[Nootropic properties of gamma-aminobutyric acid derivatives]

Experiments on rats and mice were made to study the antianamnestic and antihypoxic effects of some GABA derivatives. Cetyl GABA, sodium and lithium hydroxybutyrates and phenibut were shown to be able to decrease the retrograde amnesia caused by electroshock in passive avoidance performance. As regards the degree of the antianamnestic effect, the above-mentioned non-cyclic derivatives of GABA are not inferior to the standard nootropic drug piracetam, a derivative of cyclic GABA. Antihypoxic activity of sodium hydroxybutyrate, cetyl GABA, phenibut and lioresal studied in experimental hypoxic hypoxia compares very favourably with that of piracetam. The compounds under consideration manifest their protective action against damaging factors in doses which do not provoke muscle relaxation or any types of central depression. According to the data obtained one may conclude that the nootropic effect is exhibited by not only piracetam, a derivative of cyclic GABA, but also by some of its non-cyclic derivatives.