Epithalon — also spelled Epitalon in the dominant published literature — is a synthetic tetrapeptide (sequence Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly) originally derived from the larger pineal-gland peptide epithalamin. Investigated in lifespan, carcinogenesis, and neural-activity preclinical models by the Khavinson and Anisimov research groups in Russia.
Definition
Epithalon is a synthetic four-amino-acid peptide (Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly, sometimes written AEDG in single-letter code) developed by the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology as a synthetic analogue of the larger pineal-derived complex epithalamin. The compound was designed as part of a Khavinson-group research program investigating short peptide bioregulators derived from animal-organ extracts, with the underlying hypothesis that short peptide sequences carry regulatory information independently of the larger parent proteins from which they derive.
The published research literature on the compound spans lifespan-extension models, carcinogenesis models, and neural-activity studies in rodent and Drosophila systems. The compound is not approved for therapeutic use by any major regulator (Health Canada, FDA, EMA, TGA). Research-grade epithalon is supplied as a lyophilised peptide for laboratory research applications only.
How epithalon is studied in peptide research
The Khavinson group documented lifespan-extension effects in Drosophila melanogaster (PMID 11087911). Anisimov and colleagues extended the framing into mammalian carcinogenesis models — colon carcinogenesis induced by 1,2-dimethylhydrazine in rats (PMID 12049808), and spontaneous carcinogenesis in female C3H/He mice (PMID 16634527). Neural-activity work documented effects on neocortex neuron activity following intranasal administration in rats (PMID 17955380).
The published mechanistic literature is comparatively sparse relative to the canonical BPC-157 or TB-500 mechanism literatures. Hypothesised mechanisms include telomerase modulation, melatonin-axis interaction (consistent with the pineal-derived origin of the parent epithalamin complex), and direct effects on cellular pathways implicated in ageing and carcinogenesis biology. Cross-laboratory replication of the original Russian-group findings by independent investigators is more limited than for the BPC-157 literature.
Related terms
- Pentadecapeptide (structural-class designation, distinct from epithalon’s tetrapeptide structure)
- Tetrapeptide
- Epithalamin (pineal-derived complex)
- Telomerase
- Melatonin axis
- Pineal gland
Where epithalon appears in the Ronin catalog
- Epithalon 10mg — single-compound vial, lyophilized white powder under inert gas
References
- Khavinson VK et al. Effect of epitalon on the lifespan increase in Drosophila melanogaster. Mech Ageing Dev 2000;120(1-3):141-149. [PMID 11087911]
- Anisimov VN et al. Inhibitory effect of peptide Epitalon on colon carcinogenesis induced by 1,2-dimethylhydrazine in rats. Cancer Lett 2002;183(1):1-8. [PMID 12049808]
- Kossoy G et al. Effect of the synthetic pineal peptide epitalon on spontaneous carcinogenesis in female C3H/He mice. In Vivo 2006;20(2):253-257. [PMID 16634527]
- Sibarov DA et al. Effects of intranasal administration of epitalon on neuron activity in the rat neocortex. Neurosci Behav Physiol 2007;37(9):887-893. [PMID 17955380]
Glossary entries describe research-context use of peptide-research terminology. They do not constitute medical, veterinary, or clinical advice. Epithalon is sold strictly as a research-grade reagent for laboratory and bench research applications.