Deanol

Other Names

(2-Hydroxyethyl)dimethylamine(Dimethylamino)ethanol2-(Dimethylamino)-1-ethanol2-(Dimethylamino)ethan-1-ol2-(Dimethylamino)ethanol2-(N,N-Dimethylamino)ethanol2-Dimethylaminoethanolbeta-Dimethylaminoethyl alcoholbeta-HydroxyethyldimethylamineBimanolDemanolDemanylDimethyl(2-hydroxyethyl)amineDimethyl(hydroxyethyl)amineDimethylaethanolaminDimethylaminoaethanolDimethylaminoethanolDimethylethanolamineDimethylmonoethanolamineDMAEDMEAEthanol, 2-(dimethylamino)-LiparonN,N-Dimethyl-2-aminoethanolN,N-Dimethyl-2-hydroxyethylamineN,N-Dimethyl-N-(2-hydroxyethyl)amineN,N-Dimethyl-N-(beta-hydroxyethyl)amineN,N-DimethylaminoethanolN,N-DimethylethanolamineN-(2-Hydroxyethyl)dimethylamineN-DimethylaminoethanolNorcholineVaresal

Synopsis

Deanol (Dimethylaminoethanol / DMAE): A Comprehensive Reference

1. Identity: Chemical Names, Natural Sources, and Common Forms

Chemical Identity

Deanol is commonly referred to as 2-(dimethylamino)ethanol, dimethylaminoethanol (DMAE), or dimethylethanolamine (DMEA). Additional synonyms include N,N-dimethyl-2-aminoethanol, beta-dimethylaminoethyl alcohol, and beta-hydroxyethyldimethylamine. It holds tertiary amine and primary alcohol groups as functional groups. In its pure, free-base form, DMAE is a liquid with a color that ranges from clear to pale yellow.

Natural Occurrence

Dimethylaminoethanol (DMAE), also referred to as deanol or dimethylethanolamine, is believed to be an endogenous precursor of choline and acetylcholine. Nonoccupational exposure to dimethylaminoethanol can occur through the consumption of squid, sardines, and other fatty fish. As an endogenous molecule, the function of 2-dimethylaminoethanol (deanol) in the biosynthesis of choline and its role as a possible precursor of cerebral acetylcholine has intensified scientific interest in this substance. Early natural-occurrence research showed that Artom and Crowder claimed occasional occurrence of traces of it in rat liver, and Wolf and Nyc reported that they were able to isolate it from a mutant strain of Neurospora crassa, which accumulates this substance.

Common Forms and Preparations

Deanol is marketed and studied in several salt forms and formulations. Dimethylaminoethanol bitartrate, a salt of dimethylaminoethanol, is produced from dimethylaminoethanol and tartaric acid (CASRN: 5988-51-2; Chemical Formula: C₄H₁₁NO • C₄H₆O₆; Molecular Weight: 239.23). 2-Dimethylaminoethanol (DMAE) has been used as an ingredient in skin care, and in cognitive function- and mood-enhancing products; it is marketed as a free base or salt, and in theory, the two forms should be equally effective and able to substitute for each other in pharmaceutical formulations. Oral supplements most commonly contain the bitartrate salt. A number of dietary supplements on the market contain dimethylaminoethanol, most commonly in the form of dimethylaminoethanol bitartrate, and these supplements are purported to improve memory and general cognitive function. The compound is also formulated as topical gels, typically at concentrations around 3%, for cosmetic and dermatological applications. Centrophenoxine has been synthesized in France from dimethylaminoethanol and p-chlorophenoxyacetic acid, representing a related pharmaceutical derivative.

Regulatory and Pharmaceutical History

The prescription drug Deaner® (deanol p-acetamidobenzoate) was used in the United States for more than 20 years to treat learning and behavioral problems in children, but was withdrawn from the market in 1983 due to better alternatives becoming available. Deanol was previously sold by Riker Laboratories as the prescription drug Deaner, and it was prescribed for the management of children with behavior problems and learning difficulties. Deanol is not an approved food additive in the U.S., nor is it an orphan drug, as some advertising suggests.

2. Traditional and Historical Use

Deanol does not originate from a traditional botanical medicine system, as it is a small organic molecule first characterized through biochemical research rather than from an ethnobotanical tradition. Its history of human use is therefore defined by pharmacological and clinical investigation rather than by folk medicine.

A prescription form of DMAE called Deaner or Deanol was in clinical use as far back as the 1960s and 1970s, used for the treatment of learning and behavioral problems associated with shortened attention span. Drug makers were initially interested in selling the product as a medication for attention deficit disorder after studies in the 1970s showed that deanol, the chemical name for DMAE, reduced hyperactivity and improved concentration in schoolchildren with learning disabilities and behavior problems. Beyond the United States, DMAE has been known in Europe by the product name Deanol for more than three decades.

Dimethylaminoethanol salts have been used to manage learning and behavioral problems, Huntington's chorea, chronic fatigue, and neurasthenia. Early psychiatry also explored its potential: historical records note the use of deanol in institutionalized schizophrenic patients, where deanol was used in 100 institutionalized female schizophrenics; it was moderately effective in 25%, producing increased interest in milieu, work, and recreation, and decreasing somatic delusional trends, depression, retardation, and mutism; side actions were minimal and all were controlled by dosage regulation.

Dimethylaminoethanol, also known as dimethylethanolamine or DMAE, was once marketed in the US as Deaner but was withdrawn in 1980 because the FDA required proof for its claims of efficacy in treating symptoms of minimal brain dysfunction; DMAE is a novel ingredient initially used in the treatment of hyperkinetic disorders and to improve memory. Subsequently, it transitioned largely to the over-the-counter dietary supplement and cosmetics markets.

3. Key Constituents and Mechanisms of Action

Chemical Structure and Relationship to Choline

DMAE is an analog of the B vitamin choline and is a precursor of acetylcholine. Structurally, DMAE has two methyl groups and is chemically similar to choline. Choline itself has three methyl groups and a full positive charge, while DMAE has one fewer methyl group on its nitrogen atom, rendering it a tertiary amine rather than a quaternary ammonium compound. This structural difference affects membrane permeability; unlike choline, DMAE can cross biological membranes more readily.

Cholinergic Mechanism: Precursor to Acetylcholine

The most widely cited proposed mechanism for deanol's pharmacological activity involves its conversion to choline and subsequently to the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. Dimethylaminoethanol supplies the brain with choline, where it is acetylated by choline acetylase to form acetylcholine. Research has shown that deanol has been shown to be capable of conversion into choline-containing compounds by neurons in culture and by the rat brain. Furthermore, treatment of mice with deanol has been shown to increase plasma and tissue levels of choline, at least in part, by inhibiting the metabolism of choline.

Early experimental data from Dr. Garrison showed that 2-dimethylaminoethanol is a substrate for choline acetyltransferase, supporting its direct integration into the acetylcholine synthetic pathway. However, the relationship between deanol administration and brain acetylcholine elevation is contested. Research using gas chromatographic methods found that there was no detectable elevation in ACh levels in rat whole brain, cortex, striatum, or hippocampus after a 15-minute pretreatment with 550 mg/kg of deanol (i.p.); the only elevation in ACh levels detected occurred selectively in the striatum of mice pretreated with a massive dose of 900 mg/kg i.p. of deanol for 30 minutes. The authors of that study concluded that these data emphasize the need for further investigation into the mode of action of deanol and question its suggested role as an immediate precursor of ACh synthesis in the central nervous system.

One influential perspective reconciling these conflicting findings is that low doses of DMAE promote cholinergic neurotransmission, whereas high doses may promote catecholaminergic transmission.

Antioxidant and Free Radical Scavenging Activity

A second well-documented mechanism concerns the antioxidant properties of deanol. Among its pharmacological activities, dimethylaminoethanol (DMAE) is a precursor of choline, which in turn allows the brain to optimize the production of acetylcholine that is a primary neurotransmitter involved in learning and memory; the compound has new information on its ability to scavenge specific free radicals, assessed by Electron Spectroscopic Resonance (EPR), to further analyze the role of DMAE as an antioxidant. Specifically, DMAE's ability to directly react with hydroxyl, ascorbyl and lipid radicals was tested employing in vitro assays, and related to the supplemented dose of the compound. Free DMAE showcases a protective side, acting as a free radical scavenger that shields cell membranes from oxidative harm; this defense mechanism aligns with the "Membrane Hypothesis of Aging," which theorizes that progressive, cumulative damage to cellular membranes, leading to lipid peroxidation and other detrimental changes, underpins aging.

Anti-Inflammatory Properties

In vitro evidence indicates anti-inflammatory activity. New functions of DMAE, including anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities, have been elucidated; in vitro, DMAE inhibits IL-2 and IL-6 secretion in addition to its actions as a free radical scavenger. Independently, in vitro studies in peripheral blood lymphocytes indicate that DMAE is a moderately active anti-inflammatory agent.

Cutaneous Mechanisms

In the context of dermatology, although the exact mechanism of action of DMAE is unclear, its acetylcholine-like functions increase contractility and cell adhesion in the epidermis and dermis, resulting in the appearance of firmer skin. Growing evidence points to acetylcholine as a ubiquitous cytokine-like molecule that regulates basic cellular processes such as proliferation, differentiation, locomotion, and secretion in a paracrine and autocrine fashion, and evidence suggests that the skin is an active site of acetylcholine synthesis, storage, secretion, metabolism, and receptivity. Additionally, in vitro data show that DMAE was shown to enhance fibroblast proliferation, and associating DMAE with a combination of mineral salts such as magnesium, zinc, and copper can markedly increase its effect on fibroblast proliferation; moreover, the combination exhibited a significant and marked stimulation of collagen and glucosaminoglycan synthesis.

4. Scientific Evidence by Area of Use

4.1 Attention Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Learning Disorders

The earliest and most commercially significant application of deanol was in the management of childhood behavioral and learning disorders now classified under the ADHD spectrum. Several placebo-controlled trials performed in the 1960s and 1970s have shown that it was effective in improving symptoms of ADHD in children at doses of 500 mg/day or higher. A notable early study reported that three-month treatment with Deanol (DMAE, 500 mg) improved school performance in 74 children with behavior and learning disorders. An important comparative study compared the effects of DMAE supplementation with methylphenidate (Ritalin) for treating ADHD in a double-blind, placebo-controlled design; results indicated that deanol appeared to be comparably active to methylphenidate versus placebo (Lewis and Young, 1975, Clin Pharmacol Ther).

Evidence strength: While extensive research and clinical efficacy on this topic are lacking, there is some evidence that it may provide unique health benefits to cognition impaired by hyper attention; this drug was once sold as a prescription drug for children who demonstrated learning and behavioral problems, including shortened attention span. The available studies are dated (predominantly 1960s–1970s), used small sample sizes, and many lack the methodological rigor required by modern standards. The regulatory withdrawal of Deaner® in 1983 underscores the absence of conclusive modern evidence.

4.2 Cognitive Function, Mood, and EEG Biomarkers

A well-cited controlled study examined the effects of a DMAE-containing vitamin-mineral combination on brain electrophysiology. The psychophysiological model of provoking different emotional states by watching film excerpts with various emotional contents was used to characterize drug action in 80 subjects (male/female = 50%) with threshold emotional disturbance within a randomized, group-parallel, double-blind, placebo-controlled study; analyzing the brain's electrical reaction during presentation of 5 videoclips of 7 minutes duration followed by 3 minutes pause revealed a content-specific representation of topographical frequency changes. This procedure was repeated after 6 and 12 weeks of daily intake of a vitamin-mineral drug combination containing dimethylaminoethanol (DMAE) (Vitagerin Geistlich N) or placebo. Since decreases in theta and alpha1 electrical power have been associated with increased vigilance and attention, subjects taking the drug combination obviously were more active and felt better. Both mood questionnaire scores (POMS and Bf-S) revealed a better mood for the active drug group, thus corroborating the results from EEG analysis; therefore, the vitamin-mineral drug combination containing DMAE can be interpreted to induce a psychophysiological state of better feeling of wellbeing on both levels of analysis.

A separate clinical report described that in a clinical trial of 60 patients with mild mental disorders, Deanol (DMAE) improved cognition, strength, and energy levels.

Regarding the DMAE pyroglutamate salt specifically, a special formulation, DMAE pyroglutamate (1,500 mg/day for 6 days), reversed short-term cognitive impairment in 24 healthy men; tests on rats revealed the same, though pyroglutamate itself may boost acetylcholine levels and cognition, and the study on human subjects lacked a control group.

Evidence strength: Preliminary. The most rigorous EEG study used a multi-ingredient formulation, making it impossible to attribute effects solely to DMAE. DMAE was only part of the vitamin formula (Vitagerin Geistlich N) administered to patients in the trial, so there are definitely confounds and it is difficult to determine how much mood enhancement is due to DMAE. Short-term studies have shown some increase in vigilance and alertness with a positive influence on mood, but long-term studies are equivocal.

4.3 Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia

Given the cholinergic hypothesis of Alzheimer's disease, deanol was investigated as a potential treatment. The results were uniformly negative. DMAE provided no significant improvement in two studies with over 260 Alzheimer's disease patients; some of them even had to quit due to major side effects. These trials included a double-blind study reported in the American Journal of Psychiatry (Fisman et al., 1981) and a clinical study in geriatric populations (Ferris et al., 1977, J Am Geriatr Soc). Summarizing the body of evidence, people use deanol for Alzheimer disease, but there is no good scientific evidence to support this use.

Evidence strength: Negative. Available controlled trials do not support the use of deanol in Alzheimer's disease or other dementias. DMAE failed to enhance cognition in studies on older people with mild memory loss and Alzheimer's disease.

4.4 Tardive Dyskinesia and Movement Disorders

Because tardive dyskinesia (TD) was theorized to involve a dopamine–acetylcholine imbalance, deanol was studied as a cholinergic agent to counterbalance dopaminergic hyperactivity. One trend of major interest has been the evaluation of the interaction of dopamine and acetylcholine in tardive dyskinesia; in the past few years deanol, a putative precursor of ACh, has been used to study the role of cholinergic influences in this syndrome; since the results with deanol have been conflicting, a purpose of clinical review has been to summarize the available data to determine the efficacy of deanol as a treatment for tardive dyskinesia.

Multiple clinical trials, including double-blind crossover studies (Jus et al., 1978, Neuropsychobiology; Penovich et al., 1978, JAMA; de Montigny et al., 1979, Psychopharmacology; George et al., 1981, Aust N Z J Psychiatry), as well as a Cochrane systematic review (McGrath and Soares, 2000, Cochrane Database Syst Rev), have collectively examined deanol for TD. There is no evidence to back up the anecdotal benefits of DMAE for movement disorders; clinical trials have found no significant improvement of tardive dyskinesia, chorea, and other movement disorders.

Evidence strength: Consistently negative. Multiple controlled trials and at least one Cochrane-level systematic review have not demonstrated efficacy for deanol in tardive dyskinesia. Moreover, a published case report in the European Neurology journal (Haug and Holzgraefe, 1991) raised the concern that DMAE could itself precipitate orofacial and respiratory tardive dyskinesia as an adverse effect in susceptible patients.

4.5 Cosmetic Dermatology: Skin Aging and Firmness

The dermatological application of deanol has attracted the most rigorous contemporary clinical investigation. In a randomized clinical study, 3% DMAE facial gel applied daily for 16 weeks has been shown to be safe and efficacious (p < 0.05) in the mitigation of forehead lines and periorbital fine wrinkles, and in improving lip shape and fullness and the overall appearance of aging skin. Beneficial trends (p > 0.05 but ≤ 0.1) were noted in the appearance of coarse wrinkles, under-eye dark circles, nasolabial folds, sagging neck skin, and neck firmness. Application was found to be well tolerated, with no differences in the incidence of erythema, peeling, dryness, itching, burning, or stinging between the DMAE and placebo groups; an open-label extension of the trial showed that the long-term application of DMAE gel for up to 1 year was associated with a good safety profile.

A separate randomized split-face study provided biophysical confirmation of skin-firming activity. The 2-phase randomized double-blind split-face study was designed to compare the effect of a gel containing 3% 2-dimethylaminoethanol (deanol, DMAE) with the same formulation without DMAE; in a first pilot study, sensorial assessments and measures of the skin distension under suction were performed in eight volunteers; in a second study conducted in 30 volunteers, shear wave propagation was measured; large interindividual variations precluded any significant finding in the first study; however, the DMAE formulation showed a significant effect characterized by increased shear wave velocity in the direction where the mechanical anisotropy of skin showed looseness; the DMAE formulation under investigation increased skin firmness.

The benefits of DMAE in dermatology include a potential anti-inflammatory effect and a documented increase in skin firmness with possible improvement in underlying facial muscle tone.

Evidence strength: Moderate, specifically for topical application. There is at least one published randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial and one biophysical split-face study supporting skin-firming and anti-wrinkling effects of 3% DMAE gel. The biological mechanism remains incompletely characterized, though cholinergic, anti-inflammatory, and direct tensioning effects on dermal structures have been proposed.

4.6 Physical Performance

One clinical study examined effects on physical performance. A study by Pieralisi, Ripari, and Vecchiet (1991, Clin Ther) assessed the effects of a standardized ginseng extract combined with dimethylaminoethanol bitartrate, vitamins, minerals, and trace elements on physical performance during exercise. This was a multi-ingredient combination study, making it difficult to attribute specific performance effects to DMAE alone.

Evidence strength: Insufficient. The available study is a multi-ingredient combination trial, and no standalone controlled clinical evidence specifically attributes physical performance benefits to deanol.

5. Body Systems and Health Areas Associated with Deanol

Central Nervous System: Dimethylaminoethanol salts have been used to treat central nervous system disorders in humans, specifically those considered to be associated with decreased cholinergic neuron function.
Cholinergic Neurotransmission: DMAE is believed to be an endogenous precursor of choline and acetylcholine, affecting the central cholinergic pathways involved in cognition, learning, memory, and motor control.
Skin and Connective Tissue: DMAE is now being used in cosmeceutical products, gaining popularity from its activity as a precursor to acetylcholine; initially utilized as a firming and anti-aging product, new functions, including anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities, have now been elucidated.
Antioxidant / Cellular Defense: Deanol participates in reactive oxygen species scavenging, with demonstrated in vitro activity against hydroxyl, ascorbyl, and lipid radicals, contributing to its proposed anti-aging effects.
Immune / Inflammatory Modulation: In vitro, DMAE inhibits IL-2 and IL-6 secretion in addition to its actions as a free radical scavenger.
Neuropsychiatric / Mood: Clinical and EEG data suggest potential influence on mood and subjective sense of wellbeing, though these studies used multi-ingredient formulations.

6. Dosage Forms and Dosages Reported in Studies

Deanol has been studied and used in the following forms and dosage ranges, as reported in the scientific literature:

Oral (cognitive/behavioral): Several placebo-controlled trials performed in the 1960s and 1970s showed effectiveness at doses of 500 mg/day or higher for ADHD symptoms in children. Three-month treatment with Deanol at 500 mg was used in 74 children with behavior and learning disorders.
Oral (cognitive, general): A DMAE pyroglutamate formulation at 1,500 mg/day for 6 days was used in a study examining reversal of short-term cognitive impairment in 24 healthy men.
Oral (general safety range referenced in review sources): Deanol is possibly safe when used in doses up to 2 grams daily for up to 4 weeks or 500 mg daily for up to 3 months.
Topical (dermatological): 3% DMAE facial gel applied daily for 16 weeks was used in the pivotal randomized clinical skin study. A gel containing 3% 2-dimethylaminoethanol (deanol, DMAE) was also used in the split-face firmness study.
Oral (EEG/mood study): Daily intake of a vitamin-mineral drug combination containing dimethylaminoethanol (DMAE) (Vitagerin Geistlich N) was administered for 12 weeks in the 80-subject EEG study. The exact milligram dose of DMAE within this combination product was not reported in the publicly available abstract.

There isn't enough reliable information to establish a single universally appropriate dose of deanol, and dosage recommendations vary considerably between formulations and indications across the published literature.

7. Safety Considerations and Interactions

General Oral Tolerability

Deanol is possibly safe when used in doses up to 2 grams daily for up to 4 weeks or 500 mg daily for up to 3 months; it seems to be well tolerated; side effects might include stomach cramps, stomach pain, diarrhea, drowsiness, nausea, and vomiting. Other reported effects include constipation, diarrhea, itching, headache, drowsiness, insomnia, vivid dreams, confusion, mood changes, or increased blood pressure.

Movement Disorder Risk

Paradoxically, despite its historical investigation as a treatment for tardive dyskinesia, published case reports have raised concern that deanol may itself induce or worsen movement symptoms. A case report in European Neurology (Haug and Holzgraefe, 1991) raised the question of orofacial and respiratory tardive dyskinesia as potential side effects of 2-dimethylaminoethanol (deanol) in susceptible individuals.

Psychiatric Contraindications

Depression: deanol might make depression worse. Schizophrenia: deanol might make schizophrenia symptoms worse. Tonic-clonic seizures: deanol should not be used by people with tonic-clonic seizure disorders; it might make seizures worse.

Drug Interactions

Deanol might increase a chemical in the body called acetylcholine; medications for Alzheimer's called acetylcholinesterase inhibitors also increase acetylcholine; taking deanol along with medications for Alzheimer's disease might increase effects and side effects of those medications; some medications in this class include donepezil (Aricept), tacrine (Cognex), rivastigmine (Exelon), and galantamine (Reminyl, Razadyne).

Taking deanol might decrease the effects of anticholinergic drugs; deanol can increase a chemical in the body called acetylcholine; some medications used for glaucoma, Alzheimer disease, and other conditions also increase acetylcholine levels; taking deanol with these medications might increase the chance of side effects.

Developmental and Reproductive Toxicology

The National Toxicology Program (NTP) conducted formal prenatal developmental toxicity studies given concerns about widespread human exposure. There are no studies in the literature on the reproductive or developmental toxicity of dimethylaminoethanol in humans; however, because of limited literature indicating it may be a teratogen and reproductive toxicant, and the possibility for widespread exposure to the salt form of dimethylaminoethanol (dimethylaminoethanol bitartrate) as a dietary supplement in women of childbearing age, the NTP conducted prenatal developmental toxicology studies to assess the effects of oral dimethylaminoethanol administration in pregnant rats and on fetal development.

Inhalation studies in pregnant Fischer 344 rats showed that skeletal alterations were observed in the fetuses of pregnant Fischer 344 rats exposed to 10 to 100 ppm dimethylaminoethanol via inhalation from GD 6 to GD 15; recorded skeletal variations were sporadic and included increased incidences of split cervical centra and bilobed thoracic centrum; a no-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) of 100 ppm or greater was estimated for embryo-fetal toxicity and teratogenicity, whereas a NOAEL of 10 ppm was estimated for maternal toxicity.

These animal findings, combined with the absence of human reproductive safety data, constitute a significant unresolved safety consideration for oral use in pregnancy.

Topical Safety

In the clinical dermatological trials, application of 3% DMAE gel was found to be well tolerated, with no differences in the incidence of erythema, peeling, dryness, itching, burning, or stinging between the DMAE and placebo groups; an open-label extension of the trial showed that long-term application for up to 1 year was associated with a good safety profile. In vitro research on fibroblast cultures and rabbit skin (Morissette et al., 2007, British Journal of Dermatology) raised some concern about cellular effects at high concentrations, though these findings were considered less directly translatable to human topical use at cosmetic concentrations.

Industrial Chemical Hazard (Context)

It is noted for context that in its concentrated industrial form, the dimethylaminoethanol chemical structure is also part of many different pharmaceutical formulations, including a variety of antihistamines, antiemetics, local anesthetics, and tamoxifen. According to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, 50% of the DMAE produced industrially is used to make flocculants for wastewater treatment, 20% is used in the manufacture of flexible and rigid polyurethane foams and polyurethane lacquers, and 20% is used in the manufacture of water-based paints and surface coatings. These industrial contexts differ entirely from dietary supplement and cosmetic applications.

References

Health Conditions

Health conditions that Deanol may help support.

No conditions available.

Body Systems

Body systems that Deanol may help support.

No body systems available.