Cholinergics

Choline is a cation with the chemical formula . Choline forms various salts, such as choline chloride and choline bitartrate. An essential nutrient for animals, it is a structural component of phospholipids and cell membranes.

class=skin-invert-image|thumb|300px|POPC, an example of a [[phosphatidylcholine, a type of phospholipid in lecithin. Shown in – choline residue and phosphate group; – glycerol residue; – monounsaturated fatty acid residue; – saturated fatty acid residue.]] thumb|The different forms of lecithin – powder, two different concentration liquids, granular and powder lecithin

300px|thumb|right|class=skin-invert-image|1-Oleoyl-2-palmitoyl-phosphatidylcholine

thumb|250 px|Biosynthesis of various phospholipids (including phosphatidylethanolamine) in bacteria

Dimethylethanolamine (DMAE or DMEA) is an organic compound with the formula . It is bifunctional, containing both a tertiary amine and primary alcohol functional groups. It is a colorless viscous liquid. It is used in skin care products for improving skin tone and also taken orally as a nootropic. It is prepared by the ethoxylation of dimethylamine.

Citicoline (INN), also known as cytidine diphosphate-choline (CDP-choline) or '''cytidine 5'-diphosphocholine''' is an intermediate in the generation of phosphatidylcholine from choline, a common biochemical process in cell membranes. Citicoline is naturally occurring in the cells of human and animal tissue, in particular the organs.

L-α-Glycerophosphorylcholine (alpha-GPC, choline alfoscerate, '''sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine''') is a natural choline compound found in the brain. It is also a parasympathomimetic acetylcholine precursor which has been investigated for its potential for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias.

Meclofenoxate (INN, BAN; brand name Lucidril, also known as centrophenoxine) is a cholinergic nootropic used as a dietary supplement. It is an ester of dimethylethanolamine (DMAE) and 4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid (pCPA).

Adafenoxate is a compound related to centrophenoxine, that has been found to act as a nootropic in rats.

Pirisudanol (Mentis, Menthen, Mentium, Nadex, Nadexen, Nadexon, Pridana, Stivane), also known as pyrisuccideanol, is the succinic acid ester of pyridoxine (a form of vitamin B6) and of deanol (DMAE). It has been used in Europe in the treatment of mild cognitive impairment as well as fatigue and depression. ==Synthesis== Pirisudanol is synthesized by the following method: class=skin-invert-image|center|500px Cyclic ketal formation between pyridoxine [33605-94-6] HCl: [58-56-0] (1) and acetone resulted in alpha4,3-O-Isopropylidene Pyridoxine [1136-52-3] (2). In the other arm of the synthesis suc

Cyprodenate (Actebral) is a stimulant drug. It was used for counteracting the effects of benzodiazepine tranquillizer drugs before the development of newer antidotes such as flumazenil. It produces dimethylethanolamine as a metabolite.