Informational only. Not medical advice.INFORMATIONAL PLATFORM ONLY — NOT MEDICAL ADVICE, DIAGNOSIS, OR TREATMENT
Informational only. Not medical advice.INFORMATIONAL PLATFORM ONLY — NOT MEDICAL ADVICE, DIAGNOSIS, OR TREATMENT
Head-to-head comparison of Agomelatine and Emoxypine succinate (Mexidol) — mechanism, side effects, legal status, and pricing.
Agomelatine is a non-peptide small-molecule naphthalene derivative and melatonin analog that acts as an agonist at MT1/MT2 melatonin receptors and antagonist at serotonin 5-HT2C receptors. It is an EMA-approved prescription antidepressant (Valdoxan, approved February 2009 for major depressive disorder in adults) but is NOT FDA-approved in the United States. Post-marketing surveillance identified hepatotoxicity as an important risk, prompting mandatory liver function monitoring and contraindications in hepatic impairment. Despite its prescription status, agomelatine is sold by gray-market vendors as bulk powder labeled 'for research use only.'
Emoxypine succinate (Mexidol) is a non-peptide small-molecule 3-hydroxypyridine derivative, the succinate salt of 2-ethyl-6-methyl-3-hydroxypyridine. It is a registered prescription drug in Russia and CIS states since the 1990s (IV/IM solution and oral tablet forms) but is NOT approved by the FDA or EMA. In the US and EU, it is sold only as an unregulated research chemical by nootropic vendors, typically labeled "not for human consumption." A 2024 peer-reviewed analysis flags its antihypoxic/metabolic-modulator profile as pharmacologically similar to WADA-banned agents meldonium and trimetazidine, documents past use by Russian athletes, and identifies it as a candidate for future prohibited-list consideration—though it is not currently WADA-prohibited.
Agomelatine
Emoxypine succinate (Mexidol)
Category
Legal Status
Mechanism
Side Effects
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Agomelatine
Emoxypine succinate (Mexidol)
No pricing data yet.
Check Emoxypine succinate (Mexidol) prices →COA corpus from Disclosed Labs — independently tested batches only.
Agomelatine
1
COAs
99.9%
Avg purity
1
Labs
Emoxypine succinate (Mexidol)
1
COAs
99.9%
Avg purity
1
Labs
Agomelatine is an EMA-approved prescription drug for major depressive disorder in adults (approved February 2009, marketed as Valdoxan/Melitor/Thymanax), not an unstudied novel compound. It is NOT FDA-approved in the United States despite completed clinical trials. Pooled human trial data identified hepatotoxicity as an important risk: transaminase elevations >3× upper limit of normal occurred in 1.34% of patients on 25 mg/day and 2.51% on 50 mg/day versus placebo, mostly hepatocellular and idiosyncratic. In rodent studies, chronic agomelatine administration induced regional increases in hippocampal neurogenesis (rat dentate gyrus), normalized stress-suppressed hippocampal neuronal activity and reversed stress-induced decreases in doublecortin expression in chronically stressed rats, and ameliorated stress-induced memory deficits in a mouse chronic social defeat stress model.
Human data: Registered/marketed prescription drug in Russia and CIS states since the 1990s; multiple Russia-conducted trials exist, including a published multicenter double-blind placebo-controlled RCT (MEGA) in 333 children aged 6–12 with ADHD across 14 Russian centers using 125 mg tablets. No FDA/EMA-reviewed pivotal trial or US-marketed product exists; independent non-Russian-sponsored replication is limited. Preclinical: In rats (180–240 g), 6.25–25 mg/kg emoxypine reduced forced-swim-test immobility by ~24% and orientational activity by ~53% (antidepressant-like activity, animal data only). In isolated/anesthetized rat hearts, 10 mg/kg IV increased collateral coronary blood flow without altering systemic blood pressure (animal data only). In vitro (Caco-2/HEK293-SLCO1B1/HepG2 cell lines), the compound inhibited ABCB1 and SLCO1B1 transporters less potently than reference inhibitors; authors judged systemic effect not clinically significant.
Agomelatine and Emoxypine succinate (Mexidol) are both in the Cognitive category and may have overlapping mechanisms. Researchers should review both profiles carefully, understand the mechanisms of action, and monitor the relevant biomarkers when combining compounds in the same class. As always, consult a licensed healthcare provider before making any decisions about combining research compounds.
This platform provides informational tools only, not medical advice. This comparison is for educational purposes only. Consult a licensed provider.
Contraindications
Lab Testing
Key references
Disclosed Labs