Cerebrolysin
An injectable mixture of low-molecular-weight peptides derived from porcine brain, marketed for stroke, dementia and traumatic brain injury. It has a moderate but contested trial base; benefit signals are inconsistent across meta-analyses.
01 Overview
Cerebrolysin is a peptide preparation obtained by enzymatic breakdown of purified pig brain proteins, given by intramuscular or intravenous injection. It is marketed in many countries (not the US) for ischaemic stroke, vascular and Alzheimer's dementia, and traumatic brain injury, and is claimed to have neurotrophic, growth-factor-like activity.
Evidence is mixed: some trials and meta-analyses report modest benefit, while others (including Cochrane assessments in stroke) find no clear effect and flag potential bias. It is used by biohackers off-label despite being an injectable biological.
02 Mechanism
Contains peptides and amino acids proposed to mimic neurotrophic factors, supporting neuronal survival, plasticity and repair; the active constituents are not fully defined.
03 Dosing
| Tier | Dose | Route | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Common | 5–10 mL/day | IM | Given in courses of daily injections over weeks. |
| Therapeutic | 10–50 mL/day | IV | Higher IV doses used in stroke trials, diluted for infusion. |
04 Effects
| Effect | Magnitude | Evidence | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Possible functional benefit in stroke/TBISome trials report benefit; Cochrane and other reviews find no clear effect. | Disputed | ||
| Cognitive support in dementiaSmall improvements in some dementia trials. | Modest | Clinical |
05 Side effects
| Effect | Severity | Frequency | Evidence | Countermeasures |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agitation, dizziness, palpitationsReported especially with rapid infusion. | Mild | Uncommon | Clinical | |
| Injection-site and hypersensitivity reactionsLocal reactions and, rarely, allergic responses to the porcine peptide product. | Moderate | Uncommon | Clinical |