Posted by Sobriquet Style on July 7, 2006, at 4:34:01
In reply to Re: Curious » willyee, posted by gardenergirl on July 6, 2006, at 18:41:19
>I was aware that it did not appear on any of the sources I use for medication info, and that it is sold by a multitude of companies specializing in nutritional supplements.
> Again.......regulating **drug****
>The status of this substance is open to interpretation. Dr. Bob might interpret it differently and move the thread back to the meds board if he chooses.
Sites that sell nutritional supplements will also prescription drugs along side common vitamins and minerals, even controlled substances such as benzodiazepines and heavily controlled opioid prescription pain killers eg Fentanyl Patch, Buprenorphine and Hydrocodone Bitartrate and other common prescription drugs.
Piracetam is conventional western medicine, so although it may be sold along side herbs and supplements - - like the above are on the web too - - IMO it could easily be directed to Alternative, but then so could a wide array of drugs which are currently discussed on the medications board right now if thats the case. To keep things in order, I think Piracetam should be discussed on the medications board to stop any confusion about the substance.
Piracetam is related to levetiracetam chemically and pharmacologically, levetiracetam is marketed as Keppra. Indications for Keppra are for epilepsy. Levetiracetam has also been studied in clinical trials for Myoclonic
Seizures.Piracetams indications (from the BNF) is for adjunctive treatment of cortical myoclonus - Sudden spasm of muscles. It is marketed as Nootropil by UCB Pharma Limited.
http://emc.medicines.org.uk/emc/assets/c/html/displaydoc.asp?documentid=16509
The marketed name Nootropil - - I think was possibly the start of the "Nootropics"
*Most nootropics are nutrients or plant components (herbs, roots, beans, bark, etc.), available over the counter at health food and grocery stores, and are used as nutritional supplements. Some nootropics are drugs, used to treat retardation, neural degradation (Alzheimer's and Parkinson's), and for cases of oxygen deficit to prevent hypoxia.
*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nootropic
As you see from the link many of the "nootropics" are indeed vitamins and herbal substances which are discussed on the alernative board eg St Johns Wort, B vitamins and amino acids etc.
You will also see Amphetamines (Adderall, Dexedrine) - Schedule II / Class B drugs, Modafinil (Provigil) - Drug, Selegiline (Deprenyl) - Drug, Adrafinil (Olmifon) - Drug.....including Piracetam (Nootropil) - Drug.
All of the above (minus Piracetam) are discussed on the medications board. Therefore I think Piracetam should be too, as its a drug and not suited to "Alternative".
Otherwise based on the wiki link, theres possibly lots more redirecting to do with the above drugs! :-)
~
poster:Sobriquet Style
thread:664595
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/admin/20060622/msgs/664780.html