Selank Injectable Synthetic Analogue Nootropic Anxiolytic Peptide 129954-34-3

Selank Injectable Synthetic Analogue Nootropic Anxiolytic Peptide 129954-34-3

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Description

Selank is a nootropic, anxiolytic peptide based drug developed by the Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Selank is a heptapeptide with the sequence Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg-Pro-Gly-Pro. It is a synthetic analogue of a human tetrapeptide tuftsin.

Selank is a synthetic analogue of the immunomodulatory peptide tuftsin; as such, it mimics many of its effects. It has been shown to modulate the expression of Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and affect the balance of T helper cell cytokines. It has been shown to influence the concentration of monoamine neurotransmitters and induce metabolism of serotonin. There is evidence that it may also modulate the expression of brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF) in rats.

Selank, as well as a related peptide drug, semax, have been found to inhibit enzymes involved in the degradation of enkephalins and other endogenous regulatory peptides, and this action may be involved in their effects.

Applications

Selank is closely related to Semax, a hexapeptide previously invented by the same institute. Some consider Selank to be a more efficient alternative to Semax - a drug currently approved for use in Russia and Ukraine. Both Selank and Semax seem to be less known in the western countries, due to the conflict of interest and subsequently lack of marketing efforts from the "big pharma" industry.

Selank as a nootropic

Recreationally Selank is used to improve one's ability to focus and concentrate, reduce mental fatigue, increase mental sharpness and increase memory and learning capacity. The first noticeable effect is usually stabilization of mood and general feeling of well-being.

Selank as an antiviral agent

Selank neuropeptide also expresses immunomodulatory effects. In 2009 a study by F. Ershov et all. has evaluated antiviral properties of Selank both in vitro and in vivo against the influenza virus strain A/Aichi 2/68 (H3N2). The pronounced antiviral effect of Selank was detected in both systems. The highest efficiency - completely supressed viral reproduction was shown when Selank was added to the cell culture 24 hours before inoculation.