Vinpocetine - Monograph

Alternative Medicine Review,  June, 2002  

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Degenerative Senile Cerebral Dysfunction

A meta-analysis of six randomized, controlled trials involving 731 patients with degenerative senile cerebral dysfunction showed that vinpocetine was highly effective in the treatment of senile cerebral dysfunction. Using several psychometric testing scales in addition to physical symptoms (speech and movement capacity, muscular coordination and strength, sensory-perceptual ability) the researchers were able to show a highly significant effect of vinpocetine on both cognitive and motor functions. (22)

Alzheimer's Disease

Although evidence has been limited to one small study, the results suggest that vinpocetine supplementation may not be effective as a therapy for Alzheimer's disease. A double-blind, placebo-controlled study of vinpocetine in 15 Alzheimer patients, treated with increasing doses of vinpocetine (30, 45, ,and 60 mg per day) in an open-label pilot trial during a one-year period, resulted in no improvement. (23)

Tinnitus/ Meniere's Disease/Visual Impairment

Vinpocetine has been used in the treatment of acoustic trauma with subsequent healing loss and tinnitus. (24) Disappearance of tinnitus occurred in 50 percent of those who started vinpocetine within one week of the trauma. Regardless of the time since the incident, 79 percent of patients had improved hearing and 66 percent had a significant decrease in the severity of the tinnitus.

Vinpocetine has also been found to be effective in treating Meniere's disease and in visual impairment secondary to arteriosclerosis. (25,26)

Drug Interactions

Because vinpocetine decreases platelet aggregation it should be avoided in patients on blood thinning medications.

Safety/Toxicity

Some studies have noted flushing, rashes, or minor gastrointestinal problems in some subjects; however, these side effects did not warrant discontinuation of the medication. (22)

In one study no significant side effects were reported, even in larger doses of 20 mg three times daily. (23)

Dosage

All of the above studies used either 10 mg vinpocetine 3 times daily orally or i.v. vinpocetine. Patients with chronic cerebrovascular disorders that were included in the meta-analysis (22) had been on an oral dosage of 10 mg three times daily.

References

(1.) Lorinez C, Szasz K, Kisfaludy L. The synthesis of ethyl apovincaminate. Arzneimittelforschung 1976;26:1907.

(2.) Bereczki D, Fekete I. A systematic review of vinpocetine therapy in acute ischaemic stroke. Eur J Clin Pharmacol 1999;55:349-352.

(3.) Miskolczi P, Korma K, Polgar M, Vereczkey L. Pharmacokinetics of vinpocetine and its main metabolite apovincaminic acid before and after the chronic oral administration of vinpocetine to humans. Eur J Drug Metab Pharmacokinet 1990;15:1-5.

(4.) Lohmann A Dingier E, Sommer W, et al. Bioavailability of vinpocetine and interference of the lime of application with food intake. Arzneimittelforschung 1992;42:914-917.

(5.) Polgar M, Vereczkey 1, Nyary I. Pharmacokinetics of vinpocetine and its metabolite, apovincaminic acid, in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid after intravenous infusion. J Pharm Biomed Anal 1985;3:131-139.