Some people assert that the experimental medication Sunifiram may have “nootropic” (cognitive-enhancing) properties. Sunifiram has never been scientifically or medically tested in humans, so little is known for certain about its general effectiveness or safety.
However, some very preliminary findings from animal research may suggest that Sunifiram could have some interesting potential effects on learning, memory, sleep, and more. What does the most recent scientific research have to say about the alleged effects of this smart drug? Continue reading to find out more about this extremely experimental drug’s potential effects, workings, and adverse effects.
What is Sunifiram?
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A nootropic substance derived from piracetam called Sunifiram is being studied for its potential to improve memory and learning by influencing glutamatergic AMPA and NMDA receptors. Although it is well tolerated in animal trials, it has not undergone toxicological testing for use in humans and is solely a research chemical.
However, because of a lack of funding, research on Sunifiram was finally halted, and its patent eventually expired. Sunifiram has never been tested on humans, hence it is uncertain whether it is generally safe for healthy human users or whether it has any potential long-term harm.
Sunifiram hasn’t been formally approved for use in medicine or for any other use by any nation either. It is now exclusively offered for sale online, from unreliable sellers, as “nootropics” or “smart drugs”.
How It Works
An analog of piracetam, Sunifiram (also known as DM-235) is an ampakine research chemical that is rumored to have four times the nootropic benefits of piracetam. Although it differs in molecular structure from racetams, it is comparable to them. Sunifiram has memory-improving benefits at doses that are four times lower than those of piracetam. It weakens the amnestic effects of scopolamine, diphenhydramine, clonidine, and baclofen in animal tests, indicating that it has a potent potential to enhance memory via influencing glutamatergic and cholinergic neurotransmission. In terms of its anti-amnestic properties, it is analogous to well-known nootropics for memory as aniracetam and noopept. It is being researched for Alzheimer’s and other forms of cognitive impairment.
The fact that it seems to have potent memory-improving benefits at lower doses than other nootropics for memory like pramiracetam has excited researchers.
By causing long-term potentiation, which strengthens synapses and improves focus and memory, Sunifiram has an impact on the hippocampus, which is important in learning and memory.
Applications of Sunifiram
Here are a few potential Sunifiram side effects that exploratory research has so far identified.
The following piracetam applications, however, are only based on animal and cell investigations and so “lack proof” from any relevant human trials to date.
In other words, unless much more additional research is done, firm conclusions on Sunifiram’s effects in humans cannot be drawn. These are simply prospective “launching-points” for future clinical studies in humans.
The research is presently insufficient to draw firm conclusions on Sunifiram’s effects in healthy human users, despite the fact that some of these preliminary results may appear encouraging.
Given that Sunifiram’s molecular structure is thought to be fairly similar to that of piracetam, some researchers have hypothesized that its effects on the body and the brain may be somewhat comparable.
This assumption is purely hypothetical, and medications with comparable chemical and molecular make-ups can nonetheless have wildly dissimilar effects.
As a result, the precise processes underlying Sunifiram’s effects are still unknown. Preliminary research, however, indicates that it likely affects a range of different locations in the body and brain.
Evidence
1) Might impact memory
Despite the fact that no adequate research has been conducted on human populations, certain very early results from studies conducted on animals may imply that Sunifiram may have some possible impacts on memory.
Sunifiram, for instance, has been shown to reverse some of the experimentally generated memory deficits (amnesia) brought on by other medications, such as scopolamine, clonidine, baclofen, and mecamylamine. Animal investigation found that administration of Sunifiram to mice partially restored surgically caused memory deficits and decreased long-term potentiation.
Sunifiram may also influence a procedure known as long-term potentiation (LTP), which is the strengthening of certain synaptic connections between neurons. One of the primary mechanisms underlying synaptic plasticity, LTP is thought to be particularly crucial for the capacity to create, encode, and retain new memories.
2) Might impact learning
Similar to the last example, some very early research may indicate that Sunifiram may have some effect on learning, albeit, as before, these effects have only been observed in animal experiments with no parallel human trials.
Furthermore, several follow-up studies even failed to confirm some of the earlier findings, which can cast doubt on how reliable these early claims really are. The authors of a different animal study, however, claimed that they were unable to find any impact of Sunifiram on rats’ capacity for learning.
The alleged effects of Sunifiram on learning should be regarded with a large grain of salt until much more scientific evidence is available because of the contradictory results and the lack of any equivalent studies in human users.
3) Might impact sleep or wakefulness
Preliminary studies in animals suggest that Sunifiram may have some effect on behaviors associated with wakefulness and sleep.
Sunifiram was found to partially offset the sleep-promoting effects of another medicine named pentobarbital in this single animal trial in mice. Pentobarbital continued to elicit drug-induced sleep in the mice, but the mice in the Sunifiram group apparently slept for less time overall. Although no more experiments have been conducted to support these preliminary findings, the study’s authors hypothesize that this may imply a sort of “energizing” impact of Sunifiram.
Side-Effects
Sunifiram has the potential to have negative side effects, just like any medication.
Sunifiram’s overall safety and risk profile may be fairly comparable to those of the “racetam” family of medications, according to some researchers, because Sunifiram appears to be structurally related to them on a chemical or molecular level. The fact that relatively similar medications on a molecular level frequently nonetheless have very distinct effects shows that this speculation is only theoretical and should not be accepted as truth.
If you do personally decide to “experiment” with unidentified chemicals like Sunifiram, be sure to get the right medical attention right away if you suspect you could be feeling any obvious adverse effects.
Some of the side-effects that users have reported include:
- Anxiety
- Restlessness
- Sweating
- Insomnia
- Headaches
- Nausea
- Mental Sluggishness
- Forgetfulness
It is especially hard to draw any conclusions about the potential hazards or dangers associated with experimenting with Sunifiram because many users have reported combining it with other medicines, notably stimulants.
Conclusion
Sunifiram has never been the subject of any human clinical trials and has never been formally approved for any medical or other use by regulatory organizations like the FDA.
Furthermore, research in either cells or animals provide the sole scientific information about its effects and causes. There is no assurance that these methods and outcomes would apply to users who are humans.
Sunifiram’s safety in humans is unknown, and there is also no concrete information on how it can mix with other medications or substances, so it is best to proceed with caution.
To further reduce the possibility of suffering any negative interactions, it is crucial as usual to let your doctor know about any supplements or other medications you are taking.
