Vinpocetine

Vinpocetine is a man-made chemical resembling a substance found in the periwinkle plant Vinca minor. People use it as medicine.

Contents

• Uses
• Benefits
• Cautions
• Interactions
• Other names
• References

Uses

• It is used for enhancing memory and preventing Alzheimer’s disease and other conditions that harm learning, memory, and information processing skills as people age.

• Vinpocetine is also used for preventing and reducing the chance of disability and death from ischemic stroke. This is the type of stroke that occurs when a blood clot stops blood flow in the brain, causing brain cells (neurons) to die because they are not receiving oxygen. People try vinpocetine for preventing and treating stroke right after it happens because they think vinpocetine might help keep blood from clotting and might also protect neurons against the harmful effects of oxygen deprivation.

• Other uses for vinpocetine include treating symptoms of menopause, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), and seizure disorders; and preventing motion sickness.

• Healthcare providers sometimes give vinpocetine intravenously (by IV) for treating seizure disorders and stroke.

Benefits

• Improve Cognition
  • Improve memory, long- and short-term
  • Enhance alertness, awareness, and preparedness
  • Act as a neuroprotector
  • Prevent or reverse ischemic (lack of oxygen) damage to brain, muscle, liver, and elsewhere
  • Diminish senile cerebral dysfunction

  Improve Hearing Function

  • Prevent or relieve hearing loss due to various causes
  • Prevent or relieve tinnitus (ringing/buzzing in the ears)
  • Prevent or relieve vertigo (dizziness)

  Improve Visual Function

  • Improve night vision
  • Improve wound healing of eyes due to burns
  • Prevent or relieve glaucoma
  • Prevent or improve age-related macular decline

  Improve Cardiovascular Function

  • Diminish atherosclerotic plaque
  • Improve cardiac output and nutritive blood flow to various organs
  • Improve dilation of blood vessels
  • Increase the flexibility of red blood cells
  • Scavenge toxic metals in the body, such as aluminum and lead

Cautions

Pregnancy and breast-feeding: There is not enough reliable information about the safety of taking vipocetine if you are pregnant or breast feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.

Bleeding disorders: Don’t use vinpocetine if you have a problem with blood clotting because it might increase the risk of bleeding.

Weakened immune system: Vinpocetine might weaken the immune system in some people. This might reduce the body’s ability to fight infections. If you already have a weakened immune system due to other conditions such as HIV/AIDS or cancer treatment, check with your healthcare provider before using vinpocetine.

Surgery: Vinpocetine might slow blood clotting. There is a concern that it might increase the risk of bleeding during and after surgery. Stop using vinpocetine at least 2 weeks before you are scheduled for surgery.

Interactions

• Medications that slow blood clotting (Anticoagulant / Antiplatelet drugs) interacts with VINPOCETINE
  Vinpocetine might slow blood clotting. Taking vinpocetine along with medications that also slow clotting might increase the chances of bruising and bleeding.Some medications that slow blood clotting include aspirin, clopidogrel (Plavix), diclofenac (Voltaren, Cataflam, others), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others), naproxen (Anaprox, Naprosyn, others), dalteparin (Fragmin), enoxaparin (Lovenox), heparin, warfarin (Coumadin), and others.
• Warfarin (Coumadin) interacts with VINPOCETINE
  Warfarin (Coumadin) is used to slow blood clotting. Vinpocetine might increase how long warfarin (Coumadin) is in the body, and increase the chances of bruising and bleeding. Be sure to have your blood checked regularly. The dose of your warfarin (Coumadin) might need to be changed

Other Names:

AY-27255, Cavinton, Eburnamenine-14-carboxylic acid, Ethyl Apovincaminate, Ethylapovincaminoate, Ethyl Ester, RGH-4405, TCV-3b, Vinpocetin, Vinpocetina, Vinpocétine.

References

Source: WebMD, “Vinpocetine”, www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/

Life Enhancement, http://www.life-enhancement.com/magazine/article/193-almost-everything-you-want-to-know-about-vinpocetine