Cerebrolysin

Lyophilized powder

Cerebrolysin is a mixture of low-molecular-weight peptides and amino acids derived from pig brain tissue, studied by injection in stroke, traumatic brain injury and dementia research. It is approved in some countries outside the US, but not by the FDA. Below: today's vial sizes, prices through our link and the vendor's COA details.

Size

$0.05/mg · In stock

Price

$107.99

List

$119.99

Buy 2152 mg at Mile High Compounds

Price shown uses code thepeptidecatalog at Mile High Compounds's checkout (10% off list).

Sold by Mile High Compounds. The Peptide Catalog does not sell peptides; we earn a commission if you buy through this link, at no extra cost to you. For laboratory research use only, not for human or veterinary use. Not FDA-approved. Nothing on this page is medical or dosing advice.

Cerebrolysin research vial
CerebrolysinMile High Compounds
Third-party testedResearch use only
Certificate of AnalysisVendor-stated: Third-party tested · 7-point panel · COA per productView
  • Vendor-stated testing: Third-party tested · 7-point panel · COA per product
  • Listed on our cerebrolysin vendor comparison, ordered by our vendor rankings
  • Lyophilized powder · laboratory research use only
Research-context information only. Cerebrolysin is an investigational drug not approved by the FDA. Protocols, doses, and reactions reported below come from published clinical trials and self-reported community sources. This article reports what has been documented, not what should be done. Possession or use of investigational drugs outside an authorized clinical trial may be illegal in your jurisdiction. Consult a licensed physician for personal medical decisions.

Vial sizes listed by the vendor

Cerebrolysin Vial Sizes & Prices

Cerebrolysin vial sizes, prices and lots at Mile High Compounds
SizeListWith our codePer mgAvailability
2152 mg$119.99$107.99$0.05In stock

Prices checked today, 5:27 AM CT on Mile High Compounds's site, with code thepeptidecatalog applied. Vendor-stated testing: Third-party tested · 7-point panel · COA per product. The lot certificate is on Mile High Compounds's product page. Sizes not re-checked in the last 7 days are hidden. The vendor's checkout is final.

Test results

Cerebrolysin Certificate of Analysis

Mile High Compounds posts the certificate on each product page (vendor-stated: Third-party tested · 7-point panel · COA per product). Match the lot number on the vial to its certificate.

View the Cerebrolysin certificate on Mile High Compounds's product page.

How to check one: how to verify a peptide COA.

Cerebrolysin Dosing in Clinical Research

Stroke / TBI / Dementia / Cognition (Not FDA-Approved; Contested Evidence)

Educational reference only. Individual responses vary. Consult healthcare provider before use.

Vial Size
Multi-mL injection ampoules/vials (standard concentrate 215.2 mg/mL)
Reconstitution
Pre-mixed injectable solution — given by IM or IV, not reconstituted from a lyophilized powder
Dose
Trial courses used 10-50 mL/day IV; community sources report 5-10 mL/day IM
Timing
Once daily during a course
Frequency
Daily for a 10-20 day course, courses repeated in cycles
Duration
CAPTAIN TBI trials ran 50 mL/day IV x10 days, then two 10 mL/day x10-day cycles (PMID 31494820)
Protocol Notes
Porcine-brain-derived neuropeptide mixture (low-molecular-weight peptides + free amino acids). Not FDA-approved in the US. Trial doses vary by indication — AD meta-analysis used 30 mL/day IV (PMID 25832905), vascular-dementia trials ~20 mL/day, stroke trials up to 30-50 mL/day. The Cochrane stroke review found no benefit on death and flagged a probable increase in non-fatal serious adverse events (PMID 37818733). Community IM figures are self-reported, not trial-validated. Sold for research purposes only.

Why This Dosing Protocol

What doses were studied?Trial regimens are indication-specific: the Alzheimer's meta-analysis used 30 mL/day IV for at least four weeks (PMID 25832905), vascular-dementia trials used ~20 mL/day, and the CAPTAIN TBI protocol used 50 mL/day IV for 10 days followed by two 10 mL/day cycles (PMID 31494820). Cerebrolysin is dosed by volume (mL of the 215.2 mg/mL concentrate), not by mg like a potent peptide.

Route. It is a pre-mixed injectable solution given IM or IV — there is no bacteriostatic-water reconstitution step. Community sources self-report smaller IM courses (~5-10 mL/day), but those figures are not trial-validated. There is no established protocol for healthy cognitive enhancement.
Full Dosing GuideReconstitution Calculator

How Cerebrolysin Works

Porcine-Brain-Derived Neuropeptide Mixture — Neurotrophic / Neuroprotective (Injectable; Not FDA-Approved; Contested Clinical Evidence)

Target → Signal → Effect → Outcomes

1
Target

A Mixture, Not a Single Molecule

Cerebrolysin is not one peptide. It is a preparation of low-molecular-weight peptides and free amino acids produced by controlled enzymatic breakdown of purified porcine (pig) brain proteins. The originally branded product is made in Austria; the standard concentrate is 215.2 mg/mL. The active fraction is proposed to be the small peptides that can cross the blood-brain barrier. Because it is a biologic mixture rather than a defined synthetic, batch composition and sourcing matter.

2
Cellular Signal

Mimics Neurotrophic Factors (BDNF/GDNF/NGF-like) — Proposed

The proposed mechanism (largely preclinical) is that the peptide fraction acts like endogenous neurotrophic factors — supporting neuronal survival, synaptic plasticity, and neuroprotection. An in vitro study reported that Cerebrolysin upregulated BDNF and Neuregulin 1 in neural cells under oxidative stress (PMID 38524067). These are mechanistic/preclinical signals, not a confirmed human mechanism.

3
Systemic Effect

Studied in Stroke, TBI, and Dementia — Mixed Results

Human evidence is real but contested. Meta-analysis reported cognitive and global-function benefit in mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease (PMID 25832905); the vascular-dementia Cochrane review reported improved cognition while calling the data "not definitive" (PMID 31710397); and the CAPTAIN trials reported benefit after moderate-severe TBI (PMID 31494820, 33620612). The acute-ischaemic-stroke Cochrane review, however, found no benefit on death and a probable increase in non-fatal serious adverse events (PMID 37818733).

4
What You Notice

Course-Based, in Clinical Populations

Cerebrolysin is given as injection courses (IV or IM) over 10-20 days, repeated in cycles — not a daily oral supplement. The documented outcomes are in impaired clinical populations (stroke, TBI, dementia) over weeks, not healthy-user enhancement. Community reports of cognitive benefit in healthy users are anecdotal and not placebo-controlled.

What Makes This Peptide Different

Cerebrolysin is unusual because it is a porcine-brain-derived biologic mixture given by injection, not a defined synthetic peptide — closer to a neurotrophic-factor extract than to compounds like Semax or Dihexa. It has a larger clinical-trial base than most research nootropics — decades of use across Russia, China, and Eastern Europe — but the evidence is genuinely contested: much of the supportive research is manufacturer-associated and regionally concentrated, and the Cochrane stroke review found a non-fatal serious-adverse-event signal. It is not FDA-approved in the US.

Technical specifications

Cerebrolysin chemical & analytical data

Form
Solution in a sealed vial or ampoule
Presentation
2152 mg
Regulatory status
Investigational. Not FDA-approved for any use.

Cerebrolysin Reconstitution Calculator

Dilution math and unit conversions. Prefilled using a common vial size for this peptide.

Open calculator

Storage & Handling

Storage at a glance

Proper storage temperatures, shelf life, reconstitution best practices, and travel tips for lyophilized and reconstituted peptides.

Powder: Freezer
1+ year at -20°C
Reconstituted: Fridge
4 weeks max at 2-8°C
View Complete Storage Guide

Handling specifics

Educational overview on storage, labeling, and traceability considerations for lab environments. Consult primary literature and vendor documentation for specifics.

Powder storage (very stable)
  • Freezer (-20°C): 1+ year
  • Refrigerator (2-8°C): 1-3 months
  • Room temperature: 2-3 weeks (emergency only)
Reconstituted storage (fragile)
  • MUST refrigerate at 2-8°C
  • 4-week maximum shelf life
  • NEVER freeze after reconstitution
  • Use bacteriostatic water for multi-dose

7 answers

Cerebrolysin FAQ: Buying, COA, Storage & Research

What is Cerebrolysin made of?
It is a mixture of low-molecular-weight peptides and free amino acids produced by controlled enzymatic breakdown of purified porcine (pig) brain proteins. It is not a single synthetic peptide — it is a biologic preparation proposed to mimic endogenous neurotrophic factors (BDNF/GDNF/NGF-like). Because it is porcine-derived, sourcing, purity, and batch consistency are real considerations.
Is Cerebrolysin FDA-approved?
No. Cerebrolysin is not approved by the FDA in the United States. The originally branded product is manufactured in Austria and is registered and used in Russia, China, and parts of Eastern Europe and Asia for stroke, traumatic brain injury, and dementia. In the West it is sold as a research chemical, not a medicine.
What does the clinical evidence actually show?
It is genuinely mixed. Meta-analyses have reported benefit in mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease (PMID 25832905) and the vascular-dementia Cochrane review reported improved cognition and global function, though it called the data "not definitive" (PMID 31710397). The Cochrane acute-ischaemic-stroke review, by contrast, found no beneficial effect on death and flagged a probable increase in non-fatal serious adverse events (PMID 37818733). Much of the supportive research is manufacturer-associated and concentrated in specific regions.
How is Cerebrolysin administered?
It is a pre-mixed injectable solution given by intramuscular or intravenous injection in courses — not a lyophilized vial reconstituted with bacteriostatic water. Trial courses used 10-50 mL/day by IV infusion for 10-20 days, repeated in cycles (PMID 31494820, 25832905). It is not taken orally. Decisions about an unapproved injectable are matters for a licensed physician.
How long does reconstituted peptide last?
Once mixed with bacteriostatic water, peptides remain stable for up to 4 weeks when refrigerated at 2-8°C (36-46°F). Unopened powder can last 1+ year in the freezer. Get our complete Storage & Travel Guide.
Is this peptide legal to purchase?
Peptides sold "for research purposes only" are legal to purchase in the US, but are not FDA-approved for human use outside of specific medical applications. Always consult a healthcare provider before use.
New to peptides?
Take our Peptide Match tool to find the best peptide for your goals. You can also read our Complete Guide to Peptides to learn the basics.

Cerebrolysin Research Articles

dosing

Cerebrolysin Dosage Guide: Courses & Routes

How Cerebrolysin is dosed: the indication-specific IV trial courses for stroke, TBI, and dementia, plus the community IM figures — and why it's never oral.

guides

Buy Cerebrolysin: Price, COA & Vendor Guide

Cerebrolysin is a mixture, so no COA can show one purity %. What buyers can verify, real cost per mL, and why published trials span dozens of vials.

results

Cerebrolysin Results Timeline: Course by Week

What a reported Cerebrolysin course looks like over time — the first 10-day cycle, repeat courses, and where the trial evidence actually lands.

benefits

Cerebrolysin Benefits: Stroke, TBI & Dementia

A porcine-brain neuropeptide mixture studied for stroke, TBI, and dementia — what the human trials show, and where the Cochrane reviews pushed back.

Compare Cerebrolysin Vendors Before You Buy

Disclosure: we may earn affiliate commission from qualifying purchases. Educational information only — not medical advice.