Is cebaracetam a proven nootropic?

No. It is an obscure experimental racetam that Novartis discontinued at phase II in 1995. There are no published human efficacy trials and its mechanism was never firmly established, so any cognitive benefit is unproven.

Can I buy and take cebaracetam?

It was never approved or marketed as a medicine and exists only as a rare research chemical. With no dosing, safety or interaction data it is not intended for human use, and self-experimentation is strongly discouraged.

How is it related to other racetams?

It is a chlorinated piperazinone analogue of phenylpiracetam within the racetam family, sharing the 2-pyrrolidinone core. Unlike better-studied racetams, it has essentially no clinical evidence base.

EmergingResearch compoundReference only

Cebaracetam

Name: Cebaracetam
Creator: MolekulaX

Obscure experimental racetam (Novartis, discontinued phase II); mechanism undefined, minimal human data.

NootropicRacetamRacetamAcetylcholineAcetylcholineGlutamate

Pharmacology

ClassRacetam · Acetylcholine

Primary targetCholinergic transmission modulator (mechanism undefined)

Targets3 receptor targets

Half-lifeN/A

OnsetN/A

EvidenceReference only

Affected systemsAcetylcholineGlutamate

Contents

WHAT IS CEBARACETAM?

Detailed overview

Cebaracetam (CGS-25248, N-1440, ZY-15119) is an experimental racetam nootropic, a chlorinated piperazinone analogue of phenylpiracetam, developed by Novartis (formerly Ciba-Geigy) for cognitive disorders. Development reached phase II clinical trials before being discontinued in 1995, and the compound was never marketed or approved for any medical use. Its mechanism of action was never firmly established; preclinical work pointed loosely at cholinergic and glutamatergic modulation plus possible neuroprotection under ischemia, all at weak strength. Published human data are essentially limited to a single analytical method paper (an HPLC urine assay), so this entry is reference-only and not a usage recommendation.

Mechanism

Undefined (weak cholinergic / glutamatergic)

Half-life

N/A (not characterized)

Onset

N/A (no validated protocol)

Status

Discontinued phase II (Novartis, 1995); unapproved

Receptor profile

Cholinergic transmissionWeak
Glutamatergic (AMPA / NMDA) signalingWeak
Neuronal resilience under ischemiaWeak

Safety

Side effects, stop signs, contraindications

Side effects · 4

The human safety profile was never established; no long-term human safety data exist
Because development was halted at phase II, no adverse-effect frequency data were ever published
As with other racetams, cholinergic-type effects (such as headache) are plausible but unverified for this compound
The purity and identity of any grey-market or research-chemical material is a separate, uncharacterized risk

Contraindications · 4

Not for human consumption: an unapproved investigational compound with no established safety
Pregnancy and breastfeeding: no data whatsoever, must be avoided
Any self-experimentation is strongly discouraged given the absence of dosing, safety and interaction data
Not a substitute for evidence-based cognitive treatments; consult a physician for genuine cognitive concerns

Related Nootropics

Same therapeutic category

Studies

Related research and clinical findings

J Chromatogr. 1992 Jun 24;577(2):335-40.

Fast systematic approach for the determination of drugs in biological fluids by fully automated high-performance liquid chromatography with on-line solid-phase extraction and automated cartridge exchange. Application to cebaracetam in human urine.

Chollet D, Künstner P

PMID: 1400764Open

FAQ

Obscure experimental racetam (Novartis, discontinued phase II); mechanism undefined, minimal human data.

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Structure & chemistry

TypeNootropic

FormulaC16H18ClN3O3

UpdatedJuly 9, 2026

MolekulaX Editorial Team·Source-verified · PubMed · FDA · EMA

Updated: July 9, 2026

The information here is strictly for educational and scientific purposes. It does not replace medical advice or clinical consultation, and it does not encourage illegal substance or pharmaceutical use. Data is sourced. When in doubt, consult your doctor.