--- title: "Galantamine: Research & Evidence | BodyHackGuide" url: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/galantamine description: "Galantamine: mechanism, clinical studies & side effects." lang: en --- Skip to content Compare notes on r/BodyHackGuide (https://reddit.com/r/bodyhackguide) Compare notes with other researchers. Join r/BodyHackGuide (https://reddit.com/r/bodyhackguide) Image: Galantamine molecular structure (https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/rest/pug/compound/cid/9651/PNG?image_size=300x300) # Galantamine Pharmaceutical (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/wiki#cat-pharmaceutical)Approved drug (Phase 3 trials completed) Also known as: Galanthamine, (-)-Galantamine, Galantamine hydrobromide, Lycoremine, Razadyne, Razadyne ER, Reminyl, Nivalin Galantamine is an alkaloid first isolated from snowdrop plants that blocks the enzyme acetylcholinesterase, and it has been an FDA-approved prescription drug for mild to moderate dementia of the Alzheimer's type since 2001 (PMID: 29669164, PMID: 15137996; Drugs@FDA NDA 021169). Galantamine is also sold online in products labeled as dietary supplements, and a 2024 analysis found that 9 of 10 such supplements were more than 10 percent off their labeled galantamine content, while all 11 generic prescription products tested were within 10 percent (PMID: 38393714). Price check No vendor listings yet We do not track a vendor for Galantamine yet. Compare other compounds: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compare Half-life: About 7 hours (terminal half-life in the US prescribing infor… Route: Oral, Intravenous MW: 287.35 g/mol CAS: 357-70-0 Last reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 ## Overview ### At A Glance Mechanism Acetylcholinesterase inhibition… Half-Life About 7 hours (terminal half-life in the US prescribing information); a mean of 5.68 hours (95% confidence interval 5.17 to 6.25 hours) in a 1991 study of 8 healthy men (PMID: 1914378). Routes Oral Intravenous Potential Benefits ADAS-cog cognition scores at six months in mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease, across 6 trials in a 2024 Cochrane review (PMID: 39498781) Global change ratings (CIBIC-plus) in Alzheimer's disease trials (PMID: 10881250, PMID: 11110737) Lower 2-year mortality than placebo in a 2,045-patient Alzheimer's disease trial (PMID: 24591834) Cognition in vascular dementia and Alzheimer's disease with cerebrovascular disease (PMID: 11965273, PMID: 17664404) Severe Impairment Battery scores in severe Alzheimer's disease (PMID: 19042161) Frequency of lucid dreams in a 121-person crossover study (PMID: 30089135) Safety Notes Common Nausea Vomiting Diarrhea Dizziness Headache Decreased appetite Serious Slow heart rate and heart block Fainting (syncope) Serious skin reactions (Stevens-Johnson syndrome, AGEP) Seizures ### Mechanism of Action ### Acetylcholinesterase inhibition Galantamine is a reversible, competitive inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase (cholinesterase inhibition), the enzyme that breaks down the neurotransmitter acetylcholine (PMID: 10881250). The US prescribing information for galantamine states that its effect in Alzheimer's disease is thought to come from raising acetylcholine levels where cholinergic neurons have degenerated, that the effect may lessen as fewer of those neurons remain, and that there is no evidence it alters the course of the underlying disease. In 8 healthy men, a 10 mg intravenous dose inhibited red blood cell acetylcholinesterase by a median maximum of 53 percent, and inhibition tracked blood levels of the drug (PMID: 1914378). ### Nicotinic receptor modulation, a disputed second mechanism A group at the University of Mainz (Alfred Maelicke) with Edson Albuquerque reported that galantamine enhances responses of several human nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subtypes at 0.1 to 1 micromolar, acting at a separate site (allosteric potentiating ligand), and blocks them above 10 micromolar, in engineered cell lines; donepezil and rivastigmine lacked this effect, and the authors proposed it as galantamine's main therapeutic action (PMID: 12649296). A 2018 study from the University of Sydney found no direct activation and no positive modulation of human alpha4beta2 or alpha7 nicotinic receptors from 10 nanomolar to 1 micromolar, only channel block at 10 micromolar and above, and concluded that galantamine is not a positive allosteric modulator of these receptors (PMID: 29669164). In 15 people with mild Alzheimer's disease, cognition improved after 12 weeks of open-label galantamine, but brain nicotinic receptor binding measured by PET did not change and did not track the improvement (PMID: 18949462). ### Where galantamine comes from Galantamine occurs in several plants of the amaryllis family, including snowdrops (Galanthus), daffodils (Narcissus) and snowflakes (Leucojum) (PMID: 15137996). Galantamine was originally isolated from the green snowdrop Galanthus woronowii (PMID: 29669164). Early work by Soviet and Bulgarian scientists preceded its use in Eastern Europe, especially Bulgaria, for poliomyelitis, before its later introduction in Western markets for Alzheimer's disease (PMID: 15137996, PMID: 33502637). ### Pharmacokinetics Galantamine is about 90 percent bioavailable by mouth, has linear pharmacokinetics and low protein binding, and is metabolized mainly by the liver enzymes CYP2D6 and CYP3A4 (PMID: 14674789). A 1991 study in 8 healthy men measured complete oral bioavailability and a mean terminal half-life of 5.68 hours (PMID: 1914378); the US prescribing information for galantamine gives a terminal half-life of about 7 hours. ### Overview Galantamine is an alkaloid first isolated from snowdrop plants that blocks the enzyme acetylcholinesterase, and it has been an FDA-approved prescription drug for mild to moderate dementia of the Alzheimer's type since 2001 (PMID: 29669164, PMID: 15137996; Drugs@FDA NDA 021169). Galantamine is also sold online in products labeled as dietary supplements, and a 2024 analysis found that 9 of 10 such supplements were more than 10 percent off their labeled galantamine content, while all 11 generic prescription products tested were within 10 percent (PMID: 38393714). In Alzheimer's disease trials, galantamine slowed cognitive decline over six months compared with placebo, but in two 2-year trials in mild cognitive impairment it did not delay dementia and recorded mortality was higher than with placebo (PMID: 39498781, PMID: 18322263). A 2018 placebo-controlled crossover study in 121 people reported that galantamine taken during a planned night awakening raised the share reporting a lucid dream from 14 percent to 42 percent at the higher dose tested (PMID: 30089135). ### Potential Research Fields Alzheimer's disease Vascular dementia Mild cognitive impairment Cholinergic pharmacology Nicotinic receptor pharmacology Sleep and dreaming Natural products ## Chemical Information IUPAC Name Not yet available CAS Number 357-70-0 Molecular Formula C17H21NO3 Molecular Mass 287.35 g/mol View on PubChem: https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/9651 ## Dosing & Protocols ### Unlock the Dosing tab Enter your email to keep reading. It is free, and it opens these tabs on every compound page in this browser. - Route You also get the free peptide cheat sheet by email. Unsubscribe anytime. Have an account? Sign in (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/auth) ## Research ### Unlock the research summary - A summary of the key research - Safety and side effects - A link to the PubMed results ## Interactions ### Interaction Matrix ### Contraindications **Hypersensitivity.** Galantamine is contraindicated in people with known hypersensitivity to galantamine hydrobromide or the product's excipients (US prescribing information for galantamine). **Heart conduction problems.** The label treats all patients as at risk of slowed heart rate and heart block, and in galantamine trials fainting rose with dose, from 0.7 percent on placebo to 2.2 percent at 12 mg twice daily (US prescribing information for galantamine). A 2023 meta-analysis of randomized trials of donepezil, galantamine and rivastigmine found a risk of fainting 1.5 times that with placebo (PMID: 37993407). **Ulcer risk, asthma or obstructive lung disease, seizures and bladder outflow obstruction.** These are labeled cautions based on galantamine's cholinergic action (US prescribing information for galantamine). **Liver and kidney impairment.** Clearance fell by about 25 percent in moderate liver impairment, exposure rose by 37 and 67 percent in moderate and severe kidney impairment, and the label does not recommend use in severe liver impairment or with creatinine clearance below 9 mL/min (US prescribing information for galantamine). **Mild cognitive impairment.** The 2024 Cochrane review found low-certainty evidence that galantamine may not improve cognition or daily activities in mild cognitive impairment, and no evidence to support its use there (PMID: 39498781). **Pregnancy.** No adequate human data; animal studies showed developmental toxicity (US prescribing information for galantamine). Research Disclaimer This interaction data is compiled from published research and community reports. It may not be exhaustive. Always consult a healthcare professional before combining compounds. No listings found for Galantamine. ### Sign in to leave a review Reviews on BodyHackGuide are tied to verified user accounts and moderated before publishing. Sign in (free, no spam) to share your experience with Galantamine. ### Related Compounds View All (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/wiki) ### Albuterol (salbutamol) Pharmaceutical FDA Approved Albuterol, called salbutamol outside the United States, is a beta-2 adrenergic agonist and a standard asthma medicine worldwide. t½ Mean terminal half-life 3.8 hours after intravenous administration in 16 healthy adult men, with absolute oral bioavailability of 44 percent and plasma peaks one to three hours after oral administration (PMID: 3653233) Preclinical View Profile https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/albuterol ### Clascoterone Pharmaceutical Preclinical Clascoterone (brand name Winlevi; development codes CB-03-01 and, for the alopecia formulation, Breezula) is a first-in-class topical androgen receptor (AR) antagonist approved by the U.S. 1,188 PubMed View Profile https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/clascoterone ### Finasteride Pharmaceutical Preclinical Finasteride is an orally-active selective type II 5α-reductase inhibitor that blocks the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT), the primary androgenic driver of both benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and androgenetic alopecia (male-pattern hair loss). Preclinical View Profile https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/finasteride ### Meldonium Pharmaceutical Approved (Latvia) Meldonium, sold as Mildronate, was developed at the Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis (PMID: 12242052) and is a licensed cardiovascular medicine in Latvia and a number of eastern European and post-Soviet countries. t½ Not a single simple value: in 32 healthy athlete volunteers taking oral meldonium for three weeks, plasma took several days to reach steady state and urinary elimination continued for several months after the last dose, because tissue clearance depends on slow diffusion rather than transport (PMID: 30328291) Preclinical View Profile https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/meldonium ### Mirabegron Pharmaceutical FDA Approved Mirabegron is an approved prescription drug, not a research chemical. t½ Terminal half-life about 32 hours in one phase 1 multiple-dose study and about 60 hours in a second, with plasma peaks at three to five hours and steady state within seven days in healthy young and elderly adults (PMID: 23063375) Preclinical View Profile https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/mirabegron ### Tropisetron Pharmaceutical Approved (Japan) Tropisetron, coded ICS 205-930 during development and marketed as Navoban, is a serotonin 5-HT3 receptor antagonist approved as an antiemetic in Japan and in many other countries outside the United States, with ATC code A04AA03 (KEGG DRUG D02041, D02130). t½ About 5.7 h after a single 5 mg oral capsule and 5.6 h after 2 mg intravenously in 18 healthy volunteers; oral bioavailability averaged 0.60 with a range of 0.27 to 0.99 and was inversely related to CYP2D6 activity (PMID: 11736884) Preclinical View Profile https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/tropisetron View Full Dosage Guide → Protocols, calculator & safety for Galantamine https://www.bodyhackguide.co/guides/dosage/galantamine ### Price check No vendor listings yet See the vendor scorecard (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/vendors/scorecard) ### Research Score 45 0 PubMed results ### Quality Indicators Data Completeness 63% Description Mechanism of Action Chemical Data Dosing Protocols Safety Profile PubMed Results Interactions Vendor Listings ### Quick Facts Half-Life Molecular Weight 287.35 g/mol Administration Oral, Intravenous CAS Number 357-70-0 Trial Phase Approved drug (Phase 3 trials completed) ### Safety Profile Common Side Effects - • Nausea - • Vomiting - • Diarrhea - • Dizziness - • Headache - • Decreased appetite Research Disclaimer This information is for educational and research purposes only. Not intended as medical advice. Consult a healthcare professional before use. ## Frequently Asked Questions What is galantamine? Galantamine is an alkaloid from snowdrop and other amaryllis-family plants that inhibits acetylcholinesterase, the enzyme that breaks down acetylcholine (PMID: 15137996, PMID: 10881250). Galantamine has been an FDA-approved prescription drug for mild to moderate dementia of the Alzheimer's type since 2001 (Drugs@FDA NDA 021169). Is galantamine a prescription drug or a supplement? Galantamine hydrobromide tablets, extended-release capsules and oral solution are prescription drugs in the US, sold today as generics, and a galantamine prodrug called benzgalantamine was approved in 2024 (Drugs@FDA NDA 021169, NDA 218549). Galantamine is also sold online in products labeled as dietary supplements, which are not FDA-approved drugs (PMID: 38393714). In a 2024 analysis, 9 of 10 galantamine supplements were more than 10 percent off their labeled galantamine content and 3 contained Bacillus cereus, while all 11 generic galantamine products were accurately labeled (PMID: 38393714). How well does galantamine work for Alzheimer's disease? In a 2024 Cochrane review of 21 trials, galantamine at 16 to 24 mg a day improved ADAS-cog cognition scores by about 2.9 points against placebo at six months in mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease (PMID: 39498781). In the 2024 Cochrane review, galantamine modestly improved daily function and behavior in Alzheimer's disease and caused nausea in 20.9 percent of patients against 8.4 percent on placebo (PMID: 39498781). The US label states there is no evidence that galantamine alters the course of the underlying disease (US prescribing information for galantamine). Why did more people die on galantamine in the mild cognitive impairment trials? In two 2-year galantamine trials in mild cognitive impairment, 13 of 1,026 people on galantamine and 1 of 1,022 on placebo died, a statistically significant difference, and about half of the galantamine deaths were from vascular causes such as heart attack, stroke and sudden death (US prescribing information for galantamine). The galantamine label calls the mortality difference in the two mild cognitive impairment trials highly discrepant with other galantamine trials, because their placebo death rate (0.7 per 1,000 person-years) was far below the 22 to 61 per 1,000 person-years seen with placebo in Alzheimer's disease and other dementia trials (US prescribing information for galantamine). A post hoc analysis by the galantamine trial authors was consistent with no increased risk (PMID: 18322263). In Alzheimer's disease, galantamine trials recorded fewer deaths than placebo, including a hazard ratio of 0.58 over 2 years (PMID: 24591834, PMID: 39498781). Does galantamine cause lucid dreams? In a 121-person double-blind crossover study, galantamine taken after a planned awakening about 4.5 hours into the night raised the share of people reporting a lucid dream from 14 percent with placebo to 27 percent at 4 mg and 42 percent at 8 mg (PMID: 30089135). The 2018 galantamine lucid dreaming study combined the capsules with at least 30 minutes out of bed and a mental technique for inducing lucid dreams (PMID: 30089135). In the 2018 lucid dreaming study, 14 of 121 participants (12 percent) reported mild side effects on galantamine nights, including stomach upset, insomnia and next-day fatigue, against 4 (3 percent) on placebo nights (PMID: 30089135). A 2022 systematic review named galantamine as a possible lucid dream induction method that needs further replication (PMID: 36408823). What are the main side effects of galantamine? The most common galantamine side effects in trials were nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness, headache and decreased appetite (US prescribing information for galantamine). Galantamine can slow the heart rate and cause heart block, and in galantamine trials fainting rose with dose, from 0.7 percent on placebo to 2.2 percent at 12 mg twice daily (US prescribing information for galantamine). The galantamine label also warns of serious skin reactions, Stevens-Johnson syndrome and acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis (US prescribing information for galantamine). Is galantamine a nicotinic receptor modulator? A 2003 cell study reported that galantamine enhances several human nicotinic receptor subtypes at concentrations of 0.1 to 1 micromolar (PMID: 12649296). A 2018 study found galantamine did not enhance human alpha4beta2 or alpha7 nicotinic receptors at 10 nanomolar to 1 micromolar (PMID: 29669164). A PET study in mild Alzheimer's disease found no change in nicotinic receptor binding after galantamine treatment (PMID: 18949462). ## Research Tools ### Peptide Calculator Reconstitution & syringe units https://www.bodyhackguide.co/tools/reconstitution ### Reconstitution Guide How to mix, step by step https://www.bodyhackguide.co/guides/how-to-reconstitute-peptides ### Nasal Spray Calc mL per actuation https://www.bodyhackguide.co/tools/intranasal ### Half-Life Visualizer Decay curves https://www.bodyhackguide.co/tools/halflife ## You may also like ### Tropisetron Pharmaceutical View product (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/buy/tropisetron) ### CDP-Choline Nootropic View product (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/buy/cdp-choline) ### Aniracetam Nootropics View product (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/buy/aniracetam) ### Dihexa Nootropics View product (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/buy/dihexa) ## Related Compounds ### Albuterol (salbutamol) Pharmaceutical FDA Approved ### Clascoterone Pharmaceutical Preclinical ### Finasteride Pharmaceutical Preclinical ### Meldonium Pharmaceutical Approved (Latvia) ### Mirabegron Pharmaceutical FDA Approved ### Tropisetron Pharmaceutical Approved (Japan) Free 2026 Peptide Cheat Sheet (PDF) 38 compounds and blends: vial sizes, BAC water volumes, dosing ranges and bloodwork markers. Download Free (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/guides/peptide-cheat-sheet-download) ### Need bloodwork before starting? Full hormone + metabolic panels from Anabolic Insights. Code CHONCH for first-order discount. Image: BodyHackGuide (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/assets/bodyhackguide-logo-DOzZNUyh.webp) ### BodyHackGuide Your biohacking research hub: compound pricing, brain health protocols, dosing tools, and vendor reviews. support@bodyhackguide.co Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/Mhq5UdRYBA r/BodyHackGuide on Reddit: https://reddit.com/r/BodyHackGuide #### Explore - Compare prices: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compare - Vendors: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/vendors - Deals: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/deals - Coupons: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/coupons - Nootropics: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/nootropics - Brain health: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/brain-health - Blog: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/blog - Guides: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/guides #### Tools - Reconstitution: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/tools/reconstitution - Half-life visualizer: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/tools/halflife - COA reader: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/tools/coa - Cost calculator: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/tools/cost-calculator - Stack builder: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/stack-builder - All tools: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/tools #### Trust & vendors - Vendor directory: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/vendors - Trust scorecard: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/vendors/scorecard - Vendor trust badge: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/vendors/get-vetted - Scoring methodology: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/vendors/methodology - Peptide cheat sheet: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/guides/peptide-cheat-sheet-download #### Company - About: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/about - Affiliate disclosure: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/affiliate-disclosure - Editorial standards: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/editorial-standards - Creators: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/creators - Coaches: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/coaches - 1-on-1 coaching: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/coaching - Privacy: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/privacy - Terms: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/terms - Full site directory: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/site-directory **Affiliate Disclosure:** We rank every vendor on the same public, reproducible methodology (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/vendors/methodology), and we earn a commission from purchases made through some of our links at no extra cost to you. Full details in our affiliate disclosure (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/affiliate-disclosure). **Research Disclaimer:** All compounds listed are for laboratory and research purposes only. Not for human consumption. This site does not sell or ship any products. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional and comply with local regulations. © 2026 BodyHackGuide. All rights reserved. · Terms (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/terms) · Privacy (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/privacy) ## Structured data ```json [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://www.bodyhackguide.co/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Compounds", "item": "https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compare" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Galantamine" } ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "MedicalWebPage", "name": "Galantamine", "description": "Galantamine is an alkaloid first isolated from snowdrop plants that blocks the enzyme acetylcholinesterase, and it has been an FDA-approved prescription drug for mild to moderate dementia of the Alzheimer's type since 2001 (PMID: 29669164, PMID: 15137996; Drugs@FDA NDA 021169). Galantamine is also sold online in products labeled as dietary supplements, and a 2024 analysis found that 9 of 10 such supplements were more than 10 percent off their labeled galantamine content, while all 11 generic prescription products tested were within 10 percent (PMID: 38393714). In Alzheimer's disease trials, galantamine slowed cognitive decline over six months compared with placebo, but in two 2-year trials in mild cognitive impairment it did not delay dementia and recorded mortality was higher than with placebo (PMID: 39498781, PMID: 18322263). A 2018 placebo-controlled crossover study in 121 people reported that galantamine taken during a planned night awakening raised the share reporting a lucid dream from 14 percent to 42 percent at the higher dose tested (PMID: 30089135).", "lastReviewed": "2026-10-21T06:28:04.157Z", "url": "https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/galantamine", "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "BioChonch", "url": "https://www.bodyhackguide.co/about", "jobTitle": "Founder & Lead Researcher", "sameAs": [ "https://reddit.com/r/BodyHackGuide", "https://reddit.com/r/BrainHackGuide", "https://reddit.com/r/Biohackingher" ], "worksFor": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "BodyHackGuide", "url": "https://www.bodyhackguide.co" } }, "reviewedBy": { "@type": "Person", "name": "BioChonch", "url": "https://www.bodyhackguide.co/about", "jobTitle": "Founder & Lead Researcher", "sameAs": [ "https://reddit.com/r/BodyHackGuide", "https://reddit.com/r/BrainHackGuide", "https://reddit.com/r/Biohackingher" ], "worksFor": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "BodyHackGuide", "url": "https://www.bodyhackguide.co" } }, "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "BodyHackGuide", "url": "https://www.bodyhackguide.co" }, "mainContentOfPage": { "@type": "WebPageElement", "cssSelector": "main" }, "about": { "@type": "Drug", "name": "Galantamine", "alternateName": [ "Galanthamine", "(-)-Galantamine", "Galantamine hydrobromide", "Lycoremine", "Razadyne", "Razadyne ER", "Reminyl", "Nivalin" ], "description": "Galantamine is an alkaloid first isolated from snowdrop plants that blocks the enzyme acetylcholinesterase, and it has been an FDA-approved prescription drug for mild to moderate dementia of the Alzheimer's type since 2001 (PMID: 29669164, PMID: 15137996; Drugs@FDA NDA 021169). Galantamine is also sold online in products labeled as dietary supplements, and a 2024 analysis found that 9 of 10 such supplements were more than 10 percent off their labeled galantamine content, while all 11 generic prescription products tested were within 10 percent (PMID: 38393714). In Alzheimer's disease trials, galantamine slowed cognitive decline over six months compared with placebo, but in two 2-year trials in mild cognitive impairment it did not delay dementia and recorded mortality was higher than with placebo (PMID: 39498781, PMID: 18322263). A 2018 placebo-controlled crossover study in 121 people reported that galantamine taken during a planned night awakening raised the share reporting a lucid dream from 14 percent to 42 percent at the higher dose tested (PMID: 30089135).", "activeIngredient": "Galantamine", "administrationRoute": "Oral, Intravenous", "mechanismOfAction": "Acetylcholinesterase inhibition Galantamine is a reversible, competitive inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase (cholinesterase inhibition), the enzyme that breaks down the neurotransmitter acetylcholine (PMID: 10881250). The US prescribing information for galantamine states that its effect in Alzheimer's disease is thought to come from raising acetylcholine levels where cholinergic neurons have degenerated, that the effect may lessen as fewer of those neurons remain, and that there is no evidence it alters the course of the underlying disease. In 8 healthy men, a 10 mg intravenous dose inhibited red blood cell acetylcholinesterase by a median maximum of 53 percent, and inhibition tracked blood levels of the drug (PMID: 1914378). Nicotinic receptor modulation, a disputed second mechanism A group at the University of Mainz (Alfred Maelicke) with Edson Albuquerque reported that galantamine enhances responses of several human nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subtypes at 0.1 to 1 micromolar, acting at a separate site (allosteric potentiating ligand), and blocks them above 10 micromolar, in engineered cell lines; donepezil and rivastigmine lacked this effect, and the authors proposed it as galantamine's main therapeutic action (PMID: 12649296). A 2018 study from the University of Sydney found no direct activation and no positive modulation of human alpha4beta2 or alpha7 nicotinic receptors from 10 nanomolar to 1 micromolar, only channel block at 10 micromolar and above, and concluded that galantamine is not a positive allosteric modulator of these receptors (PMID: 29669164). In 15 people with mild Alzheimer's disease, cognition improved after 12 weeks of open-label galantamine, but brain nicotinic receptor binding measured by PET did not change and did not track the improvement (PMID: 18949462). Where galantamine comes from Galantamine occurs in several plants of the amaryllis family, including snowdrops (Galanthus), daffodils (Narcissus) and snowflakes (Leucojum) (PMID: 15137996). Galantamine was originally isolated from the green snowdrop Galanthus woronowii (PMID: 29669164). Early work by Soviet and Bulgarian scientists preceded its use in Eastern Europe, especially Bulgaria, for poliomyelitis, before its later introduction in Western markets for Alzheimer's disease (PMID: 15137996, PMID: 33502637). Pharmacokinetics Galantamine is about 90 percent bioavailable by mouth, has linear pharmacokinetics and low protein binding, and is metabolized mainly by the liver enzymes CYP2D6 and CYP3A4 (PMID: 14674789). A 1991 study in 8 healthy men measured complete oral bioavailability and a mean terminal half-life of 5.68 hours (PMID: 1914378); the US prescribing information for galantamine gives a terminal half-life of about 7 hours.", "legalStatus": "Approved (prescription)" } }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type": "Question", "name": "What is galantamine?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Galantamine is an alkaloid from snowdrop and other amaryllis-family plants that inhibits acetylcholinesterase, the enzyme that breaks down acetylcholine (PMID: 15137996, PMID: 10881250). Galantamine has been an FDA-approved prescription drug for mild to moderate dementia of the Alzheimer's type since 2001 (Drugs@FDA NDA 021169)." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Is galantamine a prescription drug or a supplement?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Galantamine hydrobromide tablets, extended-release capsules and oral solution are prescription drugs in the US, sold today as generics, and a galantamine prodrug called benzgalantamine was approved in 2024 (Drugs@FDA NDA 021169, NDA 218549). Galantamine is also sold online in products labeled as dietary supplements, which are not FDA-approved drugs (PMID: 38393714). In a 2024 analysis, 9 of 10 galantamine supplements were more than 10 percent off their labeled galantamine content and 3 contained Bacillus cereus, while all 11 generic galantamine products were accurately labeled (PMID: 38393714)." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "How well does galantamine work for Alzheimer's disease?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "In a 2024 Cochrane review of 21 trials, galantamine at 16 to 24 mg a day improved ADAS-cog cognition scores by about 2.9 points against placebo at six months in mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease (PMID: 39498781). In the 2024 Cochrane review, galantamine modestly improved daily function and behavior in Alzheimer's disease and caused nausea in 20.9 percent of patients against 8.4 percent on placebo (PMID: 39498781). The US label states there is no evidence that galantamine alters the course of the underlying disease (US prescribing information for galantamine)." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Why did more people die on galantamine in the mild cognitive impairment trials?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "In two 2-year galantamine trials in mild cognitive impairment, 13 of 1,026 people on galantamine and 1 of 1,022 on placebo died, a statistically significant difference, and about half of the galantamine deaths were from vascular causes such as heart attack, stroke and sudden death (US prescribing information for galantamine). The galantamine label calls the mortality difference in the two mild cognitive impairment trials highly discrepant with other galantamine trials, because their placebo death rate (0.7 per 1,000 person-years) was far below the 22 to 61 per 1,000 person-years seen with placebo in Alzheimer's disease and other dementia trials (US prescribing information for galantamine). A post hoc analysis by the galantamine trial authors was consistent with no increased risk (PMID: 18322263). In Alzheimer's disease, galantamine trials recorded fewer deaths than placebo, including a hazard ratio of 0.58 over 2 years (PMID: 24591834, PMID: 39498781)." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Does galantamine cause lucid dreams?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "In a 121-person double-blind crossover study, galantamine taken after a planned awakening about 4.5 hours into the night raised the share of people reporting a lucid dream from 14 percent with placebo to 27 percent at 4 mg and 42 percent at 8 mg (PMID: 30089135). The 2018 galantamine lucid dreaming study combined the capsules with at least 30 minutes out of bed and a mental technique for inducing lucid dreams (PMID: 30089135). In the 2018 lucid dreaming study, 14 of 121 participants (12 percent) reported mild side effects on galantamine nights, including stomach upset, insomnia and next-day fatigue, against 4 (3 percent) on placebo nights (PMID: 30089135). A 2022 systematic review named galantamine as a possible lucid dream induction method that needs further replication (PMID: 36408823)." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "What are the main side effects of galantamine?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "The most common galantamine side effects in trials were nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness, headache and decreased appetite (US prescribing information for galantamine). Galantamine can slow the heart rate and cause heart block, and in galantamine trials fainting rose with dose, from 0.7 percent on placebo to 2.2 percent at 12 mg twice daily (US prescribing information for galantamine). The galantamine label also warns of serious skin reactions, Stevens-Johnson syndrome and acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis (US prescribing information for galantamine)." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Is galantamine a nicotinic receptor modulator?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "A 2003 cell study reported that galantamine enhances several human nicotinic receptor subtypes at concentrations of 0.1 to 1 micromolar (PMID: 12649296). A 2018 study found galantamine did not enhance human alpha4beta2 or alpha7 nicotinic receptors at 10 nanomolar to 1 micromolar (PMID: 29669164). A PET study in mild Alzheimer's disease found no change in nicotinic receptor binding after galantamine treatment (PMID: 18949462)." } } ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://www.bodyhackguide.co#organization", "name": "BodyHackGuide", "alternateName": "BHG", "url": "https://www.bodyhackguide.co", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://www.bodyhackguide.co/logo.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 }, "description": "Evidence-based research reference for peptides and nootropics. 273 compound profiles, interactive dosing calculators, vendor price comparisons, and trust-scored vendor reviews scored on a public, reproducible methodology applied to every vendor. We earn a commission on purchases through some of our links.", "foundingDate": "2024", "founder": { "@id": "https://www.bodyhackguide.co/about#person" }, "sameAs": [ "https://reddit.com/r/BodyHackGuide", "https://reddit.com/r/BrainHackGuide", "https://reddit.com/r/Biohackingher", "https://discord.gg/Mhq5UdRYBA" ], "knowsAbout": [ "Peptide research", "Nootropic research", "Biohacking", "Compound dosing", "Vendor transparency" ], "publishingPrinciples": "https://www.bodyhackguide.co/editorial-standards", "ethicsPolicy": "https://www.bodyhackguide.co/editorial-standards", "diversityPolicy": "https://www.bodyhackguide.co/editorial-standards" } ] ```