A synthetic heptapeptide analog of ACTH(4-10) that provides nootropic, neuroprotective, and cognitive-enhancing effects by modulating BDNF and neurotransmitter systems.
Vanhee. Celine C; Francotte. Antoine A; Janvier. Steven S; Deconinck. Eric E
Researchers found that the nootropic peptides Selank and Semax are being sold online and showed up in seized products, even though they haven’t been tested in human trials. They also created a lab test that can reliably spot these peptides in different forms. For DIY health enthusiasts, this means the compounds are out there, but their safety and effectiveness are still unknown.
Medvedeva. Ekaterina V EV; Dmitrieva. Veronika G VG; Limborska. Svetlana A SA; Myasoedov. Nikolay F...
In rats with a brain stroke, the synthetic peptide Semax changed many immune‑related genes, boosting the brain’s ability to present antigens and increasing certain antibody‑related proteins, which may help protect brain cells. The smaller piece of the peptide, PGP, did the opposite, dampening immune activity and reducing brain signaling. These findings suggest Semax’s neuroprotective effect could come from tweaking brain‑immune interactions, but the work is still early and done in animals.
Shevchenko. K V KV; V'iunova. T V TV; Nagaev. I Iu IIu; Andreeva. L A LA; Miasoedov. N F NF
The study compared how fast semax and three short gly‑pro‑line peptides are broken down by various enzymes. It found the short peptides are much more resistant, while semax is broken down quickly, mainly into a His‑Phe‑Pro‑Gly‑Pro fragment. This suggests semax may have limited stability when used nasally, which could affect dosing or formulation for biohackers.
Romanova. G A GA; Silachev. D N DN; Shakova. F M FM; Kvashennikova. Yu N YN; Viktorov. I V IV; Shram...
In a lab study, giving the peptide Semax through the nose for six days helped protect brain tissue and memory after a small, experimentally induced stroke in the front part of the brain. The treated animals had smaller damaged areas and remembered a learned avoidance task better than untreated ones.
Storozhevykh. T P TP; Tukhbatova. G R GR; Senilova. Ya E YE; Pinelis. V G VG; Andreeva. L A LA; Myas...
In a lab test, the peptide semax (and a small piece of it) helped brain cells resist damage from too much glutamate, a chemical that can kill neurons. It slowed down harmful calcium spikes, kept mitochondria healthier, and boosted cell survival by about a third, but the study used very high concentrations on isolated cells, not people.
Dmitrieva. Veronika G VG; Povarova. Oksana V OV; Skvortsova. Veronika I VI; Limborska. Svetlana A SA...
In rats that had a stroke, the peptide Semax (and its small fragment PGP) turned on genes that make brain‑supporting proteins like BDNF and NGF. The effect was strongest at specific times after the injury, and Semax acted more selectively than PGP. While this shows Semax can boost neurotrophic factors in a damaged brain, the study is in animals and focuses on stroke recovery, so it doesn’t give direct guidance for healthy people or dosing.
Zolotarev. Yu A YA; Dolotov. O V OV; Inozemtseva. L S LS; Dadayan. A K AK; Dorokhova. E M EM; Andree...
The study shows that the brain‑active peptide semax breaks down quickly into smaller pieces when it contacts brain cell membranes, especially splitting into ME and GP fragments and forming some five‑amino‑acid pieces. The breakdown patterns differ a bit between support (glial) cells and nerve (neuronal) cells. The researchers also introduced a new way to track these changes using isotopic labeling.
Ivanova. D M DM; Levitskaya. N G NG; Andreeva. L A LA; Kamenskii. A A AA; Myasoedov. N F NF
The study tested semax, a modified peptide, in rats and mice and found it lowered pain responses in several standard pain tests, working at doses as low as 0.015 mg/kg. It was more effective than the original ACTH4‑10 fragment, showing that the three‑amino‑acid change boosted its pain‑killing power. However, the work was done only in animals, so we don’t yet know how it works in people or what safe human doses would be.
Sebentsova. E A EA; Levitskaya. N G NG; Andreeva. L A LA; Alfeeva. L Yu LY; Kamenskii. A A AA; Myaso...
In a rat study, giving semax through the nose didn’t change the movement problems caused by the dopamine blocker haloperidol, but a low dose (0.05 mg/kg) did stop the drug from messing up a learning test. Higher doses didn’t show this benefit.
Fadyukova. O E OE; Kadi. A A; Bai. Ou O; Andzhusheva. G M GM; Koshelev. V B VB
A study in rats showed that just the tiny Pro‑Gly‑Pro piece of the brain‑boosting peptide semax doesn’t protect against stroke‑like damage, meaning the protective effects come from the larger ACTH4‑7 part of the molecule. For DIY health enthusiasts, this means the short fragment isn’t useful on its own, and any neuroprotective benefits likely require the full semax peptide.
Dolotov. O V OV; Zolotarev. Iu A IuA; Dorokhova. E M EM; Andreeva. L A LA; Alfeeva. L Iu LIu; Griven...
The study shows that Semax, a short peptide, sticks tightly to rat brain membrane sites with nanomolar strength, needs calcium to bind, and stays around for over an hour before being broken down by specific enzymes into smaller pieces.
Safarova. E R ER; Shram. S I SI; Zolotarev. Yu A YA; Myasoedov. N F NF
A lab study found that the peptide Semax can protect rat nerve‑like cells from damage caused by hydrogen peroxide, a chemical that creates oxidative stress. The protection got stronger with higher doses and worked best when the peptide was added at the right time. This suggests Semax might help guard brain cells against oxidative injury, like what happens in a stroke, but the work was done in a dish, not in people.
Zhuikova. S E SE; Sergeev. V I VI; Samonina. G E GE; Myasoedov. N F NF
In a rat study, giving a high dose of the peptide Semax protected the stomach from ulcers caused by the NSAID indomethacin, likely by keeping blood flow in the stomach wall stable. The peptide didn’t change normal stomach blood flow but stopped the drop that indomethacin normally causes.
Safarova. E R ER; Shram. S I SI; Grivennikov. I A IA; Myasoedov. N F NF
In a lab test using rat nerve‑like cells, the peptide semax didn’t help the cells grow or survive, while another drug called cerebrolysin did. This suggests semax’s brain‑protective actions work through different pathways, not by directly boosting cell growth.
Shadrina. M I MI; Dolotov. O V OV; Grivennikov. I A IA; Slominsky. P A PA; Andreeva. L A LA; Inozemt...
In a lab study using rat brain cells, the peptide Semax quickly boosted the genetic messages that make two important brain growth factors, NGF and BDNF. After just 30 minutes, BDNF levels jumped about eight‑fold and NGF about five‑fold compared to untreated cells.
Kost. N V NV; Sokolov. O Iu OIu; Gabaeva. M V MV; Grivennikov. I A IA; Andreeva. L A LA; Miasoedov....
The study shows that the brain‑active peptides semax and selank can block enzymes in human blood that break down natural opioid‑like compounds, doing so at fairly low concentrations. This suggests a possible way these peptides work, but the work was done in a test‑tube, not in people, so it doesn’t tell you how to dose or what effects to expect in real life.
Asadullah. Asadullah A; Bajamal. Abdul Hafid AH; Parenrengi. Muhammad Arifin MA; Turchan. Agus A; Ut...
In rats with a spinal cord injury, giving the peptide semax through the nose boosted levels of anti‑inflammatory proteins (IL‑4, IL‑10, IL‑13) compared to a salt solution. The effect was strongest a few hours after the injury and varied with injury severity. This shows semax can modulate inflammation in an acute injury model, but the study was done in animals, not people.
Bezuglov. V V VV; Gretskaia. N M NM; Blazhenova. A V AV; Adrianova. E L EL; Akimov. A V AV; Bobrov....
Researchers made versions of the brain‑active peptide Semax and several amino acids that are attached to a fatty acid called arachidonic acid. They found that the modified Semax is more resistant to breakdown and sticks better to brain tissue in rats, while some of the fatty‑acid‑linked amino acids can block enzymes that break down natural signaling molecules. No toxic effects were seen in cell tests, but the work is all in test tubes and animal tissue, not humans.
In a mouse study, the peptide SEMAX was tested for its ability to protect dopamine nerve endings that are damaged in a Parkinson's‑like model. Giving SEMAX before the toxin slightly raised dopamine levels in the brain, suggesting it may boost the body's own neuro‑trophic factors, but the effect was modest compared with a known drug (nomifensine).
Sudarkina. Olga Yu OY; Filippenkov. Ivan B IB; Stavchansky. Vasily V VV; Denisova. Alina E AE; Yuzha...
In rats that had a temporary stroke, the drug Semax helped protect brain cells. It lowered proteins linked to inflammation and cell death (MMP‑9, c‑Fos, JNK) and boosted a recovery‑related protein (active CREB). This shows Semax can act on both gene activity and protein levels to reduce damage after a stroke.