tranquil,” effectively reminding consumers that it is intended for nighttime usage and …