Cerebrolysin

Porcine-brain peptide mixture · approved abroad, not FDA/EMA · IV/IM

Cerebrolysin is a real, prescription neurotrophic drug — but one whose evidence does not hold up to independent scrutiny. It is not a single molecule: it is a standardized mixture of small peptides and free amino acids produced by enzymatically digesting purified pig (porcine) brain protein, made by Ever Pharma and marketed as mimicking the body's own nerve-growth factors. It is approved and widely used in more than 50 countries — Russia, China, South Korea, much of Eastern Europe and Latin America — for stroke, dementia and traumatic brain injury, given as an intravenous infusion or injection in daily courses. The honest framing is the gap between its marketing and the independent evidence: it is NOT FDA-approved and has no central European (EMA) approval, so it is investigational in the US; the largest, most rigorous stroke trial (CASTA, ~1,070 patients) found no benefit; and the independent Cochrane reviews conclude there is no reliable evidence it helps in stroke (while flagging a probable increase in serious side effects) and only very-low-quality evidence in vascular dementia. Many of the positive trials were funded by the manufacturer. Because it is a mixture rather than a defined compound, it has no single chemical formula, sequence or PubChem ID.

The short version

Cerebrolysin is not a single drug molecule — it is a carefully standardized soup of small protein fragments (peptides) and free amino acids, made by chemically chopping up purified pig brain protein. The idea behind it is that some of those fragments behave like the body's own nerve-growth factors (such as BDNF and NGF), so the preparation is sold as a "neurotrophic" agent meant to protect and support brain cells.

It is a genuine prescription medicine in much of the world. More than 50 countries — including Russia, China, South Korea, and many across Eastern Europe and Latin America — have approved it for conditions like stroke, dementia and traumatic brain injury, where it is given as an intravenous drip or injection over daily courses of one to several weeks. It is made by the Austrian company Ever Pharma.

Here is the honest part. Cerebrolysin is NOT approved by the US FDA, and it has no central European (EMA) approval — so in the US it is unapproved and investigational. More importantly, when independent reviewers (the Cochrane collaboration) pooled the trials, they did not find reliable evidence that it works: in stroke they found no benefit on survival and a probable increase in serious side effects, and in vascular dementia the supporting evidence was rated very low quality. The single largest, most carefully run stroke trial found no benefit at all, and many of the positive studies were paid for by the manufacturer. So this is a real drug with a large research literature — but a literature that does not establish that it actually helps.

Molecular identity

Specs

Type: Peptide + free-amino-acid mixture (not a single molecule)Seidl & Aigner, J Med Life 2024 (PMID 38737662)
Source: Purified, lipid-free porcine (pig) brain protein, enzymatically digestedSeidl & Aigner 2024 (PMID 38737662)
Manufacturer: Ever Pharma (standardized preparation, supplied as a ready aqueous solution in ampoules)Manufacturer record; Seidl & Aigner 2024 (PMID 38737662)
Peptide fraction: Low-molecular-weight peptides ≤10 kDaSeidl & Aigner 2024 (PMID 38737662)
Composition: ~15–25% peptides / 75–85% free amino acids (source-dependent)Manufacturer + secondary literature (ratio varies by source)
Molecular target: Claimed neurotrophic — BDNF/NGF/CNTF/GDNF-like fragment activity (mechanistic / in-vitro + animal; not a single defined target)Seidl & Aigner 2024 (PMID 38737662); gerbil study (PMID 8334017)
CAS number: 12656-61-0 (umbrella identifier for the preparation)Chemical registries (CymitQuimica, ChemicalBook)
Molecular weight / formula / sequence: Not applicable — it is a multi-component mixtureBy definition of the preparation
Half-life: Not established (multi-component preparation — no validated single-value pharmacokinetics)Not established
Regulatory status: Approved in 50+ countries (Russia, China, South Korea, much of Eastern Europe + Latin America); NOT FDA-approved and no central EMA approval — investigational in the USRegulatory record; Cochrane reviews (PMID 37818733)

Plain English

Mechanism

Cerebrolysin is marketed as a neurotrophic agent — meaning it is claimed to act like the body's natural nerve-growth factors. The preparation is said to contain low-molecular-weight peptide fragments with BDNF-, NGF-, CNTF- and GDNF-like activity (these are the brain's own "survival signals" for neurons), and the proposed mechanism is that these fragments promote neuron survival, neurogenesis (new neuron formation), synaptic plasticity, and protection against excitotoxic damage after injury.

It is important to keep this mechanism in the right evidence tier: it is largely in-vitro (cell culture) and animal data. An early gerbil study, for example, reported that Cerebrolysin reduced delayed neuronal death and harmful free-radical generation after a simulated stroke. "Neurotrophic" here is a claimed/mechanistic property, not a proven human clinical outcome — and that distinction is the whole story, because the human trials (next section) do not clearly show the benefit the mechanism predicts.

There is also a basic-biology reason for caution. The intact growth factors it is said to mimic, such as BDNF, have half-lives of only minutes in the body, so any claim that Cerebrolysin delivers durable, intact nerve-growth factors should be treated skeptically. The honest description is "neurotrophic-like fragment activity," not delivery of stable whole growth factors.

Sources:PMID 8334017 PMID 38737662

Why people reach for it

Potential benefits

Cerebrolysin is a real prescription neurotrophic drug abroad — but one whose independent evidence does not establish that it works. Here's what it is marketed and used for, framed against that gap.

Marketed as a neurotrophic, brain-supporting agent — Its core selling point: the preparation is claimed to contain peptide fragments with BDNF-, NGF-, CNTF- and GDNF-like activity meant to support neuron survival and repair — a claimed/mechanistic property from cell and animal work, not a proven human outcome.
An approved option for stroke, dementia and TBI (abroad) — It is approved in 50+ countries and used as an add-on in stroke, dementia and traumatic-brain-injury care — the contexts people reach for it in; note it is NOT FDA- or EMA-approved and is investigational in the US.
A pro-neurogenesis / neuroprotection concept — In animal models its fragments are proposed to promote neurogenesis, synaptic plasticity, and protection against excitotoxic injury — the neuroprotective story it's used for, supported by in-vitro and rodent data only.
A clinician-administered course, not a home injectable — It ships as a ready-to-use solution given by IV infusion or IM injection in supervised daily courses — the medical-grade delivery that distinguishes it from research-peptide self-dosing.
Studied alongside other neurotrophic peptides — In its CIS clinical tradition it is combined with Semax and adjuncts like citicoline — coming at the same neurotrophic goal from a different route.

Sources:PMID 38737662 PMID 8334017 PMID 37818733 PMID 12111446

What Cerebrolysin is marketed and used for — drawn from its claimed mechanism and approved-country use, NOT from established benefit: the independent Cochrane reviews found no reliable evidence it helps in stroke and only very-low-quality evidence in dementia. Not proven outcomes or medical claims.

Implied timing

Best time to dose

Implied best time

Morning

Cerebrolysin is given as a daytime course — typically a morning infusion — reflecting both its mildly activating profile and the practicalities of a clinician-administered drip.

It is a neurotrophic preparation given as a daytime course, and is described as mildly activating, so a morning infusion keeps any stimulant-adjacent effect (and the documented flushing/heat reactions) within waking hours rather than near sleep.
Practically, it is a slow ~60-minute IV infusion (or IM injection) delivered by a clinician, so it is scheduled into the clinic day — morning appointments are the natural default for a multi-week daily course.
It is dosed in defined daily courses (10–21 consecutive days), not as a flexible at-home dose, so 'time of day' is really 'when the infusion is scheduled' — consistency across the course matters more than the exact hour.
No single-value pharmacokinetics exist for the mixture, so the morning placement is reasoned from its activating profile and infusion logistics, not from a measured duration of action.

No study establishes an ideal time of day for Cerebrolysin — this is reasoned from its mildly activating neurotrophic profile and the logistics of a clinician-administered infusion course. As a rule of thumb most peptide dosing lands in the midday-to-evening window; for Cerebrolysin the lean is the early edge of that — a morning course.

Sources:PMID 37818733

How to run it

Dosing & protocol

Cerebrolysin is an intravenous infusion or intramuscular injection — given by a medical professional in daily courses, not self-administered at home. It ships as a ready-to-use aqueous solution in ampoules; there is no powder to reconstitute. The ranges below are the clinical regimens used in trials and abroad — shown as context for how it is actually used, not as a personal recommendation.

These are real-world clinical regimens from published trials and approved-country labeling, not a personal prescription. Cerebrolysin is NOT FDA-approved; the independent Cochrane stroke review found no benefit and a probable increase in non-fatal serious adverse events at the 30 mL / 10-day schedule. Use only under medical supervision.

Dose ranges (IV / IM)

Doses are measured in mL of the ready solution, not in mg, because the active content is a mixture rather than a single compound.

Mild indications / IM route:: 5–10 mL/day intramuscularly — the lower end used for milder cognitive indications in approved-country practice; IM is reserved for doses ≤5–10 mL because larger volumes are impractical to inject.
Standard IV course (stroke / TBI):: 30 mL/day intravenously — the dose used in the major stroke and TBI trials (CASTA, CARS). Diluted into 100 mL normal saline and infused slowly (over ~60 minutes) for 10–21 consecutive days.
Alzheimer's / cognitive (trial pattern):: 30 mL/day intravenously, 5 days per week for 4 weeks — the regimen used in the manufacturer-linked AD trial (Panisset et al., PMID 12111446).
Safety note on higher doses:: The 2023 Cochrane stroke review specifically associated the 30 mL / 10-day schedule with the probable increase in non-fatal serious adverse events it flagged. More is not established as better, and the highest doses carry the most documented risk.

Administration (IV / IM)

Cerebrolysin is clinician-administered; the key practical details are dilution, infusion rate, and the IV-vs-IM choice.

IV infusion (primary route):: Draw the prescribed mL from the ampoule and dilute into 100 mL of 0.9% normal saline (or Ringer's solution) in a standard infusion bag. Infuse slowly over approximately 60 minutes. Do not infuse rapidly — the documented reactions (flushing, dizziness, sensation of heat) are infusion-rate-dependent.
IM injection:: Used for smaller daily doses (≤5–10 mL). Inject into the gluteal or deltoid muscle. Not suitable for the 30 mL courses used in stroke trials — the volume is too large for intramuscular depot.
Compatibility caution:: Do not mix Cerebrolysin in the same line as balanced amino-acid solutions or certain antidepressants (label-level caution). Run it through a clean line; confirm with the prescribing label before co-infusing anything.
No reconstitution needed:: The ampoule is the final product — a clear, ready-to-use solution. There is no powder to dissolve, no BAC water, no peptide vial math. Simply dilute in saline for IV as above.

Cycle / course structure

Cerebrolysin is run in defined courses, not as a continuous daily supplement — reflecting both how trials used it and the dosing-risk signal at higher schedules.

Course length:: 10–21 consecutive daily infusions is the trial-established range. Acute-stroke protocols used 10 days (CASTA) or 21 days (CARS). Dementia protocols used 4 weeks of 5-days-on / 2-days-off.
Interval between courses:: In approved-country clinical practice, courses are repeated a few times per year (roughly quarterly), rather than run back-to-back. The interval allows the clinician to reassess response before committing to another course.
Not continuous use:: Cerebrolysin is not dosed indefinitely like a daily supplement — the course pattern is consistent across all settings where it has been studied or approved. Running it open-ended extends exposure to its unresolved safety profile without a trial basis.
Reassess before repeating:: Given that independent evidence does not establish benefit, each repeat course should be preceded by an honest clinical reassessment: is there a signal of response? The Cochrane safety data weighs against continued exposure absent clear benefit.

Formulation note

Cerebrolysin is fundamentally different from a typical research peptide vial — a distinction that matters for handling.

Ready aqueous solution:: Supplied by Ever Pharma as a clear, sterile solution in glass ampoules — typically 1 mL, 5 mL, and 10 mL concentrations. The active material (peptide fragments + free amino acids) is already dissolved and stabilized at manufacture.
No vial, no BAC water:: There is no lyophilized (freeze-dried) powder, no bacteriostatic water needed, no reconstitution step. The on-page reconstitution calculator does not apply to Cerebrolysin. Dosing is in mL of solution, not in mcg from a mixed vial.

Sources:PMID 37818733 PMID 22282884 PMID 26564102 PMID 12111446

Substrate the signal needs

Nutritional cofactor precision

Cerebrolysin claims to work by supplying neurotrophic-like fragments that support neuron survival and repair. The cofactors that follow are grouped around three questions: what substrate does genuine neuronal repair consume, what amplifies the brain's own BDNF independently, and what reduces the tolerability friction of IV infusion.

Reasoned from the preparation's claimed neurotrophic mechanism plus general brain-health nutrition — not a Cerebrolysin cofactor study. Double caveat: Cerebrolysin is a porcine-brain mixture with unproven independent efficacy, so these nutrients complement the goal (neuroprotection / cognitive support), not a proven drug mechanism. Supplement doses are common clinical and community ranges.

Supply the neuronal substrate

If the goal is neuronal membrane health and repair, these are the raw materials any genuine repair signal would draw on.

Omega-3 DHA — 1–2 g/day with food:: DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) is the dominant structural fat of neuronal membranes and synaptic tissue. Low DHA impairs membrane fluidity, which blunts receptor function and plasticity — the very outcomes Cerebrolysin claims to support. Fish oil or algal DHA at 1–2 g/day with the largest meal, for absorption.
B12 + folate (methylcobalamin + methylfolate) — 500–1000 mcg B12 + 400–800 mcg folate daily:: B12 and folate run the methylation cycle that neuronal maintenance depends on — myelin repair, neurotransmitter synthesis, and DNA repair all run through it. Deficiency in either causes neurological problems independently; correcting a shortfall is foundational before layering any neurotrophic agent.
Choline (citicoline / alpha-GPC) — 300–600 mg/day:: Choline feeds acetylcholine, the brain's main memory-and-attention messenger, and is a building block of neuronal membrane phospholipids (phosphatidylcholine). Citicoline additionally supplies cytidine, which the brain converts to uridine — a membrane-repair precursor. Take with or after breakfast.

Amplify the brain's own neurotrophic signal

The strongest levers on endogenous BDNF are behavioral, not pharmaceutical — and they work independently of whether Cerebrolysin's claimed mechanism is real.

Aerobic exercise — 30–45 min, 4–5×/week:: Sustained aerobic exercise (running, cycling, rowing — anything that raises heart rate for ≥20 minutes) is the best-established single driver of BDNF production in humans. If the goal is neurotrophic support, this is the highest-confidence intervention available. Cerebrolysin's own claim is that it mimics what exercise already does — layer them, don't treat the drug as the substitute.
Sleep hygiene — 7–9 h, regular schedule:: BDNF synthesis and glymphatic clearance (the brain's waste-removal process) peak during deep sleep. Chronic poor sleep suppresses BDNF and accelerates neuroinflammation. Consistent bedtime, darkness, and limiting screens in the last hour are the no-cost cofactors no supplement replaces.
Magnesium L-threonate — 1.5–2 g/day (providing ~144 mg elemental Mg):: The L-threonate form is the only magnesium shown to penetrate the blood-brain barrier meaningfully in animal studies, where it increased synaptic plasticity markers. Take in the evening — magnesium has a mild relaxing effect that supports the sleep cofactor above.

Mitigate infusion tolerability

The documented tolerability reactions with Cerebrolysin are infusion-rate-dependent and largely manageable. These are the practical inputs the administering clinician controls.

Infusion rate — slow is the key variable:: Flushing, dizziness, sensation of heat, and mild agitation are the most commonly reported infusion reactions, and they track with rate. Standardizing the infusion over 60 minutes into 100 mL of normal saline significantly reduces their incidence versus faster pushes. Do not rush the infusion.
Hydration before and during:: Adequate pre-infusion hydration (a full glass of water ~30 minutes before) and staying seated during the infusion reduces vasomotor reactions. This is standard clinical practice for neurotrophic infusion protocols.
No additional neurotrophic peptides in the same line:: Do not co-infuse other neurotrophic agents in the same bag — both for pharmacological interaction reasons and because the 2023 Cochrane signal came from the Cerebrolysin-only arm. Stacking happens across sessions, not in the same line.

Combinations + timing

Stacking notes + timing windows

Cerebrolysin's trial setting is already a stack — it is studied as an adjunct on top of standard stroke or dementia care. Useful pairings come at the neurotrophic goal from a different mechanism or route, not by doubling the same signal. Two to three complementary options are the honest ceiling here; anything more amplifies uncertainty faster than it adds value.

User combinations reasoned from complementary mechanisms — not regimens studied head-to-head. Cerebrolysin's own independent evidence does not establish efficacy, so any stack is doubly unproven. Doses are community and clinical convention; "commonly combined for" describes where users reach, not a proven indication.

Cerebrolysin + Semax

Two neurotrophic agents from the same Russian/CIS clinical tradition — different molecules, different routes, different mechanisms.

Why it works:: Semax is a synthetic ACTH(4-7) analog that raises BDNF and NGF gene expression in the brain through a receptor-mediated pathway — a different mechanism from the peptide-fragment approach Cerebrolysin claims. Semax is administered intranasally (or subcutaneously), so it runs through a completely different route with no line-mixing concern. Together they represent two different pathways toward the same BDNF/NGF-upregulation goal — complementary levers, not the same one twice.
The protocol:: Cerebrolysin 10–30 mL/day IV for the course duration; Semax 300–600 mcg/day intranasally (2–3 drops per nostril, once or twice daily). Run them as two separate administrations — Semax intranasally in the morning, Cerebrolysin IV infusion later in the day, per clinic availability. Honesty note: both are from the Russian/CIS lineage, more widely studied there; independent Western trial evidence for both is limited.
Outcome:: Commonly combined for cognitive-support goals and post-stroke recovery contexts, particularly in Eastern European clinic protocols. The combination has no independent head-to-head trial data; it is mechanism-led convention in the neurotrophic peptide space.

Cerebrolysin + citicoline (CDP-choline)

A layered pairing on the cholinergic and membrane-repair axis — Cerebrolysin for neurotrophic signaling claims, citicoline for the substrate that neuronal repair actually consumes.

Why it works:: Citicoline (CDP-choline) supplies choline for acetylcholine synthesis and cytidine for uridine-mediated membrane phospholipid repair — the structural substrate that any genuine neuro-repair process would draw on. While Cerebrolysin claims to deliver the growth signal, citicoline supplies the building material. Different layers — signal versus substrate — rather than the same lever twice. Citicoline also has its own modest independent acute-stroke trial literature, making this the most credible pairing in terms of both agents having some independent study.
The protocol:: Cerebrolysin 10–30 mL/day IV on the clinical course schedule; citicoline 500–1000 mg/day orally (with breakfast), running continuously including on off-days between Cerebrolysin courses. The oral citicoline can continue as a standalone between courses.
Outcome:: Commonly combined in clinical neuro-rehab settings in countries where both are available. Used for stroke recovery, TBI support, and cognitive-maintenance goals. Citicoline's own evidence is limited, so this remains adjunct-on-adjunct, honestly framed.

Cerebrolysin + BPC-157

Extending the neurotrophic support into systemic tissue-repair — a complementary mechanism outside the CNS.

Why it works:: BPC-157 is a synthetic pentadecapeptide studied for its angiogenic and tissue-repair activity — it promotes new blood vessel formation and accelerates healing in gut, tendon, and brain-vascular tissue in animal models. Its proposed angiogenic mechanism (growing new blood supply to ischemic or healing areas) is complementary to the neuroprotective/neurotrophic framing of Cerebrolysin — different target processes, not the same signal. BPC-157 is subcutaneously injectable, so again there is no IV-line interaction.
The protocol:: Cerebrolysin 10–30 mL/day IV on the clinical course schedule; BPC-157 250–500 mcg/day subcutaneously (abdomen, rotated sites), run as a separate injection independent of the IV session. BPC-157 can run throughout and between Cerebrolysin courses.
Outcome:: Reached for in TBI recovery and post-stroke contexts where vascular-tissue repair and neuroprotection are both goals. Honesty note: BPC-157's evidence is also largely animal; combining two agents without human trial data multiplies uncertainty, not validation.

Reconstitution math

Reconstitution calculator

Calculated for a 1 mL U-100 insulin syringe (100 units/mL).

Peptide per vial

BAC water added

Desired dose

Units per dose

Draw to this mark on a U-100 syringe

Volume per dose: 0.2 mL
Doses per vial: 10
Concentration: 5 mg/mL

One vial lasts

Daily: 10 days
Every other day: 20 days
5×/week: 14 days

Research use only. Not for human consumption. Outputs are reference values based on research literature — verify all measurements independently.

From the studies

Side effects from research

The single most important safety statement comes from the independent 2023 Cochrane stroke review: it found a probable increase in non-fatal serious adverse events with Cerebrolysin (moderate-certainty), most pronounced at the 30 mL / 10-day schedule, although it did not find an increase in fatal events or overall death. This matters because it cuts against the "well-tolerated" framing in manufacturer literature.

The 2019 Cochrane vascular-dementia review, by contrast, found no meaningful difference in adverse-event rates versus control among the trials that reported them — but on very-low-quality evidence. Commonly reported effects at the label level include infusion-related dizziness, headache, sweating, a sensation of heat or flushing, and mild agitation, with rare hypersensitivity reactions; these are lower-confidence, secondary-source descriptions.

The honest summary: in manufacturer literature Cerebrolysin is described as well-tolerated, but the independent evidence flags a real non-fatal serious-adverse-event signal in stroke. It should not be presented as uniformly benign, and — given that independent reviews do not establish that it works — the risk side carries proportionally more weight.

Sources:PMID 37818733 PMID 31710397

As reported in literature

Research dosing ranges

These are the doses tested in the published trials, shown separately so the trial evidence is never mistaken for a recommended regimen. The decisive sources for Cerebrolysin are the independent Cochrane systematic reviews, which pool the trials and reach far more cautious conclusions than the individual manufacturer-sponsored studies. All dosing was intravenous, under medical supervision.

Dose	Route	Model	Outcome	Sources:
Pooled across trials	IV	Cochrane review — acute ischaemic stroke (7 RCTs, 1,773 pts)	No benefit on death (moderate-certainty) AND a probable INCREASE in non-fatal serious adverse events; benefit 'not supported by reliable evidence'	PMID 37818733
Pooled across trials	IV	Cochrane review — vascular dementia (6 RCTs, 597 pts)	Signal toward cognition/global benefit but only VERY-LOW-quality, high-risk-of-bias evidence; all studies industry-supported	PMID 31710397
30 mL/day × 10 days	IV	Human RCT — CASTA, acute ischaemic stroke (n=1,070)	NULL — no significant difference vs placebo on the primary global endpoint; only an exploratory trend in the most severe strokes	PMID 22282884
30 mL/day × 21 days	IV	Human RCT — CARS, stroke recovery (n=205, manufacturer-sponsored)	Positive on a motor-recovery endpoint (ARAT) at day 90 — contrast with the null CASTA and the cautious Cochrane verdict	PMID 26564102
30 mL/day, 5 d/wk × 4 wk	IV	Human RCT — Alzheimer's disease (n=192)	Significant global-impression benefit at week 12 (manufacturer-linked study group)	PMID 12111446

Quick answers

Frequently asked

Is Cerebrolysin FDA-approved?

No. Cerebrolysin is not approved by the US FDA and has no central European (EMA) approval, so in the US it is unapproved and investigational. It is approved and marketed in more than 50 other countries, including Russia, China, South Korea and much of Eastern Europe and Latin America.

Does it actually work?

The independent evidence does not establish that it does. The Cochrane stroke review found no benefit on survival and a probable increase in serious side effects; the Cochrane vascular-dementia review found only very-low-quality evidence; and the largest rigorous stroke trial (CASTA, ~1,070 patients) was negative. Many positive trials were manufacturer-funded.

What is it actually made of?

It is a standardized mixture of low-molecular-weight peptides (≤10 kDa) and free amino acids, produced by enzymatically digesting purified, lipid-free pig (porcine) brain protein. Because it is a mixture and not a single molecule, it has no single chemical formula, sequence or PubChem ID.

How is it taken?

By a medical professional, as an intravenous infusion (diluted into saline and infused slowly over ~60 minutes) or intramuscular injection for smaller doses. It is not an oral product and is not reconstituted from a powder — it ships as a ready-made solution in ampoules. It is given in defined courses of 10–21 consecutive days, not as a continuous daily supplement.

Is it safe?

Manufacturer literature describes it as well-tolerated, but the independent 2023 Cochrane stroke review found a probable increase in non-fatal serious adverse events, most pronounced at the higher 30 mL / 10-day schedule. It should not be assumed uniformly benign, especially since the same reviews do not establish a clear benefit.

Is Cerebrolysin banned in sport?

It is not individually named on the 2026 WADA Prohibited List. Because it is marketed as containing growth-factor-like fragments, its status is genuinely uncertain rather than clearly permitted — an athlete should treat it as a risk and seek a ruling from their anti-doping authority rather than assume it is allowed.

Primary sources

References

PMID 37818733Ziganshina et al., Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2023 — Cerebrolysin for acute ischaemic stroke (7 RCTs, 1,773 pts)
PMID 31710397Cui et al., Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2019 — Cerebrolysin for vascular dementia (6 RCTs, 597 pts)
PMID 22282884Heiss et al., Stroke 2012 — CASTA, Cerebrolysin in acute ischaemic stroke (n=1,070, null primary endpoint)
PMID 26564102Muresanu et al., Stroke 2016 — CARS, Cerebrolysin and Recovery After Stroke (n=205)
PMID 12111446Panisset et al., J Neural Transm 2002 — Cerebrolysin in Alzheimer's disease (n=192)
PMID 8334017Protective effect of FPF-1070 (Cerebrolysin) on delayed neuronal death in the gerbil (animal mechanism study)
PMID 38737662Seidl & Aigner, J Med Life 2024 — composition/biological activity of Cerebrolysin (manufacturer-favorable)
WADA 2026WADA 2026 Prohibited List (Cerebrolysin not individually named; status by inference)

Research use only · Not medical advice · Updated 2026-06-01