Noopept

Last Updated: August 2026

Noopept (INN omberacetam; developmental code GVS-111) is a synthetic nootropic dipeptide — chemically the ethyl ester of N-phenylacetyl-L-prolylglycine1 source — developed in 1996 by Tatiana Gudasheva at the Zakusov Institute of Pharmacology in Russia. It is a prodrug of the endogenous neuropeptide cycloprolylglycine and is notable for being roughly 1,000× more potent by weight than piracetam. It is approved in Russia and several CIS countries for cognitive disorders but is an unapproved "new drug" in the US.

What is Noopept and how does it work?

Noopept is rapidly converted to its active metabolite cycloprolylglycine (a naturally occurring dipeptide) and acts as a positive allosteric modulator of AMPA-type glutamate receptors while upregulating BDNF and NGF — a combination of glutamatergic and neurotrophic effects that supports memory, learning, and neuroprotection. Additional reported actions include cholinergic modulation and protection against oxidative and amyloid-related neuronal stress.

What does the research on Noopept show?

Noopept was studied in Russian clinical trials and is a registered, approved medicine there for cognitive disorders… of cerebrovascular and post-traumatic origin; preclinical work shows neuroprotective effects (against calcium-dependent and amyloid-β-induced cytotoxicity) and cognitive enhancement across memory acquisition, consolidation, and retrieval, with a selective anxiolytic action. Most of the higher-quality clinical evidence is Russian and predates modern multi-center Western trial standards. Evidence level: Russian clinical trials + registration; preclinical; not FDA-evaluated.

What is the regulatory status?

Noopept is an approved pharmaceutical in Russia/CIS, but in the United States it is an unapproved "new drug" — its use in dietary supplements, food, or medicine is unlawful, though the substance is otherwise uncontrolled; its legal status elsewhere varies by country, and it is not an approved medicine in most Western markets. See the legal status guide.

Why does vendor verification matter, and how does Peptigrity verify?

Noopept is sold widely as a research chemical and (unlawfully) in some supplements, so identity and purity confirmation — HPLC and mass-spec against the expected ~318 Da mass — are the objective checks. Peptigrity collects independent third-party Certificates of Analysis for Noopept from shops' official channels and verifies each for authenticity before publishing. Because shops choose which COAs to publish, results reflect the batches shops have made public rather than every production batch — a selection bias we state openly. A community-funded Testing Grant to purchase and test vials anonymously is in development. Tests in the database come from independent labs such as Janoshik Analytical, Freedom Diagnostics, and Chromate. See how to read lab results.

Educational information only; not medical advice. Noopept is not FDA-approved. Consult a qualified healthcare provider. Peptigrity does not sell, endorse, or recommend products or vendors.