Selank is a seven-residue peptide made at the Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Russian Academy of Sciences. It joins tuftsin, a natural four-residue immune peptide, to a Pro-Gly-Pro tail that slows its breakdown.1
Nearly all of the research is from Russian groups and published in Russian journals. That includes small clinical studies in anxiety that few outside readers can check. Treat the evidence as thin and regional.
7
751.9 g/mol
Mostly Russian
Not named
Identity
Fig. 1 · Sequence map. The added Pro-Gly-Pro tail is shaded; residues 1–4 are tuftsin.
| Value | |
|---|---|
| Developer | Institute of Molecular Genetics, Russian Academy of Sciences |
| Based on | Tuftsin (TKPR) plus Pro-Gly-Pro |
| Formula | C33H57N11O9 |
| Avg mass | 751.9 g/mol |
| CAS | 129954-34-3 |
What the studies measured
| Area | Model | What was measured | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anxiety | Patients with anxiety disorders, Russian clinical study | Anxiety scores, compared with a benzodiazepine | [2] |
| Immune | Patients with anxiety-asthenic disorders | Immune markers in blood | [3] |
| Brain chemistry | Rats | BDNF in the hippocampus | [4] |
| Enzymes | In vitro | Inhibition of enkephalin-degrading enzymes | [5] |
| Behaviour | Rats | Depression-like behaviour and learning | [6] |
Regulatory and sport status
| Where | Status |
|---|---|
| UK, EU, US | Not licensed. Not a controlled drug in the UK. May not be supplied or promoted for human use. |
| Russia | Used clinically in Russia. Its exact registration should be checked against the Russian state register. |
| Sport | Not named on the WADA list. Whether class S0 applies depends on its Russian approval status.7 |
Open questions
- Independent replication. Almost no studies come from outside the developing institute and its partners.
- The size and design of the clinical studies, which are reported briefly in Russian-language journals.
- Mechanism. Enzyme inhibition, BDNF and immune effects have all been proposed.
Common questions
What is Selank?
A seven-residue peptide made from tuftsin, a natural immune peptide, with a three-residue tail added to slow its breakdown.
Where does the research come from?
Mostly from the Russian institute that developed it, published in Russian journals.
Has it been tested in people?
In small Russian clinical studies of anxiety. Their full data are hard to check from outside Russia.
Is it banned in sport?
It is not named on the WADA list. Athletes should check with their anti-doping body.
How is it related to Semax?
Both come from the same institute and share the Pro-Gly-Pro tail. Semax is built on a fragment of ACTH instead of tuftsin.
See also
References
- Wikipedia. Selank, for identifiers and origin, checked 2 Nov 2026.
- Zozulia AA, et al. Efficacy and possible mechanisms of action of a new peptide anxiolytic selank in the therapy of generalized anxiety disorders and neurasthenia. Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova. 2008;108(4):38–48. PMID 18454096
- Uchakina ON, et al. Immunomodulatory effects of selank in patients with anxiety-asthenic disorders. Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova. 2008;108(5):71–75. PMID 18577961
- Inozemtseva LS, et al. Intranasal administration of the peptide Selank regulates BDNF expression in the rat hippocampus in vivo. Dokl Biol Sci. 2008;421:241–243. PMID 18841804
- Kost NV, et al. Semax and selank inhibit the enkephalin-degrading enzymes from human serum. Bioorg Khim. 2001;27(3):180–183. PMID 11443939
- Semenova TP, et al. [Selank and learning and memory in rats]. 2010. PMID 20919548
- World Anti-Doping Agency. The 2026 Prohibited List. wada-ama.org
Peptidarium Library. Selank (entry 0011), revision 1.0, 2 November 2026. peptidarium.com/library/selank
Revision history
| Rev | Date | Change | By |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 | 2 Nov 2026 | Entry created. | [Scientific editor] |
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