What is the legal status of Aniracetam in Australia and can you purchase this nootropic without a prescription?
Aniracetam is a cognitive enhancer that has been prescribed in some countries to treat age-related memory loss, mood disorders and cognitive impairment.
It has not been approved for medical use in Australia, but is commonly imported for personal use by individuals who want to enhance their memory, focus, productivity and sense of well-being.
Aniracetam is described in user reviews as having anxiolytic effects, promoting relaxation, increased mental performance and improved verbal fluidity. Users say that it can make them feel more driven, clear-headed and calmer in social scenarios.
In this article, we will review the legality of purchasing Aniracetam for Australian residents, the risks of importing it from other countries and how its legal status compares to other nootropic agents.
We will also discuss the research conducted into its effects on cognitive function, how it works, how it is best used and safety precautions for anyone considering taking a nootropic stack. Buy Aniracetam online at this link.



- Heightens focus & motivation
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Aniracetam in Australia
Related Topics
- What is Aniracetam?
- User Reviews
- Effects and Benefits
- Aniracetam for Anxiety
- Dosage Suggestions
- Using Aniracetam Powder
- Best Way to Take
- Side Effects
- Aniracetam for Sale
- Buyer's Guide
- Is Aniracetam Legal?
- Stacking with Piracetam
- Stacking with Choline
- Comparison to Piracetam
- Comparison to Oxiracetam
- Comparison to Pramiracetam
- Comparison to Noopept
Aniracetam is an unscheduled drug in Australia and it can be purchased and consumed without a prescription.
This means its use and possession is not controlled in the country. It is legal for you to buy and possess as a consumer.
However, because it has not been approved by the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods, it cannot legally be sold in Australia. These restrictions apply to sellers and manufacturers and not to buyers.
You will not be able to purchase this in local Australian pharmacies or supplement stores. It also cannot be sold as a pharmaceutical drug on websites based in this country.
The result is that most Australian residents will purchase it online and import this nootropic agent to Australia for personal use. Customers report being able to buy it online and import it without a prescription on file.
There is a risk of seizure when purchasing any substance regulated as a medicine in other countries and shipping it internationally. Customs agents exercise discretion and can choose whether to allow your package through the borders, to request more information from you or to seize or return it.
To prevent delays or issues at the border, it is best to obtain a prescription for Aniracetam and any other synthetic nootropic agent or smart drug you intend to use.
While not licensed for sale in Australia, your doctor can still prescribe it to you to treat medical conditions. Doctors in Australia are free to prescribe medications that they think can help their patients, even if they have not been approved by local authorities.
Several suppliers note that they have few issues with shipping Aniracetam powder or capsules to this country in small quantities. Quantities that fall under personal use exemptions are typically described as amounts with a commercial value less than $200 or supplies that will last for less than three months.
Ordering more than this amount may not be allowed due to a ban on importation for the purposes of commercial distribution or resale. You cannot ship large quantities of Aniracetam powder or capsules to Australia since authorities may think you are bringing it into the country to sell.
There is a higher possibility of having your package seized at the border, particularly if you are ordering certain other nootropics at the same time. Piracetam, Phenibut and Modafinil are regulated more strictly than Aniracetam

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Legal Status of Nootropics in Australia
How does Australia regulate nootropic supplements and smart drugs? Medicines or products with pharmacological activity are considered therapeutic goods. This includes any product used for the prevention, diagnosis, alleviation or curing of a disease.
For drugs to be sold legally in Australia, they must be approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration. Drugs are then listed on a different schedule depending on their risk of abuse and whether they require medical supervision to use safely.
Aniracetam has a different legal status in Australia compared to Piracetam (Nootropil), which is listed as a Schedule 4 Substance.
Other Racetams like Oxiracetam, Pramiracetam and Phenylpiracetam are unscheduled and are not explicitly named in the regulations that apply to controlled substances.
In 2006, the National Drugs and Poisons Schedule Committee (NDPSC) added Piracetam to the list of Schedule 4 substances to harmonize local laws with those of the New Zealand Medicines Classification Committee.
Under the Therapeutic Goods Act of 1989, this means that it requires a prescription to purchase in Australia.
Users have reported in the past being able to purchase Piracetam over-the-counter or online in other countries and import it to Australia without a prescription.
However, recently the enforcement against import of this racetam smart drug seems to have increased and more retailers have noted issues with packages getting stopped by customs agents.
Because this legal classification technically also applies to analogues and derivatives of Piracetam, some sources have questions whether related racetam drugs like Aniracetam, Phenylpiracetam, Pramiracetam, Oxiracetam, Nefiracetam and Coluracetam also fall under the Schedule 4 category.
There has not been clear guidance from the Australian government on the correct interpretation of the law. To date, Australian border officials do not appear to be treating Aniracetam the same way that they treat schedule 4 substances like Piracetam.
In March 2016, the Advisory Committee on Medicines Scheduling (ACMS) considered a proposal to remove piracetam, its analogues and derivates from the Schedule 4 list.
They determined that there was not sufficient benefit from taking piracetam to outweigh the potential negative side effects. While many nootropic users disagree with this categorization, it is unlikely that the availability of synthetic nootropics in this market will improve in the near future.
On June 7, 2017, regulators in Australia proposed adding the nootropic and anxiolytic agent Phenibut to the Schedule 4 category. Following this, border agents began restricting imports of this nootropic into the country when not accompanied by a valid prescription.

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Guide to Using
If you are interested in using Aniracetam, consult with a doctor to determine whether this product is appropriate for you.
Even though it does not require a prescription to purchase, it is recommended to consult with your doctor before you take any nootropic agent. Having a prescription will eliminate the risk of your package being confiscated by border agents if importing from overseas.
In addition to its use for general enhancement of cognitive function, this nootropic is also used therapeutically in other countries. The medical uses of Aniracetam are listed below:
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Cognitive impairment in Cerebrovascular disease
- Senile Dementia and Age-Related Cognitive Decline
- Depression
- Schizophrenia
- Sleep Disorders
- Stress and Social Anxiety
- Autism
- Epilepsy
- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
- Urinary Incontinence
- Behavioral Problems in the Elderly
- CNS Disorders
- Emotional Disturbances and Behavioural Issue
- Sleep Disorders
- Personality and Anxiety Disorders
- Parkinson’s disease
- Progressive supranuclear palsy
It has been found in research studies to prevent the worsening of cognitive function that accompanies Senile Dementia of the Alzheimer’s Type (SDAT) and other forms of degenerative brain disorders.
When administered to patients with Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and brainstem infarction or mild to moderate dementia of vascular origin, it has been observed to improve the following:
- Memory
- Anxiety
- Vigilance
- Depression
- Sleep Disorders
- Behavioral Control
While there are positive findings in research studies on individuals with pre-existing cognitive impairments, there are no human studies on its effects in healthy adults under normal circumstances.
One study found that it could ameliorate learning deficits in healthy adults induced by hypoxia (a deficiency of oxygen reach brain tissue). Animal studies suggest it may have benefits for memory function in sleep deprived subjects.
However, more research is needed to determine whether it can augment memory performance, mood or executive function in healthy adults.
How Does It Work?
Research in animals has demonstrated a number of different mechanisms affected by taking Aniracetam.
It has been shown to enhance post-synaptic receptor activation for the excitatory neurotransmitters acetylcholine and glutamate and to increase long-term potentiation in the hippocampus.
It is believed to increase the release of acetylcholine, serotonin and dopamine in the pre-frontal cortex, a part of the brain involved in directing behavior towards the achievement of future goals.
Aniracetam has been shown to reduce the desensitization of glutamatergic receptors and function as a reversible positive allosteric modulator of the AMPA subclass of receptors.
Studies show that it can increase the expression of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), which is a growth factor that is implicated in synaptic plasticity, the repair of neurons and the growth of new connections between neurons.
Aniracetam also exhibits a number of neuroprotective effects and may prevent glutamate excitotoxicity in some models. It affects a wider range of brain systems compared to the nootropic agent Piracetam and is more efficacious in comparative studies, even at a lower dosage.
Precautions
As a treatment for cognitive disorders, Aniracetam is well-tolerated and has a low profile of side effects and very low risk of toxicity.
Results from clinical trials show minimal adverse effects and no serious side effects. Some of the negative effects reported include insomnia, anxiety, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, irritable mood, confusion and lethargy.
Aniracetam is not recommended for use in children under 18 years of age. It should not be taken by women who are pregnant or breastfeeding due to a lack of available research on its safety for these populations.
This nootropic has been observed to worsen the symptoms of Huntington‘s chorea, which is an inherited disorder that causes uncontrollable muscle movements as well as other signs of impaired cognitive function.
Use of Aniracetam in patients with liver or kidney problems is contraindicated. It should not be given to patients diagnosed with renal failure (creatinine clearance of less than 20 mL/minute) or severe hepatic dysfunction. If given to patients with mild to moderate kidney problems, it should be used at a reduced dosage.
- What are 'therapeutic goods'? Therapeutic Goods Administration. Department of Health. Australian Government.
- Aniracetam: its novel therapeutic potential in cerebral dysfunctional disorders based on recent pharmacological discoveries.
- DrugBank: Aniracetam.
- Aniracetam | C12H13NO3 | PubChem.
- Aniracetam. An overview of its pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic properties, and a review of its therapeutic potential in senile cognitive disorders.
Article last updated on: July 17th, 2018 by Nootriment