Selank

DNot approved (outside Russia)Nootropic and sleep peptides →tuftsin analogueTP-7
In one paragraphSelank is a synthetic analogue of tuftsin, an immune-signalling peptide, developed in Russia alongside Semax and registered there as an anxiolytic. Small Russian studies report anxiety reduction comparable to benzodiazepines without sedation; none has been replicated internationally or published to standards that allow the claim to be checked. It is not approved in the EU, US or UK.
Schematic 3D structure of Selank
7 residues · tuftsin analogue with Pro-Gly-Pro tail · schematic
Overall gradeD No human evidence
Human trialsRussian-language, small
Outcomes graded3
Last reviewed2 September 2026
EvidenceWhat it isHow it worksUnknownsMolecule & PKRegulationQuestionsReferences

What the human research shows

The anxiolytic claim is specific and testable, and the trials that would test it properly have not been run outside Russia. Everything here is graded on that absence, not on a negative result.

MetabolicCardioMuscleHealingNeuroImmuneSexualSkinAgeing

Evidence profile0–5

  • Metabolic & weight—0.0
  • Cardiovascular—0.0
  • Muscle & growth—0.0
  • Healing & repair—0.0
  • Neuro & sleepD0.0
  • Immune & inflammation—0.0
  • Sexual & hormonal—0.0
  • Skin & appearance—0.0
  • Ageing & longevity—0.0
No benefit outcome for Selank has both human evidence and a measurable effect, so the profile is empty. That is the finding, not a gap in the chart.
OutcomeGradeEffect sizeHuman studiesWhere the evidence comes from
AnxietyDNo human evidenceNot measurableSmall Russian studiesReports of anxiety reduction in generalised anxiety disorder, some comparing against benzodiazepines. Small, from the originating institutes, not independently replicated.1
Cognitive effectsDNo human evidenceNot measurableNone controlled internationallySecondary claims from the same small studies.
Safety in humansadverseDNo human evidenceNot measurableNo systematic international dataReported as well tolerated in Russian use; no modern pharmacovigilance dataset.
AMultiple good human trials, consistentBSome human trials, mostly consistentCFew or weak human studiesDAnimal or anecdotal onlyeffect size · red = adverse

Literature searched to 2 September 2026. Human studies only; animal and cell work informs the mechanism section and nothing else.

Registered trials

ClinicalTrials.gov lists 1 interventional study naming Selank as an intervention — 1 completed, and none with results posted to the registry.

A registration is not a result. Anyone can register a study, and many never report — so this list shows what has been attempted, not what has been shown. The graded evidence above is the answer to whether something works.

StudyPhaseStatusParticipantsSponsorResults
Effects of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation on Object RecognitionNCT01747200 · started Nov 2012N/ACompleted13National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)None

Participant counts marked * are the sponsor's estimate, not a final enrolment. Source: ClinicalTrials.gov, read directly from the registry and refreshed weekly.

What it is

Selank is a modified fragment of tuftsin, a peptide from an immune protein, with a stabilising tail. Like Semax it comes from the Institute of Molecular Genetics in Moscow, is given as a nasal spray, and is registered in Russia — in this case as an anxiolytic.

How it is thought to work

Proposed effects on GABA signalling, serotonin turnover and BDNF, plus immune modulation via the tuftsin lineage. As with Semax, the mechanistic literature comes largely from the originating groups.

What is still unknown

  • Whether the anxiolytic effect exists at the standard a regulator would require.
  • Dose, duration and long-term safety by international standards.

The molecule and how long it lasts

Identity
Formula
C33H57N11O9
Molecular weight
751.9 g/mol
CAS number
129954-34-3
PubChem
CID 11765600

PubChem record, read 23 September 2026.

Pharmacokinetics
Route
Intranasal as sold
Half-life
No human pharmacokinetic data

No pharmacokinetic study in people.

Regulatory status

European Union
Unauthorised in the EU

Authorised in Russia only. Supplying it for human use in the EU is an offence under national medicines law.

United States
Not approved

Its 503A nomination is listed as withdrawn since April 2026 and it was not among the peptides reviewed in July 2026. Sold as an unapproved 'research chemical'.

United Kingdom
Unlicensed medicine

No MHRA licence; supply for human use is an offence.

Australia
Schedule 4, unapproved

Prescription-only substance not on the ARTG. Possession without a prescription is an offence; imports without a prescription are seized.

Canada
Not authorised

No Drug Identification Number; selling it is illegal. Residents cannot import prescription drugs by mail.

Sport (WADA)
Not on the list

Approved in Russia, so S0 does not apply, and it is not named.

Questions people actually ask

Is Selank as effective as benzodiazepines?
Some small Russian studies make that comparison. None has been replicated internationally, and the reporting does not allow the claim to be checked. Treat it as untested rather than established.
Is Selank addictive?
It is claimed not to be, on the basis that it does not act directly on benzodiazepine receptors. No long-term human study has examined dependence.

One page per claimed effect

References

  1. 1
    Searches of PubMed and trial registries for Selank human trials outside Russia.LYO literature search, September 2026No independently replicated randomised trials identified.

Change log

  • 2026-09-02Initial publication. Graded D on absence of internationally reported controlled evidence.