Coluracetam Reference

Plain English

What it is

Coluracetam (also called BCI-540) is a lab-made compound in the racetam family. Drug companies first tested it for Alzheimer's and later for depression, but it was never approved by the FDA and the research program was stopped. In the US it is not a lawful dietary supplement and is offered as a 'research chemical' labeled not for human use.

What people use it for

In the nootropic community people take it hoping to sharpen memory and to boost vision or color, sometimes described as an 'HD' visual effect. None of these uses are approved, and they come mostly from personal stories rather than solid studies.

What the science shows

Scientists are interested in how it affects choline, a building block the brain uses to make a signaling chemical (acetylcholine). The human evidence is thin and early-stage: a mid-stage depression trial never led to an approved medicine and development was discontinued. The reported color and vision effects are anecdotal, not proven.

The catch

It is not FDA-approved and cannot be legally prescribed or sold as a supplement in the US. The cognitive and visual benefits people describe are unproven, and its safety and benefit in people have not been established.

Reference summary

Phase 2a in MDD with comorbid generalized anxiety disorder did not meet primary endpoints; the drug development was discontinued. Mechanistic interest in high-affinity choline uptake (HACU).

Regulatory and posture

Categories

Nootropic, Cognitive

Aliases

BCI-540, MKC-231

Evidence posture

preclinical - Not FDA-approved. Discontinued from clinical development after Phase 2a did not meet endpoints. Community nootropic framing is extrapolation from preclinical HACU mechanism.

Regulatory status

No FDA-approved coluracetam drug label. Originally developed by Mitsubishi Tanabe / BrainCells for major depressive disorder; the program was discontinued.

Content review status

research reference