Phenylpiracetam: Russian Approval, Evidence and Doping Status

Key points

• Phenylpiracetam is a prescription drug in Russia, sold as Fenotropil (Phenotropil). It is not approved by the FDA, and we found no EU approval.
• The human evidence is small and mostly Russian-language: open or controlled studies of 31 to 1,170 patients, no placebo-controlled trial that we could open, and no funding statements in the abstracts we read.
• The proposed mechanism is dopamine transporter inhibition, shown in mice and binding assays. No human study we found measured dopamine.
• It is on the WADA Prohibited List as a non-specified stimulant (listed as fonturacetam, with carphedon in brackets), and athletes have been sanctioned for it.
• Two tier-list posts rank it highly. Neither cites evidence, and the evidence does not support the rankings.

What phenylpiracetam is

Phenylpiracetam is a phenyl-substituted analogue of piracetam. It goes by fonturacetam (the international non-proprietary name), Phenotropil (the Russian brand), Actitropil (another brand in the literature) and carphedon (the name used in doping rules). A 1983 paper in the Russian journal Byulleten Eksperimentalnoi Biologii i Meditsiny describes it as “a new phenyl analog of piracetam” [5]. A Russian trade-press article says it was developed that year at the Institute of Biomedical Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences for cosmonauts, and that the company Valenta Pharm produced it from 2004 to 2017 [4]. We found no second source for the cosmonaut story.

It exists as R and S enantiomers; the marketed drug is the racemic mixture [12].

Regulatory status

Russia (checked 2026-11-08). The RLS drug register lists Fenotropil (INN fonturacetam, 50 and 100 mg tablets) under holder Valenta-Intellekt LLC. One RLS record shows registration number Р N002784/01 dated 2009-04-08, valid to 2028-07-22 under Eurasian Economic Union rules [2]. A second record shows ЛП-008581 dated 2025-01-24 [3]. Vidal, a commercial drug reference, shows a label updated 2026-06-01 and states that the drug is dispensed by prescription [1]. We could not open the state register itself, and the RLS pages did not show the indications text.

Per the Vidal label (our paraphrase), the indications are central nervous system disorders of vascular, metabolic or post-traumatic origin with impaired memory or reduced activity; neurotic states with fatigue and poor attention; learning disorders; alimentary-constitutional obesity; stress resistance and work capacity in extreme conditions; and asthenia and cognitive impairment in chronic alcoholism. Contraindications include age under 18, pregnancy and breastfeeding [1]. We found no official record of the original approval date, so we do not state one.

United States (checked 2026-11-08). Phenylpiracetam has no FDA approval. In a warning letter dated 2019-02-04, the FDA told Peak Nootropics LLC that its phenylpiracetam product was an unapproved “new drug” and misbranded, based on claims such as use as an alternative to ADHD medication. A footnote said phenylpiracetam is not a dietary supplement ingredient [21]. That is one letter to one seller; we did not search for others or for later FDA action.

European Union, United Kingdom, Germany: not checked. We did not search the EMA, MHRA or BfArM records. A 2025 study by 12 official medicines control laboratories in Europe and Australia found phenylpiracetam, noopept and phenibut, drugs available only on prescription in Russia, among illegal-market samples, partly as bulk raw material [23].

“Research use only” means a seller labels a substance as not for human use. It is a seller’s label, not a regulatory approval, and it says nothing about purity or safety.

What the clinical studies show

We read PubMed abstracts and, where noted, review text. We could not open full texts, so randomization, blinding and funding are often unknown to us.

Study	Design and size	Result as reported
Koval’chuk et al., 2010, ischemic stroke [6]	Controlled clinical trial, 400 patients (200 in the treatment group), complex rehabilitation over 1 year	Better recovery scores on Barthel and other scales in the treatment group (p < 0.0001). Allocation method and blinding not stated in the abstract
Epilepsy, 2008 [7]	Multicentre comparison, 31 patients on phenylpiracetam plus antiepileptic drugs against 30 on antiepileptic drugs alone, 2 months	Fewer seizures and EEG changes in the treatment group. No placebo
Post-traumatic epilepsy, 2013 [8]	Indexed as a randomized controlled trial, 75 patients, phenylpiracetam and the antioxidant mexidol studied	Fewer seizures and better cognition and quality of life reported; arms not clearly described in the abstract
TRIUMPH, 2014 [9]	Non-interventional observational programme, 1,170 patients aged 45 to 65 with chronic brain ischemia, 2 to 3 months, no control group	Asthenia scores fell by more than half after 3 months
Asthenia meta-analysis, 2025 [10]	11 articles, 549 patients, one month	Mean fall of 16.3 points on the MFI-20 fatigue scale (95% CI 8.85 to 23.85); side effects averaged 5.5%

Three limits apply. Only one study has a stated randomized design, and it is thinly described. The asthenia meta-analysis reports a before-and-after change in treated patients; the abstract does not describe a placebo comparison, so the 16.3-point fall cannot be separated from natural recovery or expectation. None of the abstracts states who paid for the work.

A 2010 systematic survey in the journal Drugs, written by a consultant, said phenylpiracetam is “more potent than piracetam” and used for a wider range of indications [11]. That is a literature summary, not new trial data. A 2024 Russian review discusses prospects in ischemia, epilepsy, asthenia and metabolic syndrome [15].

We found no large, independent, placebo-controlled trial in healthy adults, and no human trial of memory or focus in people without a diagnosis.

Mechanism proposals

Most mechanism work comes from one group at the Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis, and all of it is in animals or assays.

• In mice, both enantiomers raised locomotor activity, and the R enantiomer improved performance in a passive-avoidance memory test, while the S enantiomer did not [12].
• S-phenylpiracetam is described as a selective dopamine transporter (DAT) inhibitor. In obese rats and mice it reduced weight gain over 8 to 12 weeks without changing locomotor activity [13]. One author was affiliated with JSC Olainfarm, a Latvian company.
• For the R enantiomer, radioligand binding found DAT to be the only significant target in a broad panel, and in mice it reduced inflammatory markers in an endotoxin model [14].
• The 2024 review also lists mitochondrial protection and anxiolytic, antidepressant and anticonvulsant effects as proposed actions [15].

DAT inhibition is a plausible reason for the stimulant-like profile. None of these papers measured dopamine or brain activity in people taking the drug.

Why it is on the WADA list

The WADA Prohibited List puts the drug in class S6, stimulants, under S6.A (non-specified stimulants), written “Fonturacetam [4-phenylpiracetam (carphedon)]”. The class is prohibited in competition [17]. We could not open WADA’s own PDF, which blocked automated access. The wording above comes from a copy of the list posted by the International Cricket Council, dated 31 December 2022, so the current-year wording is not verified. A 2023 review in Drug Testing and Analysis states that fonturacetam was the first nootropic prohibited in sport, in 1998 [16]; we did not confirm that date against WADA or IOC records.

Documented cases:

• Russian athlete Valeriy Kirdyashev was found guilty of presence of carphedon in a sample taken on 2009-02-13 at the National Indoor Championships in Moscow. He received two years of ineligibility (2009-02-26 to 2011-02-25), according to World Athletics [18].
• German cyclist Danilo Hondo tested positive for a small amount of carphedon at the Vuelta a Murcia in March 2005. Cyclingnews reports that the Swiss federation imposed two years with one suspended, the Court of Arbitration for Sport raised it to two years in January 2006, a Swiss court briefly lifted the ban, and the Swiss Supreme Court reinstated it in January 2007 [19][20]. We read press coverage, not the CAS award, so the legal reasoning is unverified.

Risks and unknowns

Russian labelling lists insomnia, psychomotor agitation, skin flushing, a feeling of warmth and raised blood pressure, with frequency not established [1]. The meta-analysis reports side effects in about 5.5% of treated patients, described as transient [10]. Both come from sources tied to the Russian clinical programme and are not independent safety studies.

Not studied, as far as we could find: long-term use in healthy people, interactions with other stimulants or antidepressants, effects in people with anxiety or heart disease beyond the label’s cautions, pregnancy, and use under 18 (the label contraindicates the last two) [1]. Abuse and dependence potential in people was not assessed in anything we opened.

Quality is a further problem. A 2021 analysis of ten online “cognitive enhancement” supplements found unapproved drugs, including some not on the label, and 9 of 12 declared quantities were inaccurate; that study searched for phenylpiracetam among others but did not report finding it [22].

What the source posts claim

@dex7official, 2026-10-20. The post, “THE ONLY TRUE COGNITIVE ENHANCEMENT TIER LIST (NO COPES EDITION)”, places phenylpiracetam in tier A. It had about 6,500 likes and 1.2 million views at fetch [24]. The text of the post was read through the fxtwitter mirror; the tier placement was read from the image by Peptilyze. The list cites no evidence. Verdict: not supported. The best human evidence is small, mostly uncontrolled, and in patients, not in healthy adults. See our cognitive enhancement tier list check.

@theriac33, 2026-11-02. The post, “why do i feel so amazing all the time???”, includes a “What your dopamine loves” graphic with phenylpiracetam, modafinil, bromantane and others [25]. Same reading method as above. Verdict: partly supported as a mechanism proposal, not supported as a human finding. Mouse and binding studies point to DAT inhibition [13][14]. We found no human data showing it raises dopamine or that this would be beneficial. See dopamine claims check and, for the other drugs, modafinil and bromantane.

Frequently asked questions

Is phenylpiracetam legal? It is a prescription drug in Russia [1]. The FDA has not approved it and has treated it as an unapproved drug in at least one warning letter [21]. We did not check the EU, UK or Germany, and rules on possession and import vary by country.

Why is phenylpiracetam banned in sport? WADA lists it as a non-specified stimulant, prohibited in competition [17]. Athletes have been sanctioned for carphedon, including a two-year ban for Valeriy Kirdyashev [18]. We did not find WADA’s published reasoning for the listing.

Does phenylpiracetam improve memory or focus? Small Russian studies in patients with stroke, epilepsy or asthenia report improvements [6][7][10]. We found no placebo-controlled trial in healthy adults, so the question is open.

Is phenylpiracetam the same as piracetam? No. It is a phenyl derivative of piracetam, and a 2010 survey calls it more potent and used for a wider range of indications [11]. Piracetam itself is a separate drug with its own status.

Sources

1. Vidal, “Fenotropil (Фенотропил)”, label updated 2026-06-01. https://www.vidal.ru/drugs/fenotropil__3366
2. RLS (Encyclopedia of Medicines), registration record for Fenotropil, Р N002784/01. https://www.rlsnet.ru/regdoc/63526
3. RLS, registration record for Fenotropil, ЛП-008581 (2025-01-24). https://www.rlsnet.ru/regdoc/fenotropil-lp-008581-rg-ru-94100
4. GxP News, “Valenta Pharm plans to resume production of Fenotropil” (2022-04-11). https://gxpnews.net/2022/04/valenta-farm-planiruet-vozobnovit-proizvodstvo-fenotropila/
5. PubMed, “Pharmacological characteristics of a new phenyl analog of piracetam, 4-phenylpiracetam”, Biull Eksp Biol Med (1983), PMID 6403074 (title and citation only). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6403074/
6. Koval’chuk VV et al., “Efficacy of phenotropil in the rehabilitation of stroke patients”, Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova (2010), PMID 21626817. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21626817/
7. “Complex treatment of epilepsy with phenotropil”, Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr (2008), PMID 18379471. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18379471/
8. “Nootropics and antioxidants in the complex therapy of symptomatic posttraumatic epilepsy”, Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr (2013), PMID 23887448. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23887448/
9. “Treatment of asthenic syndrome in patients with chronic brain ischemia: TRIUMPH”, Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr (2014), PMID 25726789. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25726789/
10. “Efficacy and safety of fonturacetam in asthenia: a systematic review and meta-analysis”, Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr (2025), PMID 40047835. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40047835/
11. Malykh AG, Sadaie MR, “Piracetam and piracetam-like drugs”, Drugs (2010-02-12), PMID 20166767. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20166767/
12. Zvejniece L et al., “Investigation into stereoselective pharmacological activity of phenotropil”, Basic Clin Pharmacol Toxicol (2011), PMID 21689376. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21689376/
13. Zvejniece L et al., “S-phenylpiracetam, a selective DAT inhibitor, reduces body weight gain”, Pharmacol Biochem Behav (2017), PMID 28743458. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28743458/
14. Zvejniece L et al., “Neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory activity of DAT inhibitor R-phenylpiracetam”, Inflammopharmacology (2020), PMID 32279140. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32279140/
15. “Pharmacological effects of fonturacetam (Actitropil) and prospects for its clinical use”, Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr (2024), PMID 39269293. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39269293/
16. Jedrejko K et al., “Unauthorized ingredients in nootropic dietary supplements”, Drug Test Anal (2023), PMID 37357012 (abstract only). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37357012/
17. International Cricket Council, “S6. Stimulants” (copy of WADA Prohibited List text, dated 2022-12-31). https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/s6-stimulants
18. World Athletics, “Doping rule violation 51” (Kirdyashev, carphedon). https://worldathletics.org/news/news/doping-rule-violation-51
19. Cyclingnews, “Hondo suspension upheld”. https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/hondo-suspension-upheld
20. Cyclingnews, “Hondo’s ban reinstated”. https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/hondos-ban-reinstated
21. FDA, Warning letter to Peak Nootropics LLC aka Advanced Nootropics (2019-02-04). https://www.fda.gov/inspections-compliance-enforcement-and-criminal-investigations/warning-letters/peak-nootropics-llc-aka-advanced-nootropics-557887-02052019
22. “Five Unapproved Drugs Found in Cognitive Enhancement Supplements”, Neurol Clin Pract (2021), PMID 34484905. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34484905/
23. Vanhee C et al., “The Occurrence of Illicit Smart Drugs or Nootropics in Europe and Australia”, J Xenobiot (2025-06-06), PMID 40558871. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40558871/
24. @dex7official, X post (2026-10-20). https://x.com/dex7official/status/2112691493261484516 (text read through the fxtwitter mirror; tier contents from project notes)
25. @theriac33, X post (2026-11-02). https://x.com/theriac33/status/2117361887457505469 (text read through the fxtwitter mirror; graphic contents from project notes)

This article is information, not medical advice.