Research Reference · Brain & Stress Signaling
Selank
A synthetic seven-amino-acid peptide built on tuftsin, studied for its effects on GABA, enkephalin and immune signaling in stress research.
At a glance
Selank is a synthetic seven-amino-acid peptide. It starts with tuftsin, a short natural immune peptide, and ends with a Pro-Gly-Pro tail that makes it more stable. It was developed in Russia. Research looks at stress and anxiety-related signaling — GABA, enkephalins and immune genes. Most of the evidence is from cell and animal studies, plus one small human trial.
What it’s studied for
GABA signaling
Changed the activity of GABA-related and other signaling genes in rat brain. 3 Alone, it changed none in nerve-like cells. 4
Animal & cellEnkephalin breakdown
Slowed the enzymes that break down enkephalins in human plasma samples. 2
Test-tubeEarly human study
Compared with the drug medazepam in 62 patients with generalized anxiety disorder or neurasthenia. 1
HumanSelank + Sermorelin
Selank + Sermorelin (10mg) · $49.99
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How it works
Selank is a seven-amino-acid peptide. Its first four amino acids, Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg, are tuftsin — a natural immune peptide that comes from the antibody protein IgG. A Pro-Gly-Pro tail was added to make it more stable. 4 It was developed in Russia, at the Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Russian Academy of Sciences with the Zakusov Institute of Pharmacology. 4 Semax, a related peptide, ends in the same Pro-Gly-Pro tail.
Much of the research centers on GABA, the brain’s main calming signal. In rats, Selank changed the activity of 45 nerve-signaling genes within one hour, in a pattern that matched GABA’s own effects. 3 In a human nerve-like cell line, Selank alone changed none of the genes tested. Given together with GABA, it nearly cancelled GABA’s gene changes. 4
Older work points to enkephalins, natural opioid-like peptides. In human plasma samples, Selank slowed the enzymes that break them down. 2 A small 2008 trial, published in Russian, compared it with the drug medazepam in 62 patients with generalized anxiety disorder or neurasthenia. The authors reported similar anxiety-scale results in both groups and tracked enkephalin activity in the blood. 1 It is one small study.
Because tuftsin is an immune peptide, Selank has also been studied for immune effects. In mouse spleen, one injection shifted several inflammation-related genes within 30 to 90 minutes. 6 In rats kept under chronic mild stress, it was tested alone and with diazepam in a standard anxiety maze. 5
Related research
Frequently asked questions
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Identifiers
| Name | Selank |
|---|---|
| Other names | TP-7 · TKPRPGP |
| Class | Synthetic heptapeptide (tuftsin analogue) |
| Sequence |
Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg-Pro-Gly-Pro |
| Molecular formula | C33H57N11O9 |
| Molecular weight | 751.9 g/mol |
| CAS number | 129954-34-3 |
| PubChem CID · UNII | 11765600 · TS9JR8EP1G |
Identifiers checked against PubChem (CID 11765600). The sequence also matches the FDA GSRS record for UNII TS9JR8EP1G.
Research timeline
- 2001Selank slows enkephalin-degrading enzymes in human plasma. 2
- 2008Small trial compares it with medazepam in 62 patients with generalized anxiety disorder or neurasthenia. 1
- 2014Time course of inflammation-related gene changes in mouse spleen. 6
- 2016Changes GABA- and signaling-related gene activity in rat brain. 3
- 2017No direct gene effect in nerve-like cells 4; tested with diazepam in chronically stressed rats. 5
Key studies
| Study | Model | What it found |
|---|---|---|
| Zozulia 2008 1 | 62 patients | Anxiety-scale results similar to medazepam; blood enkephalin activity tracked during the study. |
| Zozulya 2001 2 | Human plasma (test tube) | Slowed enkephalin breakdown, more strongly than the enzyme blockers bacitracin and puromycin. |
| Volkova 2016 3 | Rat | 45 signaling genes changed at 1 hour and 22 at 3 hours; the pattern correlated with GABA. |
| Filatova 2017 4 | Human nerve-like cells | No gene changes alone; nearly cancelled GABA-driven gene changes when combined. |
| Kasian 2017 5 | Rat | With diazepam under chronic stress, anxiety-maze measures matched pre-stress values. |
| Kolomin 2014 6 | Mouse | C3 gene activity fell about 3-fold within 30 minutes; other immune genes shifted by 90 minutes. |
Sources
- Efficacy and possible mechanisms of action of a new peptide anxiolytic selank in the therapy of generalized anxiety disorders and neurasthenia. Zozulia AA, et al. Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova, 2008. Human trial
- The inhibitory effect of Selank on enkephalin-degrading enzymes as a possible mechanism of its anxiolytic activity. Zozulya AA, et al. Bull Exp Biol Med, 2001.
- Selank Administration Affects the Expression of Some Genes Involved in GABAergic Neurotransmission. Volkova A, et al. Front Pharmacol, 2016. Free full text
- GABA, Selank, and Olanzapine Affect the Expression of Genes Involved in GABAergic Neurotransmission in IMR-32 Cells. Filatova E, et al. Front Pharmacol, 2017. Free full text
- Peptide Selank Enhances the Effect of Diazepam in Reducing Anxiety in Unpredictable Chronic Mild Stress Conditions in Rats. Kasian A, et al. Behav Neurol, 2017. Free full text
- The temporary dynamics of inflammation-related genes expression under tuftsin analog Selank action. Kolomin T, et al. Mol Immunol, 2014.
Last reviewed November 2026 by Midwest Compounds. Every source above was checked against its original publication.