gacyclidine

Gacyclidine is a psychoactive small molecule drug and a derivative of phencyclidine (PCP), specifically related to tenocyclidine (TCP). It acts as a noncompetitive antagonist of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor, thereby inhibiting excitotoxicity by reducing excessive glutamate-induced calcium influx into neurons. Gacyclidine has neuroprotective properties and has been investigated for reducing damage to the brain or spinal cord in conditions such as traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, stroke, convulsions, and tinnitus. Preclinical studies demonstrated its ability to reduce lesion size and improve functional recovery after neural trauma. A lipid-based intratympanic formulation (OTO‑313) has been studied for tinnitus treatment. Despite promising animal data, clinical trials in humans have not shown significant benefit for acute spinal cord injury or other indications[1][4][5][6][7].

Other names

gacyclidine [INN]1-[(1R,2S)-2-methyl-1-thiophen-2-ylcyclohexyl]piperidine