Epithalon

Key Benefits#

• Activates telomerase enzyme, extending telomere length
• May slow cellular and biological aging
• Regulates melatonin production and circadian rhythms
• Improves sleep quality
• Powerful antioxidant properties
• May reduce incidence of age-related diseases
• Supports immune system function
• Studied for cancer prevention properties in animal models

Mechanism of Action#

Epithalon activates telomerase, an enzyme that maintains and extends telomere length. Telomeres protect chromosomes from degradation and shorten with each cell division — their length is a key biomarker of biological age. Epithalon also regulates the pineal gland, normalizing melatonin production and circadian rhythms. It exhibits antioxidant activity, modulates neuroendocrine function, and has been shown in Russian research to extend lifespan in animal models.

Dosing Protocols#

Side Effects#

• Injection site irritation (mild)
• Temporary sleep changes during cycle (usually improves)
• Rare: fatigue

Contraindications#

Active cancer (theoretical concern — telomerase activation could theoretically support cancer cell proliferation). Pregnancy or breastfeeding.

Storage#

Lyophilized powder: store at −20°C. Reconstituted: refrigerate at 2–8°C, use within 30 days.

Featured In Stacks#

1. 1.
   Therapeutic Peptides in Orthopaedics: Applications, Challenges, and Future Directions

   Rahman OF, Lee SJ, Seeds WA · Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Global research & reviews · 2026ReviewPubMed Verified

2. 2.
   Overview of Epitalon-Highly Bioactive Pineal Tetrapeptide with Promising Properties

   Araj SK, Brzezik J, Mądra-Gackowska K, Szeleszczuk Ł · International journal of molecular sciences · 2025ReviewPubMed Verified

3. 3.
   Epitalon protects against post-ovulatory aging-related damage of mouse oocytes in vitro

   Yue X, Liu SL, Guo JN, Meng TG, Zhang XR, Li HX et al. · Aging · 2022PubMed Verified

4. 4.
   AEDG Peptide (Epitalon) Stimulates Gene Expression and Protein Synthesis during Neurogenesis: Possible Epigenetic Mechanism

   Khavinson V, Diomede F, Mironova E, Linkova N, Trofimova S, Trubiani O et al. · Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) · 2020PubMed Verified

5. 5.
   Effect of short peptides on neuronal differentiation of stem cells

   Caputi S, Trubiani O, Sinjari B, Trofimova S, Diomede F, Linkova N et al. · International journal of immunopathology and pharmacology · 2019PubMed Verified

6. 6.
   Identification of Peptide AEDG in the Polypeptide Complex of the Pineal Gland

   Khavinson VK, Kopylov AT, Vaskovsky BV, Ryzhak GA, Lin'kova NS · Bulletin of experimental biology and medicine · 2017PubMed Verified

7. 7.
   Peptides (Epigenetic Regulators) in the Structure of Rodents with a Long and Short Lifespan

   Khavinson VK, Kormilets DY, Mar'yanovich AT · Bulletin of experimental biology and medicine · 2017PubMed Verified

8. 8.
   Peptide Regulation of Skin Fibroblast Functions during Their Aging In Vitro

   Lin'kova NS, Drobintseva AO, Orlova OA, Kuznetsova EP, Polyakova VO, Kvetnoy IM et al. · Bulletin of experimental biology and medicine · 2016PubMed Verified

9. 9.
   Effects of Geroprotectors on Age-Related Changes in Proteolytic Digestive Enzyme Activities at Different Lighting Conditions

   Morozov AV, Khizhkin EA, Svechkina EB, Vinogradova IA, Ilyukha VA, Anisimov VN et al. · Bulletin of experimental biology and medicine · 2015PubMed Verified

10. 10.
    Identification of the small research tetra peptide Epitalon, assumed to be a potential treatment for cancer, old age and Retinitis Pigmentosa in two illegal pharmaceutical preparations

    Vanhee C, Moens G, Van Hoeck E, Deconinck E, De Beer JO · Drug testing and analysis · 2015PubMed Verified

11. 11.
    Effect of peptides Lys-Glu-Asp-Gly and Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly on the morphology of the thymus in hypophysectomized young and old birds

    Pateyk AV, Baranchugova LM, Rusaeva NS, Obydenko VI, Kuznik BI · Bulletin of experimental biology and medicine · 2013PubMed Verified

12. 12.
    Short cell-penetrating peptides: a model of interactions with gene promoter sites

    Khavinson VKh, Tarnovskaya SI, Linkova NS, Pronyaeva VE, Shataeva LK, Yakutseni PP · Bulletin of experimental biology and medicine · 2013PubMed Verified

13. 13.
    Melatonin and pineal gland peptides are able to correct the impairment of reproductive cycles in rats

    Arutjunyan A, Kozina L, Milyutina Y, Korenevsky A, Stepanov M, Arutyunov V · Current aging science · 2012PubMed Verified

14. 14.
    Molecular cellular mechanisms of peptide regulation of melatonin synthesis in pinealocyte culture

    Khavinson VKh, Linkova NS, Kvetnoy IM, Kvetnaia TV, Polyakova VO, Korf HW · Bulletin of experimental biology and medicine · 2012PubMed Verified

15. 15.
    Effect of short peptides on expression of signaling molecules in organotypic pineal cell culture

    Khavinson VKh, Linkova NS, Chalisova NI, Dudkov AV, Koncevaya EA · Bulletin of experimental biology and medicine · 2011PubMed Verified

16. 16.
    Peptidegic stimulation of differentiation of pineal immune cells

    Linkova NS, Khavinson VKh, Chalisova NI, Katanugina AS, Koncevaya EA · Bulletin of experimental biology and medicine · 2011PubMed Verified

17. 17.
    Effects of peptides Lys-Glu-Asp-Gly and Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly on hormonal activity and structure of the thyroid gland in hypophysectomized young chickens and old hens

    Kuznik BI, Pateyuk AV, Rusaeva NS, Baranchugova LM, Obydenko VI · Bulletin of experimental biology and medicine · 2011PubMed Verified

18. 18.
    Penetration of short fluorescence-labeled peptides into the nucleus in HeLa cells and in vitro specific interaction of the peptides with deoxyribooligonucleotides and DNA

    Fedoreyeva LI, Kireev II, Khavinson VKh, Vanyushin BF · Biochemistry. Biokhimiia · 2011PubMed Verified

19. 19.
    Biological stability evaluation of the α2β1 receptor imaging agents: diamsar and DOTA conjugated DGEA peptide

    Huang CW, Li Z, Cai H, Shahinian T, Conti PS · Bioconjugate chemistry · 2011PubMed Verified

20. 20.
    Melting of DNA double strand after binding to geroprotective tetrapeptide

    Khavinson VKh, Solovyov AY, Shataeva LK · Bulletin of experimental biology and medicine · 2008PubMed Verified

21. 21.
    Geroprotective effect of ala-glu-asp-gly peptide in male rats exposed to different illumination regimens

    Vinogradova IA, Bukalev AV, Zabezhinski MA, Semenchenko AV, Khavinson VKh, Anisimov VN · Bulletin of experimental biology and medicine · 2008PubMed Verified

22. 22.
    Effect of tetrapeptides Lys-Glu-Asp-Gly and Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly on the structure and function of the thyroid gland in neonatally hypophysectomized chickens

    Kuznik BI, Pateyuk AV, Rusaeva NS · Bulletin of experimental biology and medicine · 2008PubMed Verified

23. 23.
    Effect of Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly peptide on life span and development of spontaneous tumors in female rats exposed to different illumination regimes

    Vinogradova IA, Bukalev AV, Zabezhinski MA, Semenchenko AV, Khavinson VKh, Anisimov VN · Bulletin of experimental biology and medicine · 2007PubMed Verified

24. 24.
    Comparative analysis of the expression of c-Fos and interleukin-2 proteins in hypothalamus cells during various treatments

    Barabanova SV, Artyukhina ZE, Ovchinnikova KT, Abramova TV, Kazakova TB, Khavinson VKh et al. · Neuroscience and behavioral physiology · 2008PubMed Verified

25. 25.
    Effects of bioactive tetrapeptides on free-radical processes

    Kozina LS · Bulletin of experimental biology and medicine · 2007PubMed Verified

26. 26.
    Effects of intranasal administration of epitalon on neuron activity in the rat neocortex

    Sibarov DA, Vol'nova AB, Frolov DS, Nozdrachev AD · Neuroscience and behavioral physiology · 2007PubMed Verified

27. 27.
    Production of lymphocyte-activating factors by mouse macrophages during aging and under the effect of short peptides

    Gumen AV, Kozinets IA, Shanin SN, Malinin VV, Rybakina EG · Bulletin of experimental biology and medicine · 2006PubMed Verified

28. 28.
    Antioxidant properties of geroprotective peptides of the pineal gland

    Kozina LS, Arutjunyan AV, Khavinson VKh · Archives of gerontology and geriatrics · 2007PubMed Verified

29. 29.
    Interleukin-2 concentration in hypothalamic structures of rats receiving peptides during mild stress

    Barabanova SV, Artyukhina ZE, Kazakova TB, Khavinson VKh, Malinin VV, Korneva EA · Bulletin of experimental biology and medicine · 2006PubMed Verified

30. 30.
    Anti-aging peptide bioregulators induce reactivation of chromatin

    Lezhava T, Monaselidze J, Kadotani T, Dvalishvili N, Buadze T · Georgian medical news · 2006PubMed Verified

31. 31.
    Effect of the synthetic pineal peptide epitalon on spontaneous carcinogenesis in female C3H/He mice

    Kossoy G, Anisimov VN, Ben-Hur H, Kossoy N, Zusman I · In vivo (Athens, Greece) · 2006PubMed Verified

32. 32.
    Synthesis of IL-2 mRNA in cells of rat hypothalamic structures after injection of short peptides

    Kazakova TB, Barabanova SV, Novikova NS, Glushikhina MS, Khavinson VKh, Malinin VV et al. · Bulletin of experimental biology and medicine · 2005PubMed Verified

33. 33.
    Fluorescent microscopic study of epithalon binding in maternal and fetal rabbit tissues in health and under conditions of placental insufficiency

    Lapina EA, Nazarova LA, Petrova OP, Sibarov DA, Zubzhitskaya LB, Pavlova NG et al. · Bulletin of experimental biology and medicine · 2005PubMed Verified

34. 34.
    Effect of melatonin and tetrapeptide on gene expression in mouse brain

    Anisimov SV, Khavinson VKh, Anisimov VN · Bulletin of experimental biology and medicine · 2004PubMed Verified

35. 35.
    Pineal peptides restore the age-related disturbances in hormonal functions of the pineal gland and the pancreas

    Goncharova ND, Vengerin AA, Khavinson VKh, Lapin BA · Experimental gerontology · 2005PubMed Verified

36. 36.
    Peptide correction of age-related hormonal dysfunction of the pancreas in monkeys

    Goncharova ND, Vengerin AA, Khavinson VKh, Lapin BA · Bulletin of experimental biology and medicine · 2004PubMed Verified

37. 37.
    Stressors and antistressors: how do they influence life span in HER-2/neu transgenic mice?

    Semenchenko GV, Anisimov VN, Yashin AI · Experimental gerontology · 2004PubMed Verified

38. 38.
    Effects of bioactive factors of the pineal gland on thymus function and cell composition of the bone marrow and spleen in mice of different age

    Labunets IF, Butenko GM, Khavinson VKh · Bulletin of experimental biology and medicine · 2004PubMed Verified

39. 39.
    Peptide promotes overcoming of the division limit in human somatic cell

    Khavinson VKh, Bondarev IE, Butyugov AA, Smirnova TD · Bulletin of experimental biology and medicine · 2004PubMed Verified

40. 40.
    Expression of argyrophilic proteins in the nucleolar organizer regions of human thymocytes and thymic epitheliocytes under conditions of coculturing with vilon and epithalon peptides

    Raikhlin NT, Bukaeva IA, Smirnova EA, Yarilin AA, Sharova NI, Mitneva MM et al. · Bulletin of experimental biology and medicine · 2004PubMed Verified

41. 41.
    Elucidation of the effect of brain cortex tetrapeptide Cortagen on gene expression in mouse heart by microarray

    Anisimov SV, Khavinson VKh, Anisimov VN · Neuro endocrinology letters · 2004PubMed Verified

42. 42.
    Effects of short peptides on lymphocyte chromatin in senile subjects

    Khavinson VKh, Lezhava TA, Malinin VV · Bulletin of experimental biology and medicine · 2004PubMed Verified

43. 43.
    Effect of regulatory peptides on gene transcription

    Khavinson VKh, Shataeva LK, Chernova AA · Bulletin of experimental biology and medicine · 2003PubMed Verified

44. 44.
    Peptide Epitalon activates chromatin at the old age

    Khavinson VKh, Lezhava TA, Monaselidze JR, Jokhadze TA, Dvalishvili NA, Bablishvili NK et al. · Neuro endocrinology letters · 2003PubMed Verified

45. 45.
    Gateways to clinical trials

    Bayés M, Rabasseda X, Prous JR · Methods and findings in experimental and clinical pharmacology · 2003PubMed Verified

46. 46.
    Effect of Epitalon on biomarkers of aging, life span and spontaneous tumor incidence in female Swiss-derived SHR mice

    Anisimov VN, Khavinson VKh, Popovich IG, Zabezhinski MA, Alimova IN, Rosenfeld SV et al. · Biogerontology · 2003PubMed Verified

47. 47.
    Epitalon and colon carcinogenesis in rats: proliferative activity and apoptosis in colon tumors and mucosa

    Kossoy G, Zandbank J, Tendler E, Anisimov V, Khavinson V, Popovich I et al. · International journal of molecular medicine · 2003PubMed Verified

48. 48.
    Effects of peptides on proliferative activity of retinal and pigmented epithelial cells

    Khavinson VKh, Zemchikhina VN, Trofimova SV, Malinin VV · Bulletin of experimental biology and medicine · 2003PubMed Verified

49. 49.
    Epithalon peptide induces telomerase activity and telomere elongation in human somatic cells

    Khavinson VKh, Bondarev IE, Butyugov AA · Bulletin of experimental biology and medicine · 2003PubMed Verified

50. 50.
    Retinoprotective effect of Epithalon in campbell rats of various ages

    Khavinson VKh, Razumovsky MI, Trofimova SV, Razumovskaya AM · Bulletin of experimental biology and medicine · 2003PubMed Verified