Drug & supplement interaction

Piracetam + Donepezil

Donepezil brand name: Aricept.

No Known Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated July 2026 · Pair last verified Sep 20, 2026
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Piracetam and Donepezil in our sources. Absence of a documented interaction is not the same as proven safety, and does not guarantee one does not exist. Do not start, stop, or change a medication or supplement based on this page; confirm with your pharmacist or doctor first. Additionally, although there is no interaction, the two are separately associated with some of the same side effects, which would make a new symptom harder to attribute to one or the other.

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Interaction report

Piracetam and Donepezil

We checked these two against our interaction database. Here is what we found.

No Known Interaction Found

We did not find a documented interaction between Donepezil and Piracetam in our sources. This does not guarantee that the combination is completely free of risk — there is often limited research on supplements and herbal products, especially around drug interactions.

If you decide to take both, the practical routine is simple: add one new thing at a time and note the date you started it. If the combination is going to disagree with you, it usually shows in the first days to a couple of weeks — and a start date turns “I’ve been feeling off” into something a pharmacist can actually work with. Do not stop a prescribed medicine on your own.

Always talk with your pharmacist or doctor before making changes to your medications or supplements, particularly if you take several medications or have an ongoing health condition.

Piracetam safety at a glance

Piracetam overall Use caution It is a drug, not a true dietary supplement, and is unapproved in the U.S. with variable product quality.
Pregnancy Avoid There is not enough safety data, so avoid use during pregnancy.
Breastfeeding Avoid It may pass into breast milk and safety is unknown, so avoid use while breastfeeding.

Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

Still wondering about combining Donepezil and Piracetam? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
How we checked

Why No Interaction Is Listed for Donepezil

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Donepezil is filed under 7 classifications — including acetylcholinesterase (ache) inhibitors, cholinergic drugs, cytochrome p450 2d6 (cyp2d6) substrates. Piracetam has documented interactions with 1 drug class — the most serious being anticoagulant/antiplatelet drugs (major) — and none of Donepezil’s classifications are among them.

Classification data comes from our licensed Natural Medicines dataset. A medication can belong to classes beyond those recorded there, so this describes how the check was run — it is not a safety guarantee.

Keep it in perspective

Piracetam Does Interact With Other Medications

Piracetam has 122 major, known drug interactions in our database — Donepezil isn’t one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Major 122 No known interaction 2,708 (incl. Donepezil)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Piracetam

Covers the 2,830 medications we’ve checked against Piracetam. Pick one to open its full report.

What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Piracetam and Donepezil May Share Several of the Same Side Effects

This is not an interaction. Neither one changes how your body handles the other, and nothing here says they react together. What our sources do show is that each has separately been linked to the effects below — so taking both can make those effects more likely to turn up, and harder to pin on one or the other if they do. One of them is worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • Bleeding or bruising Worth acting on Additional detail

    Piracetam

    “Orally, piracetam was reported to cause abnormally heavy menstrual bleeding in one adult.”

    Piracetam · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in bleeding.

    1 source cited
    1. 95177. Kampman K, Majewska MD, Tourian K, et al. A pilot trial of piracetam and ginkgo biloba for the treatment of cocaine dependence. Addict Behav 2003;28(3):437-48. PubMed

    Donepezil

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Donepezil. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Trouble sleeping Additional detail

    Piracetam

    “Orally, piracetam can cause neurologic symptoms. Short-term use has been rarely reported to cause drowsiness, dizziness, agitation, nervousness, anxiety, weakness, hyperkinesia, mild to moderate symptoms of depression, headache, slurred speech, behavioral changes including irritation and disinhibited behavior, confusion, lethargy, and sleep disturbance.

    In one case report, a 10-year old male with hypothyroidism takin…”

    Piracetam · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in anxiety.

    6 sources cited
    1. 95170. Malykh AG, Sadaie MR. Piracetam and piracetam-like drugs: from basic science to novel clinical applications to CNS disorders. Drugs 2010;70(3):287-312. PubMed
    2. 95181. Koskiniemi M, Van Vleymen B, Hakamies L, et al. Piracetam relieves symptoms in progressive myoclonus epilepsy: a multicentre, randomised, double blind, crossover study comparing the efficacy and safety of three dosages of oral piracetam with placebo. J Ne PubMed
    3. 95182. Fedi M, Reutens D, Dubeau F, et al. Long-term efficacy and safety of piracetam in the treatment of progressive myoclonus epilepsy. Arch Neurol 2001;58(5):781-6. PubMed
    4. 95183. Wilsher CR, Bennett D, Chase CH, et al. Piracetam and dyslexia: effects on reading tests. J Clin Psychopharmacol 1987;7(4):230-7. DOI
    5. 95186. Winblad B. Piracetam: a review of pharmacological properties and clinical uses. CNS Drug Rev. 2005;11(2):169-82. PubMed
    6. 95188. Neznamov GG, Teleshova ES. Comparative studies of Noopept and piracetam in the treatment of patients with mild cognitive disorders in organic brain diseases of vascular and traumatic origin. Neurosci Behav Physiol. 2009;39(3):311-21. PubMed

    Donepezil

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Donepezil. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Tiredness reported in 4.8% of FDA reports for Donepezil Additional detail

    Piracetam

    Recorded for Piracetam in the same Natural Medicines adverse-effect record shown under Trouble sleeping above.

    Donepezil

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Donepezil, and in voluntary FDA adverse-event reports. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Nausea / Vomiting reported in 4.6% of FDA reports for Donepezil Additional detail

    Piracetam

    “Orally, piracetam has been rarely reported to cause gastrointestinal disturbances, such as nausea, vomiting, constipation, and burning sensation in the mouth.”

    Piracetam · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in constipation.

    3 sources cited
    1. 95181. Koskiniemi M, Van Vleymen B, Hakamies L, et al. Piracetam relieves symptoms in progressive myoclonus epilepsy: a multicentre, randomised, double blind, crossover study comparing the efficacy and safety of three dosages of oral piracetam with placebo. J Ne PubMed
    2. 95188. Neznamov GG, Teleshova ES. Comparative studies of Noopept and piracetam in the treatment of patients with mild cognitive disorders in organic brain diseases of vascular and traumatic origin. Neurosci Behav Physiol. 2009;39(3):311-21. PubMed
    3. 95246. Croisile B, Trillet M, Fondarai J, Laurent B, Mauguière F, Billardon M. Long-term and high-dose piracetam treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Neurology. 1993;43(2):301-5. PubMed

    Donepezil

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Donepezil, and in voluntary FDA adverse-event reports. Read the label on DailyMed ›

Reported for Piracetam but not commonly for Donepezil: stomach upset, a change in thyroid levels, constipation and mood changes or irritability.

Effects for Donepezil come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Piracetam come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Where a percentage is shown, it is the share of 37,026 voluntary FDA FAERS reports for Donepezil that mention that effect — a reporting proportion, not an incidence rate and not evidence the drug caused it. Wording is matched across sources by our own clinical vocabulary, so treat this as a prompt to pay attention, not a diagnosis.

Overlapping uses

What Donepezil Is Prescribed For, and What Piracetam Has Been Studied For

These two come up together because they touch the same health topic — not because they do the same job. Donepezil is a prescription medicine with approved uses on its FDA label. Piracetam is a supplement: what follows is what researchers have looked at it for, and how strong that evidence is.

Donepezil is prescribed for: Donepezil is used to treat dementia of the Alzheimer's type. It has been shown to be effective across all stages — mild, moderate, and severe Alzheimer's disease. It can help with memory, thinking, and daily functioning, though it works differently for each person. Donepezil does not cure Alzheimer's disease or stop the disease from progressing.

Piracetam has been studied for:

  • Memory studied, not established Piracetam has been studied for this. Natural Medicines rates the evidence: Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate Read what the research shows

    Piracetam for memory

    It is unclear if oral piracetam is beneficial for memory.

  • Dementia studied, not established Piracetam has been studied for this. Natural Medicines rates the evidence: Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate Read what the research shows

    Piracetam for dementia

    It is unclear if oral piracetam is beneficial in patients with dementia.

Effectiveness ratings and the research summaries above are the verbatim record from the Natural Medicines database, which grades evidence from “Effective” down to “Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate”. A rating below the top of that scale means researchers have looked at it — not that it works, and never that it can stand in for a prescribed medicine. Do not stop or replace Donepezil on your own; if you are taking Piracetam for the same health topic, tell your prescriber, especially if the medicine is being adjusted to a target.

From our Q&A

Questions About Piracetam or Donepezil

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Piracetam or Donepezil, not necessarily both, but if one is close to what you were about to ask it will usually go further than a database entry can:

Not quite your question? Ask our pharmacists directly — it is free, there is no account required, and answers usually come back within 24 hours.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Donepezil

This page covers Piracetam only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Donepezil page lists 173 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Grapefruit (major), St. John's Wort (major), 1,3-dmaa (moderate) and Acacia Rigidula (moderate).

By severity: 3 major · 127 moderate · 43 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Donepezil page

“If you or a loved one takes donepezil (Aricept) for Alzheimer's disease, this is a list worth reading with real care, starting with the three major-rated entries: grapefruit, St. John's wort, and activated charcoal.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Donepezil interaction page

One more smart check

Taking Piracetam as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions

We hold 6 real supplement products containing Piracetam, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Piracetam. Even though Piracetam itself has no known interaction with Donepezil, another ingredient on your label might. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where Piracetam and Donepezil Sit Against Everything Else

Out of every supplement and medication people look up on HelloPharmacist, here is where these two land this week — and which way each has been moving.

Supplement Piracetam
Steady interest

#848 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Donepezil
Top half

#1,394 of 2,830 medications looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today

Position among everything looked up on this site, not a measure of how commonly either one is used or how important it is. A supplement can climb this list because of a news story. It counts every request to the page, automated ones included, and nothing here identifies anyone.

Where does our data come from?
  • Source: the Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) clinical database — the evidence-graded professional reference for herb & supplement interactions.
  • Citation library: 103,510 references behind our interaction content, 65,311 of them resolved to verified PubMed/DOI sources. See every Piracetam reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 20, 2026. The Piracetam and Donepezil records this page draws on were last updated July 11, 2026.
  • What “no known interaction” means: no documented interaction in the sources above — not a guarantee of safety. Supplements are studied far less than prescription drugs, so we say exactly what the evidence supports, and nothing more.
Data structure & sourcing designed and verified by .
Supplement

About Piracetam

What is Piracetam?

  • Memory and cognition ('nootropic')
  • Cognitive decline and dementia
  • Myoclonus
  • Dyslexia in children
  • Vertigo

Piracetam is a synthetic 'nootropic' drug studied mainly for cognitive decline, myoclonus, and certain neurological conditions, but evidence for boosting memory in healthy people is weak. It is a prescription medicine in many countries and is not an approved drug or dietary supplement in the United States, so quality and safety of products sold online vary. Talk to a doctor or pharmacist before using it.

Synthetic compound (not plant-derived) · Tablets, capsules, powder, oral solution

An interaction check asks whether these two react with each other — it does not ask whether Piracetam is a good idea for someone in your situation. Here is what our Piracetam record says about it on its own.

Piracetam: dosing

There is no established 'supplement' dose for piracetam, and recommended amounts in medical settings vary widely depending on the country and condition being treated. Because it is unapproved in the U.S. They can help you weigh the risks, especially if you have kidney issues or take other medicines. Do not assume that taking more will work better; higher amounts may increase side effects.

From our Piracetam monograph — the full record covers uses, side effects and every documented interaction.

Read the full Piracetam monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Donepezil

What Is Donepezil Used For?

Brand name: Aricept

Donepezil is used to treat dementia of the Alzheimer's type. It has been shown to be effective across all stages — mild, moderate, and severe Alzheimer's disease.

It can help with memory, thinking, and daily functioning, though it works differently for each person. Donepezil does not cure Alzheimer's disease or stop the disease from progressing.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Donepezil

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (37,026 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Fall 3,130 reports
Confusional state 2,010 reports
Dizziness 1,857 reports
Diarrhea 1,840 reports
Fatigue 1,794 reports
See full Donepezil drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Piracetam

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Piracetam — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.

122Major
0Moderate
0Minor
2,707No known interaction
122 Major 2,707 No interaction
Major

122 interactions

Showing 60 of 122 major interactions — see all 122 on the Piracetam page.

No interaction 2,707 drugs checked — show the list

We also checked Piracetam against these medications and found no known interaction in our sources. Open any page to confirm.

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,707 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Piracetam list.

See the full Piracetam interactions page
See every supplement checked against Donepezil, ranked by severity
Evidence & sources

Piracetam References

The 16 references that drive our Piracetam monograph and interaction data, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Citations with a link open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.

  1. Malykh AG, Sadaie MR. Piracetam and piracetam-like drugs: from basic science to novel clinical applications to CNS disorders. Drugs 2010;70(3):287-312. PubMed
  2. Ozdemir H, Akinci E, Coskun F. Comparison of the effectiveness of intravenous piracetam and intravenous dimenhydrinate in the treatment of acute peripheral vertigo in the emergency department. Singapore Med J 2013;54(11):649-52. PubMed
  3. Kampman K, Majewska MD, Tourian K, et al. A pilot trial of piracetam and ginkgo biloba for the treatment of cocaine dependence. Addict Behav 2003;28(3):437-48. PubMed
  4. Koskiniemi M, Van Vleymen B, Hakamies L, et al. Piracetam relieves symptoms in progressive myoclonus epilepsy: a multicentre, randomised, double blind, crossover study comparing the efficacy and safety of three dosages of oral piracetam with placebo. J Ne PubMed
  5. Fedi M, Reutens D, Dubeau F, et al. Long-term efficacy and safety of piracetam in the treatment of progressive myoclonus epilepsy. Arch Neurol 2001;58(5):781-6. PubMed
  6. Wilsher CR, Bennett D, Chase CH, et al. Piracetam and dyslexia: effects on reading tests. J Clin Psychopharmacol 1987;7(4):230-7. DOI
  7. Di Ianni M, Wilsher CR, Blank MS, et al. The effects of piracetam in children with dyslexia. J Clin Psychopharmacol. 1985;5(5):272-8. PubMed
  8. Winblad B. Piracetam: a review of pharmacological properties and clinical uses. CNS Drug Rev. 2005;11(2):169-82. PubMed
  9. Neznamov GG, Teleshova ES. Comparative studies of Noopept and piracetam in the treatment of patients with mild cognitive disorders in organic brain diseases of vascular and traumatic origin. Neurosci Behav Physiol. 2009;39(3):311-21. PubMed
  10. Moriau M, Crasborn L, Lavenne-Pardonge E, et al. Platelet anti-aggregant and rheological properties of piracetam. A pharmacodynamic study in normal subjects. Arzneimittelforschung. 1993;43(2):110-8.
  11. Rao MG, Holla B, Varambally S, et al. Piracetam treatment in patients with cognitive impairment. Gen Hosp Psychiatry. 2013;35(4):451.e5-6. PubMed
  12. Tuncer S, Sencan A, Aral M, Ayhan S. Piracetam-induced dysarthria: an unusual complication of antithrombotic prophylaxis after toe to finger transfer. J Reconstr Microsurg. 2011;27(9):575-6. PubMed
  13. Waters B, Resnick M, Simeon J, et al. An adverse reaction to piracetam in an hypothyroid 10 year old boy. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol. 1980;4(2):207-9. PubMed
  14. Sandyk R, Gillman MA. Piracetam causes confusion in a patient with temporal lobe epilepsy. J Am Geriatr Soc. 1985;33(4):305. PubMed
  15. Croisile B, Trillet M, Fondarai J, Laurent B, Mauguière F, Billardon M. Long-term and high-dose piracetam treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Neurology. 1993;43(2):301-5. PubMed

Medication overviews come from MedlinePlus (NIH); supplement label data from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists — see our data sources and editorial standards.

Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Piracetam and Donepezil Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Piracetam with Donepezil?
We do not list a known interaction between Piracetam and Donepezil. That does not guarantee the combination is risk-free, so confirm with your pharmacist or doctor — especially if you take other medications or have a health condition.
Do Piracetam and Donepezil have any of the same side effects?
Yes — our sources link each of them separately to 5 of the same effects. That is not an interaction: neither changes how your body handles the other. It does mean that if one of those effects turns up, it can be harder to tell which one is behind it. They are listed on this page with the source behind each.
Are Piracetam and Donepezil used for the same thing?
They overlap in purpose, which usually means the real question is whether you need both rather than whether they are safe together. This page lists the shared uses and how strong the evidence is for Piracetam in each. That is a conversation for your prescriber, especially if Donepezil is being adjusted to a target.
How was the Piracetam and Donepezil combination checked?
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Donepezil is filed under 7 classifications, and Piracetam has documented interactions with 1 drug class — none of Donepezil's classifications are among them. A medication can belong to classes beyond those recorded in our dataset, so this describes how the check was run rather than guaranteeing safety.
Does Piracetam interact with any other medications?
Yes. Piracetam has 122 documented drug interactions in our database — Donepezil is simply not one of them. If you take anything else, it is worth checking each one; they are all listed on this page.
Does Donepezil interact with any supplements?
Yes. Donepezil has documented interactions with 173 supplements in our database — Piracetam is not one of them. The Donepezil interaction page linked on this page lists every one, ranked by severity.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Where next

Keep Exploring

Piracetam monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Donepezil drug information The full plain-English guide to this medication Donepezil supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Donepezil, ranked by severity Supplement interaction checker Check any supplement or product against your medications Browse medications A–Z Every drug we’ve checked against herbs & supplements References The 16 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

Still Have a Question About Donepezil and Piracetam?

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This information is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always check with your pharmacist or doctor before starting, stopping, or combining supplements and medications.