Cerebroprotein hydrolysate (Cerebrolysin) is a prescription mixture of small protein fragments from pig brain, given by repeated infusion or injection for stroke, head injury and dementia. In these conditions, studies point to small improvements in thinking and early recovery, but large trials also came up empty and most studies involved the manufacturer. Healthy aging brains remain essentially untested. Side effects are mostly mild; rare severe allergic reactions occur. (Full Review)

Protocol

Product label regimen

5–30 mL daily for 10–20 days

Mild organic (brain-damage-related) and dementia syndromes; courses repeated while improving, with a break equal to course length

Dementia trial regimen

10 mL intravenously, five days weekly for four weeks

Then twice weekly; only 10 mL significantly improved cognition versus placebo

Routes

Intramuscular, intravenous or diluted infusion

Up to 5 mL intramuscularly, up to 10 mL undiluted intravenously, 10 to 50 mL as a diluted infusion

Time to effect

Global function (dementia)

4 weeks

Global changes after four weeks of infusions in dementia trials

Arm function (stroke)

90 days

Arm-function gains measured at 90 days in a stroke trial

Attention (healthy adults)

By 90 days

Healthy-adult attention changes with the oral derivative N-PEP-12 (indirect evidence)

Benefits

Medium: Thinking, memory and global function; neurological and motor recovery after ischemic stroke; recovery after traumatic brain injury; fewer bleeding complications after clot-dissolving stroke therapy; lower death rate after subarachnoid hemorrhage

Speculative: Slowing brain aging processes; less Alzheimer-type brain pathology

Contraindications

Hypersensitivity to any component of the drug

Epilepsy (especially grand mal seizures)

Severe renal impairment (eGFR, a calculated kidney-function measure, below 30 mL/min/1.73 m²)

Pregnancy or breastfeeding (except after careful risk-benefit assessment)

Key Interactions

Antidepressants (sertraline, escitalopram, amitriptyline): caution

MAO inhibitors (phenelzine, tranylcypromine, selegiline): caution

Balanced amino-acid infusion solutions (intravenous nutrition mixtures): do not mix in one infusion

Vitamins and cardiovascular drugs (e.g., metoprolol, amiodarone): not mixed in the same syringe

Serotonergic (serotonin-raising) supplements (St. John's wort, 5-hydroxytryptophan, S-adenosylmethionine): caution (theoretical)

Additive nootropic (cognition-enhancing) supplements and peptides (citicoline, Lion's Mane, Semax): monitor (theoretical)

Risk & Side Effects

Medium: Blood pressure lowering at high doses; seizure provocation

Low: Transient infusion reactions and mood changes; non-fatal serious adverse events; severe allergic reactions

Speculative: Contamination and infection with unregulated products; animal-tissue pathogen transmission

Monitoring

Marker	Target	Why
Serum creatinine	0.7–1.3 mg/dL in men, 0.6–1.1 mg/dL in women	Safety check: severe renal impairment stops use
Blood pressure	No established target; change from the pre-infusion reading	Safety check: falls occurred at 50 mL in volunteers
MoCA (Montreal Cognitive Assessment) score	No established target; change from the individual's own baseline	Cognition improved in dementia trials
Serum IGF-1 (insulin-like growth factor 1)	Age- and sex-specific laboratory range	Rose in Alzheimer's patients on treatment

Cadence: Baseline before starting; blood pressure before and after each infusion; mood and sleep daily during each course and for two days after; cognitive test at the end of each course and again 3 months later; creatinine before each new course or every 6 to 12 months

Qualitative Assessment

Mood stability, especially one to two days after each course
Sleep quality and sleep onset during courses
Mental clarity, word-finding and everyday memory
Agitation, restlessness or irritability
Injection-site comfort and any allergic symptoms

Cerebroprotein Hydrolysate for Health & Longevity

Protocol

Benefits

Risk & Side Effects

Monitoring

Qualitative Assessment