Semax
Synthetic analog of adrenocorticotropic hormone fragment 4-10 with proline-glycine-proline extension; increases BDNF and NGF expression in cortex and hippocampus, modulates monoaminergic tone, and reduces enkephalin breakdown.
Semax is a synthetic heptapeptide developed in the 1980s at the Moscow Institute of Molecular Genetics as a stable analog of the natural ACTH fragment 4-10. The native ACTH(4-10) sequence is known to have CNS effects independent of cortisol release, but it is rapidly degraded. Semax replaces the C-terminal segment with Pro-Gly-Pro, dramatically improving in-vivo stability and bioavailability via the intranasal route.
The principal CNS effects documented in animal models include rapid elevation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and nerve growth factor (NGF) expression in the hippocampus and cortex, modulation of dopaminergic and serotonergic tone, and inhibition of enkephalin-degrading enzymes. Behavioral studies report improvements in learning, attention, and ischemia recovery. Human imaging studies have documented changes in EEG patterns consistent with cortical activation.
Semax is approved in Russia for treatment of ischemic stroke, certain forms of optic neuropathy, and as a cognitive-supportive agent. It is not approved by the FDA, EMA, or comparable Western regulatory bodies. Inclusion here is for research and educational reference only.