What is Selank?
Selank is a synthetic heptapeptide (Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg-Pro-Gly-Pro) developed in Russia as an analogue of the natural immunomodulatory tetrapeptide tuftsin with an added C-terminal stabilising tail. Studied in anxiolytic, cognitive, and GABAergic-neurotransmission preclinical contexts. Approved for clinical use in the Russian Federation; not approved by Western regulators.
What the research literature says
Selank was developed at the Russian Academy of Sciences as a peptide-based anxiolytic candidate. The molecule is a metabolically-stabilised analogue of tuftsin (Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg), the natural immunomodulatory tetrapeptide cleaved from the heavy-chain of immunoglobulin G. The tripeptide tail (-Pro-Gly-Pro) added to the C-terminus confers resistance to proteolytic degradation and extends the in-vivo half-life sufficiently to support intranasal administration with measurable central-nervous-system effects.
The published mechanistic research centres on GABAergic and BDNF signalling. The Volkova work documented effects on the expression of genes involved in GABAergic neurotransmission (PMID 26924987). The Filatova follow-up examined GABA, Selank, and olanzapine interactions in IMR-32 cells (PMID 28293190). The Kolik work documented protection against ethanol-induced memory impairment with BDNF regulation in hippocampus and prefrontal cortex (PMID 31625062).
Stress-response and cytokine-modulation work has examined the peptide in social-stress (PMID 32621722) and chronic-foot-shock (PMID 31243679) models. The Konstantinopolsky work documented attenuation of morphine-withdrawal aversive signs (PMID 36322304). The published research base centres predominantly in Russian research groups with comparatively limited cross-laboratory replication outside that scientific community.
Why this matters in research context
Selank’s research framework is distinct from the Western pharmaceutical-development pathway. Researchers using Selank should anchor protocol design to the published Russian-research-group literature and apply standard caveats about single-group findings without extensive cross-laboratory replication. The GABAergic and BDNF signalling framework is the most consistently characterised mechanism arm across the cited work.
Related compounds
- Selank 10mg — the compound covered by this answer
- Semax 10mg — parallel Russian-developed heptapeptide with cognitive-research framing
Related research questions
References
- Volkova A et al. Selank Administration Affects the Expression of Some Genes Involved in GABAergic Neurotransmission. Front Pharmacol 2016;7:31. [PMID 26924987]
- Filatova E et al. GABA, Selank, and Olanzapine Affect the Expression of Genes Involved in GABAergic Neurotransmission in IMR-32 Cells. Front Pharmacol 2017;8:89. [PMID 28293190]
- Kolik LG et al. Selank, Peptide Analogue of Tuftsin, Protects Against Ethanol-Induced Memory Impairment by Regulating of BDNF Content in the Hippocampus and Prefrontal Cortex in Rats. Bull Exp Biol Med 2019;167(5):641-644. [PMID 31625062]
- Konstantinopolsky MA et al. Selank, a Peptide Analog of Tuftsin, Attenuates Aversive Signs of Morphine Withdrawal in Rats. Bull Exp Biol Med 2022;173(6):741-744. [PMID 36322304]
Research-questions pages describe research-context use of peptide-research terminology. They do not constitute medical, veterinary, or clinical advice. Selank is sold strictly as a research-grade reagent for laboratory and bench research applications.