title: [Vinpocetin in neurological diseases].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Stroke is the third leading cause of death worldwide (following cardiovascular and cancer mortality) and associated with serious disability for the vast majority of patients. There is no salvage therapy for irreversibly damaged brain areas, improving the circulation of the surrounding hypoperfused areas may be associated with beneficial clinical effects. Cerebral hypoperfusion may play a role in the pathogenesis of other kind of neurological diseases, improvement of global circulation may have a preventive effect on these conditions.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of our study was to review the experimental and clinical articles focusing on the role of vinpocetin in different neurological conditions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Vinpocetin appears to have several different mechanisms of action that allow for its antiinflammatory, antioxidant, vasodilating, antiepileptic and neuroprotective activities in experimental conditions. On the other hand, several meta-analysis of the existing studies in acute stroke examining short and long term fatality rates with vinpocetin was unable to assess efficacy. In chronic cerebrovascular patients, vinpocetin improves impaired hemorheologic variables, has significant vasodilating properties, improves endothelial dysfunction, neuroimaging studies showed selective increase in cerebral blood flow and cerebral metabolic rate, all of which are potentially beneficial in cerebrovascular disease and may improve cognitive functions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Based on the above mentioned results, vinpocetin plays an important role both in basic research and in clinical management of different neurological diseases.
authors.affiliation: Pécsi Tudományegyetem, OEKK KK, Neurológiai KIínika, Pécs.
authors.forename: László
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Szapáry
authors.forename: Gábor
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Késmárky
authors.forename: Kálmán
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tóth
authors.forename: Melinda
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Misnyovszky
authors.forename: Tamás
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tóth
authors.forename: Adám
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Balogh
authors.forename: Krisztián
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nagy
authors.forename: György Y
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Németh
authors.forename: György
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Németh
authors.forename: Gergely
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fehér
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control; D015140:Dementia, Vascular / Q000517:prevention & control; D018056:Hemorheology / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000187:drug effects; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014748:Vinca Alkaloids / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D014748:Vinca Alkaloids; C013983:vinpocetine