A nother em erging area of longevity research concerns the subject of substances th a t can enhance cognitive functioning.
In their 1990 book, Smart Drugs & Nutrients: How to Improve Your Memory and Increase Your Intelligence Using the Latest Discoveries in Neu
roscience, Dr. Ward Dean and Jo h n M orgethaler described a host of pharm aceuticals— vitam ins, herbs, and h o rm o n e s— th a t have been found to do ju st that. Due to the strong interest in their work, the same authors followed up three years later w ith a n u p d a ted version u n d e r the n am e Smart Drugs II.
Similar m aterial has been published th a t focuses m ore broadly on life extension. Smart drugs generally fall into seven classes: vaso
dilators, nootropics, n e u ro tra n sm itter m odulators/replacem ents, nerve grow th factors, essential n u trien ts, a lu m in u m chelators, and miscellaneous substances. The following is a list of some examples, accom panied by brief descriptions.
A ra fin il (O lm ifo n )
Adranifil, a m em b er of the eugregorics class of drugs, acts on parts of the brain responsible for depression and declining alertness
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associated w ith aging. In addition to its chief ability, w hich is to increase alertness, studies have sho w n adranifil m ay have direct anti-aging effects on the brain an d be of help in the tre a tm en t of A lzheimer's disease. O ther positive effects th a t have been reported following adranifil use include im provem ents in memory, clarity of thought, sleep, fatigue, self-esteem, and attitude.
While such effects resem ble those of caffeine, the benefits of adranifil have proven to be m u ch m ore long-lasting, w hile not being accom panied by problems of tolerance.
Ideal dosage ranges from tw o to four tablets per day. C ontraindi
cations include epilepsy, kidney or liver dam age, pregnancy, tr a n quilizer or antipsychotic m edication use.
A m in o g u a n id in e
A m inoguanidine is a new anti-aging drug th a t is best used to prevent the aging process rath er th a n as a tre a tm e n t once the debili
tating effects of aging have occurred. Its prim ary action is to stop the cross-linking of proteins, w h ich leads directly to aging dam age th a t can n o t be reversed. This cross-linking process is particularly prevalent in diabetics, as it feeds off glucose.
A m inoguanidine works by linking itself w ith substances th at can cause cross-links, hence keeping cross-links from starting and possibly preventing the onset of such aging-related conditions as senile cataracts, thickening of the arteries, kidney failure, th in n in g bones, osteoarthritis, and especially skin wrinkles. Cross-linking can alter every protein in the body, resulting in steady deterioration.
A m inoguanidine can interfere w ith this process, w hich m akes it a prom ising n ew anti-aging therapy. The ideal dose is approxim ately 300 mg twice per day.
B io s tim
First used in France fifteen years ago, biostim 's chief anti-aging benefit is th a t of enhan cin g the im m u n e system as it gradually d i
m inishes over time. Widely used against chronic bronchitis, w hich is a leading cause of d e ath am ong hospital patients and a problem th a t hits the elderly especially hard, biostim is also often used to boost the w eakened state of im m u n ity in cancer patients. Studies show th at it is capable of fighting off n u m ero u s types of infection.
One placebo-controlled study involving three h u n d red elderly
patients found th a t three m o n th s ' tre a tm en t w ith biostim signifi
cantly reduced th e rate of lung infections for u p to one year. For prim e effects, two biostim tablets should be ta k en per day for the first eight days of th e tre a tm e n t course, followed by three weeks off.
This course should be repeated twice more, w ith only one tablet per day. Contraindications include any au to im m u n e diseases; children a n d preg n an t or lactating w o m e n should not take biostim.
B r o m o c r ip tin e
Bromocriptine has been found to improve m em ory by acting on the dopamiergic system of the brain. Also, it m ay play an im p o rtan t role in other conditions associated w ith aging, notably Parkinson's disease and hypertension. In this study, brom ocriptine w as a d m in is
tered in dosages of from 2.5 m g to 8 mg per day over a period of eight weeks.
Doses of 1.25 to 2.5 m g per day have been sh o w n to be effective in im proving sleep patterns, and in improving sym ptom s associated w ith restless leg syndrome. Bromicriptine has exhibited anticancer activity in patients w ith advanced breast cancer, an d m ay be useful in treating depression, as well as low sex drive in males.
C e n tr o p h e n o x in e
Studies show th a t centrophenoxine can be effective against age- induced brain dam age, including stroke. Results of anim al trials in dicate long-term use of centrophenoxine can decrease lipofuscin in b rain and cells; reverse the buildup of m ineral potassium in brain cells, attack free radical-induced aging damage, an d improve le a rn ing ability.
C entrophenoxine has been sh ow n to be effective against m en tal deterioration and to improve m em ory in the hea lth y elderly as well as dem entia patients. Contraindications include convulsive disor
ders; patients w ith severe hig h blood pressure an d p reg n an t and lactating w o m en should no t take centrophenoxine.
D ean er/D M A E
Deaner was pulled from the U.S. m ark et by the FDA in 1983 u n d e r the reasoning that, while safe, it was no t effective for its a p proved purpose, w h ich was the tre a tm en t of hyperactive children.
The drug is still available in Europe.
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Deaner stim ulates the central nervous system, an d studies su g gest it can counter deterioration in cognitive function associated w ith aging, and help fight fatigue and depression. Exactly h o w this is achieved is no t certain, bu t researchers have found th a t d eaner raises phosphatidylcholine levels in the brain.
The active factor in deaner, DMAE, is available in other forms and is increasingly used as a n u tritio n a l supplem ent. DMAE has b een sh ow n capable of increasing mood, m em ory a n d learning ca
pacity, and life span in anim al studies.
Ideal d eaner dosage varies, w ith the m ost com m on a p p ro x im at
ing 400 m g per day, beginning w ith lower levels an d w orking up.
DMAE dosages range b etw een 500 m g to 1000 mg per day.
D ila n tin
Dilantin (phenytoin or d ip henylhydantoin) is approved only for tre a tm e n t of epilepsy in the U.S. but is perhaps m ost noted for its effects on depression, as cham pioned by celebrity financier Jack Dreyfus.
Dilantin has been claimed to benefit m ore th a n a h u n d re d a d d i
tional conditions, including the ability to learn, long-term memory, verbal perform ance, obesity, m o tion sickness, w o u n d healing, alco
holism, and drug addiction. Animals studies have sho w n th a t dilan- tin can reduce tu m o r incidence, prolong life span, an d prolong reproductive period.
The suggested dose for d ilantin ranges betw een 25 to 50 mg per day in nonepileptics.
H y d erg in e
Hydergine is available only by prescription in the United States, having been approved by the FDA as a tre a tm e n t for senile d e m e n tia. Generically, hydergine is also k n o w n as egroloid mesylates and dihydrogenated ergot alkaloids.
This drug is an extract of ergot, w hich is a fungus found on rye.
Its chief action is th at of increasing oxygen to the brain. Hydergine has proven effective in the tre a tm e n t of Alzheimer's disease. Results of one double-blind, placebo-controlled study found th at the long
term ad m inistration of ergoloid mesylates had beneficial effects w ith respect to aging-related sym ptom s such as tiredness and dizzi
ness and led to im provem ents in m easures of intelligence am ong healthy, elderly subjects.
A review of tw enty-six other studies involving the clinical effects of hydergine on n u m ero u s conditions associated w ith aging showed therapeutic benefits w ith respect to cognitive dysfunctions, m ood depression, and subjective scores of overall well-being. Doses of 12 mg per day significantly en h an ced cognitive function in healthy young volunteers.
In stroke patients suffering from m en tal disturbances, doses of 6 m g per day h a d beneficial effects. Hydergine has exhibited a n ti
aging effects in th e brains of rats. Oral hydergine produced signifi
cant im provem ents in sym ptom s of sleep disturbance, agitation, and depression in patients suffering from alcohol-related en cephalopa
thy. Hydergine protected against alcohol-induced effects of aging in mice as well.
In a study of nursing hom e patients, the adm inistration of hydergine over a period of tw enty-four weeks led to significant im provem ents in sym ptom s of senile m en tal deterioration. Doses of 6 mg per day of hydergine taken over a period of twelve weeks led to significant im provem ents in m em ory am ong elderly outpatients suffering from mild m em ory im pairm ent. Daily intravenous in fu sion of 3 mg co-dergocrine mesylate ("hydergine” ) for a fourteen- day period produced significant im provem ents in sym ptom s associ
ated w ith m ulti-infarct dem entia, including cognitive dysfunction, depression, fatigue, and w ith d raw al in elderly patients. Results of additional anim al an d h u m a n studies point to the potential benefits of hydergine in the tre a tm e n t of elderly patients suffering from m e n tal im pairm ent. The adm inistration of hydergine/nifedipine (pontuc) h a d significant anti-hypertensive effects in elderly patients w ith isolated systolic hypertension. Patients treated w ith co-dergo
crine experienced significant reductions in platelet deposition rela
tive to controls, suggesting it m ay be useful in preventing m u ral thro m b u s form ation, transient ischemic attacks, and atherosclero
sis. Hydergine tak en at doses of 3 to 6 mg per day produced benefits in 55 percent of patients suffering from bronchial asthm a, w ith 25 percent reporting significant im provem ent. In a study of patients suffering from problems on the cochlear co m p artm en t and/or ves
tibular level th at clinically m anifested by perceptive hypoacusia, tin nitus, and rotatory vertigo, tre a tm e n t w ith hydergine doses of 30
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drops three tim e per day, totaling 4.5 mg/day, over a period betw een thirty and ninty days led to a global im provem ent in vertigo sym p
tom s am ong 93.7 percent of patients. A 57.1 percent im provem ent w as seen in tinnitus sym ptom s a n d there was 20 percent im prove
m e n t w ith respect to hypoacusia. A single oral dose of 2 mg of hyd- ergine exhibited PRL inhibitory activity a n d proved effective in treating hyperprolactinem ic anovulatory patients. In general, the ideal dose of hydergine is approxim ately 10 mg per day.
KH3
KH3 is a popular drug the world over due to its chief anti-aging ingredient— procaine. Procaine acts on cell m em b ran es by increas
ing the rate of oxygen consum ption; hence its antio x id an t effects.
Studies suggest KH3 m ay be beneficial w ith respect to m em ory and m en ta l focus by increasing blood circulation in the brain. One placebo-controlled study involving elderly subjects found th a t five m o n th s ' w o rth of KH3 tre a tm e n t significantly improved memory.
Three others produced similar results. Patients suffering from h e a r
ing loss taking two KH3 capsules per day experienced im provem ents in hearing and general feelings of well-being.
In a study of fifty elderly patients w ith high blood pressure, KH3 w as able to lower blood pressure and decrease reliance on blood- pressure-low ering drugs. KH3 has im proved muscle stren g th and sym ptom s of incontinence in healthy elderly subjects as well. A rec
o m m en d e d course of tre a tm e n t consists of one to two capsules of KH3 at breakfast over a period of five m o n th s. Children, pregnant and lactating w om en, and those allergic to procaine should not use KH3.
N im o p id in e
Nim odipine is a calcium -channel blocker licensed in the U.S.
for tre a tm e n t of hem orrhagic stroke. Like m an y sm art drugs, the potential benefits of nim odipine far exceed those for w hich it has been approved by the FDA. Nim odipine increases blood flow to the brain, w hich m akes it a good drug not only for stroke, but for condi
tions such as epilepsy, anxiety, dem entia, and Alzheimer's as well.
An Italian study on the effects of aging on the brain found that the a d m inistration of 90 mg per day of nim odipine to elderly p a tients led to improved m ental perform ance in 70 percent of those
taking the drug. A nim al studies have produced similar results, while also showing th a t nim odipine can reduce stress-related illnesses and prevent seizures either induced by ischem ia or alcohol and opiate w ithdraw al.
Contraindications for nim odiprine use include other calcium- channel blockers, high doses of dilantin, and pregnancy. Doses range from 60 m g every four hours to treat subarachnoid h e m o r rhage to 90 mg per day for Alzheimer's. In hea lth y people look
ing to improve cognitive perform ance, a dose of 30 mg per day is suggested.
O x ir a c e ta m
Oxiracetam is a piracetam analog th a t anim al studies indicate can improve learning an d memory. Similar results w ere obtained w ith respect to im proved m em ory in a group of elderly patients su f
fering from dem entia. A nother study of patients suffering from d e m e n tia found th a t the adm in istratio n of 800 m g of oxiracetam twice a day over a period of twelve weeks significantly im proved m em ory and concentration.
W hen taken together w ith piracetam at doses of 6000 m g per day over a tw o -m o n th period by h u m a n subjects, oxiracetam p ro duced beneficial results against psychosom atic and neurologic sym ptom s, and also gave evidence of an ability to reduce platelet aggregation. The best doses of oxiracetam have been show n to range betw e en 1200 to 2400 m g per day.
P e r m ix o n
Perm ixon holds great prom ise as a n alternative to surgery for m e n suffering from problems of the prostate.
In one study, m e n w ith enlarged prostates received 320 mg per day of perm ixon over a period of thirty days. Results showed sig
nificant im provem ents relative to controls w ith respect to sym ptom s including night urination, pain during urination, urine flow rate, an d urine reten tio n following urination.
P ir a c e ta m
Piracetam is considered one of the strongest nootropic drugs studied. A large body of research points to its potential as a cognitive en h an cer and intelligence booster, w hich has m ad e it one of the
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prem ier sm art drugs widely available today. Piracetam has exhibited anti-aging effects in mice w ith respect to deficits of the central m u s carinic cholinergic receptor function, a n d was sh ow n to improve age-related dim inished driving skills by upw ards of 80 percent in a study of elderly drivers.
Studies have also proven piracetam effective in the tre a tm en t of a host of cognitive disorders and improves cognitive function in general. It increases th e flow of inform ation betw een brain h e m i
spheres, w hich has been linked to enh an ced creativity. Results of one twelve-week trial show ed th a t the a d m in istratio n of either 2.4 or 4.8 g per day of piracetam to elderly psychiatric patients w ith mild diffuse cerebral im p a irm en t led to general im provem ents, p a r
ticularly w ith respect to socialization, cooperation, a n d alertness.
Significant im provem ents w ere also found w ith respect to m em ory perform ance an d IQ scores.
The intravenous ad m in istratio n of 6 g b.i.d. of piracetam over a period of tw o weeks led to significant im provem ents in m ost cortical areas of Alzheimer's patients. Doses of 9 g per day to a group of twelve A lzheimer's patients and 2.4 g per day in sixteen patients w ith mild senile d em en tia led to increases in alertness am ong p a tients in both groups. The com bined ad m in istratio n of 1600 mg three times daily of piracetam and 400 m g three times daily of p e n toxifylline led to im provem ents in psychointellectual perform ance in elderly patients suffering from recent onset of slight to m oderate m en tal deterioration. A single dose of 2400 mg of piracetam ex h ib ited antihypoxidotic effects in h ea lth y males.
The com bined a d m in istra tio n of 200 mg of oral viloxazine and 9 g of oral piracetam per day over a period of three m o n th s led to im provem ents in elderly ou tp atien ts suffering from depression.
Piracetam proved effective in the tre a tm e n t of alcoholic patients hospitalized due to acute w ith d raw al syndrom e, and improved brain injury in rats following long-term alcohol exposure and w ithdraw al.
A nother study found th a t piracetam tre a tm e n t improved cogni
tive functions, including short-term m em ory and concentration, in alcoholic patients suffering from organic m ental disorder. Several studies have indicated th at piracetam m ay be helpful for dyslexics.
In one, doses of 3300 mg per day taken over a period of twelve weeks significantly increased reading speed and n u m b e r of words w ritten in a tim ed period am ong a group of dyslexic boys betw een the ages
of eight and thirteen. Dyslexic children betw een the ages of seven an d a half an d th irteen years old w h o were treated w ith piracetam experienced significantly im proved reading ability and c o m p re h en sion scores relative to controls.
A nother study followed sixteen dyslexic children th ro u g h a d u lt
hood and th e n com pared th e m to fourteen health y stu dents during a tw enty-one-day period of piracetam treatm en t. Results showed significant increases in verbal learning am ong dyslexics (15 percent) an d students (8.6 percent).
Mycoclonus patients treated w ith 8 - 9 g per day of oral p ira cetam experienced significant benefits w ith no side effects. The a d m inistration of u p to 10 g per day of piracetam to three patients suffering from progressive m yoclonus epilepsy led to the elim ination of photoparoxysm al responses in each. In a study of sixty myoclonus patients treated w ith piracetam, results showed th e drug to be effec
tive w ith respect to gait ataxia, h an dw riting, m otivation, sleep tro u ble, atte n tio n deficit, depression, an d convulsions.
A pilot study found th a t piracetam proved extrem ely effective w ith respect to th e pursu it of tracking am ong five of five vertigo patients receiving the drug. Piracetam coupled w ith ergotoxin proved significantly effective in alleviating sym ptom s associated w ith vertigo in vertigo patients a n d those suffering from related symptoms. The com bination of piracetam and dihydroergocristine in fifty-five vertiginous patients adm inistered over a period of three m o n th s h ad beneficial effects.
Results of a n o th e r double-blind, placebo-controlled study showed th a t piracetam significantly reduced sym ptom s associated w ith vertigo in patients suffering from the condition. The a d m in is
tration of piracetam h a d beneficial effects w ith respect to clinical im provem ent of acute circulatory insufficiency an d an analgesic ef
fect in myocardial infarct patients. Piracetam proved effective in controlling spasticity in eight of sixteen cerebral palsy patients. I n travenous doses of 30 mg/kg bw (ten -tw elv e injections per course) of piracetam h ad beneficial im m u n e enhancing effects on patients suffering from chronic bronchitis. The intravenous adm inistration of 10 g per day of piracetam diluted in a 250-ml saline solution over
fect in myocardial infarct patients. Piracetam proved effective in controlling spasticity in eight of sixteen cerebral palsy patients. I n travenous doses of 30 mg/kg bw (ten -tw elv e injections per course) of piracetam h ad beneficial im m u n e enhancing effects on patients suffering from chronic bronchitis. The intravenous adm inistration of 10 g per day of piracetam diluted in a 250-ml saline solution over