Vinpocetine

I only stumbled across the potential for vinpocetine as an anticonvulsant back in mid-2016. I'm not sure how a came across it, but it was intriguing enough to research it for a bit. Vinpocetine is a chemical extract from the lesser periwinkle plant and is sold as a dietary supplement in the U.S. and actually a prescribed medication in other countries. It is known for potentially increasing blood flow in the brain and offers neuroprotective properties, based on some initial animal studies. There aren't a ton of human studies on vinpocetine, but there are a few that conclude that it did reduce cerebral inflammation, as well as decrease ion channel permeability, which ultimately affects seizure potential(s). There was another animal based study here and another one here, proving its effectiveness in halting chemically-induced EEG patterns. The supposed mechanism of action is through the reduction of calcium and sodium channel permeability. In terms of human clinical trials, there was one study completed a few years ago, but no results were formally posted.

Again, vinpocetine is widely available as a supplement, but at the end of the day, I didn't see enough evidence to warrant pursuing it as an option for Mira. I didn't see enough human trials or support that prove it might be beneficial, beyond anecdotal trials that involved chemically-provoked seizures to measure its effectiveness. If anyone had some hard data on it, I would pursue it further as a potential relief option for Mira. In the meantime, I will continue to look into it.