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CeApproved drug

Cerebrolysin protocol

Cerebrolysin is a mix of small peptides and amino acids from pig brain. It is a prescription drug given by drip in hospitals. It is used in Austria, Russia, Eastern Europe, China and other Asian countries. It is not registered with the US FDA.

Prescription drug in Austria and other countries · EVER Neuro PharmaNot registered with the US FDA
ProtocolMixingResultsSide effectsHow it worksSources

The protocol at a glance

In the big stroke trial, 30 mL went into a vein once a day for 10 days. It did not beat placebo on the main measure.

Condition (trial)Amount and length
Acute stroke (CASTA, 1,070 patients)30 mL a day by IV drip, 10 days, started within 12 hours
Stroke with clot-busting drug (NCT00840671)30 mL a day by IV drip, 10 days
Mild to moderate Alzheimer's (6 trials pooled)30 mL a day; results checked at 4 weeks and 6 months
Moderate to severe brain injury (CAPTAIN)50 mL a day for 10 days, then 10 mL a day for 10 days, twice more

From trial records NCT00868283 and NCT00840671 and the published abstracts. Hospital use only. I did not retrieve the official dosing section of the Austrian label, so check it before relying on these trial amounts.

Community reports

did not capture a community dose for Cerebrolysin. It is a hospital IV or IM drug, so we do not summarise home-use reports.

What people say they do, collected from community discussions. Not tested in a trial; shown so you can compare it with the evidence above.

Mixing

No mixing table here: this one is used as a capsule, nasal spray or skin product, or has no human amount to calculate from. The general mixing calculator works for any vial.

What the trials found

CASTA (Asia, 1,070 stroke patients, 30 mL for 10 days vs placebo, followed 90 days) and a pooled review of stroke trials:

No differenceCASTA main result at 90 days (combined stroke scores)
10.5% vs 20.2%90-day deaths, Cerebrolysin vs placebo, severe-stroke subgroup only (after-the-fact analysis, not confirmed)
RR 0.96Deaths from any cause, Cochrane 2023 (6 trials, 1,689 patients): little or no difference
OR 3.3Better overall clinical change at 4 weeks in mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's (6 pooled trials)

Heiss WD et al., Stroke 2012 (PMID 22282884); Ziganshina LE et al., Cochrane 2023 (PMID 37818733), which notes the maker supported three stroke trials; Gauthier S et al., Dement Geriatr Cogn Disord 2015 (PMID 25832905); Vester JC et al., Neurol Sci 2021 (PMID 33620612).

Side effects

  • Cochrane 2023: serious side effects that were not deaths were more common with Cerebrolysin (RR 2.39). The rise was bigger with 30 mL for 10 days (RR 2.87). Total serious events and deaths did not differ.
  • The maker's page lists contraindications: allergy to a component, epilepsy and severe kidney impairment.
  • It is made from pig brain.

How it works

Brain peptide mix

A blend of small peptides and amino acids from pig brain. Lab and animal work suggests nerve-protecting effects, but the active parts are not pinned down.

Sources

  • ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00868283 (CASTA) and NCT00840671
  • Heiss WD et al. Stroke 2012;43:630-6, PMID 22282884
  • Ziganshina LE et al. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2023, CD007026.pub7, PMID 37818733
  • Gauthier S et al. Dement Geriatr Cogn Disord 2015, PMID 25832905
  • Vester JC et al. Neurol Sci 2021 (CAPTAIN), PMID 33620612
  • Manufacturer page, cerebrolysin.com (EVER Neuro Pharma): US FDA status, contraindications