Selank
Synthetic heptapeptide analog of tuftsin (Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg-Pro-Gly-Pro)
- Class
- Anxiolytic nootropic
- Half-life
- ~2-10 min (plasma)
- Route
- Intranasal
- Cadence
- Daily
- Evidence
- Mixed / early human
Overview
Selank is a Russian-developed anxiolytic peptide with a clinical trial record that's rare for a nootropic: randomized head-to-head testing against benzodiazepines in people with generalized anxiety disorder. In a 62-patient trial, intranasal Selank matched the anxiolytic effect of medazepam (a benzo) but without the sedation, muscle relaxation, or dependency signal. That's the core promise — calm without cognitive drag.
It's a stabilized analog of tuftsin, a tiny immune peptide your body makes from antibodies. Russian scientists extended it with a Pro-Gly-Pro tail so it survives long enough in your bloodstream to do something. The mechanism is genuinely multi-target: it modulates GABAergic tone (like benzos, but allosterically, not directly), inhibits enkephalin-degrading enzymes (which stabilizes your endogenous opioid peptides), upregulates BDNF in the hippocampus, and shifts serotonin turnover. The result is anxiolytic + nootropic effects that don't cleanly fit any Western drug category.
The catch: almost all the human evidence comes from Russian clinical settings. The trials are real, peer-reviewed, and indexed in PubMed, but independent replication outside Russia / CIS countries is thin. Long-term safety data past a few weeks doesn't exist. It's approved as a prescription nasal spray in Russia (since 2009) but not by FDA, EMA, or MHRA. In the research peptide market it's popular, especially stacked with Semax (its stimulant-leaning sister peptide), but you're relying on gray-market purity.
Safety considerations
A few of the safety signals worth knowing — the full list, with dosing context and what to monitor, is inside AIx Core.
- Not approved by FDA, EMA, or MHRA. Approved in Russia (2009) and Ukraine as a prescription nasal spray for generalized anxiety disorder. In research markets elsewhere, purity and actual peptide content are unregulated.
- Russian clinical trials (62-patient RCT vs medazepam, 60-patient placebo-controlled trial) reported minimal side effects: mild nasal irritation, occasional transient headache in first few days. No sedation, no dependency or withdrawal signals reported in published trials.
- Long-term safety data (beyond 2-4 weeks) doesn't exist in the published literature. Theoretical concern about GABAergic desensitization with chronic use, but no controlled data supports or refutes this.
+ 6 more safety notes inside AIx Core →
Commonly monitored
Markers and signals people track when researching Selank.
- Subjective anxiety scores (Hamilton Anxiety Scale or similar — track weekly)
- Cognitive performance markers (working memory, attention, processing speed)
- Sleep quality and latency
- Mood stability and stress resilience under known stressors
- Nasal irritation (reported in a minority of subjects in Russian clinical trials — mild and transient)
Frequently asked questions
What is Selank?
Synthetic heptapeptide analog of tuftsin (Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg-Pro-Gly-Pro). Selank is a Russian-developed anxiolytic peptide with a clinical trial record that's rare for a nootropic: randomized head-to-head testing against benzodiazepines in people with generalized anxiety disorder. In a 62-patient trial, intranasal Selank matched the anxiolytic effect of medazepam (a benzo) but without the sedation, muscle relaxation, or dependency signal. That's the core promise — calm without cognitive drag.
How is Selank administered?
Intranasal, typically daily.
What is the half-life of Selank?
~2-10 min (plasma) — Cleared from blood within minutes, but downstream effects (gene expression, neurotransmitter shifts) last hours to days.
Is Selank approved for human use?
Selank is investigational — not approved by the FDA, EMA, or MHRA for human use at the time of writing.
What does the evidence show for Selank?
Evidence tier: Mixed / early human. Zozulia 2008 RCT (62 patients, GAD + neurasthenia): intranasal Selank (30 patients) vs oral medazepam (32 patients) for 14 days. Anxiolytic effects were comparable; Selank showed additional antiasthenic (reduced fatigue/weakness) and mild psychostimulant effects absent in the medazepam arm (Zozulia et al., 2008).
What is commonly monitored when researching Selank?
Commonly tracked markers + signals: Subjective anxiety scores (Hamilton Anxiety Scale or similar — track weekly), Cognitive performance markers (working memory, attention, processing speed), Sleep quality and latency, Mood stability and stress resilience under known stressors, Nasal irritation (reported in a minority of subjects in Russian clinical trials — mild and transient).
Open this in AIx Core for the full picture
Mechanism breakdown, receptor pathway diagram, full safety list, monitored items, source citations, and one-tap add-to-protocol. Free with any account.