"Picamilon" is a drug that belongs to nootropic substances. With regular use, it has a stimulating effect on the brain: memory improves, stress resistance increases, sleep problems go away, and anxiety and worry recede into the background. The use of Picamilon today is possible even for children and adolescents (subject to certain indications). Of course, the drug also has side effects. An overdose of Picamilon is dangerous - therefore, before use, you need a consultation and a prescription for purchasing the drug from a neurologist, neurologist or psychiatrist.
Radar
The drug was registered in the Russian Federation, information was entered into the system of medicines on June 12, 2004.
Basic data:
- INN - Nicotinoyl gamma-aminobutyric acid;
- trade name – Picamilon;
- chemical name – sodium salt of N-nicotinoyl-g-aminobutyric acid;
- registration number – Р N000807/01;
- active substance - nicotinoyl gamma-aminobutyric acid;
- ATX – N06BX;
- group – correctors of cerebrovascular accidents, nootropics;
- forms of the drug - tablets, solution for injection.
general information
The drug was synthesized in 1970 at the All-Union Scientific Research Institute of Vitamins (Moscow, USSR) by V. M. Kopelevich, L. M. Shmuilovich and V. I. Trubnikov. Introduced into medical practice in 1986. It is the first original domestic nootropic. Currently, the rights to the drug belong to the pharmaceutical company, Moscow, Russia.
Chemically, it can be considered a combination of the GABA molecule and nicotinic acid. Pharmacologically, the drug also combines mainly the properties of these two components.
The drug stimulates redox processes, increases the consumption of oxygen and glucose by nervous tissue, after ischemia helps restore the processes of utilization of energy substrates, and prevents an increase in the concentration of lactic acid in brain tissue.
Picamilon has pronounced vasodilating properties in combination with nootropic and tranquilizing effects [2]. The increase in cerebral blood flow under the influence of picamilon is due to a decrease in cerebral vascular tone in the system of carotid and vertebral arteries, pial arterioles, an increase in the volumetric velocity of cerebral blood flow, and a pronounced central depressive effect on the reflex contractile reactions of cerebral vessels and somatosympathetic reflexes [3].
Obviously, the endothelial protective effects of picamilon are due to the inclusion of nicotinic acid in the structure of the GABA molecule, which has a direct muscle relaxant effect on the vascular wall and improves the pharmacokinetic properties of GABA [4]. It has been proven that picamilon prevents the development of systemic endothelial dysfunction and has endothelial and cardioprotective effects[5].
The pronounced vasoactive properties of the drug, along with the tranquilizing and nootropic effect, make its administration to patients with vascular brain damage more preferable than the administration of piracetam and aminalone[6].
Compound
The developers took nicotinoyl gamma-aminobutyric acid as the basis for the composition.
In order for the chemical compound to be better absorbed by the body, it was supplemented with:
- starch (potato and corn);
- magnesium hydroxycarbonate;
- calcium stearate;
- sucrose;
- talcum powder
The tableted drug is produced in the following dosages:
- 10 mg;
- 20 mg;
- 50 mg.
Medicinal properties
Average price: 20 mg (30 pcs.) – 87 rub. Average price: 50 mg (30 pcs.) – 104 rub.
The therapeutic effect of the drug Picamilon is explained by the properties and mechanism of action of its active component - nicotinoyl γ-aminobutyric acid. The substance has the ability to dilate blood vessels in the brain, prevent platelet aggregation, prevent the formation of free radicals and eliminate the destructive effects of existing ones. It has a beneficial effect on the functionality of the brain by normalizing metabolic processes occurring in tissues. The compound also has a good effect on the blood supply to the brain: it increases the volume and speed of incoming fluid, reduces vascular resistance, and improves internal circulation.
With a long course, the drug Picamilon improves cognitive functions, normalizes sleep patterns, increases the level of calm, eliminates nervousness and anxiety, and helps improve motor activity and speech function in patients with related disorders.
After penetration into the body, the active substance of the drug is quickly and almost completely absorbed. It has the ability to pass through the BBB and remain in tissues for a long time. It is excreted from the body unchanged by the kidneys.
Pharmacology
Picamilon is used in medicine as a psychostimulant, nootropic agent.
Thanks to the properties of the active substance, the following effects are achieved:
- antioxidant;
- antiaggregation;
- antimigraine;
- nootropic.
When it enters the systemic bloodstream, cerebral circulation significantly improves, memory improves, and a clearer concentration of attention appears. The active component has a beneficial effect on the vascular system and activates mental activity.
The medicine is also used as a tranquilizer.
The course of treatment helps to stabilize the psycho-emotional background, eliminate insomnia and irritability.
Reviews of use for depression
Picamilon does not have a direct antidepressant effect and does not affect the production or uptake of serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine. Despite this, the drug is often prescribed as an adjuvant in the treatment of depressive conditions of varying severity. A combination of nootropics with antidepressants and tranquilizers can only be prescribed by a neurologist or psychiatrist, since not all medications in these groups are medicinally compatible with each other.
Reviews of Picamilon tablets used for depression are positive. Patients note that already in the second or third week of regular use, their mood improves. The desire to worry about trifles and be sad disappears.
Price and release forms
The cost of a nootropic drug depends on the dosage and form of release, on average it is 90-100 rubles .
- Tablets (30 pcs.) 20 mg – price 96 rub.
- Tablets (30 pcs.) 50 mg – price 110 rub.
- Injection solution (10 appm.) 100 mg/2 ml – price 112 rub.
You can buy psychotropic medicine in Moscow in a network of pharmacies if you have a prescription sheet.
It is also possible to order the drug in the online store. This option has many advantages: home delivery, reasonable price, often the recipe is not checked.
Contraindications and restrictions
Tablets and solution are intended only for adults and children over 3 years of age. In any form of release, the medication is unsafe for pregnant and breastfeeding women.
The medication should be used with caution in case of kidney and liver diseases.
An absolute contraindication is hypersensitivity to the components of the product.
If allergic reactions occur, use should be stopped immediately.
Indications for use
The psychotropic drug is recommended for use in therapy (as a mono-drug and in combination with other drugs) and for preventive purposes.
Complex treatment using Picamilon is aimed at suppressing neurotic, asthenic and post-psychic conditions characteristic of the following diseases:
- alcoholism, chronic alcoholism, acute alcohol poisoning;
- migraine;
- TBI;
- neuronal infections.
The combined use of Picamilon with other pharmacological agents provides stimulation of physical and mental abilities that are necessary when performing hard work, severe stress and emotional stress.
The scope of the medicine is quite extensive. For example, athletes use the drug to recover after competitions. It is also appropriate to take Picamilon in extreme situations to increase concentration.
As a mono-drug, the drug is prescribed in therapy for depression, asthenia, vegetative-vascular dystonia, and various types of neuroses.
Picamilon is a popular remedy for the treatment of strokes and circulatory disorders in the brain.
The nootropic helps get rid of the following obsessive states:
- unreasonable anxiety;
- increased irritability;
- fear.
In addition to the treatment of neuropsychiatric diseases, Picamilon is used for open-angle glaucoma, as well as in urology (urinary incontinence in adult patients and children).
Reviews from parents whose children received therapy
The use of Picamilon in the treatment of childhood behavioral disorders is a sore point for many parents. Most often, reviews reflect a rather unclear picture: some children have clearly improved their cognitive abilities and even developed speech, while others have developed hyperactivity and increased stereotypic behavior. How to understand whether Picamilon is suitable for a particular child, how many tablets to give the baby and how long should the course be? The answers to these questions can only be given by an experienced neurologist who observes the child long enough to form the most complete clinical picture.
Reviews from parents of children with autism indicate that in most cases, taking Picamilon leads to an increase in unwanted behavior. Reviews from parents of children with general speech underdevelopment indicate that Picamilon therapy has achieved fairly good results, provided that they have parallel sessions with a psychologist and speech therapist.
Instructions for use
Before starting treatment, you should read the instructions to clarify the information about what the tablets/solution are intended for and how to use them correctly.
Tablets are used orally, the injection solution is used for injections (i.m., i.v.). The dosage is determined solely by the attending physician, as is the duration of therapy.
Depending on the expected results, a treatment regimen is developed and additional medications are selected.
The course of treatment with the drug is usually long - at least 1 month.
Options for medication regimens:
- for depression - 2-3 times a day, 20-50 mg, duration - from 1.5 to 3 months;
- for vascular diseases – 3 times a day, 20-40 mg, duration – 1-2 months;
- to stabilize the psycho-emotional background, with asthenia - 40-80 mg once a day (maximum dose is 200-300 mg), duration - 1-1.5 months;
- to eliminate withdrawal symptoms, for alcoholism - 1-2 times a day, 100-150 mg, duration - from 1 week to 1 month.
Relieving anxiety, irritability and unmotivated aggression
The instructions and reviews for Picamilon tablets confirm that they are an excellent and cheap remedy for relieving anxiety, excitement, and nervousness. The effect of taking it develops slowly. In the first few days, the patient does not feel any changes in well-being. If it seems to him that he is experiencing relief, this is a deceptive feeling, since nicotinoyl-gamma-aminobutyric acid cannot accumulate and act in such a short period of time.
The average time during which the real effect occurs when taking Picamilon for the first time is one and a half to two weeks. Patients note that they become calmer. They are less worried about both real and imagined problems. Nervousness decreases, motor restlessness goes away, tremors and nervous tics disappear. Patients also note an improvement in cognitive function. The reaction speed increases. A person becomes smarter. Remembers in the mind the information that previously had to be written down.
Picamilon for children
In pediatrics, the medicine is used for a symptom complex of urological pathology (problems with urination), formed due to hypoxia and impaired blood circulation in the brain.
Picamilon is most effective in the treatment of neurogenic bladder dysfunction. The active component regulates the urodynamics of the urinary tract, restores the functionality of the pelvic organs responsible for urine output.
The drug is included in complex therapy to eliminate disorders of psychomotor and speech development. Most often, the nootropic is prescribed from the age of 3; the experience of use for infants is quite limited.
The final decision on the use of the drug remains with the attending physician, who will be able to adequately assess the balance of risks and opportunities.
Method of taking tablets for children:
- from 3 to 10 years – 2 times a day, 0.02 g;
- from 10 years of age, a dosage of 0.02 g is recommended three times;
- from 11 to 15 years – 2 times a day, 0.05 g;
- from 15 years of age, a dosage of 0.05 g is recommended with three doses.
The time of taking the medicine is not tied to meals. The average duration of therapy is 1 month.
You should not be afraid of the drug for treating children; the components are easily absorbed by the body, instantly dissolve in the digestive system, and are released unchanged.
Before using Picamilon, the doctor examines the child, gets acquainted with the picture of the disease, and prescribes tests to exclude risk factors:
- kidney pathology in the acute course of the disease;
- allergy to drug substances.
Reviews of use in children with delayed psycho-speech development
Separately, it is worth mentioning the treatment of mental retardation in children. Reviews of Picamilon for stuttering, general speech underdevelopment, autistic traits, and mental problems in children aged five to ten years vary. Some parents note that the child has become smarter, his vocabulary has increased, and his articulation has become clearer.
Another category of parents leaves negative reviews about the use of Picamilon. They report that the children not only showed no improvement in their cognitive abilities, but also became hyperactive, uncontrollable, and noisy. The learning process slowed down, and there was a setback in development. Such reviews about Picamilon occur quite often. Treatment should begin with minimal doses. This is half a tablet. If the child tolerates the drug well, you can gradually increase the dosage until it reaches therapeutic values.
Side effects
During the study of Picamilon, a number of side effects were identified.
Among the main ones:
- sense of anxiety;
- irritability;
- dizziness;
- headache.
In rare cases, patients experience itching and skin rashes. This reaction is caused by allergen pathogens, which could be in one of the constituent substances.
Possible negative effects
The medicine in any form is most often well tolerated by patients. Negative side effects are rare. With long-term use and increased dosages, the following are possible:
- irritability;
- increased excitability;
- headache;
- dizziness;
- nausea and vomiting.
With increased sensitivity, allergic reactions are likely to occur in the form of skin rashes, itching, and redness. With uncontrolled use or significantly exceeding the prescribed doses, side effects may increase. In such cases, symptomatic therapy is carried out.
Picamilon and alcohol: compatibility
Nootropics are incompatible with alcohol, despite the fact that Picamilon is used to relieve symptoms of alcohol intoxication. Even a tiny dose of an ethanol-containing drink reduces the therapeutic effect of the drug.
But the greater danger is the unpredictable result of combining a psychotropic drug with alcohol, which can manifest itself in the form of irreversible damage to the central nervous and cardiovascular systems.
Possible consequences of simultaneous use of Picamilon and alcohol:
- exacerbation of chronic pancreatitis;
- toxic type hepatitis;
- alcoholic psychosis;
- inadequate perception of reality, altered behavior;
- liver failure in acute manifestations;
- memory losses;
- mass death of nerve cells, etc.
Reviews about the treatment of sleep problems with Picamilon
Therapy for sleep problems with Picamilon is often prescribed, but patients have mixed opinions about it. There are safe drugs for direct use (for insomnia) at a low price - these are Donormil and Melotonin. Nootropics are usually not prescribed for insomnia, as they have a mild stimulating effect on the central nervous system.
However, the people have firmly established the opinion that Picamilon is a remedy for insomnia. People buy this drug on their own and prescribe their own dosage. Reviews from doctors about Picamilon as a sleeping pill are clear: the drug is not used to treat sleep problems.
In some cases, a nootropic can actually help you fall asleep, making sleep deeper and longer. This is achieved by reducing nervous tension and restoring cerebral circulation.
Reviews from patients who took the drug
Andrey, 39 years old:
My attending physician prescribed Picamilon to relieve symptoms of vegetative-vascular dystonia. The treatment regimen included taking the drug three times at a daily dosage of 250 mg. After 7-10 days, the pressure stabilized (it was below normal), and the headaches went away.
Maria Valentinovna, 54 years old:
I went to the clinic with frequent dizziness. The doctor diagnosed a herniated cervical vertebrae. To relieve symptoms, he prescribed Picamilon (100 mg three times a day). It took a couple of weeks to get rid of the dizziness, but the doctor advised me to continue treatment for another 2 weeks. Six months have passed since finishing the course, and all this time I feel great.
Reviews from neurologists
A. T. Livanova, 23 years of experience:
In her practice, she often gave recommendations on the use of Picamilon. The effect becomes noticeable 1-2 weeks after the start of therapy. Side effects are extremely rare. I did not observe any dependence on the active substance after long-term use.
In general, there was a positive opinion about the effect of the drug on the human body.
Timyaninov Alexey Ivanovich, 16 years of experience:
Picamilon has been used in medicine for a long time, so the conclusions about the effectiveness of the nootropic are well founded and proven to be highly effective in therapy. Why the drug is prescribed: cerebrovascular accidents, pathologies associated with mental destabilization.
Advantages of the drug: a minimal list of contraindications, a wide range of actions in combination with other drugs, a low percentage of side effects. Disadvantages: requires strict adherence to the dosage regimen.
Benefits and Effects of Picamilon
Research and testing shows that it offers many cognitive and mood-enhancing benefits.
Learning and improving memory
Picamilon has been shown to speed up and facilitate learning and improve both long-term and short-term memory.
In animal studies, a single dose increased learning rates by up to 80%. And the maximum level of learning is achieved within 3–5 trials. In these tests, picamilon was significantly superior to piracetam. Which had no significant effect on either short-term or long-term memory.
Better concentration, alertness and mental endurance
Picamilon has a significant positive effect on a wide range of cognitive functions. This includes increasing the ability to focus thoughts and increasing overall mental energy and stamina. This effect is believed to be due, at least in part, to picamilon's ability to stimulate better blood circulation in the brain.
Anti-anxiety and mood stabilization
Picamilon is best known for its anti-anxiety and stress-reducing effects. They are thought to have a lot to do with GABA, which it delivers to the brain.
GABA is the most important inhibitory neurotransmitter in the body. And it is known that increasing GABA levels has a calming, relaxing effect.
In animal studies, picamilon injections normalize the behavioral effects of anxiety and depression and effectively increase the number of active GABA-A receptors.
User reviews report that picamilon has the desired anti-anxiety effect. But some note that the effect is not very strong.
Analogues of the drug
There are medications that have a similar effect to Picamilon.
The main ones are: Amylonosar, Picanoyl .
Among others:
- Axotilin;
- Dendrix;
- Diphosphocin;
- Kwanil;
- Kemodin;
- Lyra;
- Neuroxon;
- Ronocyte;
- Farmakson;
- Ceraxon.
The active ingredients of the drugs, like the other components of the composition, differ, but in general the pharmacological properties are the same.
In any case, the selection of a substitute should only be done by the attending physician, who has a complete picture of the disease and is familiar with the characteristics of the patient’s body.
Drug dependence on Picamilon
Among people without medical education, there is an opinion that any psychotropic medications can cause addiction. Nootropics are not capable of causing the development of psychological dependence. The main active component of Picamilon is quite harmless and has been used in neurological practice for many years.
This is one of the most commonly prescribed and harmless drugs. It can be easily purchased at any pharmacy without a doctor's prescription. Therefore, there is no reason to worry that Picamilon may contribute to the development of addiction.
