Selank Spray 10 mg

One-Peptides SELANK 10 mg — tuftsin analogue nasal spray for laboratory research

This product is a reagent intended solely for scientific research (Research Use Only, RUO) conducted under laboratory conditions. It is not a medicinal product, dietary supplement, cosmetic or medical device. It is not intended for consumption or for administration to humans or animals outside a strictly controlled, legally compliant research protocol. The material holds no registration authorising it for diagnostic or therapeutic applications. Responsibility for the lawful storage, handling and use of the reagent rests with the research facility.

Selank derives from the same scientific tradition as the better-known Semax — the Russian school of regulatory peptidology, which from the 1980s onwards developed the idea of rationally modifying short fragments of endogenous proteins. The starting point here was tuftsin: a natural tetrapeptide derived from the Fc portion of immunoglobulin G, described as an immune-modulating factor. A team from the Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Russian Academy of Sciences took this sequence and extended it with a stabilising motif, obtaining a heptapeptide with considerably greater stability in the biological environment. This is how Selank arose — a molecule studied by Russian scientists in the anxiolytic, nootropic and immunomodulatory context.

One-Peptides offers Selank as a pre-dissolved solution in a nasal spray, with a content of 10 mg, as a research material of purity confirmed by HPLC. The choice of this format is not accidental. Selank is a centrally acting peptide, and in the Russian literature it was studied precisely in the form of drops and spray for intranasal administration — a route that has long interested neuroscience as a way of transporting molecules along the nose-to-brain axis. Below we present an honest picture of what is known about Selank from the literature, drawing a clear distinction between the data from studies and the status of the reagent, and noting that a substantial part of the available work comes from Russian literature with limited independent replication.

Selank is a synthetic heptapeptide built from seven amino acid residues with the sequence Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg-Pro-Gly-Pro and a molecular mass of approximately 751 Da. It is an analogue of tuftsin — a natural fragment of an immunoglobulin — extended at the C-terminus with a Pro-Gly-Pro sequence that protects against enzymatic degradation. It was developed at the Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Russian Academy of Sciences; in the literature it is analysed in the anxiolytic and nootropic context, as well as in relation to modulation of the GABA and monoamine systems and to immunomodulation.

What Selank is — sequence and class

Selank belongs to the group of synthetic regulatory peptides designed as stable analogues of natural endogenous molecules. Its prototype is tuftsin — a tetrapeptide with the sequence Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg, excised from the Fc portion of immunoglobulin G and described in the literature as a factor with immunomodulatory properties. The problem with tuftsin from a research perspective was its rapid degradation, which is why the Russian team extended the sequence with a C-terminal Pro-Gly-Pro motif. The result is a heptapeptide with the sequence Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg-Pro-Gly-Pro, considerably more resistant to the action of aminopeptidases and carboxypeptidases.

The same design solution recurs in the related Semax (Met-Glu-His-Phe-Pro-Gly-Pro) — the proline residues adjacent to glycine form a structural anchor that hinders cleavage by proteolytic enzymes in serum and nervous tissue. This recurring Pro-Gly-Pro motif has become a hallmark of the Russian school of regulatory peptidology. Although Selank and Semax derive from different prototypes — the first from tuftsin, the second from a fragment of ACTH — they share the same design philosophy: take a short fragment of an endogenous protein, retain its active core and add anti-degradation protection.

Chemical characterisation

The sequence Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg-Pro-Gly-Pro is rich in proline residues, which gives the peptide a more rigid conformation and limits the number of sites susceptible to enzymatic cleavage. The N-terminal fragment Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg corresponds to the tuftsin sequence and constitutes the core to which the biological activity of the molecule has been linked in the literature. Its small mass, approximately 751 Da, places Selank in the group of small peptides — a feature of relevance from the perspective of research into transport across biological barriers.

Mechanism of action in research

The mechanism of action of Selank has been described in the literature as pleiotropic — the peptide was analysed in relation to its effect on several signalling systems in parallel, without a single, isolated target receptor. The picture below stems from preclinical work, in large part from Russian literature.

• Modulation of the GABA system. The most frequently cited mechanistic direction. In animal models, the effect of Selank on inhibitory neurotransmission was analysed, including its effect on the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) system. In this context, studies suggest that the peptide may act on processes associated with central inhibition — a mechanism that the literature has linked to the anxiolytic activity observed in models. It should be emphasised that these are observations from experimental models, not a confirmed effect in humans.
• Effect on the monoamine and enkephalin systems. In preclinical work, the effect of Selank on monoaminergic neurotransmission — serotonergic and dopaminergic — and on the enkephalin system was studied. Some studies pointed to inhibition of enkephalinase activity, that is, the enzymes that break down endogenous opioid peptides, which would indirectly prolong the action of these molecules. This mechanism was analysed as one of the possible elements of the peptide’s neuromodulatory profile.
• BDNF expression and gene regulation. In animal models, the effect of Selank on gene expression in brain structures was analysed, including on the level of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and on transcriptional profiles in the hippocampus. Studies reported changes in the expression of genes associated with neuroplasticity and the stress response. Here too, the picture comes from preclinical work and requires cautious interpretation.
• The tuftsin system and immunomodulation. Owing to its origin in tuftsin — a natural fragment of an immunoglobulin — Selank was also studied in the immunomodulatory context. In the literature, its potential effect on immune-response parameters and on cytokine expression was analysed in experimental models. This area follows directly from the biological origin of the sequence core.

Nasal spray format — research context

Intranasal administration has for years been analysed as a route that may facilitate the transport of selected molecules to the central nervous system, bypassing some of the barriers that limit systemic distribution. This mechanism, described as the nose-to-brain axis, relates to the anatomical proximity of the olfactory epithelium and CNS structures, and to transport along the pathways of the olfactory and trigeminal nerves.

In the case of Selank, the nasal spray format has a firmer grounding in the literature than for many other research peptides. Russian scientists studied Selank precisely in the form of drops and spray for intranasal administration, including in clinical studies conducted in the Russian Federation — the intranasal route was the primary mode of administration analysed in those experiments. This constitutes a genuine research precedent for this form, distinguishing Selank from peptides for which the rationale for a spray rests solely on the general logic of nose-to-brain transport.

Two things must, however, be clearly separated. The Russian studies on intranasal administration of Selank are one matter, and the status of the RUO reagent offered by One-Peptides is another — this is not a medicinal form and has no application in administration to humans. It should also be honestly noted that a substantial part of the available data comes from Russian literature, and independent replication by Western research groups remains limited. Claims about the peptide’s activity profile via this route of administration should therefore be treated as arising from a particular body of research, rather than as universally confirmed facts.

Applications in scientific research

Selank nasal spray finds application in several areas of laboratory work, always within controlled research protocols conducted on in vitro and animal models.

1. In behavioural research, the peptide is used as a reference material in the classic paradigms modelling anxiety and stress responses in rodents — such as the elevated plus maze test, the open field test and conflict tests. In these models, activity described as anxiolytic was analysed, although work of this kind concerns experimental animal models only and does not translate directly into effects in humans.
2. In the area of neuromodulation, Selank serves as a tool for studying effects at the level of the central nervous system — the effect on inhibitory and monoaminergic neurotransmission and on the enkephalin system. Comparative work with the related Semax additionally provides a tool for studying mechanistic selectivity within peptides bearing the Pro-Gly-Pro motif.
3. The third direction is the analysis of gene expression and neuroplasticity. Selank is used in research into changes in transcriptional profiles in brain structures, including BDNF expression and genes associated with the stress response. In addition, the nasal spray format makes it possible to conduct methodological research into the intranasal route of administration itself — into the stability of the peptide in solution, kinetics, and the comparison of different routes of administration in models.

One Peptides quality specification

One-Peptides supplies Selank as a research material of analytically confirmed quality, with full documentation accompanying each batch.

• Purity HPLC ≥98% — each batch is analysed by high-performance liquid chromatography, which allows the high purity of the peptide to be confirmed. The area of the main peak constitutes at least 98% of the sum of areas in the chromatogram.
• Identity confirmation by MS — mass spectrometry serves to verify the molecular mass and sequence identity, which is the binding criterion for identifying the peptide.
• Certificate of analysis (COA) for each batch — a certificate documenting the sequence, theoretical and measured mass, the HPLC result and the batch number is enclosed with each batch.
• Cold chain 2–8°C — the material is stored and transported under refrigerated conditions, which favours the preservation of its integrity.
• Batch traceability — the batch number makes it possible to link a specific package with the analytical documentation and the full history of provenance.

This scope of quality control allows research teams to work with material of known and documented characteristics, which is a condition for the reproducibility of results in laboratory work.

Safety and limitations

In animal models, Selank was generally described as a well-tolerated peptide, with no clear signs of toxicity within the range of the experimental conditions analysed. Some Russian work pointed to a favourable tolerability profile also in studies involving humans conducted in centres there. No far-reaching conclusions should, however, be drawn from this — these observations come from a particular body of research and have not been widely replicated by independent Western groups.

The most important limitation remains the scarcity of independent data. A substantial part of the literature concerning Selank comes from Russian literature, and a rigorous, independently replicated base of studies — especially long-term human data outside Russian centres — is limited. The absence of documented warning signals in the available work is not equivalent to a confirmed, universal safety profile.

For this reason, Selank remains a material of an exclusively research character, and any observations regarding its activity should be related to the experimental context in which they were obtained. Work with the reagent should be carried out in accordance with the principles of good laboratory practice and appropriate safety procedures, by qualified personnel.

Regulatory status and WADA

Selank is classified as a reagent for scientific research (Research Use Only) and is offered in that capacity. The peptide holds no registration as a medicinal product in the European Union or in the United States, nor is it authorised as a dietary supplement or medical device. It holds no marketing authorisation issued by the EMA, the FDA or any national registration authority in the EU. This means that it is not subject to the authorisation procedures proper to medicines and may not be presented as an agent with established therapeutic activity.

The registration of Selank as a medicine in the Russian Federation, where applicable, would constitute a separate, geographically limited regulatory framework with no application in the EU. The RUO reagent sold in the EU — including by One-Peptides — is not a medicinal form of Selank.

With regard to anti-doping regulations, according to the available information Selank is not listed by name on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) prohibited list of substances and methods. The regulatory status of a substance may, however, change, and the interpretation of prohibited lists can be complex. For this reason, verification of the current status — both anti-doping and legal in a given jurisdiction — remains the responsibility of the researcher and the institution conducting the research. One-Peptides does not provide legal or regulatory advice.

Frequently asked questions

What is Selank and how is it related to tuftsin?
Selank is a synthetic heptapeptide with the sequence Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg-Pro-Gly-Pro and a mass of approximately 751 Da, developed at the Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Its N-terminal fragment Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg corresponds to the sequence of tuftsin — a natural tetrapeptide derived from the Fc portion of immunoglobulin G. Selank is thus an analogue of tuftsin, extended with a Pro-Gly-Pro motif that protects against enzymatic degradation. One-Peptides offers it as a reagent for laboratory research (RUO), not as a product for use in humans.

What do studies say about anxiolytic activity?
In animal models — in the classic paradigms modelling anxiety, such as the elevated plus maze or the open field — the activity of Selank described as anxiolytic was analysed, linked in the literature to modulation of the GABA and monoamine systems. Two things must, however, be emphasised: these are observations from experimental models, not a confirmed effect in humans, and a substantial part of the data comes from Russian literature with limited independent replication. This remains a research hypothesis, not an established fact.

What is the mechanism of action of Selank?
The mechanism was described as pleiotropic, without a single isolated receptor. In preclinical work, the following were analysed: modulation of the GABA system, an effect on monoaminergic and enkephalin neurotransmission (including inhibition of enkephalinases), an effect on gene expression and BDNF level, and — owing to its origin in tuftsin — immunomodulatory activity. This picture stems from preclinical studies and requires further, independent verification.

Why the nasal spray format?
Selank is a centrally acting peptide, and in the Russian literature it was studied precisely in the form of drops and spray for intranasal administration, which makes this form grounded in the literature. The intranasal route interests neuroscience as a way of transporting molecules along the nose-to-brain axis. The nasal spray format was developed as a tool for research into this route of administration; it is not a medicinal form, nor a form intended for application in humans.

How should the material be stored to preserve stability?
Selank in the form of a pre-dissolved solution requires storage under refrigerated conditions, in the range of 2–8°C (cold chain), with limited exposure to light and to repeated temperature fluctuations. The Pro-Gly-Pro motif at the C-terminus increases the peptide’s resistance to degradation, which favours its stability in solution. Detailed recommendations regarding stability can be found in the certificate of analysis (COA) enclosed with each batch. The material should be handled in accordance with the principles applicable to research reagents.

Bibliography

1. Kozlovskaya MM et al. (2003). Selank and short peptides of the tuftsin family in the regulation of adaptive behavior in stress
2. Volkova A et al. (2016). Selank administration affects the expression of some genes involved in GABAergic neurotransmission
3. Semenova TP et al. (2010). Effects of Selank on the behavior and expression of neurotrophic factors in the rat brain (Russian literature; DOI not verified)
4. Zozulya AA et al. (2008). Efficacy and possible mechanisms of action of a new peptide anxiolytic Selank (Russian literature; DOI not verified)

This material is a reagent intended exclusively for research purposes (Research Use Only). It is not a medicinal product, dietary supplement or medical device, and may not be used in diagnosis or therapy in humans or animals. The information contained in the description is scientific and informational in character, relates to data from the literature obtained under experimental conditions — in large part from Russian literature with limited independent replication — and does not constitute medical, pharmaceutical or legal advice. All activities involving the reagent must be carried out by qualified personnel under laboratory conditions, in accordance with the applicable regulations. Full responsibility for the lawful use of the material rests with the purchaser.