Mefexamide
Mefexamide (Timodine, Perno) is a psychostimulant and purported nootropic developed in the mid-20th century, promoted for fatigue, apathy and cognitive complaints. It has limited, mostly older clinical documentation and is now essentially obsolete outside legacy prescribing.
01 Overview
Mefexamide is an acetamide-class CNS stimulant with mild wakefulness and mood-activating effects, historically used for asthenia and reduced vigilance. Its pharmacology is only loosely characterised by modern standards.
It never gained wide international adoption and modern data are scarce; it is treated as a legacy prescription stimulant. Human safety documentation is thin.
02 Mechanism
CNS stimulant with weak indirect catecholaminergic activity thought to enhance vigilance and arousal; precise target engagement is poorly defined.
03 Dosing
| Tier | Dose | Route | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Historical | 200–300 mg/day | Oral | Historical adult dosing, divided. |
| Historical common | 300–600 mg/day | Oral | Upper range in older regimens. |
04 Effects
| Effect | Magnitude | Evidence | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Increased vigilanceImproved alertness and reduced fatigue reported historically. | n/a | Observational | |
| Mood activationMild activating/mood effect claimed; poorly quantified. | n/a | Anecdotal |
05 Side effects
| Effect | Severity | Frequency | Evidence | Countermeasures |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Uncharacterised safetySparse modern safety data given obsolescence. | Moderate | Uncharacterised | Unconfirmed | |
| InsomniaSleep disturbance with late dosing. | Mild | Common | Observational | |
| NervousnessAnxiety or restlessness. | Mild | Uncommon | Observational |