A synthetic heptapeptide analog of ACTH(4-10) that provides nootropic, neuroprotective, and cognitive-enhancing effects by modulating BDNF and neurotransmitter systems.
Eremin. Kirill O KO; Kudrin. Vladimir S VS; Saransaari. Pirjo P; Oja. Simo S SS; Grivennikov. Igor A...
In rats, the peptide Semax raises the brain's serotonin breakdown product (5‑HIAA) by a noticeable amount, but it doesn't change dopamine levels on its own. However, when given shortly before amphetamine, Semax makes the amphetamine cause a bigger dopamine surge and more movement, suggesting it can boost stimulant effects.
Glazova. N Iu NIu; Sebentsova. E A EA; Levitskaia. N G NG; Andreeva. L A LA; Alfeeva. L Iu LIu; Kame...
Researchers tested how changing the first amino acid of the brain‑boosting peptide semax affects its ability to improve learning in rats. Swapping the original methionine for a gluconic‑acid tag or lysine kept the cognitive benefit, while replacing it with tryptophan or serine weakened it, and swapping it for glycine, threonine or alanine eliminated the effect entirely.
Bobyntsev. I I II; Shepeleva. O M OM; Kryukov. A A AA; Ivanov. A V AV; Belykh. A E AE
In rats exposed to stressful foot shocks, the peptide Semax helped protect the liver at higher doses (50 and 450 µg/kg) by lowering a marker of fat damage (MDA) and reducing stress‑related liver enzyme spikes. Lower doses (5 and 150 µg/kg) actually increased the damage marker. Over longer‑term stress, Semax improved liver protein‑making function and lowered another liver enzyme (ALT), but didn’t strongly affect the fat‑damage marker.
Ashmarin. I P IP; Liapina. L A LA; Pastorova. V E VE
The paper reviews how different regulatory peptides affect blood clotting and breakdown. It finds that Semax, a peptide similar to ACTH, can help dissolve clots and act against thrombosis in animal tests, especially when paired with heparin. The authors suggest testing Semax alone or with heparin in people with clotting problems.
Umnov. R S RS; Lin'kova. N S NS; Khavinson. V Kh VKh
This review looks at short brain‑protecting peptides such as semax and compares them to larger protein mixes. It summarizes clinical studies in older adults and explains how these tiny molecules may help keep brain cells healthy by reducing inflammation and oxidative stress.
Silachev. D N DN; Shram. S I SI; Shakova. F M FM; Romanova. G A GA; Miasoedov. N F NF
In rats with a small stroke in the front part of the brain, daily nose‑drops of the peptide semax (250 µg per kg) for six days helped them regain the ability to learn a water‑maze task. The benefit is thought to come from semax’s strong brain‑protecting effects and its ability to boost growth‑factor production.
Iasnetsov. V V VV; Krylova. I N IN; Provornova. N A NA
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.
Ivanova. D M DM; Vilenskiĭ. D A DA; Levitskaia. N G NG; Andreeva. L A LA; Alfeeva. L Iu LIu; K...
In rats, the brain‑active peptide semax (MEHFPGP) reduces pain, but only when its first amino‑acid is the original methionine, a lysine, or when a glucuronic‑acid group is attached to methionine. Cutting off the first few building blocks or swapping methionine for glycine makes the peptide lose its pain‑killing effect.
Liapina. L A LA; Grigor'eva. M E ME; Andreeva. L A LA; Miasoedov. N F NF
In rats, giving the peptide semax (and similar short proline‑rich peptides) through the nose before a stressful situation stopped the blood from becoming too clot‑prone. The treatment boosted the body's natural anti‑clotting and clot‑breaking systems, especially with the simple di‑peptides.
Getsova. V M VM; Orlova. N V NV; Folomkina. A A AA; Nezavibat'ko. V N VN
In rats, the brain‑active peptide semax (an ACTH analog) helped them learn and remember better, but only when the brain's serotonin or dopamine systems were chemically altered. It also blocked memory loss caused by drugs that deplete serotonin or interfere with dopamine, and it boosted serotonin activity in the midbrain and noradrenaline levels in the hypothalamus.
In a mouse study where blood flow to the brain was severely reduced, the peptide semax helped the animals survive longer, kept their memory intact during a tough cold-water swim with extra stress, and let them live longer in a low‑oxygen chamber. These results suggest semax may protect the brain under extreme stress, but the work was done in mice, not people.
Inozemtsev. A N AN; Bokieva. S B SB; Karpukhina. O V OV; Gumargalieva. K Z KZ; Kamensky. A A AA; Mya...
In rats, heavy metals like lead mess up learning, but the brain‑boosting peptide Semax can block that damage, working about as well as vitamin C. This shows Semax has antioxidant effects that protect memory in this animal model.
Samotrueva. M A MA; Yasenyavskaya. A L AL; Murtalieva. V Kh VK; Bashkina. O A OA; Myasoedov. N F NF;...
In a mouse study, stress from social fighting messed up the animals' immune system, but giving them the peptide Semax helped bring immune functions back toward normal, including better white‑blood‑cell activity.
Inozemtsev. A N AN; Agapitova. A E AE; Bokieva. S B SB; Glazova. N Iu NIu; Levitskaia. N G NG; Kamen...
In rats, a tiny dose of the peptide Semax (0.05 mg/kg) helped them learn to avoid a shock faster in one type of test, slowed learning in another test, but also helped them recover their avoidance behavior after the test conditions were changed, supporting its reputation as a brain‑boosting (nootropic) agent, though the results are mixed and from animal studies.
Svishcheva. M V MV; Mishina. Ye S YS; Medvedeva. O A OA; Bobyntsev. I I II; Mukhina. A Y AY; Kalutsk...
In a rat study, giving the peptide Semax before a stressful situation lowered stress hormones and reduced damage and inflammation in the colon, suggesting the drug helps the gut cope with acute stress. However, the work was done in animals, used high doses, and didn’t test humans, so the findings are not ready for direct use by biohackers.
This review says that the peptide semax (along with other brain‑derived factors) can help protect brain cells by lowering oxidative stress, calming inflammation, keeping mitochondria healthy, and boosting synaptic plasticity, which are all important in diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. However, the paper is a broad overview and doesn’t give specific dosing or real‑world protocols, and it notes big hurdles like getting the peptide across the blood‑brain barrier and preventing it from breaking down.
Gavrilova. S A SA; Markov. M A MA; Berdalin. A B AB; Kurenkova. A D AD; Koshelev. V B VB
In a rat study, the peptide Semax was given after a simulated heart attack and was found to slow down the growth of nerve fibers that control heart activity, without changing the number of certain heart receptors. This suggests Semax might influence heart healing, but the research is early and done in animals only.
Novosadova. E V EV; Arsenyeva. E L EL; Antonov. S A SA; Vanyushina. Y N YN; Malova. T V TV; Komissar...
Scientists used human stem cells turned into brain cells to test if the peptide Semax can protect neurons from damage. They found that Semax reduced cell death caused by oxidative stress by about 40%, and it didn’t show any toxicity in the lab tests. This suggests Semax might have some brain‑protective effects, but the evidence is only from cell cultures, not real people.
Ivanov. A V AV; Bobyntsev. I I II; Shepeleva. O M OM; Kryukov. A A AA; Andreeva. L A LA; Myasoedov....
In rats under chronic emotional and painful stress, giving the peptide semax (ACTG4-7-PGP) by injection helped protect liver cells: it lowered damage markers, improved protein‑making activity, and the effect got stronger with higher doses.
Vyunova. T V TV; Andreeva. L A LA; Shevchenko. K V KV; Myasoedov. N F NF
The study shows that the brain‑boosting peptide Semax works not just as a single molecule but as a group of related fragments that together create its effects. Two main breakdown pieces, HFPGP and PGP, bind to brain cell membranes and help explain why Semax can influence many brain functions, but the research doesn’t give clear dosing tips or new ways to use it.