Semax
Human trials (limited)ACTH(4-10) analogue · MEHFPGP
Studied as a neuroprotective and nootropic agent acting through BDNF/TrkB upregulation, with additional antihypoxic effects in rodent ischaemia models. Human data are small, mostly EEG and cognitive studies conducted within one national research tradition.
MEHFPGP
Registered as a nasal medicine in Russia for stroke and cognitive indications; not approved by FDA or EMA and treated as an unapproved research chemical elsewhere.
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Selank
Human trials (limited)TP-7 · tuftsin analogue
Studied as a peptide anxiolytic in comparative trials against benzodiazepines, with supporting rodent behavioural work. Trials are small, largely single-country, and long-term safety data are limited.
TKPRPGP
Registered as an intranasal medicine in Russia for anxiety disorders; not approved by FDA or EMA.
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Cerebrolysin
Human RCTFPF 1070 · porcine brain peptide preparation
Proposed to exert multimodal neurotrophic, neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory effects. Several randomised placebo-controlled trials in vascular dementia and Alzheimer's disease report modest cognitive and functional benefit, but results across trials and meta-analyses are mixed and effect sizes small.
Mixture of low-molecular-weight peptides and free amino acids
Prescription medicine in several countries (including Russia and parts of Europe, Asia and Latin America) for stroke and dementia; not FDA-approved and not centrally EMA-approved.
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Dihexa
Animal / in-vitro onlyN-hexanoic-Tyr-Ile-(6)-aminohexanoic amide · angiotensin IV analogue
An angiotensin IV analogue reported to promote synaptogenesis and dendritic spine formation through HGF/c-Met signalling. All evidence is rodent or cell-based, and part of the early literature has been retracted.
Hexanoyl-Tyr-Ile-aminohexanamide
Preclinical research compound. No human trials; not approved anywhere.
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P021
Animal / in-vitro onlyPeptide 6 derivative · CNTF-derived neurotrophic compound
A CNTF-derived neurotrophic compound reported to enhance hippocampal neurogenesis and reduce tau pathology in Alzheimer's and traumatic brain injury models. Human data do not exist.
Short CNTF-derived peptide (sequence not fully disclosed in open literature)
Preclinical only. No registered human trials; not approved anywhere.
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Delta sleep-inducing peptide
Animal / in-vitro onlyDSIP
A nonapeptide named for its ability to increase delta EEG activity in animals. It is widely sold as a sleep peptide despite having almost no modern controlled human evidence.
WAGGDASGE
Never approved or marketed as a drug. Human evidence is sparse and research largely stalled after the 1990s.
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Pinealon
Animal / in-vitro onlyEDR tripeptide · Glu-Asp-Arg
A tripeptide claimed to act as a gene-regulating neuroprotective bioregulator. Evidence is rodent-level and originates almost entirely from a single laboratory.
EDR
Not approved anywhere; sold as an unregulated research peptide. No randomised human trials exist.
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Cortagen
Animal / in-vitro onlyBrain cortex tetrapeptide bioregulator
A cortex-derived tetrapeptide bioregulator with very thin published evidence. Claims about human benefit generally trace back to trials of different peptides in the same product family.
Reported as AEDP (sequence not independently confirmed)
Not approved. Only one directly on-topic study was verifiable; human data specific to Cortagen are absent.
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PE-22-28
Animal / in-vitro onlyShortened spadin analogue · TREK-1 blocker
A stabilised fragment of spadin that inhibits TREK-1, the channel whose deletion makes mice resistant to depression. Promising rodent behaviour data, no clinical evidence.
Shortened stabilised analogue of the 17-residue spadin peptide
Preclinical only; no human trials. Data come from a small number of papers by one group.
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N-Acetyl Semax Amidate
Animal / in-vitro onlyAc-Semax-NH2 · NASA · dual-modified Semax
A chemically stabilised version of Semax, itself an ACTH(4-10) fragment analogue used as a nootropic. All usable evidence is for the parent compound, not this derivative.
Ac-MEHFPGP-NH2
Not approved in the US or EU; parent Semax is a prescription drug in Russia. No study isolates the modified analogue from the parent.
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Colivelin
Animal / in-vitro onlyADNF-9 / humanin hybrid peptide
Colivelin protects cultured neurons against amyloid-β toxicity at extremely low concentrations and improves memory in rodent Alzheimer models after central administration. Nearly all data come from a single laboratory, independent replication is sparse, and no human trial has been run.
ADNF-9 (SALLRSIPA) fused to a humanin derivative; exact fusion string in Chiba et al. 2005
Not approved. Research compound only.
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Davunetide
Human RCTNAP · AL-108 · AL-208
Davunetide is an unusual entry: it reached a large randomised phase 2/3 trial in progressive supranuclear palsy and clearly failed its primary endpoints. Post-hoc analyses in prodromal Alzheimer's keep it alive academically, but the strongest human evidence here is negative and should be read that way.
NAPVSIPQ
Never approved. Development was discontinued after the phase 2/3 progressive supranuclear palsy trial failed in 2014.
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Neuropeptide Y
ObservationalNPY
Lower cerebrospinal and plasma NPY have been repeatedly associated with post-traumatic stress severity in veteran cohorts, and central NPY reduces anxiety-like behaviour in rodent stress models. Human evidence is correlational rather than interventional.
YPSKPDNPGEDAPAEDMARYYSALRHYINLITRQRY
No approved NPY-based drug exists.
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Ziconotide
Approved drugSNX-111 · Prialt · synthetic ω-conotoxin MVIIA
Ziconotide is delivered only by intrathecal pump because it is not orally bioavailable, and randomised trials in cancer, AIDS and non-malignant pain supported approval. Its therapeutic window is narrow, with significant neuropsychiatric adverse effects.
CKGKGAKCSRLMYDCCTGSCRSGKC
FDA-approved in 2004 and EMA-approved for intrathecal use in severe refractory chronic pain.
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Chlorotoxin
Human trials (limited)CTX · TM-601 · basis of tozuleristide (BLZ-100)
Chlorotoxin binds glioma tissue selectively, which made it the basis for radio-iodinated and fluorescent conjugates used to visualise tumour margins during surgery. Human data concern those conjugates; evidence for the bare peptide as a treatment is preclinical.
MCMPCFTTDHQMARKCDDCCGGKGRGKCYGPQCLCR
Not approved. Imaging conjugates have reached early-phase human trials; the unconjugated peptide has no approved use.
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Apamin
Animal / in-vitro onlyBee venom SK channel blocker
Apamin is a classic pharmacological tool with decades of electrophysiology behind it, used to define SK channel function. Cosmetic marketing that presents it as a topical muscle relaxant is not supported by clinical trial data.
CNCKAPETALCARRCQQH-NH2
Not approved for any human use. Appears in unregulated cosmetic products with no clinical substantiation.
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