Common Name(s): Piracetam,piracetam,prohibited nootropic pharmaceutical,cognitive drug not cosmetic

CAS Number: N/a

DESCRIPTION

What It Does: Prohibited in eu cosmetics. piracetam's primary pharmacological activity (cognitive enhancement through ampa receptor potentiation) is unambiguously pharmaceutical — its use would reclassify the product as an unlicensed drug in the eu and most regulated markets.

Why It's Used: Piracetam is approved as a prescription drug in eu for cognitive disorders — its inclusion in a cosmetic would constitute an unlicensed medicine with all associated regulatory violations.

How It Works: Piracetam: positive ampa modulator → enhanced glutamate receptor activity → synaptic plasticity → cognitive function enhancement. the cns-targeted pharmacological mechanism provides no cosmetic rationale and definitively crosses the cosmetic/drug boundary.

Typically Found In: Prohibited in cosmetics

TECHNICAL DETAILS

Primary Category: Active ingredient – cosmetic active

Secondary Functions: Skin conditioning

Application Areas:

Typical Concentration Range: Prohibited

SOURCING & ETHICS

Vegan Status: Conditional - supplier confirmation required

Halal Status: Unverified - supplier confirmation required

Source Notes: Commercially produced for cosmetic use. verify vegan/halal status with supplier. [audit 2026-07-29 rev2: the record's own source_notes does not assert a non-animal origin, or instructs the reader to verify with the supplier; "yes" asserts knowledge the record does not hold. determination requires shariah-panel sign-off.]

SKIN COMPATIBILITY

Irritancy Rating: 1/5 – very low

Comedogenicity Rating: 0/5 – non-comedogenic

Sensitivity Concerns: Well-tolerated by most skin types.

Safe for Sensitive Skin: Yes

SAFETY & COMPATIBILITY

Safety Profile: Good safety profile at recommended concentrations. ewg score: 1–2.

Works Well With: Standard skincare actives

Avoid Combining With: No known significant incompatibilities

SCIENTIFIC NOTE

Cosmetic cognitive beauty alternatives: caffeine, theobromine, ginkgolides (ginkgo biloba) provide mild cerebral circulation enhancement within cosmetic classification without ampa receptor drug pharmacology.

Last Verified: 2026-03-22

Primary Sources: Eu regulation 1223/2009 annex ii,piracetam nootropic drug classification review