Selank: the Russian anxiety trials, how it works, side effects, and how it differs from Semax
What 96 indexed publications and 2 randomized trials actually state about selank, sentence by sentence, each tied to its source and labeled by the kind of evidence it is.
At a glance
What Selank is and how it acts
Selank is a peptide in the neuropeptides nootropic class (tuftsin analog; GABAergic and cytokine effects reported). Europe PMC indexes 96 publications naming it or a listed alias in a title or abstract, including 2 randomized controlled trials and 2 clinical trials of any design, as of . The strongest evidence tier in that literature is human clinical trials.
This page reports what those studies state, sentence by sentence, with each statement tied to its source and labeled by the kind of evidence it is. It does not recommend use, and it does not translate study doses into anything personal.
What the evidence level means
Publication counts show what is indexed, not how strong the evidence is. The ledger below separates human clinical records from preclinical, analytical, and in-vitro work.
Interpretation boundary: An indexed publication count is a discovery measure. It does not establish efficacy, safety, approval, or a personal treatment plan.
Selank in two minutes
What it is. A stabilised fragment of an immune peptide, developed in Moscow alongside Semax and registered in Russia as a nasal medicine for anxiety and neurasthenia. Unlicensed elsewhere.
What the research actually shows. 96 indexed publications; two small Russian randomized trials in generalised anxiety disorder comparing it with a benzodiazepine, plus rat work on GABA signalling, enkephalins and BDNF. Nothing placebo-controlled in English.
Status. Registered medicine in Russia; unapproved elsewhere; not named on the WADA list.
Where the evidence is thinnest. Independent replication outside Russia; anything on the acetylated variant; long-term use.
Editorial synthesis Written from general pharmacology, the development record and what is commonly reported; not a cited finding. Cited findings on this page carry their own tier.
How it works
Written from general pharmacology and the development record, and marked as editorial synthesis; the measurements behind it are quoted in the biomarker section.
- Editorial synthesis from general knowledge
- Editorial synthesis from general knowledge
- Editorial synthesis from general knowledge
What happened in the human studies?
This record's ledger holds 4 primary human studies, of which 3 are trials. Few enough to show in full: each card quotes what its abstract reported about Selank. Read them before any other section on this page.
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Taken together, the therapeutic efficacy and reduction of side-effects had a positive impact on the quality-of-life of the patients treated with selank as add-on to phenazepam.
Sourcepmid-26356395· quoted verbatim from the abstract -
To study the efficacy and tolerability of the new anxyolytic peptide selank in comparison with phenazepam.
Sourcepmid-25176261· quoted verbatim from the abstract -
The increase of this parameter and stronger positive correlations with anxiety level were observed during the treatment with selank mostly in patients with GAD.
Sourcepmid-18454096· quoted verbatim from the abstract -
The present study was aimed at the assessment of effects of anxiolytic Selank and nootropic Semax on the whole-brain resting-state functional connectivity (FC) of each of the predefined regions of interest (ROIs) in 52 healthy participants.
Sourcepmid-32342318· quoted verbatim from the abstract
What did the studies find?
One row per primary study in this record's ledger. Fields are read from each paper's indexing and abstract. "Analytical method" marks papers about detecting or measuring the compound rather than about its effects.
| Study | Design | n | Species | Dose | Route | Duration | Reported outcome | Tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medvedev 2015 | Randomized controlled trial | 30 | Humans | — | — | — | Taken together, the therapeutic efficacy and reduction of side-effects had a positive impact on the quality-of-life of the patients treated with selank as add-on to phenazepam. | Human clinical trial |
| Medvedev 2014 | Clinical trial | 60 | Humans | — | — | — | — | Human clinical trial |
| Zozulia 2008 | Randomized controlled trial | 30 | Humans | — | — | — | The increase of this parameter and stronger positive correlations with anxiety level were observed during the treatment with selank mostly in patients with GAD. | Human clinical trial |
| Panikratova 2020 | Human study | — | Humans | — | — | — | — | Observational, human |
| Konstantinopolsky 2022 | Animal study | — | Rats | 0.3 mg/kg; 2 mg/kg | intraperitoneal | — | Single intraperitoneal injection of Selank in an anxiolytic dose of 0.3 mg/kg reduced the total index of morphine withdrawal syndrome by 39.6%, significantly (р<0.0001) attenuated convulsive reactions, ptosis, and… | Animal, preclinical |
| Leonidovna 2021 | Animal study | — | Rats | 100 mcg/kg/day | intraperitoneal | 20 days; 20 day | This peptide is able to reduce the concentration of IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α, as well as TGF-β1, practically reaching control values, when studying the effect of Selank on the level of cytokines under conditions of "… | Animal, preclinical |
| Kolik 2019 | Animal study | — | Rats | 0.3 mg/kg a day | intraperitoneal | 30 weeks | In ex vivo experiments, Selank prevented ethanol-induced increase in BDNF content in the hippocampus and frontal cortex (p<0.05). | Animal, preclinical |
| Fomenko 2017 | Animal study | — | Rats | 1000 μg/kg | intraperitoneal | — | Administration of Selank in a dose of 1000 μg/kg reduced the content of aminotransferases in blood serum, decreased superoxide dismutase activity in the liver, and increased total antioxidant activity. | Animal, preclinical |
| Slominsky 2017 | Animal study | — | Rats | — | — | — | At the same time, Selank decreased level of anxiety of rats with toxic damage of DA neurons in elevated cross shaped maze. | Animal, preclinical |
| Povarov 2017 | Animal study | — | — | — | — | — | In some neurons, Selank-induced up-regulation of spontaneous inhibitory postsynaptic currents was preceded by a transient decrease in this activity. | Animal, preclinical |
| Kasian 2017 | Animal study | — | — | — | — | — | In conditions of chronic stress, anxiety indicator values after the simultaneous use of diazepam and Selank did not differ from the respective values observed before chronic stress exposure. | Animal, preclinical |
| Kolik 2016 | Animal study | 2 | Mice | 0.3 mg/kg | intraperitoneal | — | Single dose of Selank significantly blocked manifestation of motor sensitization without affecting its formation. | Animal, preclinical |
| Volkova 2016 | Animal study | — | Rats | — | — | — | We found significant changes in the expression of 45 genes 1 h after the administration of the compounds. | Animal, preclinical |
| Vasil'eva 2016 | Animal study | 6 | Mice | 300 μg/kg/day | intranasal, intraperitoneal | 5 days | In BALB/c mice, i.p. selank increased the number of [G-(3)H]SR 95531 binding sites with GABA-receptors in the frontal cortex by 38%, without change in binding to NMDA receptors in the hippocampus. | Animal, preclinical |
| Kolomin 2014 | Animal study | — | Mice | — | intraperitoneal | — | We found a significant alteration in the mRNA level of the Il2rg gene at early time points after Selank and Gly-Pro administration and an almost equal reduction in the Xcr1 mRNA level 90 min after the administration of… | Animal, preclinical |
| Kozlovskiĭ 2013 | Animal study | — | Rats | 0.5 mg/kg | intraperitoneal | — | Selank (0.5 mg/kg, i.p.) prevented or compensated for actinomycin D (250 mg/kg, i.p.) induced violation of the process of acquisition, improvement, and consolidation of memory trace during the development of a complex… | Animal, preclinical |
| Semenova 2010 | Animal study | — | Rats | — | — | 30 days | It was established that selank induces an increase in memory trace stability during 30 days. | Animal, preclinical |
| Kozlovskaya 2003 | Animal study | — | Rats, Mice | — | — | — | Individual physiologically significant effects were seen, due to the molecular structures of the study peptides and/or their degradation fragments. | Animal, preclinical |
Doses reported in studies
Each entry is a sentence quoted from the study's abstract, with the study's design, sample size and year in front of it. Comparator doses in the same sentence are not attributed to selank.
- Doses stated in the abstract: 0.3 mg/kg; 2 mg/kg
Single intraperitoneal injection of Selank in an anxiolytic dose of 0.3 mg/kg reduced the total index of morphine withdrawal syndrome by 39.6%, significantly (р<0.0001) attenuated convulsive reactions, ptosis, and posture disorders, and 9-fold increased the tactile sensitivity threshold in morphine-dependent rats in comparison with the group of active control; at the same time, Selank was slightly inferior to diazepam in a dose of 2 mg/kg by pharmacological activity (the decrease in total index of morphine withdrawal syndrome by 49.3% and 13-fold increase in sensitivity threshold).
Sourcepmid-36322304· quoted verbatim from the abstract, emphasis added - Doses stated in the abstract: 100 mcg/kg/day
Laboratory animals were divided into 3 groups: a group of intact males, a group of animals that were subjected to stress (sensory contact) for 20 days and a group that received intraperitoneally Selank at a dose of 100 mcg/kg/day under conditions of 20-day stress.
Sourcepmid-32621722· quoted verbatim from the abstract, emphasis added - Doses stated in the abstract: 0.3 mg/kg a day
In the object recognition test, Selank (0.3 mg/kg a day, 7 days, intraperitoneally) produced a cognitive-stimulating effect in 9 months rats not exposed to ethanol (p<0.05) and prevented the formation of ethanol-induced memory and attention disturbances (p<0.01) developing during alcohol withdrawal.
Sourcepmid-31625062· quoted verbatim from the abstract, emphasis added - Doses stated in the abstract: 1000 μg/kg
Administration of Selank in a dose of 1000 μg/kg reduced the content of aminotransferases in blood serum, decreased superoxide dismutase activity in the liver, and increased total antioxidant activity.
Sourcepmid-28853100· quoted verbatim from the abstract, emphasis added - Doses stated in the abstract: 0.3 mg/kg
Selank that enhances activity of the endogenous opioid system (0.3 mg/kg, intraperitoneally), similar to the nonselective opiate receptor blocker naloxone (1.0 mg/kg, intraperitoneally), prevented the development of ethanol-induced (2.0 g/kg intraperitoneally) hyperlocomotion, in contrast to σ1-receptors agonist Afobazole (1.0 mg/kg, intraperitoneally) that did not inhibit ethanol-induced behavioral stimulation.
Sourcepmid-27878720· quoted verbatim from the abstract, emphasis added - Doses stated in the abstract: 300 μg/kg/day
Pharmacological effects of intraperitoneal (i.p.) and intranasal (i.n.) administration of heptapeptide selank (300 μg/kg/day for 5 days), known to possess anxiolytic and nootropic properties, were compared by studying the elevated-plus-maze behavior of inbred BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice and measuring the binding of markers to NMDA and GABA receptors of brain.
Sourcepmid-29787664· quoted verbatim from the abstract, emphasis added
Selank doses in studies
Russian clinical trials and rat studies. The label regimen for the Russian product is a regulatory fact about that product.
| Study | Dose and route | Duration | Finding |
|---|---|---|---|
| Russian RCT, generalised anxiety (Zozulia 2008) | Intranasal 0.15% solution, label regimen | 2 weeks | Anxiety reduction comparable to medazepam; fewer side effects reported |
| Russian RCT, anxiety with antidepressant therapy (Medvedev 2015) | Intranasal, label regimen | Weeks | Earlier improvement and fewer antidepressant side effects reported |
| Rat anxiolytic dose | 0.3 mg/kg intraperitoneal | Single | Anxiolytic-like behaviour |
| Rat chronic dosing | 100 µg/kg/day | Weeks | Lower inflammatory cytokines; BDNF changes |
Figures for this compound circulate on forums and vendor pages. None has been tested in a human study, so none is reproduced here; the table above holds every dose a study actually administered. The acetylated amidate variant has no study at any dose.
Editorial synthesis Written from general pharmacology, the development record and what is commonly reported; not a cited finding. Cited findings on this page carry their own tier.
What side effects have been reported?
Events and their frequency as each study reported them, with the denominator where the abstract gives one.
-
Taken together, the therapeutic efficacy and reduction of side-effects had a positive impact on the quality-of-life of the patients treated with selank as add-on to phenazepam.
Sourcepmid-26356395· quoted verbatim from the abstract -
Activity of a peptide tuftsin analogue Selank was studied in outbred rats using the naloxone-precipitated morphine withdrawal model.
Sourcepmid-36322304· quoted verbatim from the abstract -
In the object recognition test, Selank (0.3 mg/kg a day, 7 days, intraperitoneally) produced a cognitive-stimulating effect in 9 months rats not exposed to ethanol (p<0.05) and prevented the formation of ethanol-induced memory and attention disturbances (p<0.01) developing during alcohol withdrawal.
Sourcepmid-31625062· quoted verbatim from the abstract
Who Selank is discussed for, and the cautions that recur
The interest. Anxiety without sedation or dependence, which is what the Russian trials against a benzodiazepine describe.
- Other psychiatric medication. GABA-A and enkephalin effects could interact with benzodiazepines, antidepressants and opioids; the Russian trials used it alongside antidepressants but nothing else is studied.
- Fatigue and flattening. The most common reasons given for stopping in community reports.
- Pregnancy and children. No data.
- The acetylated variant. No study; every claim is borrowed from Selank.
Editorial synthesis Written from general pharmacology, the development record and what is commonly reported; not a cited finding. Cited findings on this page carry their own tier.
Biomarkers measured in studies
Laboratory and clinical measures the studies report tracking, including which hormones did and did not change.
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The anxiolytic effects of both drugs were similar but selank had also antiasthenic and psychostimulant effects.
Sourcepmid-18454096· quoted verbatim from the abstract -
The present study was aimed at the assessment of effects of anxiolytic Selank and nootropic Semax on the whole-brain resting-state functional connectivity (FC) of each of the predefined regions of interest (ROIs) in 52 healthy participants.
Sourcepmid-32342318· quoted verbatim from the abstract -
This experiment is aimed at studying the effect of the Selank glyprolin neuropeptide drug on the level of cytokines in animals under conditions of "social" stress, the results of which indicate the presence of stress-protective activity.
Sourcepmid-32621722· quoted verbatim from the abstract -
Under conditions of chronic stress, Selank in all doses produced similar effects: reduced superoxide dismutase activity and malondialdehyde concentration in the liver tissue and AST activity in the serum.
Sourcepmid-28853100· quoted verbatim from the abstract -
Previously such effects of Selank were revealed in healthy rodents (rats and mice) with different models of psycho-emotional stress.
Sourcepmid-28702721· quoted verbatim from the abstract -
Selank that enhances activity of the endogenous opioid system (0.3 mg/kg, intraperitoneally), similar to the nonselective opiate receptor blocker naloxone (1.0 mg/kg, intraperitoneally), prevented the development of ethanol-induced (2.0 g/kg intraperitoneally) hyperlocomotion, in contrast to σ1-receptors agonist Afobazole (1.0 mg/kg, intraperitoneally) that did not inhibit ethanol-induced behavioral stimulation.
Sourcepmid-27878720· quoted verbatim from the abstract
Reported interactions
Sentences in which the compound is studied alongside another agent. Read the quotation: the word interaction can also be statistical.
-
Taken together, the therapeutic efficacy and reduction of side-effects had a positive impact on the quality-of-life of the patients treated with selank as add-on to phenazepam.
Sourcepmid-26356395· quoted verbatim from the abstract
What is measured over time, and what is not
In the Russian trials, anxiety scores fell over two weeks of dosing. Users describe an effect within an hour of a nasal dose lasting several hours. Duration of benefit after stopping, and tolerance, have not been studied.
Editorial synthesis Written from general pharmacology, the development record and what is commonly reported; not a cited finding. Cited findings on this page carry their own tier.
Study durations
Treatment and follow-up periods as stated in each abstract.
- Durations stated: 20 days; 20 day
Laboratory animals were divided into 3 groups: a group of intact males, a group of animals that were subjected to stress (sensory contact) for 20 days and a group that received intraperitoneally Selank at a dose of 100 mcg/kg/day under conditions of 20-day stress.
Sourcepmid-32621722· quoted verbatim from the abstract, emphasis added - Durations stated: 30 weeks
The effects of a peptide anxiolytic Selank synthesized on the basis of the endogenous peptide tuftsin on memory impairment and content of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in brain structures were analyzed in outbred rats receiving 10% ethanol as the only source of fluid for 30 weeks.
Sourcepmid-31625062· quoted verbatim from the abstract, emphasis added - Durations stated: 5 days
Pharmacological effects of intraperitoneal (i.p.) and intranasal (i.n.) administration of heptapeptide selank (300 μg/kg/day for 5 days), known to possess anxiolytic and nootropic properties, were compared by studying the elevated-plus-maze behavior of inbred BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice and measuring the binding of markers to NMDA and GABA receptors of brain.
Sourcepmid-29787664· quoted verbatim from the abstract, emphasis added - Durations stated: 30 days
Retention was tested 24 h, 7 and 30 days after treatment.
Sourcepmid-20919548· quoted verbatim from the abstract, emphasis added
Routes studied
Routes of administration named in each study.
- administration by intraperitoneal route reported
Single intraperitoneal injection of Selank in an anxiolytic dose of 0.3 mg/kg reduced the total index of morphine withdrawal syndrome by 39.6%, significantly (р<0.0001) attenuated convulsive reactions, ptosis, and posture disorders, and 9-fold increased the tactile sensitivity threshold in morphine-dependent rats in comparison with the group of active control; at the same time, Selank was slightly inferior to diazepam in a dose of 2 mg/kg by pharmacological activity (the decrease in total index of morphine withdrawal syndrome by 49.3% and 13-fold increase in sensitivity threshold).
Sourcepmid-36322304· quoted verbatim from the abstract - administration by intraperitoneal route reported
Laboratory animals were divided into 3 groups: a group of intact males, a group of animals that were subjected to stress (sensory contact) for 20 days and a group that received intraperitoneally Selank at a dose of 100 mcg/kg/day under conditions of 20-day stress.
Sourcepmid-32621722· quoted verbatim from the abstract - administration by intraperitoneal route reported
In the object recognition test, Selank (0.3 mg/kg a day, 7 days, intraperitoneally) produced a cognitive-stimulating effect in 9 months rats not exposed to ethanol (p<0.05) and prevented the formation of ethanol-induced memory and attention disturbances (p<0.01) developing during alcohol withdrawal.
Sourcepmid-31625062· quoted verbatim from the abstract - administration by intraperitoneal route reported
We studied the effect of Selank administered intraperitoneally in doses of 100, 300, and 1000 μg/kg to male Wistar rats 15 min prior to restraint stress on the content of aminotransferases and total protein concentration in blood serum and intensity of free radical oxidation in the liver.
Sourcepmid-28853100· quoted verbatim from the abstract - administration by intraperitoneal route reported
Selank that enhances activity of the endogenous opioid system (0.3 mg/kg, intraperitoneally), similar to the nonselective opiate receptor blocker naloxone (1.0 mg/kg, intraperitoneally), prevented the development of ethanol-induced (2.0 g/kg intraperitoneally) hyperlocomotion, in contrast to σ1-receptors agonist Afobazole (1.0 mg/kg, intraperitoneally) that did not inhibit ethanol-induced behavioral stimulation.
Sourcepmid-27878720· quoted verbatim from the abstract
Weight-normalized doses, as published
Per-kilogram figures exactly as each study published them, for the species it studied.
- Weight-normalized doses as published: 0.3 mg/kg; 2 mg/kg
Single intraperitoneal injection of Selank in an anxiolytic dose of 0.3 mg/kg reduced the total index of morphine withdrawal syndrome by 39.6%, significantly (р<0.0001) attenuated convulsive reactions, ptosis, and posture disorders, and 9-fold increased the tactile sensitivity threshold in morphine-dependent rats in comparison with the group of active control; at the same time, Selank was slightly inferior to diazepam in a dose of 2 mg/kg by pharmacological activity (the decrease in total index of morphine withdrawal syndrome by 49.3% and 13-fold increase in sensitivity threshold).
Sourcepmid-36322304· quoted verbatim from the abstract, emphasis added - Weight-normalized doses as published: 100 mcg/kg/day
Laboratory animals were divided into 3 groups: a group of intact males, a group of animals that were subjected to stress (sensory contact) for 20 days and a group that received intraperitoneally Selank at a dose of 100 mcg/kg/day under conditions of 20-day stress.
Sourcepmid-32621722· quoted verbatim from the abstract, emphasis added - Weight-normalized doses as published: 0.3 mg/kg a day
In the object recognition test, Selank (0.3 mg/kg a day, 7 days, intraperitoneally) produced a cognitive-stimulating effect in 9 months rats not exposed to ethanol (p<0.05) and prevented the formation of ethanol-induced memory and attention disturbances (p<0.01) developing during alcohol withdrawal.
Sourcepmid-31625062· quoted verbatim from the abstract, emphasis added - Weight-normalized doses as published: 1000 μg/kg
Administration of Selank in a dose of 1000 μg/kg reduced the content of aminotransferases in blood serum, decreased superoxide dismutase activity in the liver, and increased total antioxidant activity.
Sourcepmid-28853100· quoted verbatim from the abstract, emphasis added - Weight-normalized doses as published: 0.3 mg/kg
Selank that enhances activity of the endogenous opioid system (0.3 mg/kg, intraperitoneally), similar to the nonselective opiate receptor blocker naloxone (1.0 mg/kg, intraperitoneally), prevented the development of ethanol-induced (2.0 g/kg intraperitoneally) hyperlocomotion, in contrast to σ1-receptors agonist Afobazole (1.0 mg/kg, intraperitoneally) that did not inhibit ethanol-induced behavioral stimulation.
Sourcepmid-27878720· quoted verbatim from the abstract, emphasis added - Weight-normalized doses as published: 300 μg/kg/day
Pharmacological effects of intraperitoneal (i.p.) and intranasal (i.n.) administration of heptapeptide selank (300 μg/kg/day for 5 days), known to possess anxiolytic and nootropic properties, were compared by studying the elevated-plus-maze behavior of inbred BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice and measuring the binding of markers to NMDA and GABA receptors of brain.
Sourcepmid-29787664· quoted verbatim from the abstract, emphasis added
Weight-normalized figures above are reproduced exactly as each study published them, for the species it studied. Dose does not scale linearly with body mass between species: metabolic rate, clearance and receptor density differ, and regulatory guidance uses allometric, not proportional, conversion. A mg/kg figure from a rat study is a fact about that rat study and nothing else.
What people report outside the literature
What circulates in user communities and clinic marketing, reported so a reader knows the figures and their origin. None of it has been tested in a trial, and none of it is a suggestion.
- Editorial synthesis from general knowledge
Reconstitution mathematics
Lyophilised peptide is supplied as a mass in a vial and dissolved in a stated volume of diluent. Two figures follow from that and nothing else:
- Concentration = mass in vial ÷ diluent volume. A 5 mg vial in 2 mL is 2.5 mg/mL, or 2,500 mcg/mL.
- Volume for a given mass = that mass ÷ concentration. 250 mcg at 2,500 mcg/mL is 0.1 mL. On a U-100 insulin syringe, where 1 mL is 100 units, that is 10 units.
Study doses on this page are quoted as published, in the units the authors used. Converting between mcg, mg and IU, or between a mass and a syringe volume, is arithmetic; deciding a mass is not, and this page does not do it. The reconstitution calculator performs the conversion with the formula shown.
Reading a certificate of analysis
A certificate of analysis is a laboratory report on one batch. Reading it means checking four things in order.
- Identity. Mass spectrometry should report an observed molecular mass matching the peptide's theoretical mass within the instrument's stated tolerance. A certificate with no mass spectrometry, or one that lists only the expected value, has not confirmed identity.
- Purity. HPLC purity is the area of the main peak as a share of all peaks, at a stated wavelength. It says nothing about what the other peaks are, and it is not a measure of quantity.
- Quantity. Net peptide content, by amino acid analysis or UV, is the fraction of the vial's mass that is peptide rather than counter-ions and water. A 5 mg vial at 80% net content holds 4 mg of peptide, and every concentration figure above changes accordingly.
- Provenance. The batch number on the certificate should match the vial, the laboratory should be named and independent of the seller, and the test date should be recent.
This page rates no supplier and links to none. It describes how to read the document.
Equipment described in studies
Published human studies of injectable peptides report the same small set of materials: single-use insulin syringes with fixed needles, most often U-100 with 29 to 31 gauge needles; bacteriostatic water or sterile water for injection as diluent, with the choice stated in the methods; alcohol swabs; and refrigerated storage of reconstituted solution. Animal studies more often report intraperitoneal or intragastric administration and state the vehicle used. Where a study in this record's ledger names its materials or vehicle, that sentence appears under storage or routes above; where it does not, nothing is assumed here.
Storage and handling
Solutions refrigerated, upright, away from light, and usually described as usable for a few weeks after opening; powder refrigerated or frozen. Discard cloudy or discoloured solution.
Editorial synthesis Written from general pharmacology, the development record and what is commonly reported; not a cited finding. Cited findings on this page carry their own tier.
Common mistakes in how Selank is discussed
- Calling it a benzodiazepine alternative on the strength of two small trials. The comparisons were short, Russian, and unreplicated.
- Treating Semax and Selank as one thing. Same tail, different parents, opposite temperaments.
- Treating the acetylated variant as studied. It is not.
- Reading "registered in Russia" as proof. It rests on trials most readers cannot access.
Editorial synthesis Written from general pharmacology, the development record and what is commonly reported; not a cited finding. Cited findings on this page carry their own tier.
Selank vs Semax
| Peptide | Origin | Proposed action | Russian indications | Indexed human evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Selank | Tuftsin fragment + Pro-Gly-Pro | GABA-A modulation, enkephalins, cytokines; calming | Anxiety and neurasthenia | 2 indexed RCTs |
| Semax | ACTH(4-7) + Pro-Gly-Pro | BDNF, monoamines; alerting | Stroke, optic nerve, cognition | 1 indexed RCT, several Russian studies |
The Selank vs Semax page lines up both records; the Selank + Semax stack page covers the combination people search for. Semax and DSIP are the class peers.
Editorial synthesis Written from general pharmacology, the development record and what is commonly reported; not a cited finding. Cited findings on this page carry their own tier.
Other compounds in its class
Same class in the registry: DSIP, Semax. Each row shows what that compound's own record states; nothing is inferred across rows. Head-to-head evidence, where any exists, is on the comparison page: Selank vs Semax.
Studied in combination
Whether any indexed study tested Selank together with the compounds it is commonly combined with. A count of zero is the finding, not a gap in this page.
- 7 indexed studies mention Selank together with Semax. Selank + semax
Regulatory status
Registry facts only. Jurisdiction-level status, compounding categories and sport prohibitions need their own cited documents before they appear here.
- Editorial synthesis from general knowledge · primary document to be added to the ledger
Open questions and limitations
What is genuinely unknown, stated plainly. A missing field is not evidence that the outcome is safe, effective, or established.
- No study in this record's ledger reports dose-escalation schedules for Selank.
- No study in this record's ledger reports exclusion criteria for Selank.
- No study in this record's ledger reports onset or duration of effects for Selank.
Questions people ask
What is Selank?
A stabilised fragment of the immune peptide tuftsin, developed in Moscow and registered in Russia as a nasal medicine for anxiety and neurasthenia. Unlicensed outside Russia.
What does Selank do?
In Russian trials it reduced anxiety comparably to a benzodiazepine with fewer side effects. In rats it modulates GABA-A signalling, inhibits enkephalin breakdown and changes cytokines.
Is Selank approved?
In Russia, as a 0.15 percent nasal solution. Not in the United States, European Union or United Kingdom.
Is there a Selank dose?
The Russian product has a label regimen for its indications; that is a fact about that product in Russia. No trial supports any figure for use elsewhere, and circulating figures are not reproduced here.
What are the side effects of Selank?
The Russian label lists minimal effects. Community reports mention fatigue, nasal irritation and a muted feeling in some. No English-language study reports adverse-event rates.
Selank vs Semax: what is the difference?
Same stabilising tail, different parent peptides: Selank from tuftsin and calming, Semax from ACTH and alerting.
Can Selank and Semax be taken together?
Communities combine them. No study has tested the pair.
Is Selank a benzodiazepine?
No. It modulates GABA-A signalling by a different route and is not sedating in the trials; it is not a controlled substance.
How fast does Selank work?
Users report effects within an hour of a nasal dose. In the Russian trials, anxiety scores fell over two weeks.
What is N-acetyl Selank amidate?
A vendor-modified variant with no study of its own.
Is Selank banned in sport?
It is not named on the WADA Prohibited List.
Does Selank cause dependence?
The Russian trials reported none over two weeks, and it does not act like a benzodiazepine at the receptor. Long-term use has not been studied.
How many human studies of Selank exist?
Two indexed randomized trials and a handful of other Russian clinical studies; more exist in Russian-language journals this site's indexes do not cover.
Does Selank affect the immune system?
It derives from an immune peptide and changes cytokine expression in animals; clinical relevance is unknown.
How should Selank be stored?
Refrigerated, upright, away from light; opened solution used within a few weeks.
Can Selank be injected?
Some users do; the Russian medicine and its trials are intranasal, and no study compares routes.
Sources
Full citations. Every claim above links to one of these by its id.
- 1Therapeutic Peptides in Orthopaedics: Applications, Challenges, and Future Directions.
pmid-41490200· · peer-reviewed - 2
- 3Selank, a Peptide Analog of Tuftsin, Attenuates Aversive Signs of Morphine Withdrawal in Rats.
pmid-36322304· · peer-reviewed - 4The Influence of Selank on the Level of Cytokines Under the Conditions of "Social" Stress.
pmid-32621722· · peer-reviewed - 5
- 6Functional Connectomic Approach to Studying Selank and Semax Effects.
pmid-32342318· · peer-reviewed - 7
- 8Tuftsin - Properties and Analogs.
pmid-28745220· · peer-reviewed - 9Effect of Selank on Functional State of Rat Hepatocytes under Conditions of Restraint Stress.
pmid-28853100· · peer-reviewed - 10Peptides semax and selank affect the behavior of rats with 6-OHDA induced PD-like parkinsonism.
pmid-28702721· · peer-reviewed - 11Effect of Selank on Spontaneous Synaptic Activity of Rat Hippocampal CA1 Neurons.
pmid-28361410· · peer-reviewed - 12GABA, Selank, and Olanzapine Affect the Expression of Genes Involved in GABAergic Neurotransmission in IMR-32 Cells.
pmid-28293190· · peer-reviewed
Show the remaining 15 sources
- 13Peptide Selank Enhances the Effect of Diazepam in Reducing Anxiety in Unpredictable Chronic Mild Stress Conditions in Rats.
pmid-28280289· · peer-reviewed - 14Selank Inhibits Ethanol-Induced Hyperlocomotion and Manifestation of Behavioral Sensitization in DBA/2 Mice.
pmid-27878720· · peer-reviewed - 15Selank Administration Affects the Expression of Some Genes Involved in GABAergic Neurotransmission.
pmid-26924987· · peer-reviewed - 16
- 17[Optimization of the treatment of anxiety disorders with selank].
pmid-26356395· · peer-reviewed - 18[A comparison of the anxiolytic effect and tolerability of selank and phenazepam in the treatment of anxiety disorders].
pmid-25176261· · peer-reviewed - 19The temporary dynamics of inflammation-related genes expression under tuftsin analog Selank action.
pmid-24291245· · peer-reviewed - 20
- 21[Experimental optimization of learning and memory processes by selank].
pmid-20919548· · peer-reviewed - 22
- 23
- 24
- 25Selank and short peptides of the tuftsin family in the regulation of adaptive behavior in stress.
pmid-14969422· · peer-reviewed - 26[Selank and short peptides of Taftsin derivatives in regulation of adaptive behavior of animals in stress].
pmid-12154572· · peer-reviewed - 27[Semax and selank inhibit the enkephalin-degrading enzymes from human serum]].
pmid-11443939· · peer-reviewed
Reference card
- Compound
- Selank, neuropeptides nootropic
- Evidence tier
- Human clinical trial
- Indexed publications
- 96 · 2 RCTs · 2 other clinical trials
- Approval
- no registered development programme found
- Routes reported
- intranasal, intraperitoneal
- Reviewed
- Adam Mirando, PharmD,
Study figures are as published in each source and are not recommendations. Print or save this card with its date.
Last reviewed and what changed
Newest first. These are the record's own revision dates, and the same dates feed the sitemap.
- · Reviewed by Adam Mirando, PharmD, on 2026-09-24.
- · Hand curation: 7 alias-matched sources removed with 7 evidence rows and 3 claims. Flagged by the subject filter added to scripts/fetch_evidence.py the same day.
- · Written guide, FAQ to 16, mechanism, reported-use (no circulating figures reproduced) and regulatory editorial sections, aliases added; intent-driven H1 and title.
- · Claims drafted extractively from 34 ledger sources by scripts/draft_claims.py: 36 claims, 25 evidence-table rows. Status researched -> draft.
- · Claims drafted extractively from 34 ledger sources by scripts/draft_claims.py: 48 claims, 25 evidence-table rows. Status researched -> draft.
- · Metadata refreshed by scripts/fetch_evidence.py --refresh-meta: tier animal-preclinical -> human-clinical-trial.
- · Evidence fetched from Europe PMC and ChEMBL by scripts/fetch_evidence.py; claims not yet written.