Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

A critical review of pyritinol

  • Review Article
  • Published:
Drugs & Therapy Perspectives Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Pyritinol (pyrithioxine) is a combination of two molecules of vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) with disulfide linkage. Its pharmacokinetic profile mimics that of its parent compound. Because it crosses the blood–brain barrier, its major clinical utility is in brain-related disorders. Pyritinol regulates signalling pathways of various neurotransmitters including acetylcholine, γ-aminobutyric acid, N-methyl-d-aspartate, etc. Pyritinol has also been shown to act as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent, and also reduces plasma viscosity. It is indicated in paediatric populations to treat learning disabilities, developmental dysphasia, postnatal hypoxia and other cognitive disorders. In adults, it is indicated for improving cognition and memory, Alzheimer’s disease, multi-infarct dementia and rheumatoid arthritis. It has also been investigated in many other clinical conditions, but results are inconclusive. The positive results of many animal studies have not been replicated into consistent clinical success. This review aims to discuss potential uses of pyritinol and its future prospects.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Maria V, Albuquerque A, Loureiro A, et al. Severe cholestatic hepatitis induced by pyritinol. BMJ. 2004;328(7439):572–4.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  2. Alkuraishy HM, Al-Gareeb AI, Albuhadilly AK. Vinpocetine and pyritinol: a new model for blood rheological modulation in cerebrovascular disorders—a randomized controlled clinical study. BioMed Res Int. 2014;2014:324307. https://doi.org/10.1155/2014/324307.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  3. Liu JM, Wu PF, Rao J, et al. ST09, a novel thioester derivative of tacrine, alleviates cognitive deficits and enhances glucose metabolism in vascular dementia rats. CNS Neurosci Ther. 2016;22(3):220–9.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  4. Jiménez-Andrade GY, Reyes-García G, Sereno G, et al. Pyritinol reduces nociception and oxidative stress in diabetic rats. Eur J Pharmacol. 2008;590(1–3):170–6.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Magnusson KR, Brim BL, Das SR. Selective vulnerabilities of N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors during brain aging. Front Aging Neurosci. 2010;2:11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnagi.2010.00011.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  6. Turský T. Pyritinol inhibition of the GABA and benzodiazepine receptor. Physiol Bohemoslov. 1988;37(5):417–26.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Seth SD, Seth V, editors. Textbook of pharmacology. 3rd ed. New Delhi: Elsevier; 2009.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Jebasingh D, Devavaram Jackson D, Venkataraman S, et al. The protective effects of Cyperus rotundus on behavior and cognitive function in a rat model of hypoxia injury. Pharm Biol. 2014;52(12):1558–69.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Jaiswal AK, Upadhyay SN, Bhattacharya SK. Effect of pyritinol, a cerebral protector, on learning and memory deficits induced by prenatal undernutrition and environmental impoverishment in young rats. Indian J Exp Biol. 1990;28(7):609–15.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Floersheim GL. Protection against acute ethanol toxicity in mice by zinc aspartate, glycols, levulose and pyritinol. Agents Actions. 1985;16(6):580–4.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Dayrens P, Ivanoff B, Cussac M, et al. Antiinflammatory and immunostimulant activities of six sulphur compounds—four benzenesulphonates, levamisole, and pyritinol hydrochloride—assayed in mouse cell activation studies. Arzneimittelforschung. 1983;33(3):372–7.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. De Guibert C, Maumet C, Jannin P, et al. Abnormal functional lateralization and activity of language brain areas in typical specific language impairment (developmental dysphasia). Brain. 2011;134(10):3044–58.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  13. Zavadenko NN, Kozlova EV, Koltunov IE. Developmental dysphasia: assessment of the drug treatment efficacy (in Russian). Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova. 2012;112(7 Pt 2):90–5.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Zavadenko NN, Kozlova EV. Nootropic drug therapy for developmental dysphasia in children (in Russian). Voprosy Prakticheskoi Pediatrii. 2013;8(5):24–8.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Nair MK, George B, Jeyaseelan L. Pyritinol for post asphyxial encephalopathy in term babies: a randomized double-blind controlled trial. Indian Pediatr. 2009;46(Suppl):s37–42.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Zykov VP, Begasheva OI. Cognitive disturbances in patients with tics and Tourette’s syndrome and their correction with encephabol (in Russian). Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova. 2003;103(11):10–4.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Zenkov LR, Zenkova AL. Encephabol in the treatment of cognitive disorders in epilepsy (in Russian). Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova. 2011;111(5 Pt 2):77–80.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Hindmarch I, Coleston DM, Kerr JS. Psychopharmacological effects of pyritinol in normal volunteers. Neuropsychobiology. 1990–1991;24(3):159–64.

  19. Mufson JE, Counts SE, Perez SE, et al. Cholinergic system during the progression of Alzheimer’s disease: therapeutic implications. Expert Rev Neurother. 2008;8(11):1703–18.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  20. Ballinger E, Ananth M, Talmage DA, et al. Basal forebrain cholinergic circuits and signaling in cognition and cognitive decline. Neuron. 2016;91(6):1199–218.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  21. Fischhof PK, Saletu B, Rüther E, et al. Therapeutic efficacy of pyritinol in patients with senile dementia of the Alzheimer type (SDAT) and multi-infarct dementia (MID). Neuropsychobiology. 1992;26(1–2):65–70.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Knezevic S. Pyritinol treatment of SDAT patients: evaluation by psychiatric and neurological examination, psychometric testing and rCBF measurements. Int Clin Psychopharmacol. 1989;4(1):25–38.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Herrmann WM, Kern U, Röhmel J. On the effects of pyritinol on functional deficits of patients with organic mental disorders. Pharmacopsychiatry. 1986;19(5):378–85.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Wiese JG, Shilpak MG, Browner WS. The alcohol hangover. Ann Intern Med. 2000;132:897–902.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Khan MA, Jensen K, Krogh HJ. Alcohol-induced hangover: a double-blind comparison of pyritinol and placebo in preventing hangover symptoms. Q J Stud Alcohol. 1973;34(4):1195–201.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Shah A, St. Clair EW. Rheumatoid arthritis. Harrison’s principles of internal medicine. 20th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill Education; 2018.

    Google Scholar 

  27. Lemmel EM. Comparison of pyritinol and auranofin in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. The European Multicenter Study Group. Br J Rheumatol. 1993;32(5):375–82.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmacology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India

    Alok Singh

  2. Procter and Gamble, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

    Vinay Purohit

Authors
  1. Alok Singh
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Vinay Purohit
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Alok Singh.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

Authors declare no conflicts of interest relevant to this article.

Funding

No funding received from any source.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Singh, A., Purohit, V. A critical review of pyritinol. Drugs Ther Perspect 35, 278–282 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40267-019-00623-x

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40267-019-00623-x

Search

Navigation