for educational and safety purposes
The research peptides catalogued here; healing, growth, cognitive, and bioregulator peptides, with sourcing for each.
107 sourced · 74 reference
Dihexa is a small angiotensin IV analogue engineered at Washington State University to do something most peptides cannot, which is survive oral dosing and cross into the brain. Where most cognitive compounds nudge neurotransmitter levels, it was designed to act on the machinery that physically builds connections between neurons, and the preclinical reports are striking: reversed amnesia in animal models, restored spatial learning in Alzheimer's-model mice, and measurable growth of new synapses. The mechanism originally proposed for that effect, amplification of the HGF and c-Met growth-factor system, no longer rests on its original evidence; the central paper was retracted in 2025 after image manipulation was found, two supporting papers from the same laboratory were retracted alongside it, and the paper that first introduced Dihexa carries an expression of concern that is still in force. What the compound does is therefore an open question rather than a settled one. It has never been through a registered human trial, and the clinical programme built on the same mechanism, using an injectable modified version, missed its main Alzheimer's endpoint in 2024.
Semax is a synthetic peptide nootropic and neuroprotective agent based on a fragment of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), developed in Russia and used there clinically for cognition, stroke, and brain injury. It rapidly raises the brain's own growth factors, BDNF and NGF, and modulates dopamine and serotonin, underpinning its reputation for sharper focus, memory, and mental drive. Delivered as a nasal spray and stripped of any hormonal activity, it pairs cognitive support with genuine neuroprotection.
Selank is a synthetic peptide anxiolytic and nootropic derived from the immune peptide tuftsin, developed in Russia as a non-sedating, non-addictive alternative to conventional anti-anxiety drugs. It eases anxiety while supporting memory and attention, and animal research links these effects to modulation of GABA, serotonin, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor. Typically given as a nasal spray, it offers calm and cognitive support without the dependence or withdrawal associated with benzodiazepines.
Cerebrolysin is a neuropeptide preparation that mimics the brain's own neurotrophic factors to support neuronal protection, repair, and plasticity. Widely used across Europe and Asia for stroke, dementia, and traumatic brain injury, it is one of the most established neurotrophic therapies in clinical practice. For those focused on brain health and neuroregeneration, Cerebrolysin is a uniquely biologically active peptide preparation.
P21 (P021) is a small, orally active neurotrophic peptide mimetic derived from ciliary neurotrophic factor, engineered to deliver the brain-building benefits of a neurotrophic factor without the drawbacks that stalled earlier protein therapies. It enhances hippocampal neurogenesis and raises BDNF while lowering the tau-driving kinase GSK-3beta, and in Alzheimer's models it reduced tau pathology and rescued cognition and synaptic plasticity [1][2]. Its blood-brain-barrier permeability and clean design make it a genuinely exciting frontier compound for neuroprotection.
PE-22-28 is a fast-acting mood peptide with a genuinely clever mechanism, engineered from the natural antidepressant peptide spadin to be more potent and stable. It blocks the TREK-1 potassium channel that sits in mood circuits and dampens serotonin signaling, and animals bred without TREK-1 are naturally resistant to depression [2]. In rodent studies its shortened design achieved dramatically stronger TREK-1 inhibition than spadin, produced antidepressant-like effects within days, and boosted neurogenesis, making it one of the more exciting frontier tools in the mood space [1].
Adamax is a research peptide built from Semax by capping it with an adamantane group, a bulky lipophilic cage intended to improve stability and passage into the brain. No published study examines Adamax itself, so everything on this page about how it works is reasoned from the Semax literature rather than measured for this compound; the claim that it is more potent than its parent has never been tested. For readers who already know the Semax family, it is best understood as an untested modification of a well-documented peptide rather than an upgraded version of one.
Cortexin is a polypeptide preparation made from the cerebral cortex of cattle, consisting of a mixture of low-molecular-weight peptides, amino acids, and trace elements. Marketed as a neuroprotective and nootropic medicine, it is registered and prescribed mainly in Russia and other post-Soviet countries, where it is given by intramuscular injection for stroke recovery, cognitive disorders, and other neurological conditions. It is not approved by Western drug regulators, and most clinical evidence for it comes from Russian-language literature.
DNSP-11 is a synthetic 11-amino-acid peptide copied from the pro-region of GDNF, a natural protein that helps dopamine-producing brain cells survive. In rats and in a small group of monkeys it raised dopamine activity and protected dopamine neurons against chemical damage, which is why it is discussed as a possible Parkinson's disease treatment. The evidence is entirely animal and cell-culture work, almost all of it from a single laboratory at the University of Kentucky; no person has ever received it in a registered clinical trial, and the receptor it acts on has never been identified. Material sold online under this name is an unapproved research chemical with no human safety data behind it.
EPObis is a synthetic dendrimeric peptide designed from the binding Site 1 sequence of human erythropoietin, guided by the crystal structure of the erythropoietin-receptor complex. It binds the erythropoietin receptor and reproduces the cytokine's tissue-protective signaling; in cultured neurons it promotes neurite outgrowth and survival in a receptor-dependent manner. Unlike erythropoietin itself, EPObis is non-erythropoietic, so it activates protective pathways without stimulating red blood cell production, and after systemic administration it crosses the blood-brain barrier into the cerebrospinal fluid. In rodent studies it reduces tumor necrosis factor release from activated macrophages and microglia, delays clinical signs in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, and enhances working memory, marking it as an experimental neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory research peptide.
Glutathione is the body's main intracellular antioxidant, a tripeptide that neutralizes free radicals, supplies phase-II liver detoxification, and protects cells and mitochondria from oxidative wear. Whether swallowing it raises the amount in the body is the unsettled question at the center of this compound: a single dose does nothing measurable, while months of daily dosing appear to raise body stores modestly and reversibly. Oral use is well tolerated and produces a small, temporary lightening of sun-exposed skin in controlled trials. Intravenous glutathione sold for skin whitening is a different matter and has drawn regulatory warnings.
N-PEP-12 is an oral dietary supplement of small brain-derived peptides and free amino acids, sold as Memoprove and described by its own investigators as a lower-potency, needle-free relative of the injectable neurotrophic drug Cerebrolysin. Small, mostly manufacturer-linked studies report modest short-term gains in memory and brain EEG activity in aging adults and in stroke recovery. It is an appealing, gentle nootropic idea, but the human evidence is thin and largely industry-linked, and the core assumption that oral brain peptides survive digestion to reach the brain remains pharmacologically unproven.
Nemifitide (originally coded INN 00835, and briefly called netamiftide) is a synthetic pentapeptide that was developed as an injectable antidepressant. Its sequence is 4-fluoro-L-phenylalanyl-trans-4-hydroxy-L-prolyl-L-arginyl-glycyl-L-tryptophanamide, and it is a structural analog of MIF-1 (melanocyte-inhibiting factor-1, the tripeptide Pro-Leu-Gly-NH2). It was studied by Innapharma, later Tetragenex Pharmaceuticals, and reached Phase II trials in major depressive disorder before development stalled; it was never approved. The interesting thing about it is the mismatch between its pharmacokinetics and its effect: the peptide clears the blood in well under an hour, yet the antidepressant response reported in trials came on within days and lasted weeks to months after a short dosing course. It was given as a subcutaneous injection, not a pill, and its tolerability was consistently good with side effects limited mostly to the injection site.
Oxytocin is a nine-amino-acid neuropeptide made in the hypothalamus and released from the posterior pituitary, best known for driving uterine contraction in labor and milk ejection during nursing, and for its role in social bonding and affiliation. Its release during suckling and birth is a rare biological positive-feedback loop, amplified within the hypothalamus itself, and the neurons that make it synchronize into coordinated bursts to produce the pulsatile milk-ejection reflex. As an intranasal research tool it has generated a large human literature on trust and social cognition, though that work is tempered by a replication debate and by questions about how much intranasal oxytocin reaches the brain, and large trials in autism have been largely negative.
Taltirelin (TA-0910, brand name Ceredist) is a synthetic, metabolically stable analog of thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH), the three-residue hypothalamic peptide. It was developed by Tanabe Seiyaku and approved in Japan in 2000 for spinocerebellar degeneration, where it is taken orally to help with ataxia and related symptoms. The interesting thing about taltirelin is that it was engineered to keep the central nervous system effects of TRH while shedding most of the hormonal ones; it is roughly 10 to 100 times more potent than native TRH at driving CNS arousal, yet its effect on thyroid hormone release is much weaker. It also lasts far longer in the body because it resists the enzymes that chew up natural TRH within minutes. Outside its approved use it gets discussed in nootropic and biohacker circles as a wakefulness-promoting, pro-cholinergic "analeptic" and neuroprotective agent, and there is a real preclinical literature behind those claims (Parkinson's models, ischemia, pain, respiratory stimulation). Human data outside spinocerebellar degeneration is thin, so most of what you read about it as a cognitive enhancer is extrapolation from animal work.
TP-508, known in development as Chrysalin and later given the name rusalatide acetate, is a synthetic 23-amino-acid peptide that copies the receptor-binding domain of human alpha-thrombin. It is a tissue-repair peptide, not a nootropic; the appeal is regenerative. Unlike whole thrombin it has no enzymatic activity, so it does not clot blood; instead it binds a distinct class of cell-surface thrombin receptors and kicks off a cascade of healing signals, including angiogenesis (new blood vessel growth), recruitment of inflammatory and progenitor cells, chemotaxis, and cell proliferation. It has been through real animal work and several human trials in diabetic foot ulcers and distal radius fractures, plus preclinical work in bone regeneration, cartilage repair, heart revascularization, and as an emergency radiation countermeasure. The clinical record is genuinely mixed; early studies looked promising, but the pivotal Phase III fracture trial missed its main clinical endpoint.
SANA, also identified as MVD-1, is an orally active, non-stimulant thermogenic being explored for obesity and metabolic disease. As a salicylate-derived small molecule, it is designed to switch on creatine-dependent thermogenesis in fat cells, driving a futile creatine cycle that raises energy expenditure and releases energy as heat rather than blunting appetite. This mechanism-first approach, aimed at reducing body fat and liver fat while improving glucose control and preserving lean mass, represents one of the more novel ideas in the metabolic pipeline.
DSIP (delta sleep-inducing peptide) is a naturally occurring nonapeptide first isolated from the blood of sleeping rabbits, named for its ability to promote deep, slow-wave (delta) sleep [1]. Beyond sleep, decades of research describe it as a broad stress-protective and adaptogenic peptide that helps the body buffer against physical and psychological stressors and defends tissues from oxidative damage [1][4]. For those seeking better sleep quality and resilience to stress, DSIP is a well-studied endogenous peptide with a uniquely versatile profile.
GB-115 is a cleverly designed dipeptide anxiolytic that eases anxiety while keeping the mind clear, a combination almost nothing else in its category manages. Rather than sedating, it blocks the cholecystokinin CCK-1 receptor, a pathway tied specifically to chronic anxiety and panic, and in a clinical study of generalized anxiety disorder it actually sharpened attention and reaction time while it worked. For those seeking calm without the fog, weakness, or dependence of classic sedatives, GB-115 is a genuinely intriguing research anxiolytic.
Tirzepatide is a dual GIP and GLP-1 receptor agonist developed as a once-weekly injectable treatment for type 2 diabetes and obesity. It is a synthetic 39-amino-acid peptide that activates two gut incretin hormone receptors at the same time, and it is marketed under the brand names Mounjaro for diabetes and Zepbound for chronic weight management. First approved in the United States in 2022, it has since been authorized for obstructive sleep apnea and studied across a range of cardiometabolic conditions.
Retatrutide (development code LY3437943) is an investigational once-weekly injectable peptide that activates three gut and pancreatic hormone receptors at once: the GIP, GLP-1, and glucagon receptors. Developed by Eli Lilly, it is being studied for obesity, type 2 diabetes, and fatty liver disease. In a Phase 2 obesity trial it produced substantial weight loss, and it has advanced into Phase 3 testing.
Epithalon (also called Epitalon), the pineal tetrapeptide Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly, is one of the most celebrated compounds in the longevity world for a striking reason: in human cells it reactivated the enzyme telomerase and lengthened telomeres, the protective caps whose erosion drives cellular aging [2]. Derived from a natural pineal gland extract, it also helps normalize melatonin and acts as an antioxidant and geroprotector [1][5]. For anyone serious about longevity peptides, Epithalon is a landmark, mechanistically fascinating molecule.
Pinealon is a synthetic tripeptide bioregulator (Glu-Asp-Arg, also called the EDR peptide) from the Russian Khavinson family of short peptides, developed to support the brain and target age-related cognitive decline [1][5]. In laboratory and animal studies it acts as a neuroprotective agent that shields neurons from oxidative stress and hypoxia, promotes healthy dendrite growth, and helps regulate the genes that keep neurons functioning [1][3]. Marketed as a peptide geroprotector for memory and healthy brain aging, it is one of the best known members of the short-peptide nootropic class [4][5].
Cortagen is a synthetic brain-directed tetrapeptide (Ala-Glu-Asp-Pro) from the Khavinson family of peptide bioregulators, designed to support the structure and repair of nervous tissue [1]. In animal studies it accelerated the regeneration of injured peripheral nerve, raising nerve fiber growth rate and conduction velocity, and it selectively switched on gene expression in target tissues [1][2]. For anyone building a peptide-based longevity or neuro-recovery routine, Cortagen offers a focused, well-defined tool aimed squarely at the nervous system.
FOX-04-DRI is one of the most elegantly targeted ideas in longevity science, a peptide senolytic engineered to seek out and clear senescent "zombie" cells while sparing healthy ones. It works by breaking the FOXO4-p53 grip that keeps worn-out cells alive and inflammatory, freeing them to self-destruct. In aged animals this has produced genuine signs of rejuvenation, from restored vitality to recovered testosterone, making FOX-04-DRI a captivating frontier tool for anyone following the biology of aging.
GHK-Cu is the famous copper peptide that earns its cult following, a naturally occurring tripeptide that signals skin to rebuild collagen and remodel itself toward a younger profile. It drives visible firming, faster wound healing, and healthier hair while delivering copper for antioxidant defenses, and it does so gently and with excellent tolerability. For a single, time-tested anti-aging peptide that simply makes skin look better, GHK-Cu remains the classic and still-reigning pick.
CJC-1295 / Ipamorelin is a classic synergistic peptide pairing that combines a long-acting GHRH analogue with a highly selective growth hormone secretagogue. Together they stimulate growth hormone release through two complementary pathways, amplifying the natural, pulsatile GH signal cleanly and without raising stress hormones. For those exploring GH-axis support, this stack is among the most refined and popular combinations.
GLOW is a smartly built recovery blend that combines three of the best-known repair peptides, GHK-Cu, BPC-157, and TB-500, in a single vial. The logic is elegant; each covers a different slice of the healing process, so together they blanket far more ground than any one peptide could, from collagen and skin quality to tendon repair, blood-vessel growth, and cell migration. For all-around tissue support and recovery, GLOW is one of the most popular and well-reasoned peptide stacks around.
KLOW is a premium four-peptide recovery blend that unites the celebrated GHK-Cu, BPC-157, and TB-500 trio with the anti-inflammatory tripeptide KPV, addressing skin, gut, and connective-tissue repair alongside inflammation in one formulation. Each component contributes a distinct and complementary mechanism: GHK-Cu drives collagen and skin remodeling, BPC-157 supports tendon, ligament, and gut-lining repair, TB-500 promotes cell migration and new blood-vessel growth, and KPV calms the inflammatory signaling that slows healing. For anyone seeking a comprehensive, research-grounded approach to tissue recovery, KLOW is among the most complete blends available.
N163-166 (MOD6) is an orally active peptide engineered to switch the body's own testosterone production back on at its source. It targets VDAC1, a mitochondrial gatekeeper that governs the rate-limiting step of steroid synthesis, prompting the Leydig cells of the testes to make more testosterone rather than supplying an outside hormone. In male rats, VDAC1-derived oral peptides raised circulating testosterone specifically through the natural gonadal axis, and stabilizing modifications let this small peptide survive oral dosing [1]. It is an investigational research compound.
ACE-031 (ramatercept) is a powerful myostatin-blocking biologic, a soluble decoy of the activin receptor type IIB that traps myostatin and related muscle-limiting proteins before they can signal. By lifting this natural brake on growth, a single dose produced measurable gains in lean muscle mass and thigh muscle volume in human trials. Originally developed as a therapy for muscular dystrophy, it remains one of the most sought-after experimental agents for dramatic, receptor-level muscle building.
ACT-1, more commonly written αCT1 (alpha connexin carboxyl-terminal peptide), is a synthetic, cell-permeant peptide based on the carboxyl-terminal sequence of the gap junction protein connexin 43 (Cx43). It has been studied as an experimental therapeutic that modulates cell-to-cell junctions, with research spanning wound healing and scar reduction, cardiac injury, biomedical implant integration, and eye disease.
AOD-9604 is a synthetic peptide fragment of human growth hormone, corresponding to the C-terminal lipolytic domain (residues 176-191) with an added tyrosine, engineered to trigger fat breakdown without the blood-sugar and growth side effects of full growth hormone. In obese animals it reduced body weight and body fat and increased fat oxidation, while notably not impairing insulin sensitivity the way intact growth hormone does [1][3]. It is marketed as a fat-loss and recovery peptide, though it never gained approval as an anti-obesity drug and its human weight-loss data are limited [4].
B7-33 is a single-chain peptide derived from the B-chain of human relaxin-2 (H2 relaxin), engineered as a functionally selective agonist of the relaxin receptor RXFP1. It reproduces relaxin's potent anti-fibrotic and vasodilatory actions while biasing signaling toward the tissue-protective ERK pathway rather than the cAMP signaling linked to relaxin's tumor-promoting risk [1]. In multiple preclinical models of heart and lung disease it prevented or reversed organ fibrosis with a potency similar to full relaxin, positioning it as a promising anti-fibrotic peptide [1].
This is a two peptide injectable blend of BPC-157 and TB-500, sold as lyophilised powder for reconstitution and used for soft tissue injury recovery; both peptides have defined sequences and neither is an approved medicine anywhere.
Bronchogen is a synthetic tetrapeptide from the Khavinson family of tissue-specific peptide bioregulators, built from the amino acid composition of a bronchial mucosa polypeptide complex and aimed at the bronchopulmonary system [3][10]. It is normally written Ala-Glu-Asp-Leu, and it is not Chonluten, which is the tripeptide Glu-Asp-Gly drawn from the same complex. The research file is coherent and entirely preclinical; seventeen papers, no human study of any design, and no independent replication of the respiratory claim outside the originating research network.
Cagrilintide is a next-generation, long-acting amylin analogue engineered for once-weekly dosing and sustained appetite control. In clinical trials it has driven substantial weight loss on its own and even greater results when paired with semaglutide, placing it among the most promising agents in modern metabolic medicine. For those pursuing serious, science-backed weight management, cagrilintide represents a genuinely novel and powerful mechanism.
Capromorelin is a potent, orally active ghrelin receptor agonist and the first appetite stimulant of its class to earn FDA approval. By mimicking the body's own hunger hormone, it reliably drives food intake, body-weight gain, and growth hormone release. It is a well-characterized, clinically validated tool for stimulating appetite and supporting healthy weight.
Cardiogen is a synthetic short peptide marketed as a 'peptide bioregulator' aimed at the cardiovascular system. It belongs to a family of low-molecular-weight peptides developed by Vladimir Khavinson and colleagues at the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology in Russia, who proposed that such peptides help normalize the function of specific tissues as the body ages. Cardiogen is sold as a dietary supplement rather than an approved drug, and rigorous, independent clinical evidence for it is limited.
Carnosine is a naturally occurring dipeptide made of the amino acids beta-alanine and L-histidine, found in high concentrations in skeletal muscle and the brain. It acts inside cells chiefly as a pH buffer during intense exercise and as an antioxidant that also protects proteins from glycation. Because dietary beta-alanine is the limiting ingredient for making it, beta-alanine supplements are commonly used to raise muscle carnosine, and carnosine itself is sold as a supplement studied for exercise, aging, and neurological health.
Chonluten is a synthetic short peptide bioregulator derived from bronchial tissue, part of the celebrated Russian family of tissue-specific peptides developed for respiratory and immune support. It has been shown to calm inflammatory signaling in immune cells, reducing production of TNF and IL-6. For those focused on lung health, inflammation balance, and healthy aging, Chonluten is a distinctive and targeted peptide.
CJC-1295 is a long-acting growth hormone-releasing hormone analogue engineered to stimulate the body's own pulsatile release of growth hormone and IGF-I for days from a single dose. In clinical studies it produced sustained, dose-dependent increases in GH and IGF-I while preserving natural secretion patterns. For research into the GH-IGF-I axis, CJC-1295 is a uniquely long-lasting and elegant GHRH analogue.
This is a two peptide injectable blend of a growth hormone releasing hormone analogue and a ghrelin receptor agonist, sold as lyophilised powder for reconstitution and used to raise pulsatile growth hormone release.
Crystagen is a short synthetic peptide from the Khavinson family of bioregulators, directed at the immune system and studied for its ability to help sustain immune defenses during aging [1]. In research on the aging spleen it acted on B-cells, part of a broader effort to keep immune signaling steadier as the body grows older [1]. For those assembling a peptide-based longevity routine, Crystagen offers a targeted, low-burden way to support immune resilience.
Dermorphin is a naturally occurring opioid peptide, a chain of seven amino acids first isolated from the skin of South American frogs of the genus Phyllomedusa. It is among the most potent and selective mu-opioid agonists known, reported to be many times stronger than morphine, and it is one of very few peptides made by a vertebrate to contain a D-amino acid, a D-alanine residue installed by post-translational epimerization that is essential to its potency and its resistance to protease breakdown. Dermorphin is not an approved medicine; it is used in research and is known for its illicit use as a doping agent in horse racing.
FGL is a synthetic 15-residue peptide copying the loop that the neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) uses to switch on FGFR1 growth-factor signalling. In rodents it has sharpened learning and memory, strengthened synaptic transmission, and protected hippocampal neurons against amyloid-beta, ischemia and injury. Its dimeric form cleared a single-dose phase 1 study in 24 healthy men and the announced Alzheimer's trial never followed, so every efficacy claim on this page is still an animal claim. Two findings sit against the promise: it lowered the seizure threshold in a kindling model, and it reduced neuron counts in uninjured brains.
Follistatin 344 targets muscle growth at its source, binding and neutralizing myostatin, the very signal the body uses to cap how large muscles can become. In animal models, raising follistatin drives striking gains in lean mass alongside lower body fat, and the protein has been carried all the way into human gene-therapy trials for muscular dystrophy. For anyone fascinated by the most powerful lever in muscle biology, follistatin 344 is a cornerstone research tool with a genuinely remarkable track record.
GHRP-2 (pralmorelin) is a synthetic growth hormone secretagogue, a ghrelin-mimetic that binds the ghrelin receptor (GHS-R1a) to trigger a pulse of the body's own growth hormone, and it also stimulates appetite and, to a lesser degree, ACTH and cortisol. Its growth-hormone response is reliable enough that it has been used clinically as a formal test of growth-hormone reserve, and it remains active by oral and intranasal routes. It is studied in the context of growth hormone deficiency, body composition, and recovery, and is used as a research peptide.
GHRP-6 is one of the original growth hormone-releasing hexapeptides, a ghrelin-receptor agonist that prompts a pulse of the body's own growth hormone along with a marked increase in appetite. A distinct and much-studied second property is growth-hormone-independent cytoprotection: acting through the scavenger receptor CD36, it has reduced oxidative damage and necrosis in animal models of myocardial infarction and other tissue injury. It is used as a research peptide and has been employed diagnostically in tests of growth-hormone secretion.
Gonadorelin is a synthetic copy of GnRH, the master hypothalamic signal that tells the pituitary to release LH and FSH, and it carries a real clinical pedigree as an FDA-recognized tool for assessing the pituitary-gonadal axis and inducing ovulation. Delivered in pulses that mimic the body's natural rhythm, it wakes the whole reproductive axis and keeps endogenous hormone production humming, which is exactly why it is valued for preserving testicular function. For working with the body's own hormonal machinery rather than around it, gonadorelin is a smart, physiology-friendly choice.
HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) is a gonadotropin hormone that acts as a direct luteinizing hormone mimic, binding LH receptors on testicular Leydig cells to switch on the body's own testosterone and sperm production [1][2]. Because it drives the testes at the source, it is a cornerstone tool for preserving fertility and testicular function in men on hormone therapy and for restarting a suppressed axis [2][3]. Clinicians favor it precisely because it raises endogenous testosterone without the fertility penalty seen with testosterone replacement alone [2].
Hexarelin (examorelin) is a synthetic hexapeptide growth hormone secretagogue that binds the ghrelin receptor (GHS-R1a) to trigger a potent, reproducible, and largely somatostatin-resistant pulse of endogenous growth hormone, an effect that is strongest in pubertal children and young adults and blunted in the very young and elderly. What distinguishes it from other secretagogues is a second receptor: hexarelin binds the cardiac scavenger receptor CD36, through which it exerts growth-hormone-independent cardiovascular actions, including protection against ischemia-reperfusion injury, attenuation of post-infarction heart failure via PTEN and Akt/mTOR modulation, and CD36-PPAR-gamma signaling relevant to lipid and energy metabolism. Some growth hormone secretagogues, including hexarelin, additionally show angiotensin-converting-enzyme-inhibiting activity that may contribute to their vascular effects. As a result it is one of the most thoroughly characterized peptides in its class, studied both as a growth hormone provocative agent and as an experimental cardioprotective compound.
Human growth hormone, abbreviated HGH and also called somatotropin, is a peptide hormone of 191 amino acids produced by the somatotroph cells of the anterior pituitary gland. It drives growth during childhood and regulates metabolism throughout life, acting largely by prompting the liver and other tissues to make insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1). A recombinant form, somatropin, is used medically to treat growth hormone deficiency and several other conditions, and it is also misused for anti-aging and athletic purposes.
HGH Fragment 176-191 is the C-terminal lipolytic region of human growth hormone, isolated to keep the fat-burning action while shedding the hormone's growth and blood-sugar effects [1][2]. In obese animal models this fragment, developed clinically as AOD9604, reduces body weight and body fat, boosts fat oxidation, and stimulates lipolysis without raising blood glucose or acting through the growth hormone receptor [1][2][3]. It is this clean separation of fat metabolism from classic GH signaling that has made the fragment a focused research tool for obesity [3][4].
HMG (human menopausal gonadotropin, or menotropin) is a purified gonadotropin preparation that delivers both FSH and LH activity in a single agent, making it a workhorse of fertility medicine [1]. In women it drives controlled ovarian stimulation for IVF, matching recombinant FSH on live birth rates while adding the LH activity that recombinant FSH lacks [1][2]. In men with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, HMG paired with hCG restores testosterone and induces spermatogenesis, giving previously infertile patients a genuine path to fatherhood [4][6].
Humanin is a 24-amino-acid mitochondrial-derived peptide and one of the first signaling molecules found to be encoded within the mitochondrial genome rather than the nucleus, translated from a short open reading frame inside the 16S ribosomal RNA region. It was first identified in the surviving neurons of an Alzheimer's-affected brain as a rescue factor, and it is broadly cytoprotective; a well-characterized part of its anti-apoptotic action is that it directly binds the pro-death protein BAX and sequesters it away from the mitochondrial membrane. It has been reported to improve insulin sensitivity, protect the heart against ischemic injury, and correlate with longevity, with higher circulating levels in the offspring of centenarians, and it is studied as a target in aging and neurodegeneration.
IGF-1 DES, formally des(1-3)IGF-I, is a naturally occurring truncated form of insulin-like growth factor 1 that is roughly 10-fold more potent than standard IGF-1 at stimulating cell growth and proliferation [1][4]. The single change, removal of the first three amino acids from the N-terminus, sharply lowers its affinity for the IGF-binding proteins that normally restrain IGF-1, so more of the peptide reaches its receptor in active form [1][4]. This makes IGF-1 DES a potent anabolic research peptide with a distinctive, well-documented mechanism for escaping the body's own IGF buffering system [1][4].
IGF-1 LR3 (Long[Arg3]IGF-I) is an engineered analog of insulin-like growth factor 1 built to slip past the binding proteins that normally hold IGF-1 in check, making it substantially more potent at driving cell growth [1][2]. It combines a single amino acid swap at position 3 (glutamate to arginine) with a 13-residue N-terminal extension, and together these changes sharply lower its affinity for the IGF-binding proteins while preserving strong activation of the IGF-1 receptor [1]. The result is a highly active anabolic research peptide widely used in cell culture and studied for its amplified, less-restrained IGF signaling [1][2].
Imunofan is a synthetic hexapeptide modelled on a fragment of the thymic hormone thymopoietin, given by injection, nasal spray or suppository as an immunomodulator in Russia.
Ipamorelin is a selective growth hormone secretagogue, a pentapeptide that activates the ghrelin receptor to prompt a clean, pulsatile release of growth hormone [1]. Its signature advantage is selectivity: unlike earlier growth hormone-releasing peptides, it raises GH without meaningfully increasing cortisol or prolactin, even at doses far above those needed for GH release [1]. This clean profile, together with documented effects on metabolism and gastrointestinal motility, has made ipamorelin one of the most sought-after research peptides in its class [1][2][3].
Kisspeptin is a reproductive neuropeptide that sits at the very top of the hormonal axis controlling fertility, acting as the master switch that tells the brain to release gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) [1]. Discovered first as a cancer metastasis suppressor and later found to be essential for puberty, it has emerged as a versatile clinical tool: administered to people, kisspeptin enhances sexual and emotional brain processing, shows promise for low sexual desire, and can safely trigger egg maturation in IVF [1][2][5][6]. Its dual role in both the reproductive hormone cascade and the limbic brain makes it one of the most intriguing peptides in modern endocrinology [2][4].
Larazotide (larazotide acetate, formerly AT-1001) is a first-in-class orally administered eight-amino-acid peptide that regulates intestinal tight junctions to restore barrier function. It is thought to act as a zonulin antagonist, preventing zonulin-induced opening of the paracellular pathway and promoting redistribution of tight junction proteins and actin, with more recent evidence implicating inhibition of myosin light chain kinase, which reduces cytoskeletal tension and facilitates junction closure. In celiac disease this limits translocation of immunogenic gliadin fragments across the epithelium, and the peptide acts locally with minimal systemic absorption; a large randomized trial found the lowest 0.5 mg dose reduced symptoms in patients who remained symptomatic despite a gluten-free diet, and it advanced into phase 3 development. Beyond celiac disease, larazotide has restored barrier integrity in models of intestinal ischemia through repair of claudin-4-sealed junctions and has been explored for other conditions linked to increased gut permeability.
Livagen is a short synthetic peptide (Lys-Glu-Asp-Ala) from the Khavinson family of bioregulator peptides, studied for its intriguing ability to influence gene activity in aging cells. Published work reports that it can decondense tightly packed chromatin and reactivate ribosomal genes in immune cells from elderly donors, a striking demonstration of epigenetic effects from a tiny molecule. For those following the frontier of peptide-based longevity research, Livagen is one of the more thought-provoking bioregulators.
Matrixyl is a trade name for a family of synthetic cosmetic peptides used in anti-aging skincare, the original being palmitoyl pentapeptide-4 (also written pal-KTTKS), a short chain of amino acids attached to a fatty acid. These peptides are designed as matrikines, signal fragments that mimic pieces of broken-down collagen and prompt skin cells to make new collagen and other matrix proteins [1][2]. Marketed as a topical ingredient, palmitoyl pentapeptide has been reported in a controlled study to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles [1].
Mazdutide (IBI362, LY3305677) is an investigational once-weekly peptide that simultaneously activates the glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and glucagon receptors, a dual-agonist design intended to combine appetite suppression and improved glycemic control from the GLP-1 arm with increased energy expenditure and hepatic lipid handling from the glucagon arm. In Chinese phase 3 obesity trials it produced substantial, dose-dependent weight loss, with the GLORY-2 study reporting roughly 16 percent mean body-weight reduction at the 9 mg dose, alongside favorable changes in blood pressure and lipids. In type 2 diabetes it lowered glycated hemoglobin and body weight more than the GLP-1 monotherapy dulaglutide, and it improved fatty liver and cardiometabolic markers. Gastrointestinal effects such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea are the most common adverse events, consistent with its incretin mechanism.
MGF, or Mechano Growth Factor, is a muscle-derived splice variant of IGF-1 that the body releases in response to mechanical loading and tissue damage. Prized in muscle biology for its role in activating satellite cells and driving local repair, its distinctive C-terminal peptide has become a focal point of regenerative and performance research. It remains one of the most scientifically interesting, and most actively debated, peptides in the growth factor field.
Modified GRF 1-29 is a synthetic peptide analog of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH), built from the first 29 amino acids of GHRH with four amino acid substitutions that make it more resistant to breakdown. It is closely related to sermorelin and to CJC-1295; in fact it is the short-acting form of CJC-1295, lacking the albumin-binding attachment (the drug affinity complex, or DAC) that gives the latter its long duration. Like other GHRH analogs it prompts the pituitary gland to release growth hormone, and it is handled as a research chemical rather than an approved medicine.
MT-1, also known as Melanotan-1 or afamelanotide, is a synthetic analog of the body's own alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone and the first melanocortin-1 receptor agonist to reach the market. By switching on the skin's natural pigment machinery, it produces protective tanning and shields against light-induced damage. In its pharmaceutical form, afamelanotide, it is an approved medicine backed by rigorous clinical trials and decades of study.
Orexin-A, also known as hypocretin-1, is a 33-amino-acid neuropeptide produced by a small population of neurons in the lateral hypothalamus that is central to promoting wakefulness and arousal. It is one of two orexin peptides cut from a single precursor and signals through two G-protein-coupled receptors. Narcolepsy type 1 is essentially an orexin-deficiency disease, in which the roughly 70,000 orexin-producing neurons are selectively destroyed and cerebrospinal-fluid orexin becomes undetectable; this is the rationale for orexin-2 receptor agonists now in clinical trials as the first mechanism-based, replacement-style treatment rather than a symptomatic stimulant. Since its discovery in 1998 the orexin system has become a major target in sleep medicine.
Orexin-A fragment 17-33 is a shortened, C-terminal portion of the neuropeptide orexin-A, comprising the last seventeen of its thirty-three amino acids. It belongs to a group of truncated orexin peptides studied to map which parts of the parent molecule are needed to activate orexin receptors. Research on such fragments showed that the activity of orexin-A resides mainly in its C-terminal end, and the fragment is used chiefly as a laboratory tool for probing the orexin system rather than as a medicine.
Orexin-B, also known as hypocretin-2, is a 28-amino-acid neuropeptide made in the hypothalamus that, together with orexin-A, promotes wakefulness, arousal, and appetite. It is cut from the same precursor as orexin-A but lacks internal disulfide bonds and preferentially activates the orexin type 2 receptor. That receptor is the target of the dual orexin receptor antagonists suvorexant, lemborexant, and daridorexant, which treat insomnia by blocking the same signaling whose loss causes narcolepsy, making the two conditions pharmacological mirror images; one of these drugs was also reported to acutely lower tau and amyloid-beta in human cerebrospinal fluid. The orexin system was discovered in 1998.
Ovagen is a short peptide bioregulator from the Russian Khavinson tradition, built on the Glu-Asp-Leu (EDL) sequence and directed at the liver and digestive tissue. In the bioregulator model, tiny peptides enter cells and steer tissue-specific gene expression rather than acting on surface receptors, an elegant, low-burden approach that fits naturally into a longevity-minded routine [1][2]. It is a research compound aimed at supporting detoxification, protein synthesis, and healthy cell turnover with age.
Pancragen is a short peptide bioregulator from the Khavinson tradition, built on the Lys-Glu-Asp-Trp (KEDW) sequence and directed at the pancreas. It is a favorite in longevity circles for its elegant premise; a tissue-specific peptide that steers gene expression to help pancreatic cells keep functioning with age, with the KEDW sequence specifically linked to pancreatic cell differentiation in the research [1][2]. It is a research compound for healthy aging rather than a diabetes treatment.
PEG-MGF is a stability-engineered form of mechano growth factor (MGF), a splice variant of the IGF-1 gene that is switched on in muscle by mechanical loading and damage. Its C-terminal peptide is proposed to act as an early trigger that activates satellite (muscle stem) cells for repair before systemic IGF-1 takes over, and attaching a polyethylene glycol group is intended to extend its very short circulating life. Whether the synthetic C-terminal MGF peptide has genuine biological activity is still scientifically disputed, with published studies on both sides, and PEG-MGF remains an unapproved research peptide.
Peptide Complex Pro 09 is a topical liquid from the Khavinson bioregulator range, combining four animal tissue peptide fractions for skin.
PNC-27 is an experimental anticancer peptide engineered to destroy cancer cells while sparing normal ones, a striking selectivity that has made it one of the most intriguing peptides in cancer research [1][2]. It works by a novel mechanism: binding to the HDM-2 protein that cancer cells uniquely display on their membranes, then forming cytotoxic transmembrane pores that lyse the cell [1][2]. Built from a fragment of the tumor-suppressor p53 fused to a membrane-penetrating sequence, PNC-27 has eradicated tumors in mice, though its evidence remains entirely preclinical [3][7].
Prostamax is marketed as a synthetic prostate peptide bioregulator, part of the Russian family of short, tissue-targeted peptides developed from the concept that organ-specific peptide extracts can normalize function in the corresponding tissue. The compound itself has essentially no dedicated peer-reviewed literature; the supporting evidence is class-level and centers on the related natural prostate peptide preparation Prostatilen, which has been used in Russian urology for chronic abacterial prostatitis, with reported improvements in urinary symptoms, prostate secretion parameters, and erectile function measured by penile Doppler ultrasonography. These studies are small, largely open-label or single-center, and published chiefly in Russian-language journals, so claims specific to Prostamax should be regarded as preliminary and extrapolated from the broader peptide-bioregulator class rather than established for the product by name.
Prostatilen is a peptide preparation isolated from the prostate glands of cattle, used mainly in Russia and neighbouring countries as a treatment for chronic prostatitis and benign prostatic enlargement. It belongs to a family of tissue-derived peptide bioregulators and is usually given as a rectal suppository. Research on the compound, most of it published in Russian-language journals, points to reductions in prostate swelling and improvements in urinary symptoms, though it has not been approved by regulators in the United States or the European Union.
PT-141 (bremelanotide) is a first-in-class libido peptide that works in the brain rather than the bloodstream, activating melanocortin pathways to spark sexual desire and arousal in both women and men [1][2]. Unlike erectile-focused drugs that act on blood vessels, it targets the central circuits of desire, and it is the active ingredient in Vyleesi, approved by the FDA in 2019 for hypoactive sexual desire disorder in premenopausal women [2][3]. A synthetic analog of the hormone alpha-MSH, PT-141 is prized as the rare desire-boosting agent backed by large randomized clinical trials [3][4].
Retinalamin is a peptide preparation made from water-soluble polypeptide fractions extracted from cattle retina, developed and used mainly in Russia and some neighboring countries. Classed as a peptide bioregulator, it is given by injection as a neuroprotective treatment for retinal diseases such as diabetic retinopathy, retinal dystrophies, and glaucoma. It is not approved in the United States or the European Union.
Samprost is a freeze-dried extract of bull calf prostate, reconstituted and injected in Russia for chronic prostatitis.
Selank + Semax is a nasal spray pairing two Russian research peptides that are normally sold on their own. Selank is a synthetic relative of the immune peptide tuftsin, studied in Russia as an anxiolytic that does not sedate and does not appear to produce the tolerance or withdrawal that benzodiazepines do. Semax is a shortened fragment of ACTH, cut so that it keeps the behavioural effects without the hormonal ones, and studied for attention, stroke recovery and neuroprotection. Both are reported to raise BDNF, and that shared thread is the usual argument for combining them: one takes the edge off, the other sharpens.
Semaglutide is a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist, a class of drug that mimics a natural gut hormone to lower blood sugar and reduce appetite. Developed by Novo Nordisk, it is used to treat type 2 diabetes and, at higher doses, obesity and overweight, and it has been shown to lower the risk of major cardiovascular events. It is marketed as Ozempic and Rybelsus for diabetes and as Wegovy for weight management, given as a weekly injection or, in one form, an oral tablet.
Sermorelin is a synthetic analogue comprising the first 29 amino acids of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH), the shortest fragment that retains full biological activity at the pituitary GHRH receptor. Rather than supplying growth hormone directly, it stimulates the somatotrophs to secrete the body's own hormone, preserving the natural pulsatile rhythm and leaving intact the negative feedback that guards against overexposure. Once approved for the diagnosis and treatment of growth hormone deficiency, it is now used chiefly in compounding and research settings, where interest centers on recovery, body composition, and sleep. The broader GHRH-receptor family it belongs to is under active study for effects well beyond the pituitary, including agonist protection in heart failure and antagonist activity against prostatic hyperplasia, fibrosis, and tumor growth.
SS-31, also known as elamipretide or Bendavia, is a cell-permeable mitochondria-targeting tetrapeptide that concentrates thousands-fold on the inner mitochondrial membrane by binding cardiolipin, the lipid that organizes the cristae and the electron-transport supercomplexes. Rather than acting as a general antioxidant, it restores cristae structure and bioenergetics in mitochondria damaged by ischemia, disease, or aging; in aged mouse muscle a single dose restored ATP production toward youthful levels within about an hour. It has been evaluated in clinical trials for primary mitochondrial diseases, heart failure, and age-related conditions.
TB-500 is a synthetic peptide based on a fragment of thymosin beta-4, a naturally occurring actin-regulating protein involved in cell migration, angiogenesis, and tissue repair. By buffering the cell's pool of actin it promotes the cell movement that closes wounds and builds new blood vessels; notably, its parent protein was the first molecule shown to switch the dormant adult heart's outer layer back into its embryonic vessel-building program after injury. Thymosin beta-4 itself has been advanced into human trials for wound healing, dry eye, and cardiac repair, while TB-500 is used as a research peptide and is prohibited in sport.
TB-500 Fragment 17-23 is a short peptide corresponding to the central actin-binding region of thymosin beta-4, a small protein found in nearly all cells that is involved in cell movement and tissue repair. Made up of the seven-amino-acid sequence LKKTETQ, this motif carries much of the parent protein's ability to encourage blood-vessel growth, wound healing, and cell migration in laboratory studies. It is sold in the peptide research-chemical market, has no approved medical use, and rests on evidence drawn almost entirely from cell and animal work.
Tesamorelin is a synthetic analog of growth hormone-releasing hormone and the first therapy approved by the FDA specifically to reduce excess visceral abdominal fat, in HIV-associated lipodystrophy. By stimulating the body's own pulsatile release of growth hormone it lowers deep abdominal fat and raises IGF-1; beyond that, trials have shown it reduces liver fat in fatty liver disease and, by restoring more youthful pulsatile GH signaling, has improved muscle mitochondrial function and measures of cognition. It is marketed as Egrifta and given by daily injection.
Testagen is a synthetic tetrapeptide, Lys-Glu-Asp-Gly, from the Khavinson family of short peptide bioregulators [1]. The experimental literature describes it as an ANTERIOR PITUITARY peptide and tests it on the thyroid, the thymus, immunity and clotting in hypophysectomised birds [2][3][5][6]; the male reproductive description that usually accompanies it comes from review tables rather than from an experiment [9][10]. All of the evidence is animal or cell culture. There is no human data.
Thymalin is a polypeptide preparation extracted from the thymus gland of calves, developed in the Soviet Union and Russia and used as an immunomodulator. It is a mixture of small thymic peptides intended to restore and regulate immune function, particularly the maturation and activity of T lymphocytes [2]. Studied and marketed chiefly in Russia and neighboring countries as an immunocorrector and geroprotector, Thymalin is given by injection and is not an approved medicine in the United States or the European Union [1][2].
Thymosin alpha-1 is a 28-amino-acid peptide derived from the precursor prothymosin alpha and originally isolated from thymic tissue, marketed synthetically as thymalfasin (Zadaxin). It acts principally through Toll-like receptor signaling, notably TLR9 and TLR2 on dendritic cells and monocytes, promoting their maturation and steering T-helper cell differentiation, which restores T-cell number and function where these have been depleted by infection, aging, or malignancy. In severe COVID-19 it was reported to reduce mortality by reversing lymphocytopenia and reversing markers of T-cell exhaustion, illustrating its capacity to rebalance rather than simply stimulate immunity. Approved in numerous countries as an adjuvant for chronic hepatitis B and studied in cancer, sepsis, and vaccine augmentation, it has been evaluated in randomized sepsis trials including the multicenter ETASS and phase 3 TESTS studies, and is regarded as well tolerated across indications.
Thymulin is a thymic peptide hormone, a nonapeptide produced by the epithelial cells of the thymus gland, that plays a role in the maturation and regulation of T lymphocytes. It was described in the 1970s, originally under the name serum thymic factor (facteur thymique serique, FTS), and its biological activity depends on being bound to the metal zinc, making it a zinc-dependent metallopeptide [1]. Beyond its classic immune role, thymulin also interacts with the neuroendocrine system and has shown anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties in experimental studies, which has prompted interest in its therapeutic potential [2].
Vesugen is a synthetic tripeptide composed of lysine, glutamic acid and aspartic acid (Lys-Glu-Asp). It is one of the short peptide bioregulators developed in Russia and is described as a vascular peptide, meaning it is intended to support the blood vessels and their inner lining, especially in aging. Research on it comes mainly from Russian laboratories, and it is not an approved medicine in Western countries.
Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) is a 28-amino-acid neuropeptide that signals through the G-protein-coupled receptors VPAC1, VPAC2, and PAC1, functioning as a potent vasodilator, bronchodilator, and broad anti-inflammatory regulator; in the central nervous system it suppresses tumor necrosis factor alpha production by activated microglia through a cyclic AMP-dependent pathway. A defining and comparatively unusual role is its function as the principal synchronizing signal of the suprachiasmatic nucleus, where VIP released from retinorecipient neurons couples and entrains the master circadian clock via ERK1/2 signaling. In the lung VIP protects alveolar type II cells and dampens cytokine release, which motivated clinical study of the synthetic form aviptadil in COVID-19 respiratory failure and pulmonary hypertension, though large randomized trials such as TESICO did not establish clear survival benefit. Its pleiotropic, homeostatic actions across neural, immune, vascular, and reproductive tissues make it a widely investigated biological regulator.
The Wolverine Stack is a popular regenerative peptide combination that pairs BPC-157 with TB-500, named for the comic-book mutant famous for his near-instant healing. It brings together two of the most sought-after recovery peptides: BPC-157, a gastric peptide that accelerates tendon, ligament, muscle, and gut healing, and TB-500, a thymosin beta-4 peptide that drives cell migration and new blood vessel growth. Marketed to athletes and biohackers chasing faster injury recovery, the stack is prized for its complementary, tissue-repairing effects.
Survodutide is an investigational once-weekly glucagon receptor and GLP-1 receptor dual agonist positioned at the frontier of next-generation metabolic therapeutics. By engaging two complementary pathways, it pairs powerful appetite suppression with increased energy expenditure to drive substantial weight reduction and striking improvements in liver health. In phase 2 and phase 3 trials it delivered double-digit body weight loss and reversed steatohepatitis in a majority of treated participants, marking it as one of the most closely watched dual agonists in development.
MOTS-c is a mitochondrial-derived peptide that acts as one of the body's own regulators of metabolism, energy, and healthy aging. Encoded inside the mitochondrial genome and released during exercise, it switches on the master energy sensor AMPK to improve insulin sensitivity, glucose handling, and physical performance. Backed by a fast-growing body of research from its discovery at USC, it sits at the leading edge of longevity and metabolic science.
BPC-157 (Body Protection Compound-157) is a stable synthetic pentadecapeptide derived from a protein found in human gastric juice, used as a research peptide for soft-tissue healing. Across a large body of preclinical work it has promoted repair of tendon, ligament, muscle, bone, gut, and nerve tissue, largely by driving angiogenesis through the VEGFR2-Akt-eNOS nitric-oxide pathway and by rerouting blood flow through pre-existing collateral vessels. Its evidence base is almost entirely animal studies, with minimal human data and unknown long-term safety, and it is prohibited in sport; it should be regarded as investigational.
KPV is a naturally occurring tripeptide corresponding to the C-terminal sequence (lysine-proline-valine) of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone, and it retains much of the parent hormone's anti-inflammatory activity in a minimal fragment. It appears to act at least partly independently of classical melanocortin-1 receptor signaling; after entering cells, including intestinal epithelium via the di/tripeptide transporter PepT1, it inhibits NF-kB and related pro-inflammatory cascades and lowers cytokine production. In murine models of colitis, KPV promotes earlier recovery and reduces mucosal inflammation, and it has become a frequent payload for nanoparticle and hydrogel delivery systems aimed at inflammatory bowel disease. Its small size, oral stability and targeted mechanism have made it a widely studied candidate for gastrointestinal and dermatological inflammatory conditions.
ARA-290 (cibinetide) is an 11-amino-acid peptide derived from the helix-B region of erythropoietin, engineered to trigger erythropoietin's tissue-protective and repair signaling without stimulating red blood cell production. Acting through the innate repair receptor, it reduces inflammation and promotes nerve and tissue healing, and in controlled trials in sarcoidosis patients it improved neuropathic pain and regrew small nerve fibers in the cornea and skin [1][2]. It is an investigational peptide with a notably clean safety profile, of particular interest for small-fiber neuropathy and metabolic and inflammatory conditions [3].
LL-37 is the human body's own frontline defense peptide, the sole human member of the cathelicidin family, produced naturally to fight infection and drive healing. It disrupts microbial membranes to clear pathogens, promotes wound re-epithelialization and new blood-vessel growth, and fine-tunes immune signaling, making it a remarkably multifunctional molecule. Harnessing a defender the body already trusts, LL-37 is a genuinely potent and fascinating subject of research into infection, tissue repair, and inflammation.
Vilon is a synthetic dipeptide made of the amino acids lysine and glutamic acid (Lys-Glu). It is one of the short peptide bioregulators developed in Russia and is described as a thymus-associated immunomodulatory peptide intended to support immune function, particularly in aging. Most of the research on it comes from Russian laboratories, and it is not an approved medicine in Western countries.
Thymagen, also transliterated as Thymogen, is a synthetic thymus-derived peptide used as an immunomodulator, developed in the Soviet Union and Russia as part of a family of short peptide bioregulators. It is a dipeptide made of the amino acids glutamic acid and tryptophan (glutamyl-tryptophan), designed to reproduce the immune-stimulating activity of the thymus gland [3][4]. Given mainly by nasal or injectable routes, it has been studied and used chiefly in Russia and neighboring countries to support immune function in infections, immunodeficiency, and the perioperative and aging settings; it is not an approved medicine in the United States or the European Union [2][3].
Cartalax is a synthetic short peptide bioregulator, the tripeptide Ala-Glu-Asp, from the celebrated Russian family of tissue-targeted peptides studied for cellular renewal and healthy aging. Working at the level of gene expression, it has been shown to reduce markers of cellular senescence and support proliferation in aging cells. For those pursuing a science-driven approach to regeneration and longevity, Cartalax is a compelling peptide.
AHK (Tripeptide-3) is a copper-binding signal peptide, the alanine-histidine-lysine tripeptide prized in advanced hair and skin formulations. Its histidine and lysine residues grip copper to form the bioactive complex AHK-Cu, which has been shown to lengthen human hair follicles and energize the dermal papilla cells that drive hair growth. A close cousin of the celebrated copper peptide GHK, it is sought out as a next-level cosmetic peptide for hair density, skin renewal, and regeneration.
SNAP-8, or acetyl octapeptide-3, is a topical cosmetic peptide used to soften expression lines. It is designed to reduce the muscle contractions that etch fine lines by mimicking a segment of the SNAP-25 protein and competing within the SNARE complex that nerve endings use to release acetylcholine at the neuromuscular junction, a needle-free echo of how botulinum toxin relaxes muscles. Delivered in creams and, increasingly, in dissolving microneedle patches, it has a small clinical literature reporting measurable wrinkle improvement.
MT-2 (Melanotan II) is a synthetic cyclic heptapeptide analogue of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone that acts as a non-selective agonist at melanocortin receptors, most notably MC1R and MC4R. Through MC1R activation it stimulates melanogenesis, producing durable skin darkening with reduced ultraviolet exposure, while central MC4R activation drives pro-erectile and pro-sexual effects that were demonstrated in early human trials of erectile dysfunction and later informed development of the approved drug bremelanotide. Preclinical work has additionally characterized its capacity to suppress food intake, reduce adiposity and improve insulin sensitivity, promote peripheral nerve regeneration and neuroprotection, and stimulate central oxytocin pathways; the last of these underlies reports of rescued social behavior in a rodent model of autism. MT-2 remains an unapproved research compound, and its unregulated recreational use has been linked to adverse events including nausea, rhabdomyolysis, renal injury and case reports of melanoma arising in heavily pigmented skin.
Amyloid beta (Aβ), historically called the A4 peptide, is a short peptide of roughly 36 to 43 amino acids best known as the principal constituent of the amyloid plaques found in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease. It is produced naturally in the body through enzymatic cleavage of a larger membrane protein, and its accumulation and aggregation are central to the leading theory of how Alzheimer's disease develops.
Abaloparatide (brand name Tymlos) is a synthetic peptide modeled on parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP, a natural signal your body uses to manage bone and calcium). It is an approved bone-building (anabolic) treatment for osteoporosis in postmenopausal women at high risk of fracture. Unlike most osteoporosis drugs that mainly slow bone loss, abaloparatide actively tells the body to lay down new bone, which raises bone density and lowers the chance of spinal and other fractures.
ACE-167 is an orally available synthetic tetrapeptide under preclinical development by Acesis BioMed as a non-steroidal approach to stimulating the body's own testosterone production, primarily for male hypogonadism and related conditions [company disclosures]. Rather than acting on the central nervous system, it works at the mitochondrial level within testicular Leydig cells to promote endogenous steroidogenesis. Independent peer-reviewed literature on ACE-167 is currently absent, so its profile rests on company and industry-database sources and should be regarded as preliminary.
Acyline is a potent synthetic decapeptide gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonist studied for reversible suppression of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, including as a potential male hormonal contraceptive.
Adiponectin is a protein hormone secreted mainly by fat cells that helps regulate blood sugar and the breakdown of fatty acids. Encoded by the ADIPOQ gene, it is one of the most abundant hormones in human blood and improves the body's sensitivity to insulin while exerting anti-inflammatory effects. Unusually for a fat-derived hormone, its levels tend to fall rather than rise with obesity, and low levels are linked to type 2 diabetes and metabolic disease.
Adipotide, also known as prohibitin-targeting peptide-1, is an experimental peptide designed to cause weight loss by destroying the blood supply of white fat. It works by homing to the vasculature that feeds fat tissue and triggering the death of those blood vessels, which starves the surrounding fat cells. Developed in academic cancer-research laboratories, it produced rapid weight loss in obese mice and monkeys but remains investigational and has not been approved for human use.
alpha-conotoxin mii is a cone-snail peptide toxin and the foundational research probe for alpha6-containing nicotinic receptors; native mii blocks both alpha3beta2 and alpha6* subtypes, but engineered analogs (mii[h9a;l15a], mii[s4a,e11a,l15a]) reach ~590-1000-fold alpha6 selectivity at low-nanomolar potency; a lab tool, not a drug, but the one that unlocked alpha6* dopamine-terminal pharmacology.
alpha-conotoxin pia is a cone-snail (conus purpurascens) peptide toxin and the first ligand able to cleanly discriminate alpha6- from alpha3-containing nicotinic receptors; a highly alpha6beta2*-selective research probe that sharpened the interpretation of 'mii-sensitive' dopamine and gaba experiments; a lab reagent, not a drug.
alpha-conotoxin txib is a conus textile peptide toxin and one of the most selective alpha6/alpha3beta2beta3 nicotinic antagonists known (rat ic50 ~28 nm, sparing other rat subtypes), with a human alpha6/alpha3beta4 off-target as a species-difference caveat; a clean research probe and drug-design lead for addiction and parkinson's, not a therapeutic in itself.
Argireline is a trade name for acetyl hexapeptide-3 (also called acetyl hexapeptide-8), a synthetic six-amino-acid peptide used as an anti-wrinkle ingredient in cosmetics. Introduced in the early 2000s, it is marketed as a topical, needle-free alternative to botulinum toxin, on the idea that it can relax the small facial muscle contractions that form expression lines. Its peptide sequence mimics part of a natural protein involved in nerve-to-muscle signaling, and the evidence for its effect, while suggestive, is limited.
ATX-GD-59 is an experimental immunotherapy for Graves' disease. ⚠️ It is not a small molecule and not an antibody, though trade coverage has called it one: it is an equimolar mixture of two synthetic peptides from the thyrotropin receptor, given by intradermal injection, so it has no CAS number, no formula and no database entry [1]. One trial has ever been run, in twelve people, open-label and uncontrolled. The successor programme is currently suspended.
Barusiban is a peptide oxytocin receptor antagonist developed by Ferring Pharmaceuticals as a potential tocolytic (labor-suppressing) treatment for preterm labor. It showed strong preclinical promise but failed to outperform placebo in a human trial and was not pursued further.
Biotinoyl GHK, sold as Biotinoyl Tripeptide-1, is the copper peptide GHK with a biotin group attached to its N-terminus. It reaches consumers almost entirely inside Procapil, a three-part hair blend. ⚠️ Two things make it much weaker than its reputation. The biotin caps the exact chemical site GHK uses to carry copper, so it cannot work the way GHK-Cu is supposed to. And the whole of PubMed holds three papers on biotinylated GHK, none of which measures a single target.
CAC-253 is the cyclised form of AC253, a 24-residue peptide that BLOCKS the amylin receptor rather than activating it, which makes it the mirror image of the amylin drugs being developed for obesity. It is a preclinical Alzheimer's tool from a single academic laboratory, built on the finding that amyloid beta acts through the amylin receptor [2]. Cyclisation raised its serum half-life from one hour to seven [1]. No human has ever taken it.
Cerebroprotein hydrolysate is a mixture of low-molecular-weight peptides and free amino acids extracted from porcine brain tissue and used as a neuroprotective preparation, chiefly for cognitive impairment and dementia [2][4]. It is closely related to Cerebrolysin, a similarly prepared brain peptide product, and is marketed mainly in China and other parts of Asia rather than in Western countries [1][3]. Laboratory and animal studies attribute neurotrophic and antioxidant actions to the preparation, though rigorous human evidence remains limited [2][4].
Colivelin is a synthetic 26-amino-acid hybrid peptide built by fusing a short activity-dependent neurotrophic factor fragment (ADNF-9, SALLRSIPA) to the N-terminus of a potent humanin derivative, AGA-(C8R)HNG17. It was engineered to protect neurons from the kinds of insults tied to Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegeneration, and it does so in cell models at femtomolar concentrations, far below its parent peptides. Researchers look at it mainly as a neuroprotective tool compound rather than an approved drug.
Cycloprolylglycine is a small cyclic dipeptide found naturally in brain tissue, and the compound usually named as Noopept's active metabolite. It is studied under two names that describe the same molecule: Russian work calls it cycloprolylglycine, New Zealand work calls it cyclic glycine-proline. ⚠️ The active-metabolite claim is weaker than its popularity suggests. The primary source found the compound in untreated animals as well as treated ones, and reported a 2.5-fold rise at a single hour-long timepoint. The same institute later published that Noopept and this metabolite behave differently in a learning task, which is difficult to reconcile with a simple prodrug relationship.
Davunetide (NAP; NAPVSIPQ) is an eight-amino-acid peptide derived from activity-dependent neuroprotective protein (ADNP) that stabilizes microtubules and reduces tau pathology, and has been evaluated clinically as an intranasal neuroprotective agent [1][2]. Although early studies suggested cognitive benefit in amnestic mild cognitive impairment and functional improvement in schizophrenia, a large phase 2/3 trial in progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) found no clinical efficacy [1][3].
Decapeptide-12 is a synthetic peptide made of ten amino acids that is used in cosmetic skincare as a skin-brightening agent, best known under the trade name Lumixyl. It works by inhibiting tyrosinase, the enzyme that controls the pace of melanin production, and was developed as a gentler alternative to the traditional lightening agent hydroquinone. Applied to the skin, usually as part of a multi-step brightening routine, it has been studied mainly for melasma and other forms of facial hyperpigmentation. It is regulated as a cosmetic ingredient rather than a drug, and the clinical evidence for it comes from a small number of studies.
Demoxytocin, also known as desamino-oxytocin or deaminooxytocin, is a synthetic analogue of the hormone oxytocin. It is a modified peptide in which the free amino group at one end of the oxytocin molecule has been removed, a change that makes it more resistant to breakdown in the body and gives it a longer, stronger action. Like oxytocin, it is an oxytocic drug that stimulates uterine contractions and milk release, and it has been used to help induce labor, support lactation, and manage breast engorgement. It is notable for being given as a buccal tablet that dissolves in the mouth.
Desacyl ghrelin is the unacylated form of the hunger hormone ghrelin; it is the same peptide chain but without the octanoyl (a fatty-acid) group that active ghrelin carries on one of its amino acids. That missing fatty acid means it does not activate the classic ghrelin receptor (GHS-R1a) that drives hunger and growth-hormone release, so it behaves very differently from acylated ghrelin. It circulates as the majority of total ghrelin in blood and is studied for its own distinct metabolic, appetite, and cardiovascular effects.
Eloralintide is an injectable amylin-receptor agonist from Eli Lilly, in phase 3 for obesity. It is a modified 37-residue amylin analogue carrying a C20 fatty diacid that binds albumin and stretches its half-life to roughly two weeks, allowing weekly dosing with an unusually flat blood level [2]. What distinguishes it from the other amylin drugs is a deliberate attempt at receptor selectivity: it is about twelve-fold more potent at the amylin 1 receptor than at the calcitonin receptor in human cells [1]. In a 48-week phase 2 trial it produced up to 20 percent weight loss [3].
Follistatin 315 is the main circulating (blood-borne) isoform of follistatin, a naturally occurring protein 315 amino acids long that binds and neutralizes members of the TGF-beta family such as activin and myostatin. Because myostatin is a brake on muscle growth, follistatin's ability to soak it up has made this isoform a subject of muscle-growth and body-composition research. It is a research protein, not an established supplement.
Fosgonimeton is an injectable prodrug of dihexa, developed for Alzheimer's disease and taken through a 549-patient phase 2/3 trial that missed every endpoint. It is the most thoroughly tested member of a family whose founding mechanism papers were retracted for fabricated data. The chemistry is worth stating plainly because it is rarely stated at all: fosgonimeton is dihexa carrying a phosphate group on one hydroxyl and nothing else. The phosphate makes it soluble enough to inject; the body removes it, and what circulates and enters the brain is dihexa. Anyone reading about dihexa is therefore reading about a molecule whose active form has already been given to hundreds of patients.
Galanin-like peptide, or GALP, is a 60-amino-acid neuropeptide isolated from porcine hypothalamus whose central region is identical to the biologically active N-terminus of galanin. It preferentially activates galanin receptor 2 and is expressed in a discrete population of arcuate nucleus neurons, where it integrates signals of energy status such as leptin and insulin. GALP regulates feeding, body weight, and reproductive and neuroendocrine function, producing a pattern of brain activation distinct from galanin itself. It is an endogenous signaling peptide of ongoing research interest rather than a therapeutic.
Galanin(1-15) is an active N-terminal fragment of galanin that behaves as a distinct signaling entity through galanin receptor 1 and receptor 2 heteroreceptor complexes. On its own it produces strong anxiogenic and depression-like effects in rodents, often exceeding those of full-length galanin, yet paradoxically it enhances the antidepressant action of fluoxetine and can reverse fluoxetine-induced memory impairment. These effects depend on GalR1-GalR2 complexes interacting with serotonin 5-HT1A receptors in the raphe, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex. It is a preclinical fragment of interest as both a mood modulator and an adjunct concept for antidepressant therapy.
Galanin(2-11), also known as AR-M1896, is a short galanin fragment corresponding to residues two through eleven of the peptide and is widely used as a galanin receptor 2 preferring agonist. As one of the few subtype-biased galanin tools, it has been central to dissecting which effects of galanin are mediated by GalR2 rather than GalR1, particularly in pain, mood, and neuroprotection. In the spinal cord and periphery it can be pronociceptive through GalR2, while GalR2 activation at the dorsal raphe is linked to increased serotonin and potential antidepressant effects. It is a preclinical research peptide.
GDF-11, or growth differentiation factor 11 (also called bone morphogenetic protein 11), is a secreted signaling protein of the transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) superfamily. It is closely related to myostatin, sharing much of its structure and using the same receptors, and during embryonic development it helps pattern the skeleton and other tissues [1][5]. GDF-11 became widely known through contested research that proposed it as a blood-borne rejuvenation factor, a claim later studies called into question [2][5].
Ghrelin is a peptide hormone produced mainly by the stomach that stimulates appetite and the release of growth hormone, which has earned it the popular label of the hunger hormone. It was identified in 1999 as the natural ligand of the growth hormone secretagogue receptor, and its blood levels typically rise before meals and fall afterward [1][2]. Ghrelin must undergo an unusual fatty-acid modification to become active, and it plays broad roles in appetite, energy balance, and metabolism [1][2].
Goralatide is the drug name for Ac-SDKP (N-acetyl-Ser-Asp-Lys-Pro), an endogenous acetylated tetrapeptide the body makes by trimming the N-terminus of thymosin beta-4. It has two jobs research cares about: it holds blood-forming stem cells in a resting state (which shielded them during chemo in early trials), and it acts as a natural brake on tissue fibrosis and inflammation.
GV1001 is a 16-residue peptide taken from the sequence of human telomerase, developed by GemVax as a cancer vaccine and now pursued in prostate enlargement and Alzheimer's disease. ⚠️ It is widely sold and described as a telomerase activator or anti-aging peptide, and that is a category error: it is a fragment of the enzyme used as an antigen, and the programme it came from was designed to make the immune system destroy telomerase-expressing cells rather than to switch the enzyme on [1]. Its pivotal trial, in 1,062 pancreatic cancer patients, failed [1].
HER-096 is a brain-penetrating peptidomimetic derived from human CDNF (cerebral dopamine neurotrophic factor), developed by Herantis Pharma as a candidate disease-modifying therapy for Parkinson's. It mimics CDNF's cytoprotective biology in a small, stable molecule; it eases endoplasmic-reticulum stress by modulating the unfolded protein response, protects dopaminergic neurons, reduces alpha-synuclein aggregation, and calms neuroinflammation. Unlike the full CDNF protein, which had to be infused directly into the brain, HER-096 reaches the brain after a simple subcutaneous injection.
HNG is a synthetic potency-boosted analog of humanin, a 24-amino-acid peptide encoded within mitochondrial DNA. Swapping one residue (serine to glycine at position 14) makes it roughly a thousand times more cytoprotective than natural humanin in cell assays, which is why almost all animal work on the humanin pathway uses HNG rather than the wild-type peptide. It is studied for protecting neurons against amyloid-beta and ischemic insults, and for metabolic and insulin-sensitizing effects.
Relaxin-2 is the principal circulating form of relaxin in humans, a small peptide hormone belonging to the insulin and relaxin superfamily. Produced mainly by the corpus luteum, and also by the breast, placenta, and prostate, it plays a central part in the physiological adaptations of pregnancy, including widening of blood vessels and remodeling of reproductive tissues. A recombinant version, serelaxin, was investigated as a treatment for acute heart failure, though large trials did not confirm a clinical benefit.
Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), also called somatomedin C, is a peptide hormone that is structurally close to insulin and serves as the principal mediator of growth hormone action. Produced chiefly by the liver but also locally in tissues, it signals through the IGF-1 receptor to drive cell proliferation, differentiation, and protein synthesis, and it feeds back on the hypothalamus and pituitary to help regulate the growth hormone axis. A notable feature is the alternative splicing of the IGF-1 gene in skeletal muscle to yield mechano growth factor, a variant rapidly induced by mechanical loading or injury that is associated with satellite (stem) cell activation and repair, though its distinct peptide activity remains debated. A recombinant form, mecasermin, is an approved therapy for children with severe primary IGF-1 deficiency, and the hormone remains a central focus in research on aging, longevity, neuroprotection, and cancer risk.
Irisin is a hormone-like protein, or myokine, that is released from skeletal muscle during exercise. It is produced when physical activity prompts muscle cells to cleave a membrane protein called FNDC5, freeing irisin into the blood, where it is best known for encouraging white fat to take on the calorie-burning properties of brown fat. Discovered in 2012, irisin is an active area of metabolic research rather than a medicine, and both its measurement and its importance in humans have been subjects of scientific debate.
KCF-18 is an 18-residue synthetic peptide designed in silico from the binding regions of three cytokine receptors (TNFR1, IL-1R, IL-6R). It works as a soluble decoy that grabs the proinflammatory cytokines TNF-alpha, IL-1beta and IL-6 before they can dock on their own receptors, dampening downstream inflammation. It is a preclinical anti-inflammatory research peptide, not a nootropic or a CNS compound.
Lunasin is a naturally occurring peptide of forty-three amino acids first isolated from soybean seed. It also occurs in cereal grains such as barley, wheat, and rye, and in a few other seeds. Since the late 1990s it has been studied chiefly for possible cancer-preventive, cholesterol-lowering, and anti-inflammatory effects, with most attention paid to its apparent ability to influence how genes are switched on and off by altering histone proteins.
M617 is a synthetic chimeric galanin analog that acts as a galanin receptor 1 preferring agonist and is used as a subtype-selective research tool. Built from the galanin N-terminus fused to a bradykinin-derived segment, it engages GalR1 to produce antinociception in central pain circuits and to improve glucose handling in diabetic rodents by enhancing insulin signaling and glucose-transporter activity in muscle. As one of the more GalR1-selective agonists available, M617 has been valuable for isolating GalR1-specific functions in pain and metabolism. It is a preclinical peptide with no clinical use.
MIF-1 (Pro-Leu-Gly-NH2), also called melanostatin, is a small endogenous tripeptide made in the body. It was first recognized as the hypothalamic factor that inhibits release of melanocyte-stimulating hormone from the pituitary, and it was later found to act in the brain as a positive allosteric modulator of dopamine D2 receptors. Because of that dopamine-enhancing action it has been studied as a potential treatment for depression and Parkinson's disease.
MKP is Met-Lys-Pro, a tripeptide released from bovine casein, sold as a food ingredient and by peptide vendors. ⚠️ The name is ambiguous and worth pinning down: chemical databases resolve the bare string to monopotassium phosphate, a fertiliser salt, and the biology literature usually means MAP kinase phosphatase, a protein family. Neither is what is sold under this name. The peptide inhibits angiotensin-converting enzyme with an IC50 near 0.3 micromolar [1] and lowers blood pressure modestly in trials [3].
One of the two original green mamba muscarinic toxins; it binds M1 and M4 near-irreversibly and acts as a slow muscarinic agonist, but it is markedly less selective than its early reputation suggested.
A 65 residue green mamba toxin used as the standard M4-preferring muscarinic antagonist, with the significant caveat that it binds several alpha adrenoceptors just as tightly.
A 65 residue three-finger protein from green mamba venom that blocks the M1 muscarinic receptor from an allosteric site; it is the most subtype-selective muscarinic ligand anyone has found.
N-Acetyl Epitalon is an acetylated analog of Epitalon, a synthetic tetrapeptide with the sequence Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly that was derived from the pineal gland extract epithalamin. The parent peptide was developed largely at the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology and studied as a putative anti-aging agent, with reports that it can switch on telomerase and lengthen telomeres in cultured human cells. The N-acetyl modification is intended to improve the molecule's stability; robust human clinical evidence for either form remains limited.
N-Acetyl KPV is the tripeptide lysine-proline-valine with an acetyl group on the N terminus, usually supplied with the C terminus amidated as well. The unmodified tripeptide is the last three residues of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone and carries much of that hormone's anti-inflammatory activity in a minimal fragment. This entry exists because the acetylated peptide is a different compound from the parent and has almost no literature of its own. Four published studies have put Ac-Lys-Pro-Val-NH2 itself into an assay: it produced no melanotropic response in a frog skin bioassay [1], it was modelled conformationally by molecular dynamics [2], and it was tested for antibacterial activity twice with opposite results [3][4]. Nothing has measured its anti-inflammatory potency, its transport, its stability in an organism, or its behaviour in a person. Its case therefore rests on the parent tripeptide's record plus the general expectation that acetylating the N terminus slows aminopeptidase attack, and that expectation has never been tested for this peptide. One further complication belongs in any honest description: a large share of the material sold as ordinary KPV is already the acetylated and amidated analogue, so the two product names do not reliably separate two molecules.
N-Acetyl Selank is an acetylated analog of Selank, a synthetic heptapeptide with the sequence Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg-Pro-Gly-Pro that is derived from the immune-modulating peptide tuftsin. Selank was developed at the Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Russian Academy of Sciences and is used in Russia as an anxiolytic and nootropic, typically delivered as a nasal spray. The N-acetyl modification is intended to increase resistance to enzymatic breakdown; it has been studied far less than the parent peptide, and neither form is approved outside a small number of countries.
N-Acetyl Semax is an acetylated analog of Semax, a synthetic heptapeptide with the sequence Met-Glu-His-Phe-Pro-Gly-Pro that is based on the ACTH(4-10) fragment of adrenocorticotropic hormone. Developed and studied extensively in Russia, Semax is used there as a nootropic and neuroprotective agent, including in stroke and cognitive disorders, and appears on the Russian list of essential medicines. The N-acetyl modification is meant to improve stability; it is far less studied than the parent peptide, and neither form is approved in most countries.
NAX 810-2 is a second-generation galanin analog engineered to prefer galanin receptor 2 over receptor 1, developed to preserve the anticonvulsant and analgesic benefits of galanin signaling while avoiding the hyperglycemia caused by GalR1-preferring predecessors. It has roughly fifteen-fold selectivity for GalR2, blocks seizures in multiple rodent models after intravenous dosing, and is analgesic across inflammatory and neuropathic pain assays. Crucially, it does not impair insulin secretion or raise growth hormone, giving it a cleaner metabolic profile than NAX-5055. It was framed as a first-in-class analgesic and antiseizure candidate.
NAX-5055, also known as Gal-B2, is a systemically active, metabolically stable galanin analog engineered to cross the blood-brain barrier by combining cationization with position-specific lipidization. It is a GalR1-preferring agonist with low-nanomolar receptor affinity and potent anticonvulsant activity in multiple rodent seizure models, including models of pharmacoresistant epilepsy. It was positioned as a potential first-in-class antiepileptic neuropeptide therapeutic. NAX-5055 also engages peripheral GalR1 to raise blood glucose, which shaped subsequent development toward GalR2-preferring successors.
Neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) is a naturally occurring protein belonging to the neurotrophin family, which also includes nerve growth factor (NGF) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). It supports the survival, growth, and differentiation of developing neurons and helps maintain certain nerve cells in the mature nervous system. Because of these roles, recombinant NT-3 has been investigated as a therapy for nerve and gastrointestinal disorders, although it is not an approved or consumer product.
Nle1-Angiotensin IV is a six-amino-acid peptide, angiotensin IV with its first residue swapped for norleucine. It is the research compound the whole dihexa and fosgonimeton family grew out of, and it improved memory in rats in several laboratories through the late 1990s and 2000s. ⚠️ It is almost always described as an AT4 receptor agonist, and both halves of that are wrong. The AT4 receptor turned out to be IRAP, an enzyme rather than a receptor, and this peptide blocks its active site. It is an enzyme inhibitor that has been called a receptor agonist for thirty years out of habit. Every rodent experiment injected it directly into the brain, because it does not survive the bloodstream or cross into the brain on its own.
PACAP, short for pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide, is a naturally occurring neuropeptide that acts as a hormone, neurotransmitter, and neuromodulator. Encoded by the ADCYAP1 gene and closely related to vasoactive intestinal peptide, it signals through G protein-coupled receptors to raise cellular cAMP and takes part in the stress response, circadian timing, and neuroprotection. It has become a prominent target in migraine research, since infusing PACAP can trigger migraine-like attacks in susceptible people.
Pal-GHK, also known as palmitoyl tripeptide-1, is a synthetic cosmetic peptide made by attaching a palmitic acid chain to the human tripeptide GHK (glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine). The fatty acid tail makes the peptide more lipophilic so it can better penetrate the skin, where GHK-based signals are known to stimulate collagen and support extracellular matrix repair. It is used as a signaling ingredient in anti-aging skincare rather than as a medicine.
Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12 is a synthetic cosmetic peptide; a short six-amino-acid chain with a palmitic acid (a fatty acid) tail attached so it sits better in the skin's lipid layers. It is used topically in anti-aging and conditioning skincare, marketed to support the look of firmness and smoothness. This is a cosmetic ingredient, not a drug, and the systemic (whole-body) evidence for it is limited.
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, sold under the name Rigin, is a synthetic cosmetic peptide; a four-amino-acid chain (glycine-glutamine-proline-arginine) with a palmitic acid tail to help it settle into the skin. It is used topically as an anti-aging and anti-inflammatory skincare ingredient, marketed on the idea that it dampens a signaling molecule called interleukin-6. It is a cosmetic ingredient, and the strongest data comes from manufacturer testing rather than large independent trials.
Petrelintide is a long-acting amylin analogue from Zealand Pharma, in phase 2 for obesity and partnered with Roche. It is built on the human amylin backbone rather than the rat sequence pramlintide uses, with a lactam bridge replacing the native disulfide and a C20 diacid for albumin binding, giving a half-life of about ten days [1][2]. ⚠️ It is widely described as a selective amylin analogue, and its sponsor's own data show it is not: it is equally potent at the calcitonin receptor [1].
Pramlintide is a synthetic analogue of amylin, a peptide hormone released by the pancreas alongside insulin after meals. Given by injection at mealtimes, it is used together with insulin to improve blood-sugar control in people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes, chiefly by blunting the sharp rise in glucose that follows eating. Marketed as Symlin, it was approved by the United States FDA in 2005 and was the first new agent for lowering blood sugar in type 1 diabetes since insulin itself.
Rapastinel (originally GLYX-13) is a tiny four-amino-acid peptide (Thr-Pro-Pro-Thr with an amidated tail) that acts as a functional partial agonist at the glycine site of the NMDA receptor. It was the lead candidate in the wave of rapid-acting antidepressants inspired by ketamine, meant to lift mood within a day without ketamine's dissociation; it looked promising through phase 2 but failed its phase 3 depression trials in 2019.
SBT-272, given the international nonproprietary name bevemipretide, is a mitochondria-targeted peptidomimetic from Stealth BioTherapeutics that binds and stabilises cardiolipin, the signature phospholipid of the inner mitochondrial membrane [1]. In a hTDP-43 mouse model of ALS it restored mitochondrial structure, motility and respiratory function in diseased upper motor neurons, and sixty days of chronic dosing from an early symptomatic stage reduced astrogliosis, microgliosis and TDP-43 pathology in the motor cortex [1]. Reviews of the cardiolipin field describe it as a second-generation follow-on to elamipretide, redesigned for higher mitochondrial uptake and higher brain concentrations so that the same membrane mechanism can be tested in the central nervous system [2][6]. One primary peer-reviewed paper carries the entire preclinical case.
Somatostatin, also called growth hormone-inhibiting hormone, is a cyclic peptide that acts as a widespread inhibitory signal, dampening the release of growth hormone, insulin, glucagon, and gastrointestinal secretions. It operates through five G-protein-coupled receptor subtypes (SSTR1 to SSTR5) that couple mainly to inhibition of adenylate cyclase and cyclic AMP, with additional signaling through ion channels and downstream kinases; notably, some subtypes such as SSTR3 exert constitutive, ligand-independent suppression of growth hormone synthesis. Its very short half-life in the circulation spurred the development of longer-acting analogues such as octreotide and lanreotide, which selectively target SSTR2 and SSTR5 to treat acromegaly and neuroendocrine tumors. The same gene also yields the related peptide neuronostatin, underscoring the system's role as a finely tuned regulator of endocrine and metabolic tone.
Spexin, also called neuropeptide Q, is a small 14-amino-acid peptide discovered by bioinformatics and later shown to be an endogenous ligand of galanin receptors 2 and 3, part of a shared spexin, galanin, and kisspeptin family. It is broadly expressed across endocrine and nervous tissue and functions as a regulatory adipokine, with circulating levels reduced in obesity and linked to metabolic and inflammatory markers. Spexin also stimulates gastrointestinal motility through galanin receptor 2 and has been associated with appetite, cardiovascular, reproductive, and mood-related functions. It is an endogenous peptide of growing translational interest.
SYN-AKE is a synthetic cosmetic peptide (INCI: dipeptide diaminobutyroyl benzylamide diacetate) designed to mimic Waglerin-1, a component of temple viper venom that reversibly blocks the muscle-type nicotinic acetylcholine receptor. In topical skincare it is marketed as a "botox-like" ingredient meant to relax small facial muscle contractions and soften the look of expression lines. Its claims are cosmetic and surface-level, not a substitute for injectable treatments.
Tau peptide is a loosely used name for short peptide preparations marketed for brain and cognitive support, usually grouped with so-called bioregulator peptides. The label is not well standardized, and the sequences sold under it vary between vendors, so the name says little about the precise contents of a given product. Any connection to tau, the microtubule-associated protein of the nervous system, is largely nominal, and rigorous human data are scarce.
Thymopentin (TP-5) is a synthetic pentapeptide, Arg-Lys-Asp-Val-Tyr, that copies residues 32 to 36 of the thymic hormone thymopoietin; that fragment is the active site of the parent molecule. It acts as an immunomodulator that nudges T-cell maturation and helps normalize an out-of-balance immune response, which is why it was studied across primary immunodeficiency, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic hepatitis B, and atopic dermatitis.
Thymus extract is a general term for preparations made from the thymus gland of animals, usually calves, and used as immunomodulators intended to support or regulate immune function. The best-studied example is thymomodulin, a calf thymus acid lysate; such extracts contain mixtures of thymic peptides rather than a single defined molecule [1]. Taken by mouth or by injection, thymus extracts have been studied mainly for reducing recurrent infections and supporting cell-mediated immunity, though they are marketed largely as supplements or nonstandard medicines outside major Western drug approvals [1][2].
Thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH), whose pharmaceutical form is called protirelin, is a small peptide hormone made by neurons of the hypothalamus. Its best-known role is to signal the pituitary gland to release thyroid-stimulating hormone and prolactin, placing it at the top of the hormonal axis that controls the thyroid. TRH and its more stable analogues have also been studied for effects on mood, alertness, and the nervous system.
Trofinetide is a synthetic analog of the neuroprotective tripeptide glycine-proline-glutamate, the N-terminal fragment of insulin like growth factor 1, and is the first FDA approved treatment for Rett syndrome. It is thought to improve neuronal morphology and synaptic function and reduce neuroinflammation.
UBT-251 is an injectable peptide developed by United Bio-Technology in Hengqin and licensed to Novo Nordisk, described as a triple agonist at the GLP-1, GIP and glucagon receptors. ⚠️ It has no peer-reviewed literature of any kind. Eleven trials are registered, including three phase 3 studies, and not one journal publication exists; there is no published sequence, no structure, no receptor potency and no reported trial result. That combination is the most important thing to know about it.
Vasopressin, also called antidiuretic hormone (ADH) or arginine vasopressin, is a peptide hormone made in the hypothalamus and released from the posterior pituitary gland. It helps the body conserve water by concentrating the urine and, at higher levels, narrows blood vessels to raise blood pressure. A manufactured form is used as a medicine in critical care, for example to support blood pressure in shock and to treat certain forms of diabetes insipidus.
VD11 is an 11-amino-acid linear peptide (VDELWPPWLPC) isolated from the spinal cord of the Chinese odorous frog Odorrana schmackeri. In one preclinical study it pushed microglia to release the neurotrophic factors NGF and BDNF and helped rats recover motor function after a complete spinal cord transection. People look at it as an early-stage, frog-derived candidate for central nervous system repair, not as a supplement.
Vialox is a synthetic cosmetic peptide (pentapeptide-3, also called pentapeptide-3V) marketed as a topical "botox-like" muscle-relaxing ingredient. It is described as antagonizing the muscle-type nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, so that fine facial muscles contract less and expression lines appear softened. Its claims are cosmetic and surface-level, not equivalent to injectable treatments.
Vosoritide (brand name Voxzogo) is a lab-made version of C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP, a natural molecule that helps regulate bone growth). It is approved to help children with achondroplasia (the most common form of dwarfism) grow taller by targeting the overactive growth signal behind the condition. It works as a counter-signal to FGFR3, the receptor that, when overactive, holds back the growth plates in the long bones.
GHK is a naturally occurring tripeptide, made up of the amino acids glycine, histidine, and lysine, that is found in human blood plasma and other body fluids. It binds copper ions with high affinity to form the complex known as GHK-Cu, and its concentration in the blood declines with age [1][3]. First isolated in 1973, it has been studied for roles in wound healing and tissue repair and is used as an ingredient in skin-care products [2][3].
