IDRA-21
Encyclopedia
IDRA-21 is an ampakine
drug derived from aniracetam
. IDRA-21 is a chiral molecule, with (+)-IDRA-21 being the active form.
IDRA-21 shows nootropic
effects in animal studies, significantly improving learning and memory. It is around 10-30x more potent than aniracetam in reversing cognitive deficits induced by alprazolam
or scopolamine
, and produces sustained effects lasting for up to three days after a single dose. The mechanism for this action is thought to be through promoting the induction of long-term potentiation
between synapses in the brain.
IDRA-21 does not produce neurotoxicity under normal conditions, although it may worsen neuronal damage following global ischemia after stroke or seizures.
In comparison to the benzoylpiperidine derived ampakine drugs, IDRA-21 was more potent than CX-516
, but less potent than CX-546. Newer benzothiadiazide derivatives with greatly increased potency compared to IDRA-21 have been developed, but these have not been researched to the same extent, with the benzoylpiperidine and benzoylpyrrolidine CX- series of drugs being favoured for clinical development, most likely due to more favourable toxicity profiles at high doses.
Ampakine
Ampakines are a class of compounds known to enhance attention span and alertness, and facilitate learning and memory. The ampakines take their name from the glutamatergic AMPA receptor with which they strongly interact...
drug derived from aniracetam
Aniracetam
Aniracetam is an ampakine and nootropic of the racetam chemical class purported to be considerably more potent than piracetam. It is lipid-soluble and has possible cognition-enhancing effects. It has been tested in animals extensively, Alzheimer's patients, and temporarily-impaired healthy subjects...
. IDRA-21 is a chiral molecule, with (+)-IDRA-21 being the active form.
IDRA-21 shows nootropic
Nootropic
Nootropics , also referred to as smart drugs, brain steroids, memory enhancers, cognitive enhancers, and intelligence enhancers, are drugs, supplements, nutraceuticals, and functional foods that improve mental functions such as cognition, memory, intelligence, motivation, attention, and concentration...
effects in animal studies, significantly improving learning and memory. It is around 10-30x more potent than aniracetam in reversing cognitive deficits induced by alprazolam
Alprazolam
Alprazolam is a short-acting anxiolytic of the benzodiazepine class of psychoactive drugs. Alprazolam, like other benzodiazepines, binds to specific sites on the GABAA gamma-amino-butyric acid receptor...
or scopolamine
Scopolamine
Scopolamine, also known as levo-duboisine, and hyoscine, is a tropane alkaloid drug with muscarinic antagonist effects. It is among the secondary metabolites of plants from Solanaceae family of plants, such as henbane, jimson weed and Angel's Trumpets , and corkwood...
, and produces sustained effects lasting for up to three days after a single dose. The mechanism for this action is thought to be through promoting the induction of long-term potentiation
Long-term potentiation
In neuroscience, long-term potentiation is a long-lasting enhancement in signal transmission between two neurons that results from stimulating them synchronously. It is one of several phenomena underlying synaptic plasticity, the ability of chemical synapses to change their strength...
between synapses in the brain.
IDRA-21 does not produce neurotoxicity under normal conditions, although it may worsen neuronal damage following global ischemia after stroke or seizures.
In comparison to the benzoylpiperidine derived ampakine drugs, IDRA-21 was more potent than CX-516
CX-516
CX-516 is an ampakine and nootropic that acts as an AMPA receptor positive allosteric modulator and is being developed by a collaboration of Cortex and Shire and Servier...
, but less potent than CX-546. Newer benzothiadiazide derivatives with greatly increased potency compared to IDRA-21 have been developed, but these have not been researched to the same extent, with the benzoylpiperidine and benzoylpyrrolidine CX- series of drugs being favoured for clinical development, most likely due to more favourable toxicity profiles at high doses.