Phenylpiracetam

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the alternative names for phenylpiracetam?

Phenylpiracetam is also known as fonturacetam, carphedon (or carphedon), phenotropil, and 4-phenylpiracetam. It was developed in the Soviet Union in the 1980s and approved in Russia under the brand name Phenotropil. All of these names refer to the same compound — (R,S)-2-(2-oxo-4-phenylpyrrolidin-1-yl)acetamide — which is structurally piracetam with an added phenyl group. The phenyl group is responsible for the compound's stimulant-like properties and WADA-banned status in competitive sport.

Is phenylpiracetam hydrazide the same as phenylpiracetam?

No. Phenylpiracetam hydrazide (also called fonturacetam hydrazide) is a structural analog with an amide group replaced by a hydrazide group. Anecdotal research reports suggest a somewhat different effect profile — often described as smoother or more sustained — but there is very little published pharmacology specifically on the hydrazide variant. If a vendor lists phenylpiracetam hydrazide, expect a chemically distinct compound with its own research profile, not a drop-in substitute.

Does Nootropics Depot sell phenylpiracetam?

Not anymore. Following the 2023-2024 DOJ prosecution of Centera Bioscience, Nootropics Depot pivoted away from racetams and research chemicals toward botanicals, mushrooms, and vitamins. Phenylpiracetam is now only available through research-chemical suppliers and some grey-market vendors. The vendors pinned at the top of this page are the current sources we track for phenylpiracetam — all list it for research reference use, not human consumption.

Are phenylpiracetam capsules or tablets preferred for research?

Both formats are available from research-chemical suppliers. Tablets (common in the legacy Russian Phenotropil product at 100 mg) allow precise reference dosing without measurement. Capsules are more common from US and EU research suppliers. Powder is the cheapest format but requires a milligram scale, which matters less at the 100-200 mg reference range than at microgram-scale compounds. The sale format does not affect pharmacology — only handling convenience.

What doses appear in phenylpiracetam research reports?

Russian clinical studies used 100-200 mg one to three times daily, most commonly 100 mg twice daily for 28-day courses. Aggregated community research reports converge on 100-200 mg per dose as the typical reference range. Tolerance develops quickly with daily use, and the consensus in the research community is to limit frequency rather than chase the effect. This page does not recommend self-administration — phenylpiracetam is a research chemical not approved for human consumption in the US.

Where is phenylpiracetam sourced for research?

Phenylpiracetam is sold as powder, capsules, or tablets by research-chemical vendors including Cosmic Nootropic (the legacy Phenotropil brand, imported from Russia), RCD Bio (tablets and powder), and others. Third-party HPLC Certificates of Analysis are recommended given the prevalence of underdosed or misidentified racetam products in the grey market. See the pinned vendors section above for current sources.