A practical reference on ACTH(4-10): what it is, how it behaves, what the literature reports, and where the honest uncertainties sit.
This page was last updated on 2025-07-14 and is reviewed periodically as new material appears.
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.
Development of the compound took place in the Soviet Union during the 1980s, largely through peptide research groups affiliated with the Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute and Moscow State University. Investigators screened fragments of adrenocorticotropic hormone for activity on the central nervous system while attempting to separate cognitive effects from hormonal ones. The shortened sequence was selected because it retained behavioral activity in animal models without stimulating corticosteroid release. Early publications described the molecule as an ACTH(4-10) analog.
Semax is a synthetic heptapeptide with the sequence Met-Glu-His-Phe-Pro-Gly-Pro. It is described in the literature as an analogue of the ACTH(4–10) fragment, a short N-terminal portion of adrenocorticotropic hormone that retains some neurotropic activity without the full hormonal effects of the parent peptide. The molecule carries a methionine residue at the N-terminus and two proline residues near the C-terminus, features that shape both its interactions with receptor systems and its chemical stability. The free peptide corresponds to the formula C37H51N9O10S and a molecular mass near 813.9 Da.
The compound was developed in the 1980s at the Institute of Molecular Genetics in Moscow, where it emerged from research on short ACTH fragments and their effects on the central nervous system. Russian pharmaceutical listings describe it as a nootropic and neuroprotective agent, most often formulated as nasal drops. It is not a marketed medicine in the United States or the European Union, and no pharmacopoeial monograph covers it. Consequently, most published clinical experience with the substance originates from a small number of research centres, mainly in Russia and neighbouring countries.
| Property | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Molecular formula | C37H51N9O10S | Seven-residue peptide |
| Molecular mass | 813.9 Da | Monoisotopic value |
| Appearance | White to off-white powder | Lyophilized form |
| Solubility | Freely soluble in water | Also soluble in saline and polar solvents |
| Storage (dry) | -20 °C or lower | Desiccated, protected from light |
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.
=== Injury resistance === HGH may build up connective tissue within muscles, at least in the short term. If these effects are real they "may promote resistance to injury or faster repair [but] would make the muscle no more capable of force generation". With the release of the Mitchell Report on December 13, 2007, 86 players were revealed to have used performance-enhancing drugs while playing in the Major Leagues. The report stated: "Players who use Human Growth Hormone apparently believe that it assists their ability to recover from injuries and fatigue".
Saint Kitts and Nevis - The Scout Association of Saint Kitts and Nevis* Tonga - Tonga branch of The Scout Association* Tuvalu - Tuvalu Scout Association* Vanuatu - Vanuatu branch of The Scout Association* Served by Scouts Australia
=== U.S. labeling === For U.S. food and dietary supplement labeling purposes, the amount in a serving is expressed as a percent of Daily Value (%DV). For vitamin A labeling purposes, 100% of the Daily Value was set at 5,000 IU, but it was revised to 900 μg RAE on 27 May 2016. A table of the old and new adult daily values is provided at Reference Daily Intake.
=== Neoantigens === Neoantigens are those that are entirely absent from the normal human genome. As compared with nonmutated self-proteins, neoantigens are of relevance to tumor control, as the quality of the T cell pool that is available for these antigens is not affected by central T cell tolerance. Technology to systematically analyze T cell reactivity against neoantigens became available only recently. Neoantigens can be directly detected and quantified.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
=== Flavour and aroma === Dozens of compounds contribute to Scotch whisky flavour and aroma characteristics, including volatile alcohol congeners (also called higher oils) formed during fermentation, such as acetaldehyde, methanol, ethyl acetate, n-propanol and isobutanol. Other flavour and aroma compounds include vanillic acid, syringic acid, vanillin, syringaldehyde, furfural, phenyl ethanol and acetic acid. One analysis established 13 distinct flavour characteristics dependent on individual compounds, including sour, sweet, grainy and floral as major flavour perceptions. Some distilleries use a peat fire to dry the barley for some of their products before grinding it and making the mash. Peat smoke contributes phenolic compounds, such as guaiacol, that give aromas similar to smoke. The Maillard browning process of the residual sugars in the mashing process, particularly through formation of 2-furanmethanol and pyrazines imparting nutty or cereal characteristics contributes to the baked bread notes in the flavour and aroma profile. Maturation during multi-year casking in oak barrels mostly previously used for bourbon whiskey, sherry, wines, fortified wine (including port and Madeira), rum and other spirit production, has the largest impact on the flavour of the whisky. Some distilleries use virgin oak casks as used casks are becoming increasingly harder to source (particularly authentic sherry casks due to the downturn in sherry consumption plus the laws introduced in 1986 regarding bottling Spanish wines exclusively in Spain).
== See also == Estradiol dibutyrate/hydroxyprogesterone heptanoate/testosterone caproate Estradiol diundecylate/hydroxyprogesterone heptanoate/testosterone cyclohexylpropionate Estrapronicate/hydroxyprogesterone heptanoate/nandrolone undecanoate Progesterone/hydroxyprogesterone heptanoate/α-tocopherol palmitate
Apryll Marie Stalcup is an American chemist who is Professor and was the Director of the Irish Separation Science Cluster at Dublin City University. She was awarded the 2021 Chromatography Forum of the Delaware Valley Stephen Dal Nogare Award, the 2015 American Microchemical Society Benedetti Pichler Award and named in the 2016 Power List of the Top 50 Women Analytical Scientists worldwide. Her research considers surface-confined ionic liquids and chiral separations.
There are 21 known isotopes of sodium (11Na), ranging from 17Na to 39Na (except for 36Na and 38Na), and five isomers. 23Na is the only stable (and the only primordial) isotope, making sodium a monoisotopic (and mononuclidic) element. Sodium has two radioactive cosmogenic isotopes (22Na, with a half-life of 2.6019 years and 24Na, with a half-life of 14.956 hours). With the exception of those two isotopes, all other isotopes have half-lives under a minute, most under a second. Acute neutron radiation exposure (e.g., from a nuclear criticality accident) converts some of the stable 23Na in human blood plasma to 24Na. The neutron radiation dose absorbed by the patient can be assessed by measuring the concentration of the radioisotope. 22Na is a positron-emitting isotope with a relatively long half-life, about 2.6 years. It is used to create test-objects and point-sources for positron emission tomography.
== Biochemistry == A1 receptors are implicated in sleep promotion by inhibiting wake-promoting cholinergic neurons in the basal forebrain. A1 receptors are also present in smooth muscle throughout the vascular system. In humans, the adenosine A1 receptor has been found to be most highly expressed in the brain, with lower expression in other tissues such as the testis, pancreas, and heart.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
The Mareth Line constituted one of two fronts in the Tunisia Campaign, the second being to the north-west, where the British First Army and American II Corps, firmly established in formerly Vichy-held Morocco and Algeria following Operation Torch in November 1942, were gradually pushing the Axis forces under Hans-Jürgen von Arnim back towards Tunis. After von Arnim won a decisive victory over the Americans at the Battle of Sidi Bou Zid in mid-February 1943, destroying over 100 US tanks, the Eighteenth Army Group was formed under the British General Harold Alexander to co-ordinate the actions of the Allied forces on both Tunisian fronts. The Eighth Army under Montgomery spent February at Medinine in south-eastern Tunisia. Expecting an imminent attack by the Axis, the Eighth Army mustered every anti-tank gun it could from Egypt and Libya. The 102nd (Northumberland Hussars) Anti-Tank Regiment, including the Rhodesian Anti-Tank Battery under Major Savory, duly advanced west from Benghazi and reached the front on 5 March 1943. The Germans and Italians assaulted Medinine the next day, but failed to make much progress and abandoned their attack by the evening. The Rhodesian gunners, held in reserve, did not take part in the engagement but were attacked from the air. The Rhodesians of the KRRC, now under the 7th Motor Brigade, moved up from Libya during early March. No. 237 (Rhodesia) Squadron, which had spent 1942 and the first months of 1943 in Iran and Iraq, returned to North Africa the same month, with the future Prime Minister Ian Smith in its ranks as a Hurricane pilot.
== Terminology == The term "fibromyalgia" was derived from Neo-Latin fibro- (meaning 'fibrous tissues'), Greek μυο- (myo-, 'muscle'), and Greek άλγος (algos, 'pain'). Thus, the term literally means "muscle and fibrous connective tissue pain". Thus, this term is inaccurate and misleading, as it only reflects a part of the symptom set. The term "FM" is increasingly used.
However, the direct calorimetric method generally overestimates the actual energy that the body can obtain from the food, because it also counts the energy contents of dietary fiber and other indigestible components, and does not allow for partial absorption and/or incomplete metabolism of certain substances. For this reason, today the energy content of food is instead obtained indirectly, by using chemical analysis to determine the amount of each digestible dietary component (such as protein, carbohydrates, and fats), and adding the respective food energy contents, previously obtained by measurement of metabolic heat released by the body. In particular, the fibre content is excluded. This method is known as the Modified Atwater system, after Wilbur Atwater who pioneered these measurements in the late 19th century. The system was later improved by Annabel Merrill and Bernice Watt of the USDA, who derived a system whereby specific calorie conversion factors for different foods were proposed.
A humanized mouse is a genetically modified mouse that has functioning human genes, cells, tissues and/or organs. Humanized mice are commonly used as small animal models in biological and medical research for human therapeutics. A humanized mouse or a humanized mouse model is one that has been xenotransplanted with human cells and/or engineered to express human gene products, so as to be utilized for gaining relevant insights in the in vivo context for understanding of human-specific physiology and pathologies. Several human biological processes have been explored using animal models like rodents and non-human primates. In particular, small animals such as mice are advantageous in such studies owing to their small size, brief reproductive cycle, easy handling and due to the genomic and physiological similarities with humans; moreover, these animals can also be genetically modified easily. Nevertheless, there are several incongruencies of these animal systems with those of humans, especially with regard to the components of the immune system. To overcome these limitations and to realize the full potential of animal models to enable researchers to get a clear picture of the nature and pathogenesis of immune responses mounted against human-specific pathogens, humanized mouse models have been developed. Such mouse models have also become an integral aspect of preclinical biomedical research.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
It is a synthetic peptide of seven amino acids. Its backbone corresponds to a fragment of adrenocorticotropic hormone extended at the carboxyl end. The material is distributed as a lyophilized solid for laboratory use.
The extension was introduced to slow enzymatic breakdown of the peptide in biological systems. Natural ACTH fragments are degraded rapidly by peptidases. Adding the tripeptide was intended to extend the window during which the molecule remains intact.
Most published work consists of animal experiments conducted in a small number of laboratories. Human data are limited in number and size. Whether the observed effects translate into reliable clinical benefit is still unresolved.
It is described as a synthetic analogue of the ACTH(4–10) fragment, a short segment of adrenocorticotropic hormone. Its sequence differs from that fragment and includes two proline residues, which influence stability and behaviour in solution.