Bisibutiamine

DescriptionSulbutiamine is a vitamin B1 derivative developed by the French Servier Pharmaceuticals. The product is described in Special Drug Patent 5921M as a formulation with vitamin B1 activity, which is able to increase the blood level of vitamin B1 and has a therapeutic effect on all vitamin B1 deficiencies.

UsesSulbutiamine (isobutyryl thiamine disulfide) is a lipophilic derivative of thiamine used for the treatment of asthenia and other related pathological conditions. Sulbutiamine is available over-the-counter in several countries as a component of nutritional supplements.

General DescriptionSulbutiamine is a synthetic derivative of thiamine (vitamin B1) under the market name Arcalion that is composed of two modified thiamine molecules to form a dimer. It is highly lipophilic, allowing it to cross the blood-brain barrier more easily than other thiamine derivatives. Although its clinical efficacy is not yet defined, sulbutiamine is used to treat asthenia. While its other uses include improvement of erectile dysfunction and reduction of psycho-behavioural inhibition, sulbutiamine showed evidence of modulatory effect on dopaminergic and glutamatergic cortical transmissions. The chronic administration of the drug has demonstrated to improve long term memory formation in mice.