Flourenol is a compound currently being studied for its potential as a better wakefulness promoting agent than Modafinil. This alcohol compound derivative of flourene has been around for quite some time even being patented as, among all things, an insecticide in the late 1930s. Researchers and biochemists working for Cephalon, a US based biopharmaceutical company, have been developing Flourenol and have since published a study on the compound. The study suggests that Flourenol has a very strong potential of becoming a better and a more effective successor to Modafinil.
Modafinil is one of the most successful wakefulness promoting agents or eugeroics ever developed. It has been approved by the USFDA for the treatment and management of narcolepsy, cataplexy, shift work sleep disorder, and excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) caused by obstructive sleep apnea. It is being sold under the brand names Provigil, Modavigil, and Alertec.
Cephalon happens to be the same pharmaceutical company who developed Modafinil and more recently Armodafinil. The company was founded in 1987 and has since pursued focused its efforts in researching and developing new treatment options for neurodegenerative diseases. Cephalon became a subsidiary of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, the largest generic drug manufacturer in the world following its acquisition of Cephalon October 2011.
Both Modafinil and Armodafinil are wakefulness enhancing agents. Flourenol is currently one of the more promising compounds being studied by Cephalon. Based on the initial results of its animal studies, Flourenol appears to have good chance of becoming a better alterntive to Modafinil and Armodafinil. It must be noted however, that no human trials have been published yet as of 2014.
The mechanism of action of Flourenol is not yet fully established, but its eugeroic properties are theorized to be caused by an active metabolite. Based on the studies of the biochemists at Cephalon, Flourenol was observed to be 39% more effective than Modafinil in promoting wakefulness in laboratory animals. Although Flourenol was clearly a more potent wakefulness promoting agent in the study, it was also observed to be 59% weaker than Modafinil, when it comes to its dopamine reuptake inhibiting properties. This means that even though Flourenol is a stronger eugeroic, it has is even less addictive than Modafinil.
If indeed Flourenol is a better eugeroic than Modafinil, it may also be reasonable to assume that Flourenol may also have better cognitive enhancing properties. Modafinil has been known to increase alertness and mental energy, improve working memory, pattern recognition, and digit manipulation. In these regards, Flourenol may also do a better job. Apart from being a eugeroic, Flourenol may also help speed up the recovery of former cocaine and methamphetamine addicts, something that Modafinil is also capable of doing.
While everything seems to be looking up for Flourenol, one must keep in mind that this compound is still largely unexplored and tested. No tests on humans have ever been published and there hardly is any chatter online even of rumors of human testing with Flourenol. It is not also unusual for a compound that shows promise in animal tests turn out to be disappointments after the compound is studied on humans. The assumptions made above are based only on conjecture and should therefore be taken with a grain of salt.
PROS
- It shows promise as a wakefulness enhancing agent in its animal trials.
- It appears to be more potent than Modafinil and yet have a lesser abuse potential.
- It might be a potent cognitive enhancer.
- It shows strong potential for other medical applications.
CONS
- All the data available as of this writing are taken from animal studies only.
- No data on human testing has been published yet.
- It may turn out to be a disappointment.
It would seem at this point that Flourenol may have a long way to go before it is deemed to be fit to be released to the public. Those who are looking for new and better eugeroics and nootropics may have to do with what is currently available and have been deemed as safe.
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