Selank
Tuftsin analog + Pro-Gly-Pro
Calm without sedation.
Half-life
~ short (intranasal)
Mol. weight
750.8 g/mol
Sequence
Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg-Pro-Gly-Pro
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Overview
A synthetic heptapeptide (Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg-Pro-Gly-Pro) developed as an analog of tuftsin — a naturally occurring immunomodulatory tetrapeptide derived from immunoglobulin G — and approved in Russia as an anxiolytic. Its defining property is reducing anxiety without the sedation, tolerance, or dependence characteristic of benzodiazepines, alongside secondary immunomodulatory and nootropic actions.
Mechanism of action
Selank functions as a positive allosteric modulator of GABA-A receptors, enhancing GABA binding to calm neural activity — but, distinct from benzodiazepines, it does so without sedation. It also inhibits enkephalin-degrading enzymes, extending the half-life of the brain's endogenous opioid signaling molecules involved in stress response and affective regulation. Additionally, it modulates serotonin metabolism and influences gene expression in the GABAergic system. Its origin in tuftsin gives it parallel immunomodulatory activity, linking the immune and nervous systems in a way no classic anxiolytic does.
Researched benefits
- Anxiolytic without sedation, tolerance, or dependence
- Positive allosteric modulation of GABA-A
- Inhibits enkephalin-degrading enzymes (stress resilience)
- Immunomodulatory activity via tuftsin origin
Considerations
- Clinical evidence largely from Russian institutions
- Not FDA-approved
- Strictly research context outside approved regions
Key Academic Literature & Studies
Search more in PubMedPeer-reviewed citations and clinical trials evaluating Selank in scientific literature.
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View Selank index on PubMed (NCBI)