Alpha-glycerylphosphorylcholine

Behavioral effects of L-alpha-glycerylphosphorylcholine: influence on cognitive
mechanisms in the rat.
Drago F, Mauceri F, Nardo L, Valerio C, Lauria N, Rampello L, Guidi G.
Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 1992 Feb;41(2):445-8.

The phosphorylcholine precursor, L-alpha-glycerylphosphorylcholine (alpha-GPC), was
injected at the dose of 100 mg/kg/day for 20 days to aged male rats of the Sprague-
Dawley strain, 24 months old, showing a deficit of learning and memory capacity. The
drug was also administered to rats with amnesia induced pharmacologically with bilateral
injections of kainic acid into the nucleus basalis magnocellularis (NBM). Learning and
memory capacity of the animals, studied with tests of active and passive avoidance
behavior, was improved after treatment with alpha-GPC in all experimental groups.
These results indicate that this drug affects cognitive mechanisms in the rat through an
involvement of central neurotransmission. PMID: 1574535

Alpha-Glycerophosphocholine in the mental recovery of cerebral ischemic attacks.
An Italian multicenter clinical trial.
Barbagallo Sangiorgi G, Barbagallo M, Giordano M, Meli M, Panzarasa R.
Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1994 Jun 30;717:253-69.

The clinical efficacy and the tolerability of alpha-glycerophosphocholine (alpha-GPC), a
drug able to provide high levels of choline for the nervous cells of the brain and to protect
their cell walls, have been tested in a clinical open multicenter trial on 2044 patients
suffering from recent stroke or transient ischemic attacks. Alpha-GPC was administered
after the attack at the daily dose of 1000 mg im for 28 days and orally at the dose of 400
mg tid during the following 5 months after the first phase. The evaluation of the efficacy
on the psychic recovery was done by the Mathew Scale (MS) during the period of im
drug administration, and using the Mini Mental State Test (MMST), the Crichton Rating
Scale (CRS), and the Global Deterioration Scale (GDS) during the following period of
oral administration. The MS mean increased 15.9 points in 28 days in a statistically
significant way (p < 0.001) from 58.7 to 74.6. At the end of the 5 month oral
administration, the CRS mean significantly decreased 4.3 points, from 20.2 to 15.9 (p <
0.001); the MMST mean significantly increased (p < 0.001) from 21 to 24.3 at the end of
the trial, reaching the “normality” score at the 3rd month assessment. The GDS score at
the end of the trial corresponded to “no cognitive decline” or “forgetfulness” in 71% of
the patients. Adverse events were complained of by 44 patients (2.14%); in 14 (0.7%) the
investigator preferred to discontinue therapy. The most frequent complaints were
heartburn (0.7%), nausea-vomit (0.5%), insomnia-excitation (0.4%), and headache
(0.2%). The trial confirms the therapeutic role of alpha-GPC on the cognitive recovery of
patients with acute stroke or TIA, and the low percentage of adverse events confirms its
excellent tolerability. PMID: 8030842