Part of the Peptivitalis Compound Index.
Statements under Research findings describe published research on the molecule. They are not statements about the properties, effects or suitability of anything Peptivitalis supplies, and they are not guidance for use in humans or animals. Every finding names the model system it came from, and the limits of the evidence are stated alongside it.
Semax
Identity
| Class | Synthetic adrenocorticotropic hormone fragment analogue |
| Sequence | Met-Glu-His-Phe-Pro-Gly-Pro |
| Molecular weight | Approximately 813 Da |
| CAS number | To be confirmed against the certificate of analysis |
Identity note. Semax is routinely described, including in the titles of published papers, as an “ACTH(4–10) analogue”. It is not that fragment. It is ACTH(4–7) extended with a Pro-Gly-Pro tail, and findings on native ACTH(4–10) do not transfer to it directly.
Research findings
- In rat hippocampus, a single administration was reported to raise BDNF protein and trkB phosphorylation, accompanied by increases in BDNF and trkB messenger RNA [1]
- In rat glial cell cultures, rapid induction of neurotrophin messenger RNAs was reported [2]
- A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in acute ischaemic stroke was published in a Russian-language journal [3]
- What the evidence does not cover: nearly all of the clinical literature originates from Russian-affiliated groups publishing in Russian-language journals, and no substantial independent replication outside that setting has been identified
Research focus
- Neurotrophin expression
- Cerebral ischaemia models
- Monoaminergic neurotransmission
- Glyproline chemistry and peptide stability
Regulatory status
Semax is registered as a medicine in the Russian Federation, supplied there on prescription as a 0.1% intranasal solution. It holds no United Kingdom or United States marketing authorisation.
Availability and handling
Lyophilised powder. Assayed to ≥98% purity by RP-HPLC, with identity confirmed by mass spectrometry and residual water content checked by Karl Fischer titration. Stored at 2°C – 8°C, protected from light.
Supplied as Semax 10 mg, catalogue number XA10.
Literature
- [1] 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
- [2] Shadrina MI, Dolotov OV, Grivennikov IA, et al. Rapid induction of neurotrophin mRNAs in rat glial cell cultures by Semax, an adrenocorticotropic hormone analog. Neurosci Lett 2001;308(2):115–18. PMID 11457573
- [3] Skvortsova VI, Stakhovskaia LV, Gubskii LV, et al. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of Semax in patients with acute ischemic stroke. Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova 2004;Suppl 11:62–66. PMID 15554370