Coluracetam

Coluracetam
Clinical data
ATC code
  • None
Legal status
Legal status
  • AU: S4 (Prescription only)
  • US: Not FDA approved
Identifiers
  • N-(2,3-Dimethyl-5,6,7,8-tetrahydrofuro[2,3-b]quinolin-4-yl)-2-(2-oxo-1-pyrrolidinyl)acetamide
CAS Number
PubChem CID
ChemSpider
UNII
CompTox Dashboard (EPA)
Chemical and physical data
FormulaC19H23N3O3
Molar mass341.411 g·mol−1
3D model (JSmol)
  • Cc1c(oc2c1c(c3c(n2)CCCC3)NC(=O)CN4CCCC4=O)C
  • InChI=1S/C19H23N3O3/c1-11-12(2)25-19-17(11)18(13-6-3-4-7-14(13)20-19)21-15(23)10-22-9-5-8-16(22)24/h3-10H2,1-2H3,(H,20,21,23)
  • Key:PSPGQHXMUKWNDI-UHFFFAOYSA-N

Coluracetam (INN; development code BCI-540; formerly MKC-231) is a purported nootropic agent of the racetam family.[1] It contains a chemical group that is a bioisostere of the 9-amino-tetrahydroacridine family. It was initially developed and tested by the Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation for Alzheimer's disease. After the drug failed to reach endpoints in its clinical trials it was in-licensed by BrainCells Inc for investigations into major depressive disorder (MDD), which was preceded by being awarded a "Qualifying Therapeutic Discovery Program Grant" by the state of California.[2] Findings from phase IIa clinical trials have suggested that it would be a potential medication for comorbid MDD with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).[3] BrainCells Inc is currently[when?] out-licensing the drug for this purpose.[4] It may also have potential use in prevention and treatment of ischemic retinopathy and retinal and optic nerve injury.[medical citation needed]

Coluracetam has been shown to reverse the loss of choline acetyltransferase production in the medial septal nucleus of rats exposed to phencyclidine (PCP), and is considered a potential therapeutic drug for schizophrenia.[5]

  1. ^ Bessho T, Takashina K, Tabata R, Ohshima C, Chaki H, Yamabe H, et al. (April 1996). "Effect of the novel high affinity choline uptake enhancer 2-(2-oxopyrrolidin-1-yl)-N-(2,3-dimethyl-5,6,7,8-tetrahydrofuro[2,3-b] quinolin-4-yl)acetoamide on deficits of water maze learning in rats". Arzneimittel-Forschung. 46 (4): 369–73. PMID 8740080.
  2. ^ Qualifying Therapeutic Discovery Project Grants for the State of California, IRS.gov.
  3. ^ BrainCells Inc. Announces Results From Exploratory Phase 2a Trial of BCI-540 Archived 2013-02-03 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ BCI-540 (coluracetam) | BrainCells Archived 2012-08-31 at the Wayback Machine
  5. ^ Shirayama Y, Yamamoto A, Nishimura T, Katayama S, Kawahara R (September 2007). "Subsequent exposure to the choline uptake enhancer MKC-231 antagonizes phencyclidine-induced behavioral deficits and reduction in septal cholinergic neurons in rats". European Neuropsychopharmacology. 17 (9): 616–26. doi:10.1016/j.euroneuro.2007.02.011. PMID 17467960. S2CID 22967684.