Noopept

Summary

Noopept (GVS-111, omberacetam) is a synthetic compound resembling a dipeptide (two linked amino acids) developed at the Zakusov Institute of Pharmacology in Moscow and sold as a prescription nootropic (memory and focus drug) in Russia. The human evidence consists of small open-label Russian studies (everyone knew what they were taking) in people with mild cognitive impairment (memory and thinking problems short of dementia) after stroke, brain injury, or vascular disease, which report modest improvements at 20 mg per day, so PeptideAgent grades it human observational. It has never been approved or reviewed by FDA and is sold in the United States as an unapproved supplement ingredient.

What is Noopept?

Noopept is a synthetic dipeptide-like nootropic (proline-glycine ethyl ester with a phenylacetyl group), structurally related to piracetam. It is also known as GVS-111, N-phenylacetyl-L-prolylglycine ethyl ester, Omberacetam, Noopept tablets.

How does it work?

Noopept is metabolized to cycloprolylglycine, an endogenous dipeptide. In rodent and cell studies it increases expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and nerve growth factor in the hippocampus, enhances inhibitory synaptic transmission through alpha-7 nicotinic receptors on interneurons, and reduces apoptosis and tau hyperphosphorylation in an Alzheimer cell model. It is also described as anxiolytic in animals. Which of these mechanisms matters in people has not been established.

What does the evidence say about Noopept?

Human data are limited to small Russian studies. An open comparative study of Noopept 20 mg per day versus piracetam in patients with mild cognitive disorders of vascular or traumatic origin reported greater improvement with Noopept. An open prospective study of 60 stroke patients reported improved MMSE and associative test scores after 2 months at 20 mg per day compared with untreated controls. None of these were double-blind placebo-controlled trials, and no trial outside Russia has been indexed.

Human evidence

Neznamov and Teleshova (2009) compared Noopept (20 mg per day) with piracetam in an open comparative study of patients with mild cognitive disorders due to organic brain disease of vascular and traumatic origin and reported a broader and faster effect with Noopept, particularly on attention, memory, and anxiety. Amelin et al. (2011) treated 60 stroke patients with Noopept 20 mg per day in an open prospective study and reported significant improvement in MMSE and associative tests after 2 months versus controls, with good tolerability. Neither study was placebo-controlled or double-blind.

Animal evidence

In rats and rat hippocampal slices, Noopept enhanced inhibitory synaptic transmission through alpha-7 nicotinic receptors on interneurons. In an Alzheimer related cellular model it reduced apoptosis and tau hyperphosphorylation. Rat studies also report normalization of incretin system parameters in experimental diabetes. Rodent behavioral studies from the developing laboratory report memory enhancement and anxiolytic effects.

Key studies

Conditions studied

Is Noopept legal in the United States?

FDA and compounding status

Noopept has never been nominated to or reviewed for the FDA 503A or 503B bulks lists and does not appear on the FDA Category 2 page (current as of April 22, 2026). It is not a component of any FDA approved drug. In the United States it is sold as a dietary supplement ingredient, but it is a synthetic drug substance approved in Russia and does not meet the definition of a dietary ingredient, so its sale as a supplement is not an approved use. It is not compoundable under 503A or 503B.

WADA status

WADA status unclear. The current prohibited list does not name this compound explicitly and its class status is not settled. Athletes should ask their anti-doping organization before use.

Regulatory timeline

No regulatory events recorded.

Full tracker for Noopept or the category-wide tracker.

What published studies of Noopept used

Ranges below are reported from published studies and labeling only. PeptideAgent does not recommend doses or protocols.

Human studies used 10 mg orally twice daily (20 mg per day) for 2 months (Amelin 2011) or for the duration of the comparative study (Neznamov 2009). No dose finding study has been published in English.

Routes reported

What are the side effects and interactions of Noopept?

Side effects

Interactions

Contraindications

How do people access Noopept legally?

Typical cost: Sold as an unapproved supplement in the United States at roughly 15 to 40 USD per month; not available through licensed pharmacy or telehealth channels.

• Rules by state
• Verified provider directory

Compare Noopept

• Selank vs Noopept
• Semax vs Noopept

What's actually offered, and what that means for you

Licensed compounding pharmacies, clinics, and telehealth prescribers openly offer many unapproved peptides, and prescribers write prescriptions for them. That does not make noopept lawful. Noopept is not FDA approved and not on the 503A bulks list, so a pharmacy has no lawful basis to compound it. [5] [8]

Enforcement is uneven. FDA mostly acts through warning letters to compounders and online sellers, Category 2 safety listings, and import alerts that let it detain shipments, rather than stopping every pharmacy. State pharmacy boards oversee pharmacies day to day, and their rules differ. [5] [6] [9] [10] [11]

What changes for you

• No FDA review of the product: FDA does not check a compounded drug's safety, effectiveness, or quality before it is sold. [6]
• Identity, purity, sterility, and dose accuracy can vary from batch to batch. [5]
• Insurance rarely covers it, so you usually pay cash.
• For tested athletes, WADA status is unclear; ask your anti-doping organization before any use. [7]

What to check

These checks lower some risks, but they do not make an unlawfully compounded product lawful or safe. Check for:

• A 503A pharmacy licensed in your state (your state board of pharmacy publishes license lookups). [6]
• A real evaluation by a licensed prescriber, not just an online form.
• A certificate of analysis for the specific batch.

Frequently asked questions

Decisions about starting, stopping, or combining any treatment belong with a licensed clinician who knows your history.

Sources

Numbered citations above point to these primary sources. PubMed entries link to the indexed abstract.