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Semax

Gray market

Checked · 20 sources · 9 corrections on this page · No vendors · No affiliates · No one buys a word of it

2 human pilot studies in FDA’s briefing

Clinical Use (Russia) for its Russian registration · Human pilots for this use · healthy adults

Gray market · FDA panel said yes on July 23–24, 2026 — not legal yet

Sold as a research chemical. Some clinics and pharmacies still supply it; that’s their risk, not a change in the rule.

Not legal to compound — yet The FDA’s advisory committee recommended it on July 23–24, 2026. Recommended is not legal — nothing changes until rulemaking is finished. See every change →

Bottom line

A stroke-recovery signal from Russian trials, one of them co-authored by Semax's developers (Gusev et al., 1997), that FDA did not weigh because they are available only in Russian (FDA Semax briefing, 2026). The focus claims rest on rat studies and small Russian studies of healthy volunteers (Kolomin et al., 2013; FDA Semax briefing, 2026).

Also called
Met-Glu-His-Phe-Pro-Gly-Pro · MEHFPGP · ACTH(4-7)-PGP · Russian nootropic
Category
Peptide — Nootropic & Neuroprotective (ACTH Analog)
Molecular Weight
813.94 Da
Sequence
7 aa (ACTH 4-7 + Pro-Gly-Pro)
Half-life
<5 min plasma; >24 hr CNS
Route (studied)
Intranasal (people) · IV, intranasal (rats)
Route (sold)
Nasal spray (Rx in Russia); powder vials (research chemical)
FDA Status
Not on 503A List. PCAC recommended 8-5 (Jul 2026)
Russian Approval
Cognitive disorders and post-stroke recovery (0.1%); acute ischemic stroke (1%)
Parent Molecule
ACTH(4-10) fragment
Primary Effect
Nootropic, neuroprotective
WADA Status
Not specifically named; approved in Russia, so S0 does not apply
Cost & Access
Research-only

Also for sleep & focus

The other four questions

What does it do? In rats, a nasal dose raised the brain growth factor BDNF in the basal forebrain by 3 hours and switched on BDNF and NGF genes in the hippocampus within an hour (Dolotov et al., 2006; PMID 16635254; Agapova et al., 2007). In a test tube it blocked the human serum enzymes that break down enkephalins, the body's own painkillers (Kost et al., 2001). No human study has measured how long it stays in the body (FDA Semax briefing, 2026); in rats, one dose acted for 20–24 hours (Kolomin et al., 2013).
Who uses it? Russian neurologists for acute stroke, mini-stroke, and fatigue; Russian pediatricians for attention disorders; Western community users as a nasal spray for focus.
Does the evidence hold up? In a 1997 Russian trial, 30 patients with acute ischemic stroke given it on top of standard care recovered somewhat faster, especially in movement, than 80 on standard care alone (Gusev et al., 1997). Rat studies found brain BDNF rising 3 hours after a nasal dose (Dolotov et al., 2006; PMID 16635254). FDA's 2026 review, which set aside studies available only in Russian, found insufficient evidence that it works for cerebral ischemia, migraine or trigeminal neuralgia (FDA Semax briefing, 2026). ClinicalTrials.gov lists no trial of Semax.
Bottom line? A stroke-recovery signal from Russian trials, one of them co-authored by Semax's developers (Gusev et al., 1997), that FDA did not weigh because they are available only in Russian (FDA Semax briefing, 2026). The focus claims rest on rat studies and small Russian studies of healthy volunteers (Kolomin et al., 2013; FDA Semax briefing, 2026).

Dosing from the Literature

Published for focus: the Russian 0.1% label's 400–900 μg a day for 3–5 days to prevent mental fatigue (Russian product instructions), and single nasal doses of 0.25–1.2 mg, or 1 mg a day for 2 days, in small Russian studies of healthy adults (FDA Semax briefing, 2026). Not published: a Western trial at any dose.

The rows below give doses from the Russian product instructions, a Russian stroke trial and small Russian studies of healthy adults, and what user forums describe for research-chemical Semax. This is not medical advice.

ProtocolDoseFrequencyNotes
Acute ischemic stroke, moderate or severe (Russian 1% label)2,000–3,000 μg per dose (moderate); 3,000–4,000 μg (severe)3–4× daily (moderate) or 4–5× daily (severe), for 10 daysRussian product instructions: 1% drops (500 μg per drop) in the acute period, as part of combined therapy; 6,000–12,000 μg a day for moderate stroke, 12,000–20,000 μg for severe.
Acute ischemic stroke (trial)12 mg/day (moderate stroke); 18 mg/day (severe)Courses of 5 and 10 daysTrial: the most effective daily doses in 30 patients in the acute period of hemispheric ischemic stroke, added to combined intensive therapy (Gusev et al., 1997).
Memory and thinking disorders in vascular brain disease, including TIA (Russian 0.1% label)200–2,000 μg per dose; 800–8,000 μg a day2–3 drops (50 μg each) per nostril, 4× daily, for 10–14 daysRussian product instructions: no more than 2–3 drops per nostril at a time, so larger doses are given in rounds 10–15 minutes apart; the course can be repeated.
Mental-fatigue prevention (Russian 0.1% label)2–3 drops (100–150 μg) per nostril; 400–900 μg a day2–3× daily, in the first half of the day, for 3–5 daysRussian product instructions: to raise adaptation in extreme situations and prevent mental fatigue in monotonous operator work under stress; the course can be repeated.
Healthy adults (small Russian studies)0.25–1.2 mgOnce, or 1 mg daily for 2 daysTrials: 1 mg (16 μg/kg) daily for 2 days or 0.25 mg once in 19 healthy men; 1.2 mg once in 14 healthy adults (FDA Semax briefing, 2026).
Community intranasal (research vial)300–600 μg; some describe 600–1,000 μg1–3× daily, morning to middayWhat user forums describe.
Dosing Disclaimer

The Russian 1% stroke regimen gives 6,000–20,000 μg a day; the 0.1% label gives 400–900 μg a day to prevent mental fatigue (Russian product instructions). No Western trial or label gives a dose for any use. Always work with a licensed healthcare provider.

→ Calculator — vial-to-syringe math

What It Is

Semax is a synthetic heptapeptide (a chain of 7 amino acids) with the amino acid sequence Met-Glu-His-Phe-Pro-Gly-Pro (MEHFPGP). It is an analog of ACTH(4-10), a short fragment of the stress hormone ACTH, in which the last three amino acids are replaced by Pro-Gly-Pro; of the analogs its developers tested, this one's effect lasted longest. It keeps the fragment's effect on learning in animals but has neither its corticotropic (adrenal-stimulating) nor melanocyte-stimulating activity (Kolomin et al., 2013).

Development of Semax began in the 1980s at the Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Russian Academy of Sciences under the direction of Academician Nikolai Myasoedov and Professor Igor Ashmarin. The same laboratory system later produced Selank. Semax is registered and in clinical use in Russia for two distinct indications, each with its own formulation: a 0.1% intranasal solution (50 µg per drop) for cognitive and memory disorders in cerebrovascular disease, recovery after stroke, transient ischemic attacks and asthenic states, and a 1% intranasal solution (500 µg per drop) for acute ischemic stroke. The stroke indication is supported by multiple Russian-language randomized trials, including studies by Gusev and Skvortsova demonstrating improved neurological recovery when Semax is added to standard acute stroke care.

In the Western optimization and nootropic community, Semax is best known as a fast-acting intranasal cognitive enhancer. Its developers link its cognitive effects to the rise in the brain growth factor BDNF they found in rats (Dolotov et al., 2006; PMID 16635254), though FDA's reviewers concluded that its mechanisms are poorly understood (FDA Semax briefing, 2026). In rats it is broken down quickly, yet one dose acts for 20–24 hours, which its developers attribute to breakdown fragments that keep their own activity (Kolomin et al., 2013).

Semax is not FDA-approved. It is not currently a controlled substance in the US. It is not on the FDA Category 2 list. Community use is through imported Russian pharmacy product or gray-market research-chemical powder reconstituted for intranasal administration. Modified analogs — notably N-Acetyl Semax Amidate — are marketed as longer-duration versions in the same research-chemical supplier landscape.

Mechanism of Action

FDA's 2026 review describes Semax as pleiotropic (having many effects at once), acting through poorly understood mechanisms: in rodents it protected brain tissue, raised brain growth factors, acted against blood clotting, eased pain and had antidepressant- and anxiety-reducing-like effects (FDA Semax briefing, 2026).

  • BDNF and NGF induction (rats) — Semax binds specific, calcium-dependent sites on membranes from rat basal forebrain, and nasal Semax at 50 and 250 μg/kg raised BDNF protein there 3 hours later (Dolotov et al., 2006; PMID 16635254). A single 50 μg/kg nasal dose raised BDNF and NGF gene activity in the rat hippocampus an hour later (Agapova et al., 2007).
  • BDNF-TrkB signaling — In rats, a single 50 μg/kg dose raised hippocampal BDNF protein 1.4-fold and phosphorylation of its receptor TrkB (BDNF's receptor — how brain growth signals reach neurons) 1.6-fold, and the treated rats made more conditioned avoidance responses; the authors suggest Semax affects learning through this BDNF/TrkB system (Dolotov et al., Brain Res 2006; PMID 16996037).
  • Monoamine modulation (mice) — In mice, Semax raised striatal levels of the serotonin breakdown product 5-HIAA and amplified amphetamine-induced dopamine release; FDA's reviewers noted that this dopamine response is typical of drugs of abuse (FDA Semax briefing, 2026).
  • Enkephalinase inhibition — In a test tube, Semax blocked the enzymes in human serum that break down enkephalins (IC50 10 μM), as Selank did; the authors suggest this may be one way the two peptides act (Kost et al., 2001).
  • Anti-ischemic / neuroprotective (stroke models) — In rats with induced strokes, nasal Semax (250 μg/kg) left infarcts about 20% smaller after 8 days, and the treated rats kept their memory on an avoidance test (FDA Semax briefing, 2026). After focal ischemia in rats it raised neurotrophin gene activity in the cortex at times when cells at the edge of the damage can still survive (Kolomin et al., 2013), and after global ischemia it reversed the fall in neurotrophin gene activity in the hippocampus (Stavchansky et al., 2011).
  • Anti-inflammatory gene expression (rats) — 24 hours after an induced stroke, rats given Semax showed suppressed inflammation-related genes and activated neurotransmission-related genes compared with rats given saline (Filippenkov et al., Genes 2020).
  • Antioxidant effect (cells) — In cell culture, Semax reduced the number of cells damaged by hydrogen peroxide, the developers' review reports (Kolomin et al., 2013).
  • Attention and short-term memory (people) — In healthy volunteers, a nasal dose of 16 μg/kg improved attention and short-term memory on tests, the developers' review reports (Kolomin et al., 2013).
  • Intranasal CNS delivery — In rats, a larger share of a radiolabeled dose reached the brain after a nasal dose than after an intravenous one, where no more than 0.01% entered the brain (FDA Semax briefing, 2026; Potaman et al., 1991). The Russian instructions state that up to 60–70% of a nasal dose is absorbed and that Semax crosses the blood–brain barrier (Russian product instructions).
  • Plasma-CNS disconnect — No human study has measured its half-life, and rat blood and brain tissue break it down quickly (FDA Semax briefing, 2026); yet in rats one nasal dose acted on a learning test for 24 hours, which the developers attribute to breakdown fragments that keep their own activity (Kolomin et al., 2013).
  • No HPA axis stimulation — Despite its ACTH origin, Semax showed neither corticotropic (adrenal-stimulating) nor melanocyte-stimulating activity in the developers' tests; its Pro-Gly-Pro end, which replaced the last three amino acids of ACTH(4-10), gave the longest-lasting effect of the analogs they tested (Kolomin et al., 2013).

What the Research Shows

The Semax evidence base is split between an established Russian-language literature and a growing English-language mechanistic corpus.

  • Acute hemispheric ischemic stroke (Gusev, Skvortsova et al., 1997; PMID 11517472) — Pivotal Russian trial. 30 patients in acute hemispheric ischemic stroke; Semax in combined intensive therapy accelerated recovery of damaged neurological functions in clinical and electrophysiological endpoints. Basis for Russian registration.
  • Carotid ischemic stroke recovery (Skvortsova et al., 2002) — Effect of Semax on disability and handicap indexes in carotid ischemic stroke survivors.
  • Basal forebrain BDNF binding and elevation (Dolotov et al., J Neurochem 2006; PMID 16635254) — Specific binding and elevation of BDNF protein in rat basal forebrain after intranasal Semax at 50–250 μg/kg within 3 hours.
  • Hippocampal BDNF/TrkB regulation (Dolotov et al., Brain Res 2006; PMID 16996037) — Semax regulates BDNF and trkB expression in the rat hippocampus.
  • Neurotrophin gene expression (Agapova et al., Neurosci Lett 2007) — An hour after a single nasal dose, BDNF and NGF gene activity rose in the rat hippocampus; BDNF also rose in the brainstem and cerebellum, and NGF fell in the frontal cortex.
  • Cerebral ischemia transcriptome (Filippenkov et al., Genes 2020) — 24 hours after cerebral ischemia-reperfusion in rats, ACTH(4-7)-PGP suppressed inflammation-related genes and activated neurotransmission-related genes.
  • Enkephalinase inhibition (Kost et al., 2001; PMID 11443939) — Semax and Selank inhibit enkephalin-degrading enzymes from human serum.
  • Learning and memory in aged rats (Storozheva et al., 2007) — Effects of Semax on different forms of learning and memory.
  • Cognitive enhancement in asthenia — Russian clinical studies supporting the 0.1% cognitive formulation.
  • Pediatric attention disorders — Russian clinical studies in children with attention and behavioral disorders.
  • Optic nerve / retinal protection — Studies on Semax in optic neuropathy and glaucoma suggesting neuroprotective benefit.
  • BDNF plasma response in stroke patients — Documented elevation of circulating BDNF after short-course Semax in stroke.
Honest Evidence Framing

Semax's strongest human evidence is for adjunctive use in acute ischemic stroke — a specific, clinically important indication with Russian Phase 3 support. For general cognitive enhancement, focus, and attention in healthy adults, evidence is largely Russian-language, open-label, and mechanism-grounded rather than placebo-controlled at a scale Western regulators would require.

Human Data

Semax has a substantial Russian clinical dataset, particularly in acute ischemic stroke.

  • Russian trials — ischemic stroke (Gusev 1997; PMID 11517472) — Multiple trials supporting Russian regulatory approval for acute ischemic stroke. Improved neurological recovery in adjunctive use.
  • Transient ischemic attack — Semax included in Russian clinical protocols for TIA management.
  • Cognitive enhancement in asthenia — Russian clinical studies supporting the 0.1% cognitive formulation.
  • Pediatric ADHD / attention disorders — Russian clinical studies in children with attention and behavioral disorders.
  • Optic nerve disorders — Russian ophthalmology case series for optic neuropathies.
  • Post-surgical cognitive recovery — Small studies exploring use post-neurosurgery and post-anesthesia.
  • Healthy adult nootropic studies — Smaller attention, working-memory, and reaction-time studies.
  • BDNF plasma response in humans — Documented increase in circulating BDNF after short-course Semax in stroke patients.

Absent from the dataset: a modern FDA- or EMA-regulated Phase 3 trial. All rigorous clinical evidence is Russian. Western mechanistic and preclinical work is growing but has not yet produced registrational-grade clinical trials.

Reconstitution & Storage

Semax is supplied as the Russian 0.1% and 1% nasal drops, in 3 mL bottles (Russian product instructions), or as research-chemical powder, which sellers list in 5 mg and 10 mg vials; FDA's reviewers also found 30 mg products and ready-made nasal sprays sold online (FDA Semax briefing, 2026).

FormPreparationConcentration300 μg Dose600 μg Dose
0.1% intranasal (cognitive, post-stroke recovery)Pre-mixed1 mg/mL0.3 mL (6 drops)0.6 mL (12 drops)
1.0% intranasal (acute stroke)Pre-mixed10 mg/mL0.03 mL (0.6 drop; a drop holds 500 μg)0.06 mL (1.2 drops)
5 mg powder1 mL BAC water5 mg/mL0.06 mL0.12 mL
5 mg powder5 mL BAC water1 mg/mL (match 0.1%)0.3 mL0.6 mL
10 mg powder1 mL BAC water10 mg/mL (match 1.0%)0.03 mL0.06 mL
  • Intranasal delivery — The Russian instructions describe drops from a dropper bottle onto the lining of each nostril, with the head tilted slightly to one side, no more than 2–3 drops per nostril at a time; larger doses are given in rounds 10–15 minutes apart (Russian product instructions). For nasal sprays, FDA's reviewers noted that the dose delivered depends on the pump and container, which neither the nominations nor the published literature described (FDA Semax briefing, 2026).
  • Storage — The Russian instructions list storage away from light at no more than 10°C, not frozen, with a 2-year shelf life; an opened bottle of the 0.1% drops keeps for up to 30 days at no more than 25°C (Russian product instructions). For research powder (free base), supplier documents cited by FDA's reviewers list −20°C for the dry powder, stable for 4 years, and +4°C for 2–7 days once dissolved (FDA Semax briefing, 2026).
  • Inspection — The Russian instructions describe the solution as a clear, colorless liquid (Russian product instructions).
  • Onset — No human pharmacokinetic study exists (FDA Semax briefing, 2026). In rats, a nasal dose took effect within 4 minutes and lasted 24 hours on a learning test, the developers' review reports (Kolomin et al., 2013).

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Side Effects & Risks

Important

FDA's 2026 review found too little clinical information to characterize Semax's safety (FDA Semax briefing, 2026). Its Russian instructions list anxiety disorders, acute psychiatric disorders, a history of seizures, pregnancy and breastfeeding among its contraindications (Russian product instructions). Consult a licensed healthcare provider.

The developers' review describes Semax 1% as well tolerated in their stroke studies (Kolomin et al., 2013). FDA's 2026 review found that most published studies did not report safety, and that FDA's adverse-event database held one report: eye pain and burning, and a hospital stay, after Semax 0.1% nasal drops bought online (FDA Semax briefing, 2026).

  • Nasal irritation — Mild irritation of the nasal lining with long-term use is the one side effect the Russian instructions list (Russian product instructions). In the developers' stroke studies, 10% of patients had discoloration of the nasal lining (Kolomin et al., 2013).
  • Blood glucose — In the same studies, 7.4% of patients with diabetes had a mild rise in blood glucose (Kolomin et al., 2013).
  • Abuse potential — Not studied: FDA's reviewers found no study of whether Semax is habit-forming, and noted that in mice it amplified amphetamine-induced dopamine release, a response typical of drugs of abuse (FDA Semax briefing, 2026).
  • No HPA-axis stimulation — Despite its ACTH origin, it showed no corticotropic (adrenal-stimulating) activity in the developers' tests (Kolomin et al., 2013).
  • Drug interactions — The Russian instructions expect no pharmacokinetic interactions and call nasal decongestants (local vasoconstrictors) undesirable alongside it (Russian product instructions). FDA's reviewers noted that its anticlotting effects in rats raise a concern about bleeding, particularly with other drugs that increase bleeding risk (FDA Semax briefing, 2026).
  • Pregnancy / lactation — The Russian instructions list pregnancy and breastfeeding as contraindications; no clinical studies were done (Russian product instructions). FDA's reviewers found no reproductive or developmental toxicity studies (FDA Semax briefing, 2026).
  • Pediatric use — The Russian 0.1% instructions include children from age 7 with minimal brain dysfunction, including ADHD; the 1% solution is contraindicated under 18 (Russian product instructions). FDA's reviewers found no literature supporting its use for ADHD (FDA Semax briefing, 2026).
  • WADA status — Not named on the Prohibited List. Semax is approved in Russia, so S0, which covers substances with no government approval, does not apply (WADA Prohibited List 2026).
  • Purity concerns — Sold outside Russia as a research chemical, it is not held to drug-quality standards. The certificates of analysis FDA's reviewers examined showed identity and purity results but no endotoxin or microbial testing, and FDA flagged possible aggregates and peptide impurities as a risk of immune reactions (FDA Semax briefing, 2026).
  • Cancer considerations — FDA's reviewers found no adequate cancer study: the one mouse study, in mice that already had mammary tumors, reported smaller tumors with Semax, and FDA judged it not designed to assess cancer risk (FDA Semax briefing, 2026).

Bloodwork & Monitoring

No trial, label or guideline sets monitoring for Semax; its Russian instructions list no laboratory tests (Russian product instructions). The 1997 stroke trial tracked clinical rating scales, EEG mapping and somatosensory evoked potentials (Gusev et al., 1997).

Commonly Stacked With

Selank

FDA's reviewers found a US website offering a premixed 50:50 Semax and Selank nasal spray and injection (FDA Semax briefing, 2026). No published study has given the two together; in a test-tube study, both blocked the human serum enzymes that break down enkephalins (Kost et al., 2001).

Tested together in people: none published · Read the receipt →

Dihexa

An angiotensin IV analog sold premixed with Semax as a nasal blend, DS5. Dihexa has no published human trial, and no study has tested the two together.

Stacking this? Read the receipt →

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Legal Status

PCAC vote — July 24, 2026: 8 yes, 5 no, 1 abstain, 1 not voting. The FDA Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee recommended Semax (free base and acetate forms) for inclusion on the Section 503A Bulks List; FDA staff had recommended against. A recommendation is advisory — Semax is not yet legal to compound. Full tracker →
Current Status — September 2026

Semax is approved by the Russian Federation Ministry of Health for cognitive and memory disorders, recovery after stroke and transient ischemic attack (0.1% intranasal formulation, 50 µg per drop) and for acute ischemic stroke (1% intranasal formulation, 500 µg per drop).

Semax was removed from Category 2 on April 22, 2026 (FDA notice April 15, 2026). PCAC recommended it on July 23–24, 2026. Rulemaking pending — not legal to compound today. On July 24, 2026 the committee voted 8 yes, 5 no, 1 abstention (1 not voting) to recommend Semax (both free base and acetate forms) for inclusion on the Section 503A Bulks List. FDA staff had recommended against inclusion.

A PCAC recommendation is advisory. FDA has not initiated notice-and-comment rulemaking to add Semax to the 503A Bulks List, and no rulemaking deadline has been announced. Until a final rule takes effect, Semax is not on the 503A Bulks List and cannot be legally compounded from bulk drug substance under 503A.

Semax is not named on the WADA Prohibited List. It is approved in Russia, so S0, which covers substances with no current government approval for human therapeutic use, does not apply (WADA Prohibited List 2026).

Because Semax is neither an approved drug in the US nor a scheduled substance, its legal status sits in a similar gray space as Selank — not prohibited but not a legitimate FDA-regulated prescription. Use implies informed consent to imported or research-chemical product quality.

Cost & Access

U.S. compounding pharmacies cannot legally compound Semax from bulk drug substance under current FDA rules — Semax is not on the Section 503A Bulks List. The July 2026 PCAC vote is a recommendation for future inclusion, not a rule change.

Semax is a prescription medicine in Russia, sold as 0.1% and 1% nasal drops: the 0.1% for memory and thinking problems in vascular brain disease, recovery after stroke and other uses, the 1% for the acute period of ischemic stroke (Russian product instructions). It is not available through Western prescription channels.

U.S. compounding pharmacies cannot legally compound Semax under current FDA bulk-substance rules. Online research-chemical sellers supply it (FDA Semax briefing, 2026).

Semax was among the 12 peptides FDA removed from Category 2 in April 2026 because their nominations were withdrawn (FDA 503A categories list, April 22, 2026); FDA then took it to its advisory committee on July 23–24, 2026. Semax's regulatory pathway for U.S. approval would require a sponsor-led IND/NDA program; no such program is publicly active as of April 2026.

Estimated pricing as of April 2026. Actual costs vary by provider, location, and prescription status. Kalios does not sell compounds.

References

  1. Ashmarin IP, Nezavibatko VN, Levitskaya NG, Koshelev VB, Kamensky AA. Design and investigation of an ACTH(4-10) analog lacking D-amino acids and hydrophobic radicals. Neurosci Res Commun. 1995;17:31-39.
  2. Gusev EI, Skvortsova VI, Miasoedov NF, Nezavibatko VN, Zhuravleva EIu, Vanichkin AV. [Effectiveness of semax in acute period of hemispheric ischemic stroke (a clinical and electrophysiological study)]. Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova. 1997;97(6):26-34. PMID: 11517472.
  3. Skvortsova VI, Platonova IA, Tvorogova TV, Miasoedov NF. Effect of semax on disability and handicap indexes in patients survived carotid ischemic stroke. Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova. 2002;102(Suppl 5):36-39.
  4. Dolotov OV, Karpenko EA, Inozemtseva LS, et al. Semax, an analogue of adrenocorticotropin (4-10), binds specifically and increases levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor protein in rat basal forebrain. J Neurochem. 2006;97 Suppl 1:82-86. PMID: 16635254.
  5. Dolotov OV, Karpenko EA, Inozemtseva LS, et al. Semax, an analog of ACTH(4-10) with cognitive effects, regulates BDNF and trkB expression in the rat hippocampus. Brain Res. 2006;1117(1):54-60. PMID: 16996037.
  6. Agapova TY, Agniullin YV, Shadrina MI, Shram SI, Slominsky PA, Lymborska SA, Myasoedov NF. Neurotrophin gene expression in rat brain under the action of Semax, an analogue of ACTH(4-10). Neurosci Lett. 2007;417(2):201-205. PMID: 17353092.
  7. Shadrina M, Kolomin T, Agapova T, et al. Comparison of the temporary dynamics of NGF and BDNF gene expression in rat hippocampus, frontal cortex, and retina under Semax action. J Mol Neurosci. 2010;41(1):30-35. PMID: 19662538.
  8. Stavchansky VV, Tvorogova TV, Botsina AY, Skvortsova VI, Limborska SA, Myasoedov NF, Dergunova LV. The effect of Semax and its C-end peptide PGP on expression of neurotrophins and their receptors in rat brain during incomplete global ischemia. Mol Biol (Mosk). 2011;45(6):1026-1035. PMID: 22295573. English edition: Mol Biol. 2011;45(6):941-949. DOI: 10.1134/s0026893311050128.
  9. Filippenkov IB, Stavchansky VV, Denisova AE, et al. Novel Insights into the Protective Properties of ACTH(4-7)PGP (Semax) Peptide at the Transcriptome Level Following Cerebral Ischaemia-Reperfusion in Rats. Genes (Basel). 2020;11(6):681. PMID: 32580520.
  10. Kost NV, Sokolov OY, Gabaeva MV, Grivennikov IA, Andreeva LA, Myasoedov NF, Zozulya AA. [Semax and selank inhibit the enkephalin-degrading enzymes from human serum]. Bioorg Khim. 2001;27(3):180-183. PMID: 11443939.
  11. Storozheva ZI, Proshin AT, Sherstnev VV, Stolyarov ID, Boĭko AN. Effects of Semax on different forms of learning and memory in adult and aged rats. Bull Exp Biol Med. 2007;143(4):482-485.
  12. Myasoedov NF, Skvortsova VI, Nasonov EL, et al. [Study of the mechanisms of neuroprotective action of semax in ischemic stroke]. Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova. 1999;99(5):15-19.
  13. Glazova NY, Sebentsova EA, Manchenko DM, et al. Prolonged beneficial effect of neonatal treatment with Semax on the grooming behavior of elderly rats. Bull Exp Biol Med. 2013;155(6):731-733.
  14. Potaman VN, Antonova LV, Dubynin VA, et al. Entry of the synthetic ACTH(4-10) analogue into the rat brain following intravenous injection. Neurosci Lett. 1991;127(1):133-136. PMID: 1652713.
  15. Kolomin T, Shadrina M, Slominsky P, Limborska S, Myasoedov N. A new generation of drugs: synthetic peptides based on natural regulatory peptides. Neuroscience and Medicine. 2013;4:223-252. DOI: 10.4236/nm.2013.44035.
  16. Russian Federation State Register of Medicines. Semax — 0.1% and 1.0% intranasal solutions. Approved Russian Ministry of Health.
  17. FDA. Bulk Drug Substances Nominated for Use in Compounding Under Section 503A of the FD&C Act (503A categories list), versions updated April 15, April 22 and May 14, 2026. fda.gov/media/94155/download. Read October 3, 2026. (Notice that 12 peptides would leave Category 2 because their nominations were withdrawn; their removal; GHK-Cu, except injectable, back in Category 1.)
  18. Peptogen. Семакс (Semax) 0.1% and 1% nasal drops: instructions for medical use, registrations ЛС-002553 (0.1%; December 30, 2011, reissued November 10, 2015) and Р N000812/01 (1%; December 29, 2011, reissued November 16, 2015). peptogen.ru/products/semaks-0-1/ and peptogen.ru/products/semaks-1/ (instructions and registration certificates). Read October 4, 2026. (In Russian. Indications, doses (50 µg per drop of the 0.1% solution, 500 µg per drop of the 1%), contraindications, side effects, nasal absorption, storage; prescription only.)
  19. FDA. Evaluation of Semax-Related Bulk Drug Substances (Semax (Free Base) and Semax Acetate) for Inclusion on the 503A Bulk Drug Substances List. FDA Briefing Document, Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee meeting of July 23–24, 2026 (memorandum dated May 11, 2026). fda.gov/media/193348/download. Read October 4, 2026.
  20. World Anti-Doping Agency. Prohibited List 2026 (in effect January 1, 2026). S0, Non-approved substances. wada-ama.org/sites/default/files/2025-09/2026list_en_final_clean_september_2025.pdf. Read October 3, 2026.

Also for sleep & focus

Tested together in people

None published · Read the receipt →

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Checked 13 Oct 2026