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DSIP (Delta Sleep-Inducing Peptide)
DSIP (delta sleep-inducing peptide) is a nine-amino-acid neuropeptide studied in sleep physiology, with mixed human results…
- Focus & Mood
- Research Peptides
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Pinealon
Pinealon is a synthetic tripeptide, Glu-Asp-Arg (EDR), studied in cell and rat models of oxidative stress…
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- Research Peptides
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Selank
Selank is a synthetic seven-amino-acid tuftsin analogue (TKPRPGP) studied in anxiety, GABA-related gene-expression and enkephalin research.…
- Focus & Mood
- Research Peptides
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Semax
Semax is a synthetic seven-amino-acid peptide (ACTH(4–7)-Pro-Gly-Pro) studied in BDNF, enzyme and brain-imaging research. Ellepeptides lists…
- Focus & Mood
- Research Peptides
What are nootropic peptides?
“Nootropic” is a popular word for substances marketed around thinking and mood; it is not a scientific class. The peptides grouped here are studied for quite specific things: neurotrophic-factor levels in rodent brain tissue, gene expression in the cortex, anxiety-scale scores in small clinical comparisons and brain-wave patterns during sleep. Much of the human literature comes from small studies, and large placebo-controlled trials are scarce.
Focus, mood and sleep peptides compared
| Compound | Identity | Main research finding | Studies involving women | Sizes and listed price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Semax | Seven-residue analogue related to an ACTH fragment | Rats: specific basal-forebrain binding and higher BDNF (Dolotov et al., 2006) | Stroke-rehabilitation cohort of 110, including 67 women; no separate results for women (Gusev et al., 2018) | 5, 10 mg · from $30.56 |
| Selank | Seven-residue analogue of tuftsin | Rat frontal cortex: gene-expression changes partly resembling GABA (Volkova et al., 2016) | 62 patients compared with medazepam; number of women not reported (Zozulia et al., 2008) | 5, 10 mg · from $30.00 |
| DSIP (Delta Sleep-Inducing Peptide) | Nine-residue peptide first described in rabbits | Insomnia study: weak objective effects, no subjective improvement (Bes et al., 1992) | Eight healthy women: no change in GH or prolactin (Giusti et al., 1993) | 15 mg · $64.99 |
| Pinealon | Tripeptide Glu–Asp–Arg (EDR) | Cell lines: less reactive-oxygen-species build-up and cell death (Khavinson et al., 2011) | A 2015 report with inconsistent totals (Meshchaninov et al.) | 10 mg · $53.12 |
| Selank + Semax Blend | Selank 10 mg + Semax 10 mg in one vial | Separate preparations compared by brain imaging (Panikratova et al., 2020) | No study of the blend | 20 mg total · $82.50 |
Semax vs Selank
Both are synthetic seven-residue peptides, but from different parent molecules. Semax is related to a fragment of ACTH (adrenocorticotropic hormone), and rat work centers on BDNF, a signaling protein studied in neural function. Selank is an analogue of tuftsin, and rat experiments point to GABA-related gene regulation. The one study to compare them directly gave 52 healthy participants Selank, Semax or placebo and found differences in resting-state connectivity involving the amygdala and temporal cortex. Imaging differences alone do not show better memory or lower anxiety.
Peptides for sleep research: what DSIP studies found
DSIP takes its name from 1977 rabbit experiments that compared it with synthetic analogues by recording brain-wave patterns (Schoenenberger and Monnier, 1977). Later human work was less encouraging. In a double-blind study of 16 people with chronic insomnia, objective sleep effects were weak and subjective sleep quality did not improve, and the authors found no major short-term benefit. A 1993 experiment in eight healthy women detected no change in growth-hormone or prolactin secretion. The name describes history, not a demonstrated effect.
Pinealon and the Selank + Semax blend
Pinealon is described as the tripeptide Glu–Asp–Arg. Its main primary study is cellular: in cerebellar granule cells, neutrophils and PC12 cells under oxidative stress, Pinealon reduced reactive-oxygen-species accumulation and cell death. The Selank + Semax Blend combines 10 mg of each peptide in one vial. Because the imaging study gave the compounds separately, its findings do not describe the mixture, and researchers who need to vary one component can use the standalone vials.
Nootropic peptides FAQ
What are nootropic peptides?
They are peptides marketed for focus, mood or sleep, such as Semax, Selank, DSIP and Pinealon. In research they are studied through neurotrophic factors, gene expression, anxiety scales and sleep recordings. “Nootropic” is a consumer label, and evidence for cognitive benefits in healthy people is limited.
What is the difference between Semax and Selank?
Semax is a seven-residue analogue related to an ACTH fragment and is studied for BDNF signaling. Selank is a seven-residue tuftsin analogue studied for GABA-related gene expression. A 2020 imaging study gave them separately to healthy participants and found different connectivity patterns; it did not test them together.
What peptides are studied for sleep?
DSIP, the delta sleep-inducing peptide, is the best-known example. It was named after 1977 rabbit experiments measuring brain-wave patterns. A double-blind trial in 16 people with chronic insomnia found weak objective effects and no improvement in subjective sleep quality, so the name overstates the evidence.
Does DSIP work for sleep?
The controlled human evidence says not clearly. In the 1992 insomnia study, objective sleep effects were weak, subjective sleep did not improve and the authors reported no major short-term therapeutic benefit. A small 1993 study in eight healthy women also found no change in growth-hormone or prolactin release.
What is Pinealon?
Pinealon is the synthetic tripeptide glutamic acid–aspartic acid–arginine, abbreviated EDR. A 2011 cell study found it reduced oxidative-stress damage in several cell types. A 2015 clinical report including women had inconsistent participant totals and no women-specific outcomes, so it cannot support claims about memory or aging.
Has the Selank + Semax blend been tested as a blend?
No study of this exact 10 mg plus 10 mg mixture was identified. The best-known comparison gave participants Selank, Semax or placebo separately. Combining two compounds in one vial changes the material being studied, so evidence for each peptide alone does not describe the blend.
Related categories: Peptide blends · Energy & metabolic peptides · All research peptides. For laboratory research only. Not for human or veterinary use.
