Sunifiram (DM-235)
NootropicsPreclinicalAlso known as: DM-235, DM 235, 1-(4-benzoylpiperazin-1-yl)propan-1-one, 1-benzoyl-4-propanoylpiperazine
Sunifiram, also called DM-235, is a piperazine that came out of an academic medicinal chemistry program at the University of Florence, not out of a pharmaceutical company. It was first reported in 2000 as one of a series of acylpiperazines obtained by simplifying a bicyclic scaffold, and it stood out for potency: it prevented amnesia in the mouse passive avoidance test at doses about a thousand times lower than piracetam-like reference compounds (PMID: 11087574; PMID: 12070754).
Overview
At A Glance
Sunifiram has no established single target and shows no affinity for the major central receptors or channels in binding assays, yet it prevents amnesia induced through cholinergic, nicotinic, GABAergic and adrenergic manipulations (PMID: 12070754; PMID: 16834757). The clearest do…
Overview
Sunifiram, also called DM-235, is a piperazine that came out of an academic medicinal chemistry program at the University of Florence, not out of a pharmaceutical company. It was first reported in 2000 as one of a series of acylpiperazines obtained by simplifying a bicyclic scaffold, and it stood out for potency: it prevented amnesia in the mouse passive avoidance test at doses about a thousand times lower than piracetam-like reference compounds (PMID: 11087574; PMID: 12070754). Despite the racetam-style name it is not a pyrrolidinone and is not structurally a racetam. The mechanism is not fully resolved. Binding studies found no affinity for the major central receptors or channels, yet sunifiram prevented amnesia induced by drugs acting on several different transmitter systems, including scopolamine, mecamylamine, baclofen and clonidine (PMID: 12070754; PMID: 16834757). Two glutamatergic actions have been documented. Sunifiram and its analog unifiram reversed amnesia induced by the AMPA receptor antagonist NBQX in mice and reversed kynurenic acid blockade of NMDA-mediated noradrenaline release in rat hippocampal slices, an effect abolished by NBQX (PMID: 14600801). Separately, in mouse hippocampal slices sunifiram enhanced long-term potentiation with a bell-shaped concentration-response curve peaking at 10 nanomolar; the enhancement was blocked by an antagonist of the glycine site of the NMDA receptor but not by an antagonist of the polyamine site, and involved protein kinase C alpha, Src family kinase and calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (PMID: 23733502). Sunifiram also increased acetylcholine release in rat brain (PMID: 11087574). In disease-model animals, sunifiram improved spatial reference memory in the Y maze and short-term memory in novel object recognition in olfactory bulbectomized mice and restored hippocampal long-term potentiation, with those effects blocked by a glycine site inhibitor; it did not improve depressive behavior in the same animals (PMID: 23295391). There is no human data of any kind. No clinical trial, case series or pharmacokinetic study has been published, and searches of ClinicalTrials.gov return no records. The chemist who led the group that discovered sunifiram and unifiram wrote in 2015 that he had discovered by chance that dozens of websites were selling both compounds as cognitive enhancers for healthy people, even though only a few preclinical studies had been performed and their long-term toxicity was unknown, and that neither compound had been protected by a patent or taken forward by industry (PMID: 25831025). Sunifiram is not approved in any country, is not a controlled substance in the United States and has no established human dose, safety threshold or contraindication list. Everything sold is a research chemical. One frequently cited paper on sunifiram carbamate hybrids as dual acetylcholinesterase inhibitors and NMDA co-agonists was retracted by the journal in 2026 (PMID: 42565552), so any claim traced back to it should be treated as unsupported.
Potential Research Fields
Chemical Information
IUPAC Name
Not yet available
CAS Number
314728-85-3
Molecular Formula
C14H18N2O2
Molecular Mass
246.30 g/mol
Dosing & Protocols
Unlock Dosing Protocols
Free account gets you:
- View beginner, intermediate & advanced protocols
- See weight-based dosing calculations
- Access cycle length & frequency data
2,800+ researchers already in
Research
Unlock Research Data
Free account gets you:
- Browse PubMed study summaries
- See clinical trial phases & results
- Access mechanism of action details
2,800+ researchers already in
Interactions
Contraindications
None established, because no human study exists. Mechanism-based cautions: sunifiram acts at the glycine site of the NMDA receptor and enhances long-term potentiation with a bell-shaped concentration-response curve in mouse hippocampal slices, so higher exposure is not simply more of the same effect (PMID: 23733502). Compounds that increase NMDA and AMPA receptor signaling carry a theoretical excitotoxicity and seizure risk, which is relevant to anyone with a seizure disorder or recent brain injury. No reproductive toxicity, genotoxicity, repeat-dose toxicity or drug interaction data have been published in any species.
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.
$59.99
$0.1000
1
1
capsule
| Vendor | Product | Form | Qty | Price | $/mg | Coupon | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Sunifiram 10 mg capsules (60) | capsule | 60 capsules (10 mg)● In Stock | $59.99BEST | $0.100 | — |
Tracking since Sep 7, 2026 · 1 data point
Vendors Selling Sunifiram (DM-235)
How we score these vendors
Every supplier above is graded 0–100 on COA verification, payment transparency, shipping, reviews, and active listings. Methodology published, no pay-to-rank.
Related Compounds
View All9-Me-BC (9-Methyl-β-carboline)
NootropicsPreclinical9-Methyl--carboline (9-Me-BC) is a synthetic -carboline alkaloid that has drawn nootropic-community interest for a preclinical property that is genuinely unusual among -carbolines: in rodent and cell-culture studies it appears to stimulate the dopaminergic phenotype - raising tyrosine hydroxylase, the number of differentiated dopamine neurons and dopamine content - while also showing neuroprotective, neurorestorative and anti-inflammatory effects, plus in-vitro MAO-A/MAO-B inhibition [PMID:17913302, PMID:20374418, PMID:32285253].
Aniracetam
NootropicsApproved (Italy)Aniracetam is a pyrrolidinone in the racetam family, developed by Hoffmann-La Roche under the code Ro 13-5057.
Bemethyl (bemitil)
NootropicsApproved (Russia)Bemethyl, known in the Russian literature as bemitil and sold in the region under names including Metaprot, Bemactor and Antihot, is 2-ethylthiobenzimidazole, normally handled as the hydrobromide salt.
Bromantane
NootropicsRussia ApprovedBromantane is an atypical psychostimulant and anxiolytic developed in the 1980s at the Zakusov Institute of Pharmacology of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, originally created as an adaptogen for Soviet military and elite athletic use and later approved in Russia for the treatment of neurasthenic and asthenic disorders under the trade name Ladasten.
Cyclazodone
NootropicsPreclinicalCyclazodone is the N-cyclopropyl derivative of pemoline, a 4-oxazolidinone stimulant.
Dihexa
NootropicsPreclinicalDihexa is a synthetic peptide analogue of the angiotensin IV metabolite LVV-hemorphin-7, developed at Washington State University.
View Full Dosage Guide →
Protocols, calculator & safety for Sunifiram (DM-235)
Research Score
0 PubMed studies
Quality Indicators
Data Completeness
63%Quick Facts
Half-Life
Not established. No pharmacokinetic study in humans or animals has been published, and the group that discovered the compound stated that its long-term toxicity was unknown (PMID: 25831025).
Molecular Weight
246.30 g/mol
Administration
Oral
CAS Number
314728-85-3
Trial Phase
Preclinical
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 Sunifiram (DM-235) used for in research?
Sunifiram, also called DM-235, is a piperazine that came out of an academic medicinal chemistry program at the University of Florence, not out of a pharmaceutical company. It was first reported in 2000 as one of a series of acylpiperazines obtained by simplifying a bicyclic scaffold, and it stood out for potency: it prevented amnesia in the mouse passive avoidance test at doses about a thousand times lower than piracetam-like reference compounds (PMID: 11087574; PMID: 12070754). Despite the racetam-style name it is not a pyrrolidinone and is not structurally a racetam.
The mechanism is not fully resolved. Binding studies found no affinity for the major central receptors or channels, yet sunifiram prevented amnesia induced by drugs acting on several different transmitter systems, including scopolamine, mecamylamine, baclofen and clonidine (PMID: 12070754; PMID: 16834757). Two glutamatergic actions have been documented. Sunifiram and its analog unifiram reversed amnesia induced by the AMPA receptor antagonist NBQX in mice and reversed kynurenic acid blockade of NMDA-mediated noradrenaline release in rat hippocampal slices, an effect abolished by NBQX (PMID: 14600801). Separately, in mouse hippocampal slices sunifiram enhanced long-term potentiation with a bell-shaped concentration-response curve peaking at 10 nanomolar; the enhancement was blocked by an antagonist of the glycine site of the NMDA receptor but not by an antagonist of the polyamine site, and involved protein kinase C alpha, Src family kinase and calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (PMID: 23733502). Sunifiram also increased acetylcholine release in rat brain (PMID: 11087574).
In disease-model animals, sunifiram improved spatial reference memory in the Y maze and short-term memory in novel object recognition in olfactory bulbectomized mice and restored hippocampal long-term potentiation, with those effects blocked by a glycine site inhibitor; it did not improve depressive behavior in the same animals (PMID: 23295391).
There is no human data of any kind. No clinical trial, case series or pharmacokinetic study has been published, and searches of ClinicalTrials.gov return no records. The chemist who led the group that discovered sunifiram and unifiram wrote in 2015 that he had discovered by chance that dozens of websites were selling both compounds as cognitive enhancers for healthy people, even though only a few preclinical studies had been performed and their long-term toxicity was unknown, and that neither compound had been protected by a patent or taken forward by industry (PMID: 25831025).
Sunifiram is not approved in any country, is not a controlled substance in the United States and has no established human dose, safety threshold or contraindication list. Everything sold is a research chemical. One frequently cited paper on sunifiram carbamate hybrids as dual acetylcholinesterase inhibitors and NMDA co-agonists was retracted by the journal in 2026 (PMID: 42565552), so any claim traced back to it should be treated as unsupported.
What forms does Sunifiram (DM-235) come in?
Sunifiram (DM-235) is available in capsule form.
How much does Sunifiram (DM-235) cost?
Prices start at $59.99 across 1 verified vendor.
How do I compare Sunifiram (DM-235) vendors?
Compare prices, payment methods, shipping, and COA scores across 1 vendor.
Research Tools
Related Compounds
View All9-Me-BC (9-Methyl-β-carboline)
NootropicsPreclinical9-Methyl--carboline (9-Me-BC) is a synthetic -carboline alkaloid that has drawn nootropic-community interest for a preclinical property that is genuinely unusual among -carbolines: in rodent and cell-culture studies it appears to stimulate the dopaminergic phenotype - raising tyrosine hydroxylase, the number of differentiated dopamine neurons and dopamine content - while also showing neuroprotective, neurorestorative and anti-inflammatory effects, plus in-vitro MAO-A/MAO-B inhibition [PMID:17913302, PMID:20374418, PMID:32285253].
Aniracetam
NootropicsApproved (Italy)Aniracetam is a pyrrolidinone in the racetam family, developed by Hoffmann-La Roche under the code Ro 13-5057.
Bemethyl (bemitil)
NootropicsApproved (Russia)Bemethyl, known in the Russian literature as bemitil and sold in the region under names including Metaprot, Bemactor and Antihot, is 2-ethylthiobenzimidazole, normally handled as the hydrobromide salt.
Bromantane
NootropicsRussia ApprovedBromantane is an atypical psychostimulant and anxiolytic developed in the 1980s at the Zakusov Institute of Pharmacology of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, originally created as an adaptogen for Soviet military and elite athletic use and later approved in Russia for the treatment of neurasthenic and asthenic disorders under the trade name Ladasten.
Cyclazodone
NootropicsPreclinicalCyclazodone is the N-cyclopropyl derivative of pemoline, a 4-oxazolidinone stimulant.
Dihexa
NootropicsPreclinicalDihexa is a synthetic peptide analogue of the angiotensin IV metabolite LVV-hemorphin-7, developed at Washington State University.
Free 2026 Peptide Cheat Sheet — 50 pages, PDF
Reconstitution math, concentration charts, half-lives, and vendor trust tiers. The reference we wish we had on day one.