Selank

What it is

Selank is a synthetic analog of tuftsin, a naturally occurring immune-modulating peptide. It is primarily studied for anxiety reduction and cognitive enhancement, and like semax, it was developed in Russia. Selank and semax are frequently discussed together because they share a country of origin and a similar gap between an established Russian clinical record and limited Western data.

In the PeptidesAI encyclopedia it is categorized under cognitive, the same category as semax and PT-141, though its studied mechanism and regulatory history are distinct from either of those compounds. Tuftsin itself is part of the body's immune system, which is part of the basis for studying selank's immune effects alongside its anxiolytic ones.

How it's thought to work

Selank is studied for modulating GABA and serotonin neurotransmission, signaling systems associated with calming and mood-related effects, and for supporting immune function through pathways associated with tuftsin. Research describes it as producing anxiolytic (anxiety-reducing) effects without the sedation associated with some other anti-anxiety compounds, which is presented as a distinguishing feature of its studied profile. GABA is the brain's primary calming neurotransmitter, so compounds studied for modulating it, like selank, are often discussed in the context of anxiety and stress regulation.

What the research says

Selank is approved in Russia for anxiety disorders. As with semax, clinical data from Western countries is limited, so most of the formal clinical evidence and regulatory review comes from the Russian medical context.

Reported side effects

Reported side effects are minimal. Fatigue and mild drowsiness have been reported occasionally, and no serious adverse effects are described in the available material.

Reconstitution

Selank is supplied as a lyophilized (freeze-dried) powder and is typically reconstituted with bacteriostatic (BAC) water before use. It commonly comes in 5 mg and 10 mg vials. The amount of peptide in the vial is fixed; the water added only changes how concentrated the solution is.

Worked example. A 5 mg vial is 5,000 mcg. Reconstituted with 1 mL of BAC water, that works out to 5,000 mcg ÷ 1 mL = 5,000 mcg/mL. On a U-100 insulin syringe, where each unit is 0.01 mL, each unit holds 5,000 × 0.01 = 50 mcg. Use the peptide reconstitution calculator to work out the concentration and units for any vial size and water volume.

Important notes

Selank is approved in Russia but is not FDA-approved, meaning its regulatory status and body of clinical evidence differ substantially between the two settings.

Frequently asked questions

These questions cover the same ground as the sections above, in a shorter format.

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