In rats, the peptide semax (along with several other nootropics) helped the animals survive better and kept their memory intact after their brain blood flow was blocked or they were exposed to low oxygen. The study suggests semax could protect against memory loss caused by hypoxia or stroke‑like conditions, but the work was done only in animals.

Experiments with white mongrel rats (both females and males) showed that nootropic substances, i.e. sodium hydroxybutyrate, pyracetam, oxyracetam, aniracetam, centrophinoxine, nooglutyl, mexydol, semax, amide L-pyroglutamyl-D-alanine, and MK-801, a specific noncontesting antagonist of the NMDA-receptor complex, significantly increased survivability of the animals following bilateral occlusion of the common carotid arteries. The nootrops prevented, partly or completely, mnestic disorders in the experimental rats. In contrast, MK-801 profoundly aggravated these disorders. Similar results were obtained with a model of hypoxic amnesia. Except for N-acetylglycine amide and amide L-pyroglutamyl-D-alanine, the nootrops fully or to a considerable extent blocked the development of mnestic disorders in hypoxic rats. The authors recommend novel nootrops (nooglutyl, mexidol, semax and GVS-111) for the pharmacological correction of mnestic disorders consequent to hypoxia or cerebral ischemia.