Nootropics · Comparison
Cerebrolysin vs Cortexin: Two Injectable Neuropeptide Courses Compared
Both are course-based injectable peptide complexes from the same clinical tradition. They differ in source, format, and the depth of evidence behind each.
Razumna editorial · 6 min read · Updated June 2026
The short answer
Cerebrolysin and Cortexin are both injectable neuropeptide complexes run as short courses, not daily pills, and both demand the sealed original because both are biological products that grey-market vendors routinely fake. Cerebrolysin is a porcine-derived peptide concentrate with the deeper evidence base, including stroke meta-analysis. Cortexin is a cortex-derived polypeptide complex run as a tighter 10-day course. They are used for overlapping goals from the same clinical tradition.
Same category, different products
Both come from the Soviet and Russian neuropeptide tradition, both are injectable, and both are run as courses rather than continuously. The differences are in what they are made of, how the course runs, and how much evidence sits behind each. Neither is a stimulant; both work on the underlying tissue rather than pushing a tired brain harder.
Source and format
Cerebrolysin is a 215.2 mg/ml concentrate of peptide fragments and amino acids from porcine brain protein, given as 5ml ampoules, intramuscular or slow IV. Cortexin is a polypeptide complex extracted from cerebral cortex, supplied as a lyophilisate you reconstitute before an intramuscular injection. The full breakdowns are in the Cerebrolysin guide and the Cortexin guide.
The course protocols
Cerebrolysin runs 5 to 30ml daily depending on goal, over a 10 to 20 day cycle, repeated a few times a year. Cortexin runs a tighter, more standardized course: commonly 10mg intramuscular once daily for 10 days. Cortexin's protocol is simpler to follow; Cerebrolysin's is more variable by goal. Both should have dose and course length set by a clinician.
Evidence and the source rule
Cerebrolysin has the deeper evidence base, including a meta-analysis of 9 randomized trials in post-stroke recovery (Bornstein, 2018) and a Cochrane review in vascular dementia. Cortexin has clinical stroke data including a 272-patient study (2014). For both, the strongest data is Russian and the trials are in clinical populations. And for both, the sealed original is non-negotiable, because counterfeit and underdosed vials are the norm in the grey market. Razumna ships the original EVER Pharma and Geropharm products respectively. This is information, not medical advice.
Products in this note
Common questions
Which has better evidence, Cerebrolysin or Cortexin?
Cerebrolysin has the deeper base, including stroke meta-analysis and a Cochrane review. Cortexin has clinical stroke data including a 272-patient study. Both are strongest in Russian clinical-population research, not healthy-user trials.
Can I run both?
They target overlapping goals, so there is no strong reason to run both at once. Most people pick one course. Both are injectable and should be administered with clinician oversight.
Why does the sealed original matter for both?
Both are biological products without a single verifiable synthetic structure, so grey-market vials are frequently fake or underdosed. The sealed EVER Pharma and Geropharm originals are the entire buy-reason.
Sources
- Bornstein et al. Cerebrolysin post-stroke meta-analysis, 2018 (PMID 29248999)
- Low-dose cortexin neuroprotection in acute ischemic stroke, n=272, 2014 (PMID 24874316)
This article is information, not medical advice. Razumna does not name compounds as treatments for any condition.
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