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VITAMINS & SUPPLEMENTS · GUIDE

Picamilon and GABA Supplements: Regulatory Status and Evidence

What the US FDA says about picamilon, what little research exists on it and on plain GABA supplements, and what a lab study found about label accuracy.

Content last updated . This page has not been medically reviewed.

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Quick answer
Picamilon is a lab-made compound that joins niacin (vitamin B3) to GABA, a calming chemical messenger in the brain. The US FDA says it does not meet the legal definition of a dietary ingredient, and that supplements declaring it are misbranded. [1] The research on picamilon is thin, and whether swallowed plain GABA reaches the brain is still debated. [2] This page is information only: it does not recommend either product, give amounts or say where to find them.

Evidence labels used: insufficient evidence, preclinical (animal or lab work), promising but limited and marketing claim. Background: What are nootropics?.

What the FDA says about picamilon

4 findings · 4 limited or unclearThe colour follows the evidence label on each card.

  1. Position

    "FDA considers picamilon to be a substance that does not meet the statutory definition of a dietary ingredient." [1]

  2. Labels

    Products marketed as dietary supplements that declare picamilon as a dietary ingredient "are misbranded." [1]

  3. Warning letters

    "On November 30, 2015, the FDA issued warning letters to five companies." [3] The companies were given 15 business days to respond. [3]

  4. Other countries

    FDA says "Picamilon is used as a prescription drug in Russia for a variety of neurological conditions." [1] "It is not approved as a drug in the United States." [1]

These are US FDA statements. How regulators in the UK, EU, Canada or elsewhere treat picamilon is not described in the sources we read, so we do not state it. Warning letters describe an agency's view of specific products, not court findings. See how supplements are regulated.

What research exists on picamilon

4 findings · 4 limited or unclearThe colour follows the evidence label on each card.

  1. Animals

    Preclinical

    A 1989 Russian report found picamilon increased cerebral blood flow in conscious cats. [4]

  2. People with chronic brain circulation problems

    Insufficient evidence; a different population from healthy adults

    A 2024 Russian open (not blinded) cohort study followed 50 patients aged 51 to 69 who received picamilon as a drug. [5] Without a comparison group, it cannot show the drug caused any change.

  3. Safety data

    Preclinical

    FDA scientists wrote in 2023 that "There is a lack of in silico, in vitro and in vivo data on the safety of picamilon." [6] In their screen against 50 targets it showed weak or no binding. [6]

  4. Memory or focus in healthy adults

    Insufficient evidence

    Proper evidence not found. We searched PubMed for "picamilon" and read the abstracts that came up; none was a controlled trial in healthy adults.

GABA supplements (plain GABA)

GABA is described as the main inhibitory neurotransmitter in the human cortex. [2] A 2015 review concluded that it is unclear whether GABA food supplements do more than a placebo, that studies on whether GABA crosses the blood-brain barrier "are often contradictory," and that most evidence for a calming effect came from researchers with a potential conflict of interest. [2] A 2018 placebo-controlled experiment in young healthy adults found that GABA did not change spatial attention but was linked to fewer order errors in one rapid visual task; the authors called it preliminary evidence. [7] A short lab task does not show everyday benefit. For long-term studies in older adults or people with memory problems: Proper evidence not found in what we read (PubMed search: "oral GABA supplement cognition randomized").

For comparisons with other calming ingredients, see calming supplements compared. For ingredients reaching the brain, see the blood-brain barrier and supplement ingredients.

Do labels show what is inside?

A 2015 laboratory study tested picamilon supplements sold in the United States. Of 31 products, 30 contained picamilon, in amounts from 2.7 to 721.5 mg per recommended daily serving. [8] The authors concluded consumers cannot get accurate information from labels about presence or quantity. [8] See quality testing and certifications and reading supplement labels.

Safety and who should ask first

  • Side effects: not described in the sources we read, so none is listed and none is ruled out.
  • Medicines: interactions are not described in the sources we read. Because GABA is a calming messenger, ask a pharmacist if you take sedatives, sleep or seizure medicines. See medication interactions.
  • Pregnancy, breastfeeding, children, older adults, kidney or liver conditions: not described in the sources we read. Ask a clinician first (pregnancy and breastfeeding).
  • Surgery: tell your surgical team about every supplement (supplements before surgery).
  • Anxiety, sleep or low mood: a clinician can look at causes. If you are in crisis in the US, call 988. If someone has swallowed a large amount of any supplement or feels very unwell, call 911 or Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222.

Frequently asked questions

Is picamilon legal in the United States?

FDA says picamilon does not meet the definition of a dietary ingredient and that supplements declaring it are misbranded. [1] It is not approved as a drug in the US. [1]

Is picamilon the same as GABA?

No. FDA describes it as a distinct chemical made from niacin and GABA. [1] Its binding profile in one lab screen differed from other GABA-like compounds. [6]

Does GABA in a supplement reach the brain?

Unclear. Studies on this are often contradictory. [2]

Does picamilon improve memory or focus?

Proper evidence not found in healthy adults. The human study we read was an open study in 50 patients with circulation problems in the brain. [5]

Do picamilon products contain what the label says?

In a 2015 US sample, 30 of 31 contained picamilon, but amounts varied widely. [8]

References
  1. US Food and Drug Administration. Picamilon in Dietary Supplements (page content current as of 2017-11-29). Read 2026-10-23.
  2. Boonstra E et al. Front Psychol 2015. Neurotransmitters as food supplements: the effects of GABA on brain and behavior. Read 2026-10-23.
  3. US Food and Drug Administration. Recent FDA Action on Dietary Supplements Labeled as Containing Picamilon (constituent update, November 2015). Read 2026-10-23.
  4. Mirzoian RS, Gan'shina TS. Farmakol Toksikol 1989 (in Russian; English abstract). The new cerebrovascular preparation pikamilon. Read 2026-10-23.
  5. Danilov AB et al. Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova 2024 (in Russian; abstract partly English). Clinical efficacy and safety of Picamilon in patients with progressive chronic cerebral ischemia. Read 2026-10-23.
  6. Santillo MF, Sprando RL. Basic Clin Pharmacol Toxicol 2023. Picamilon, a GABA analogue and marketed nootropic, is inactive against 50 biological targets. Read 2026-10-23.
  7. Leonte A et al. Brain Cogn 2018. Supplementation of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) affects temporal, but not spatial visual attention. Read 2026-10-23.
  8. Avula B et al. Drug Test Anal 2016. Identification and quantification of vinpocetine and picamilon in dietary supplements sold in the United States. Read 2026-10-23.
Education, not medical advice. This page is for general information. It does not diagnose or treat any condition and is not a substitute for care from a qualified health professional. Natural does not automatically mean safe. Ask a clinician or pharmacist before changing your care, especially if you take medication, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have a health condition.