Selank

About Selank

Selank is a synthetic heptapeptide analogue of tuftsin, a naturally occurring immunomodulatory tetrapeptide (Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg) derived from immunoglobulin G. Like Semax it carries a stabilising Pro-Gly-Pro tail and was developed at the Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

It is available in Russian and Ukrainian pharmacies as a nasal preparation with an anxiolytic indication, but has not been evaluated or approved by Health Canada, the FDA or the EMA. In research it is used to study GABAergic neurotransmission, the interaction between the immune and nervous systems, and peptide modulation of anxiety-related behaviour in animal models.

Mechanism

Selank alters the expression of genes involved in GABAergic signalling and has been reported to modulate the affinity of GABA-A receptors, which is the proposed basis of its anxiolytic-like effects in rodents. It also influences serotonin metabolism, increases BDNF expression in the hippocampus and shifts the balance of T-helper cytokines, reflecting its tuftsin ancestry.

Areas of research

1. Studied for anxiolytic activity in rodent behavioural models
2. Investigated for modulation of GABAergic and serotonergic signalling
3. Research interest in BDNF expression and stress-response regulation
4. No reported sedative or dependence liability in the published literature

References

1. Volkova A et al. Selank administration affects the expression of some genes involved in GABAergic neurotransmission. Front Pharmacol. 2016;7:31. PubMed
2. Kolomin T, Shadrina M, Slominsky P, Limborska S, Myasoedov N. A new generation of drugs: synthetic peptides based on natural regulatory peptides. Neurosci Med. 2013;4:223-252. Source

Research use only. Information on this page is provided for educational and research purposes and summarises published literature, mostly from cell and animal studies; it is not a claim of efficacy or safety. Products are not intended for human or veterinary use, or for any diagnostic or therapeutic purpose.