Comparison
Noopept vs TUDCA
Side-by-side of Noopept and TUDCA. Every row below is pulled from the compound schema and will update as our data grows. For deeper reads, follow through to each compound page.
Noopept
Noopept cognitive enhancer profile: 10 to 30 mg dosage, dipeptide nootropic mechanism, memory effects, and how it compares to piracetam.
TUDCA
TUDCA is the taurine-conjugated form of ursodeoxycholic acid, a bile-acid molecule with replicated effects on liver function, ER stress, and bile flow.
Effects at a glance
Noopept
- •Russian dipeptide nootropic developed in the 1990s, registered in Russia 2002 for cognitive impairment
- •Roughly 1,000-fold higher per-mg potency than piracetam; therapeutic dose 10 to 30 mg/day
- •Active metabolite cycloprolylglycine modulates AMPA receptors and increases NGF and BDNF in rodent hippocampus
- •Russian RCTs in stroke recovery and vascular cognitive impairment show modest improvements over 4 to 8 weeks
- •Western evidence base is essentially absent; healthy-adult enhancement trials have not been published
- •Unscheduled in the US but not approved for human consumption; UK is prescription-only since 2014
TUDCA
- •Bile-acid molecule (taurine-conjugated UDCA) with chemical chaperone activity at the endoplasmic reticulum
- •Established pharmaceutical use for cholestasis and primary biliary cholangitis at 500-750 mg/day
- •Reduces ER stress and stabilizes misfolded proteins; the mechanistic basis for emerging ALS / retinal applications
- •Modest improvements in NAFLD markers and insulin sensitivity at 500-1,750 mg/day in small trials
- •Mitochondrial protection signal in animal models drives the longevity-supplement positioning
- •Generally well-tolerated; mild GI effects are the main dose-dependent issue
Side-by-side
| Attribute | Noopept | TUDCA |
|---|---|---|
| Category | nootropic | supplement |
| Also known as | GVS-111, N-phenylacetyl-L-prolylglycine ethyl ester, Omberacetam | tauroursodeoxycholic acid, taurine-conjugated UDCA |
| Half-life (hr) ↗ | 0.7 | 4 |
| Typical dose (mg) ↗ | 20 | 500 |
| Dosing frequency | 2 to 3 times daily, last dose before mid-afternoon | daily, divided into 2 doses with food |
| Routes | oral, sublingual | oral |
| Onset (hr) | 0.5 | 1 |
| Peak (hr) | 1 | 2 |
| Molecular weight | 318.37 | 499.7 |
| Molecular formula | C17H22N2O4 | C26H45NO6S |
| Mechanism | Hydrolyzed to active metabolite cycloprolylglycine; AMPA receptor modulation, BDNF and NGF upregulation, antioxidant and antiexcitotoxic effects. | Bile-acid signaling via FXR/TGR5 receptors; chemical chaperone reducing ER stress and unfolded protein response; mitochondrial protection through reduced outer-membrane permeabilization. |
| Legal status | Approved in Russia and CIS states; prescription-only in UK; unscheduled and unapproved in US, EU varies | OTC dietary supplement (US); pharmaceutical in Italy and several Asian countries |
| WADA status | unknown | allowed |
| DEA / Rx | Not scheduled in the US | OTC supplement |
| Pregnancy | Not recommended | Insufficient data for supplement use; UDCA used in cholestasis of pregnancy |
| CAS | 157115-85-0 | 14605-22-2 |
| PubChem CID | 183503 | 9848818 |
| Wikidata | Q4321022 | Q418751 |
Safety profile
Noopept
Common side effects
- headache
- irritability
- sleep disturbance with late-day dosing
- occasional blood pressure elevation
Contraindications
- pregnancy
- lactation
- pediatric use
- severe hepatic impairment
- severe renal impairment
Interactions
- memantine and other glutamatergic agents: theoretical AMPA-pathway interaction(minor)
- antidepressants: theoretical effect via BDNF axis, undocumented(minor)
- antihypertensives: occasional blood pressure elevation may require monitoring(minor)
TUDCA
Common side effects
- mild GI upset
- diarrhea (dose-dependent)
- constipation (rare)
- nausea
Contraindications
- complete biliary obstruction
- pregnancy / lactation (insufficient supplement-dose data)
- active GI disease without medical supervision
Interactions
- cyclosporine, oral contraceptives, fat-soluble vitamins: modest absorption changes via altered bile-acid pool(minor)
- phenylbutyrate: synergistic for ALS use (Relyvrio combination); consult clinician(moderate)
Which Should You Take?
TUDCA comes out ahead for most readers on the criteria we weight: 3 catalogued goals, OTC dietary supplement, oral dosing, with a Tier-A outcome catalogued. Noopept is the right call when one of the conditionals below applies.
- → If your priority is focus or working memory, pick Noopept.
- → If your priority is memory, pick Noopept.
- → If your priority is liver function, pick TUDCA.
- → If your priority is healthspan extension, pick TUDCA.
Edge case: If you want to avoid controlled substance, TUDCA is the more accessible choice.
Default choice: TUDCA. Lower friction to source, a Tier-A evidence outcome catalogued, and broader goal coverage. Reach for Noopept only if your priority sits squarely in the goals it owns above.
This verdict is generated from each compound's schema (goals, legal status, evidence outcomes, dosing route). It updates automatically as our compound data evolves; the deeper read sits on each individual compound page.
Common questions
What is the difference between Noopept and TUDCA?
Noopept and TUDCA differ in category (nootropic vs supplement), mechanism, and typical dosing. See the side-by-side table for full details.
Which has a longer half-life, Noopept or TUDCA?
Noopept half-life is 0.7 hours; TUDCA half-life is 4 hours.
Can you stack Noopept with TUDCA?
Stack compatibility depends on mechanism overlap, legal status, and individual response. Check each compound page for specific interactions and contraindications before combining.
Go deeper