Everything below concerns nootropic. We keep the language plain, cite what the science says, and separate well-supported claims from open questions.
Updated 2026-03-12. Numbers and descriptions here follow the published literature rather than marketing material.
The proposed mechanism centres on neurotrophic signalling rather than direct receptor activation. Semax is reported to increase expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and nerve growth factor in several brain regions, and to shift the balance between excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitter systems. Interaction with melanocortin receptors has been suggested because of the parent ACTH fragment. Many of these findings come from rodent studies, and the extent to which they translate to human physiology remains an open question.
Scientific literature on semax is unevenly distributed. A substantial share of published work originates from a small number of laboratories in Russia, while independent replication elsewhere is limited. Human data consist mostly of small trials with short follow-up, and several reported outcomes rely on subjective rating scales. Questions about how much intact peptide reaches the central nervous system after nasal administration, and how long it persists there, are still unresolved. The compound is best described as an active research subject rather than a settled pharmacological agent.
Semax is a synthetic heptapeptide with the sequence Met-Glu-His-Phe-Pro-Gly-Pro. It was derived from the ACTH(4-10) fragment, a short segment of adrenocorticotropic hormone that lacks the hormonal activity associated with the full-length peptide. Researchers at the Institute of Molecular Genetics in Moscow developed the compound during the 1980s. It has been registered as a pharmaceutical product in Russia and several neighbouring countries, where it is supplied as a nasal solution, and it is also sold internationally as a research chemical.
Terminology around the compound varies by source. It appears in catalogues and papers as Semax, as the heptapeptide ACTH(4-7)-Pro-Gly-Pro, and under various alphanumeric laboratory codes used by individual suppliers. These names refer to the same sequence but may imply different salt forms, purity grades, or counter-ions. Peptide databases usually list the free base mass, while product descriptions sometimes report acetate or trifluoroacetate salts with a different formula weight. Because naming conventions for research peptides are not standardised across vendors, checking the declared sequence and measured mass is more reliable than relying on a trade name alone.
Semax is a synthetic heptapeptide with the sequence Met-Glu-His-Phe-Pro-Gly-Pro. Its design combines the ACTH(4-7) core fragment with a C-terminal Pro-Gly-Pro extension, a modification intended to improve stability and prolong activity. The molecule is hydrophilic, carries no lipid chains or glycosylation, and has a theoretical mass just over 810 daltons in its free form. All seven residues are proteinogenic amino acids, so no non-natural building blocks appear in the backbone. A free N-terminal methionine and C-terminal proline define the unmodified parent peptide.
The compound was developed during the 1980s at the Institute of Molecular Genetics in Moscow as part of research on fragments of adrenocorticotropic hormone. Early work examined short ACTH-derived sequences that retained neurotrophic effects while lacking the endocrine activity of the full hormone. Semax entered clinical use in Russia during the 1990s, where it received registration for several neurological indications. Outside that region it remained primarily a laboratory research material rather than an approved therapeutic. English-language literature on it grew more slowly and frequently cited the original Russian studies.
| Property | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Molecular formula | C37H51N9O10S | Calculated for the free peptide |
| Molar mass | 813.9 g/mol | Anhydrous free base |
| Peptide class | Synthetic heptapeptide | ACTH(4-10) analogue |
| Parent fragment | ACTH(4-10) | Adrenocorticotropic hormone segment |
| Developmental origin | Institute of Molecular Genetics, Moscow | Work began in the 1980s |
当时的短肽研究普遍关注能否穿越血脑屏障、在低剂量下产生中枢效应，Semax 属于这一路线。鼻内给药是其主要使用方式，俄语文献报道的适应症涵盖缺血性卒中、短暂性脑缺血发作、认知功能减退以及视神经病变。这些研究大多发表在当地期刊上，样本规模与终点设置同西方试验惯例存在差异，国际同行对其临床证据的强度看法不一。
各国监管态度分化明显。俄罗斯按处方药管理，部分东欧国家留有使用记录；欧盟与美国未批准其作为药物上市，市面流通品通常标注为研究用化学品。身份差异意味着标示含量、纯度与无菌性缺少统一核查。体育领域还牵涉反兴奋剂名录，跨境携带则受目的地药品法规约束。
Regulatory status varies sharply by country. Semax is registered for medical use in Russia, where it appears in formularies as a nasal solution, and it also holds registration in a small number of neighbouring states. It has no approval from the United States Food and Drug Administration or the European Medicines Agency, and it is not a scheduled controlled substance in most jurisdictions. Elsewhere it circulates mainly as laboratory material, so purity documentation comes from suppliers rather than from a national pharmacopoeia.
Semax is a synthetic peptide created in the Soviet Union during the early 1980s by researchers working in Moscow. It was built from the short adrenocorticotropic hormone fragment known as ACTH(4-10), and the chain was then extended with three additional amino acids. The resulting molecule was named semax and entered clinical use in Russia in 1994. It is generally described as a nootropic and neuroprotective agent rather than as a hormone analogue.
Published research on this peptide originates mainly from Russian laboratories, and the wider international literature is comparatively thin. Studies have used rodent models of stroke, hypoxia, and memory tasks, with a smaller number of human trials reported. Reported outcomes include changes in attention and memory measures, along with effects on neurotrophic factor expression in some experiments. Small sample sizes, inconsistent dosing protocols, and limited independent replication are widely noted limitations, so the strength of the clinical evidence remains an open question.
Semax is a synthetic heptapeptide whose sequence is Met-Glu-His-Phe-Pro-Gly-Pro. The first four residues correspond to the ACTH(4-10) fragment, while the terminal Pro-Gly-Pro extension was added to improve metabolic stability. Its molecular formula is C37H51N9O10S and its monoisotopic mass is approximately 813.9 Da. The compound is classified as a peptide research chemical and as a registered pharmaceutical product in Russia, but it does not hold marketing approval in the European Union or the United States. Naming conventions vary across supplier catalogs.
=== 30 May === At least 28 people were killed in RSF attacks on El-Obeid, Dibebad and Al Khuwayyi. Among the dead were six people killed in a drone attack on a hospital in El-Obeid. A World Food Programme (WFP) warehouse in El Fasher was damaged by shelling blamed on the RSF.
It is unknown whether intensive or conventional blood glucose control is better for diabetic foot ulcer healing. A 2020 Cochrane systematic review evaluated the effects of nutritional supplements or special diets on healing foot ulcers in people with diabetes. The review authors concluded that it's uncertain whether nutritional interventions have an effect on foot ulcer healing and that more research is needed to answer this question. Skin grafting and tissue replacements can help improve the healing of diabetic foot ulcers. A 2021 systematic review concluded that there was no strong evidence about the effects of psychological therapies on diabetic foot ulcer healing and recurrence.
Alongside continued research defensive countermeasures there has been a proliferation of nuclear weapons around the world. Many nations have acquired technology required to produce nuclear weapons since the end of the Cold War. India tested its first nuclear weapon with Operation Smiling Buddha in 1974. It was followed by Pakistan's nuclear program acquiring centrifuges capable of enriching uranium in the 80's and in 1998 was able to conduct several underground tests. Today the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, and China all possess nuclear weapons and have signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty in an attempt to curb the spread of nuclear weapons. India, Pakistan, Israel and North Korea are also in possession of nuclear technology but have not signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. The Cold War brought with it increased research into radio technology as well as nuclear weapons. The success of Sputnik 1 lead to an increase funding for radio telescopes such as Jodrell Bank Observatory for use in tracking Sputnik and possible nuclear launches by the Soviet Union. Jodrell Bank and other observatories like it have since been used to track space probes as well as investigate quasars, pulsars, and meteoroids. Satellites such as the Vela that were originally launched to detect nuclear detonation following the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty have been used since then to discover and further investigate gamma-ray bursts. A new space race began in the 2020s, largely between the United States' Artemis Program and China's Lunar Exploration Program.
=== Other research === As of July 2013, afamelanotide was in phase II and III clinical trials for vitiligo and other skin diseases. A medication for rheumatoid arthritis, tofacitinib, has been tested for the treatment of vitiligo. According to a 2021 review, JAK inhibitors like ruxolitinib show promise in targeting the IFN-γ-chemokine signaling axis implicated in vitiligo pathogenesis and improving NSV. In mid-2026, pharmaceutical corporation Pfizer announced positive phase III trial results of ritlecitinib, a kinas-inhibiting drug, to treat NSV. Additionally, a 2026 study published in The Lancet showed positive results with the JAK inhibitor upadacitinib. As of 2024, mitochondrial antioxidants, NRF2 inhibitors, and TBK1 inhibitors were emerging as potential therapeutic options to block the effects of melanocytic mtDNA release associated with vitiligo. The head of a 2025 Osaka Metropolitan University research team suggested that its discoveries, which included the presence of dormant pigment cells in vitiligo patches, could lead to new treatment approaches.
=== Historical Use of Insects in Medicine === The medicinal application of insects dates back to ancient civilizations. The Smithsonian Institution has documented historical uses of insects such as the utilization of bee venom therapy in Egyptian medicine for treating arthritis and joint pain. Ancient Greek and Roman physicians, including Galen, recorded the use of insects like cantharidin from blister beetles for dermatological conditions. In medieval Europe powdered insects were included in remedies for various ailments including infections and respiratory disorders.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
==== Other adverse effects ==== High doses of nicotinic acid can also cause niacin maculopathy, a thickening of the macula and retina, which leads to blurred vision and blindness. This maculopathy is reversible after niacin intake ceases. Niaspan, the slow-release product, has been associated with a reduction in platelet content and a modest increase in prothrombin time.
=== Dairy and eggs === One of the main differences between a vegan and a lacto-ovo vegetarian diet is the avoidance of both eggs and dairy products such as milk, cheese, butter and yogurt. Ethical vegans do not consume dairy or eggs because they state that their production causes the animal suffering or a premature death. To produce milk from dairy cattle, farmers separate calves from their mothers soon after birth to retain cow milk for human consumption.
Pizza Hut sponsored the film Back to the Future Part II (1989) and offered a free pair of futuristic sunglasses, known as "Solar Shades", with the purchase of Pizza Hut pizza. Pizza Hut also engaged in product placement within the film, having a futuristic version of their logo with their trademarked red hut printed on the side of a mylar dehydrated pizza wrapper in the McFly family dinner scene, and appear on a storefront in Hill Valley in the year 2015. In 1990, Pizza Hut spent a reported $20 million to sponsor the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Coming Out of Their Shells live musical. The company also gave out a Ninja Turtle audio cassette as part of a promotion. The 1990 NES game Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Arcade Game came with a coupon for a free pizza. The game included Pizza Hut product placement in the form of background advertisements and pizza that would refill the character's life. In the early 1990s, Pizza Hut sought to attract children and pre-teenagers to build its dine-in business. Through comedy writer Walter Williams and San Francisco advertising agency Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, Pizza Hut created The Pizza Head Show, a series of television commercials to convey the message that Pizza Hut meant "weird fun". The commercials featured spokes-character Pizza Head and his pizza-cutter nemesis Steve, in a format reminiscent of Williams's previous production Mr. Bill. In 1995, Donald Trump and his first wife Ivana Trump appeared in a commercial.
Overall, according to a study in British Columbia, approximately 2.3 children per 100,000 births (1 in 43,000) have some form of glycogen storage disease. In the United States, they are estimated to occur in 1 per 20,000–25,000 births. Dutch incidence rate is estimated to be 1 per 40,000 births. While a Mexican incidence showed 6.78:1000 male newborns. Within the category of muscle glycogenoses (muscle GSDs), McArdle disease (GSD-V) is by far the most commonly diagnosed.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
Semax is based on the ACTH(4-10) fragment, a seven-amino-acid segment of adrenocorticotropic hormone. The synthetic peptide retains the core sequence while removing regions associated with endocrine activity. This modification is intended to isolate effects on the nervous system.
It is registered for clinical use in Russia and a few other countries, typically as a nasal drop formulation. It does not hold approval from the United States Food and Drug Administration or the European Medicines Agency. Outside those markets it is generally handled as a research chemical.
The compound was developed in Moscow and the earliest studies were conducted there, so the primary literature is largely in Russian-language journals. Translation and indexing have been incomplete, which limits access for outside researchers. Independent groups have since published some work, but the total volume remains modest.
It is a synthetic seven-amino-acid peptide built from the ACTH(4-7) sequence plus a Pro-Gly-Pro tail. It belongs to the family of short ACTH fragments studied for nervous-system effects. Its backbone contains only standard amino acids.