Erythrocyte - endothelial cell adherence in sickle cell disease, diabetes mellitus, and falciparum malaria: adverse effects reversed with piracetam.

The erythrocytes of patients with sickle hemoglobin, diabetes, and Falciparum malaria adhere disproportionately to endothelial cells. Such pathophysiological activity compromises the microcirculation and results in clinical disease. Since Piracetam (2-oxo-1 pyrrolidine acetamide) has been shown to have a number of clinically beneficial actions on the formed elements of the blood including disengagement of adherent diabetic and sickle erythrocytes there is a rational basis for the trial of Piracetam as an adjuvant drug in SS disease and in diabetes mellitus to improve function of the microcirculation. For similar but somewhat more complex reasons Piracetam may potentiate the efficacy of anti-malarial drugs at any given dosage. Piracetam, a drug known to be safe in a decade of clinical usage, merits serious study in the 3 cited diseases.