Pyrithioxin (Bonifen, Encefabol, Pyritinol, Vitamin B6 disulfide) is a neurotropic agent which reduces permeability of blood-brain barrier to phosphate. It has no vitamin B6 activity.
In old rats, chronic administration of pyritinol increases sensitivity to foot shock and spatial retention. It enhances passive avoidance retention in young and old animals. Acute administration of the drug to young rats reveals a dose-dependent increase in levels of adenosinetriphosphate (ATP) in blood and enhances the age-related decreased utilisation of glucose in various regions of the brain. Chronic treatment with pyritinol elevates the high-affinity uptake of choline in hippocampal and striatal synaptosomes, which is reduced by ageing[1].
[1] Hartmann H, et al. Neuropharmacology. 1993, 32(2):119-25.