DSIP: the basics
What is it?
A chain of nine amino acids first found in rabbit blood in the 1970s. Scientists named it after slow brain waves seen in deep sleep, because it increased them in rabbits.
Research paper 1 ↗Research paper 2 ↗Research paper 3 ↗Research paper 4 ↗What do people claim it helps with?
Better, deeper sleep, less stress and help with withdrawal. These claims are not backed by reliable modern human research.
What has research actually shown?
Some small 1980s studies reported better sleep, but later controlled trials found weak or clinically unimportant effects. Scientists still have not found its gene or receptor.
Research paper 1 ↗Research paper 2 ↗Research paper 3 ↗Research paper 4 ↗Has this been demonstrated in people?
Rabbit experiments plus a few small human sleep-lab studies from the 1980s and 1990s, and one small anaesthesia study from 2009.
Research paper 1 ↗Research paper 2 ↗Research paper 3 ↗Research paper 4 ↗What side effects, risks and unknowns should I understand?
Human safety data are thin and old. FDA warns compounded versions may trigger immune reactions or contain peptide impurities.
FDA safety information 1 ↗Research paper 2 ↗Is it an approved medicine?
No FDA-approved medicine contains this peptide. Availability online or through a clinic does not mean it has been approved.
FDA safety information ↗Approval here means U.S. FDA approval and applies to a particular product, formulation and use. This is a starting overview, not a complete side-effect list. Sources checked 10 October 2026; independent scientific review pending.
How is it used or studied?
Older studies gave it by injection into a vein under medical supervision. There is no FDA-approved formulation.
Different routes and formulations can have different effects. A study of one product does not validate every product with the same peptide name.
A common misunderstanding
The name says 'sleep-inducing', but that label came from rabbit experiments, not from proof that it helps people sleep.
What should I ask a clinician?
- What diagnosis or goal are we trying to address, and what established options are available?
- Was the expected benefit shown in people like me, using this exact product?
- How could my medicines, health conditions or pregnancy plans affect the risks?
- What monitoring is needed, and what would tell us the treatment is helping or should be stopped?
What do the research words mean?
- Peptide
- A short chain of amino acids, the building blocks of proteins.
- Preclinical
- Research in cells, tissues or animals before dependable treatment evidence in people.
- Controlled trial
- A study comparing a treatment with another treatment or a placebo to help separate its effects from other explanations.
- Biomarker
- A measurement, such as a hormone level. A change does not necessarily mean someone feels better or lives longer.
DSIP Evidence & Clinical Profile
Human Study Limits
DSIP has been investigated in clinical contexts. Patient outcomes must be evaluated against study size, design, and control cohorts.
Laboratory & In Vivo Assays
Cellular and animal disease models examine receptor binding affinities and signaling cascades, which require human confirmation.
What is DSIP?
Delta Sleep-Inducing Peptide (Emideltide) is DSIP is a nine-amino-acid peptide first isolated from rabbits in the 1970s and named for slow-wave EEG changes in those animals. Small human insomnia studies from the 1980s and 1990s gave conflicting results, and no gene or receptor for it has been identified. It is not an approved medicine. Aliases include: Delta Sleep-Inducing Peptide, Emideltide, Trp-Ala-Gly-Gly-Asp-Ala-Ser-Gly-Glu, WAGGDASGE.
- Sequence (one-letter)
- WAGGDASGE
- Molecular formula
- C35H48N10O15
- Molecular weight
- 848.8 g/mol
- CAS Number
- 62568-57-4
- UNII Code
- YN28Z5YZ73
- PubChem CID
- 68816
Identifiers checked against PubChem and FDA's Global Substance Registration System on 13 October 2026. FDA substance record ↗ · PubChem record ↗ See all names and codes in the peptide name index.
Clinical Trials & Human Cohorts
Human research can examine tolerability, symptoms or patient outcomes. The design and comparator determine what each result can establish.
Effects of delta-sleep-inducing peptide on 24-hour sleep-wake behaviour in severe chronic insomnia [2]
What was reported
The author reported improved night sleep, daytime alertness and performance with DSIP.
What limits the conclusion
Very small, single-investigator report from a researcher who had co-authored earlier DSIP work with its discoverers. Not confirmed by later independent trials.
Study of delta sleep-inducing peptide efficacy in improving sleep on short-term administration to chronic insomniacs [3]
What was reported
Some sleep measures moved in DSIP's favor, but the differences already existed at baseline; the authors judged the improvement of little clinical significance.
What limits the conclusion
Small, short, sample size unclear from the abstract.
Effects of delta sleep-inducing peptide on sleep of chronic insomniac patients. A double-blind study [4]
What was reported
Small objective differences were weak and partly explained by changes in the placebo group; subjective sleep quality did not change.
What limits the conclusion
Small and short. The authors concluded short-term DSIP is unlikely to be of major therapeutic benefit.
Delta sleep-inducing peptide alters bispectral index, the electroencephalogram and heart rate variability when used as an adjunct to isoflurane anaesthesia [5]
What was reported
Contrary to the hypothesis, DSIP reduced delta rhythm, raised heart rate and appeared to lighten anaesthetic depth.
What limits the conclusion
Small specialist setting; measures brain activity under anaesthesia, not sleep quality.
How the compound may work
Mechanisms describe how DSIP may affect biological processes. Laboratory findings and patient outcomes answer different questions.
Original rabbit EEG findings
The synthetic nonapeptide enhanced delta and spindle EEG patterns when infused into rabbit brain ventricles. Animal EEG changes do not show that it improves human sleep. [1]
No identified gene or receptor
A 2006 review called the link between DSIP and sleep 'extremely poorly documented' because no DSIP gene, precursor protein or receptor had been isolated. [6]
Areas Being Studied
These research topics reflect active areas of scientific exploration, distinct from unverified commercial marketing claims.
Insomnia
Early positive reports were followed by trials finding weak or clinically insignificant effects. [4]
Anaesthesia depth
Tested as an add-on to anaesthesia; it had the opposite of the expected effect on EEG depth measures. [5]
Compounding safety
FDA flags possible immune reactions and impurity concerns and says it lacks safety information for compounded emideltide. [7]
Compare the study designs.
| Study | Design / sample | Outcome type | Key limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chronic insomnia, 7 nights · 1987 [2] | Placebo-controlled, double-blind study over 7 nights with sleep-lab recordings n = 14 |
Clinical endpoint evaluation | Very small, single-investigator report from a researcher who had co-authored earlier DSIP work with its discoverers. Not confirmed by later independent trials. |
| Insomnia crossover · 1987 [3] | Double-blind placebo-controlled crossover with polysomnography n = not stated in abstract |
Clinical endpoint evaluation | Small, short, sample size unclear from the abstract. |
| Insomnia, matched pairs · 1992 [4] | Double-blind matched-pairs parallel-group study, 5 lab nights n = 16 |
Clinical endpoint evaluation | Small and short. The authors concluded short-term DSIP is unlikely to be of major therapeutic benefit. |
| Anaesthesia EEG study · 2009 [5] | Randomized study versus saline in surgical patients n = 24 |
Clinical endpoint evaluation | Small specialist setting; measures brain activity under anaesthesia, not sleep quality. |
Regulatory Status & Clinical Safety
Regulatory Classification
United States, checked 11 October 2026: no FDA-approved medicine contains DSIP (emideltide). FDA lists emideltide among bulk drug substances that may present significant safety risks in compounding, citing possible immunogenicity, peptide-related impurities and a lack of safety information for the proposed route. No ClinicalTrials.gov record for DSIP or emideltide was found.
Safety Realities & Impurities
Safety depends on the molecule, formulation, route and evidence. A laboratory purity measurement alone cannot establish safety for human use.
Clinical Trials Registry Records
Official registry records from ClinicalTrials.gov. Study registration does not imply government endorsement or guaranteed efficacy.
WADA & Anti-Doping Regulations
WADA Anti-Doping Status
DSIP is not prohibited under current World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) regulations. However, athletes must ensure unregulated preparations or unverified vendor products do not violate Section S0 (Non-approved substances). Last verified: October 2026.
Research Timeline
-
1977
Isolated in rabbits
Researchers sequence a nine-amino-acid peptide linked to delta EEG changes in rabbits. [1]
-
1981
First insomnia report
A short Lancet report from the discovering group describes improved sleep in insomniacs. [8]
-
1992
Weak effects
A double-blind trial concludes DSIP is unlikely to be of major therapeutic benefit for insomnia. [4]
-
2006
Still unresolved
A review calls DSIP 'a still unresolved riddle' with no identified gene or receptor. [6]
-
2026
FDA compounding concern
Emideltide appears on FDA's list of bulk substances that may present significant safety risks. [7]
What Researchers Still Don't Know
Long-term safety profiles
Multi-year observational data in broader heterogeneous cohorts remains uncharacterized.
Optimal dose-response thresholds
Comparative trials optimizing minimal effective exposure versus adverse event rates.
Formulation bioavailability
Differences between oral, subcutaneous, and modified peptide delivery vehicles.
References
Primary sources verified against PubMed / NLM and regulatory databases.
-
Original animal research
Characterization of a delta-electroencephalogram (-sleep)-inducing peptide ↗ (external website)
- Small controlled trial
- Small controlled crossover trial
- Small double-blind trial
- Small randomized study
-
Review
Delta sleep-inducing peptide (DSIP): a still unresolved riddle ↗ (external website)
- FDA compounding safety list
-
Early clinical letter
Synthetic delta-sleep-inducing peptide improves sleep in insomniacs ↗ (external website)