Selank: the basics
What is it?
A synthetic peptide based on tuftsin, an immune-system peptide, investigated for anxiety-related effects.
Research paper ↗What do people claim it helps with?
Less anxiety, improved mood and better focus. These are not established FDA-approved uses.
What has research actually shown?
A small human study reported anxiety-related improvements, alongside laboratory research. It does not establish comparative effectiveness or long-term outcomes in a broad patient population.
Research paper ↗Has this been demonstrated in people?
Limited human reports and preclinical research. Larger, independently replicated controlled trials would be needed for confidence in routine treatment.
Research paper ↗What side effects, risks and unknowns should I understand?
Long-term effects, interactions and dependable side-effect rates remain unclear. FDA notes limited safety information.
FDA safety information ↗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?
Studied using specific research preparations. There is no FDA-approved treatment formulation; an online vial, capsule or spray is not necessarily the product used in a study.
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
A reassuring experience or small study does not show that it is safer than established anxiety treatments.
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.
Selank Evidence & Clinical Profile
Human Study Limits
Selank 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 Selank?
Heptapeptide Selank (Tuftsin-Derived Analogue) is A synthetic heptapeptide derived from the immunomodulatory tetrapeptide tuftsin, elongated with a Pro-Gly-Pro sequence for enzymatic stability. Evaluated in Russian trials for generalized anxiety disorder, but unapproved by the FDA or EMA. Aliases include: TP-7, Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg-Pro-Gly-Pro.
- Sequence (one-letter)
- TKPRPGP
- Molecular formula
- C33H57N11O9
- Molecular weight
- 751.9 g/mol
- CAS Number
- 129954-34-3
- UNII Code
- TS9JR8EP1G
- PubChem CID
- 11765600
Identifiers are for the free base; selank diacetate carries UNII Q94Z9E92UU.
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.
Comparative Efficacy of Selank and Medazepam in Generalized Anxiety Disorder [1]
What was reported
Anxiolytic effects of selank and medazepam were similar on Hamilton, Zung and CGI scales; selank also showed antiasthenic and psychostimulant effects.
What limits the conclusion
Small Russian-language study; the abstract does not describe randomization or blinding, and there is no Western confirmatory replication.
How the compound may work
Mechanisms describe how Selank may affect biological processes. Laboratory findings and patient outcomes answer different questions.
Allosteric Modulation of GABA-A Receptors
Acted as a positive allosteric modulator of [3H]GABA binding in radioligand assays. [3]
Neurotransmission Gene Expression
Selank administration changed expression of genes involved in neurotransmission, including GABAergic genes, in a pattern correlated with GABA's effects. [2]
Enkephalin Stabilization
Patients with GAD and neurasthenia had a reduced serum leu-enkephalin half-life, which increased during selank treatment. [1]
Areas Being Studied
These research topics reflect active areas of scientific exploration, distinct from unverified commercial marketing claims.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Anxiolytic effects compared against benzodiazepine-class drugs in small Russian clinical studies. [1]
Immune-Neuroendocrine Crosstalk
In vitro, selank suppressed IL-6 gene expression in blood cells from patients with depression, and Th1/Th2 cytokine balance shifted in patients treated for 14 days. [5]
Compare the study designs.
| Study | Design / sample | Outcome type | Key limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Generalized Anxiety RCT · 2008 [1] | Comparative clinical study (active comparator) n = 62 |
Clinical endpoint evaluation | Small Russian-language study; the abstract does not describe randomization or blinding, and there is no Western confirmatory replication. |
Regulatory Status & Clinical Safety
Regulatory Classification
Approved on Russian State Register of Medicines; unapproved in the US and EU.
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
Selank 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
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.
- Clinical RCT
- Preclinical Gene Expression Study
- Mechanism
-
Regulatory
Inside Peptides Neuropeptide Directory: Selank ↗ (external website)
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Clinical Immunology Study
Immunomodulatory effects of selank in patients with anxiety-asthenic disorders ↗ (external website)