New — Free Peptide Starter Guide (2026): 13 chapters, 34 cited studies

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Selank

Also known as: TP-7, Selanc, Tuftsin Analog, Tetrapeptide Selank

Selank is a synthetic heptapeptide analog of tuftsin developed in Russia. It is a potent anxiolytic that reduces anxiety and enhances cognitive function without sedation or addiction. It is approved for clinical use in Russia for anxiety disorders.

Half-Life

Minutes (but effects persist for hours)

Route

SubQ, Intranasal

Category

Cognitive Enhancement

Studies

50 references

Key Benefits

  • Reduces anxiety without sedation
  • Enhances memory and learning
  • Improves focus and concentration
  • Stabilizes mood
  • Reduces physiological stress response
  • May enhance motivation
  • No addiction potential or withdrawal
  • Fast-acting — effects within 20–30 minutes
  • Approved clinically in Russia for anxiety disorders

Mechanism of Action

Selank modulates brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and various neurotransmitters including serotonin, dopamine, and GABA. It stabilizes enkephalins in the blood, providing anxiolytic effects while enhancing cognitive performance and memory. Unlike benzodiazepines, it does not cause sedation, tolerance, or dependence. It also modulates the IL-6 pathway and has immunomodulatory properties.

Dosing Protocols

Nasal Spray Protocol

Dose
250–500 mcg
Frequency
1–3 times daily
Timing
As needed for anxiety or before cognitively demanding tasks
Cycle
2–4 weeks, then 1–2 weeks off

Intranasal delivery is most convenient. Fast onset (20–30 minutes). Can be used daily or on-demand.

Injectable Protocol

Dose
250–500 mcg
Frequency
1–2 times daily
Timing
Any time, subcutaneous
Cycle
2–4 weeks

Subcutaneous injection provides slightly longer effect duration than nasal spray.

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Side Effects

  • Mild sedation at higher doses (paradoxical)
  • Fatigue (rare)
  • Irritability during discontinuation (uncommon)

Contraindications

Pregnancy or breastfeeding. Use caution if taking other psychiatric medications — consult physician.

Storage

Refrigerate nasal spray. Lyophilized powder: freeze at −20°C. Reconstituted: refrigerate, use within 2 weeks.

  1. 1.
    Cinnamophilin ameliorates testosterone-induced prostatic hyperplasia and fibrosis by regulating 5α-reductase and TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway

    Han D, Chen CY, Huang X, Liu Y, Sun H, Li Y et al. · Iranian journal of basic medical sciences · 2026PubMed Verified

  2. 2.
    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

  3. 3.
    Efficiency in packed red blood management for brain tumor resection: multicenter prospective cohort study (TScoreBTR)

    Contreras-Lopez L, Clavero FI, Hurtado Restrepo PA, de Arriba NP, Álvarez AD, Montes Armenteros JA et al. · Blood transfusion = Trasfusione del sangue · 2026PubMed Verified

  4. 4.
    A study of the correlation between urinary perchlorate, nitrate, thiocyanate, and serum liver function indices

    Zhang W, Ling J, Lan L, Guo Q, Ruan Y, Wu D · Scientific reports · 2025PubMed Verified

  5. 5.
    Effect of perioperative ONS combined with intestinal microecology in patients with colorectal cancer: a randomized clinical trial

    Liu X, Mao W, Zhao G, Liao J, Li Q, He G · Frontiers in nutrition · 2025PubMed Verified

  6. 6.
    Hepatoprotective Effects of Thymogen Analogues in Hydrazine Hepatopathy in Rats

    Chulanova AA, Smakhtina AM, Mal GS, Bobyntsev II, Smakhtin MY, Mishina ES et al. · Bulletin of experimental biology and medicine · 2025PubMed Verified

  7. 7.
    The effect of different carbon materials' addition on the biomethane production from food waste

    Kozłowski M, Papaj B, Sobieraj K, Świechowski K, Kosiorowska K, Białowiec A · Scientific reports · 2025PubMed Verified

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    Taste characterization and molecular docking study of novel umami flavor peptides in Yanjin black bone Chicken meat

    Yang C, Ge X, Ge C, Zhao P, Liang S, Xiao Z · Food chemistry · 2025PubMed Verified

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    Predictive factors of the presence of pulmonary embolism in patients with interstitial lung disease: Observational study

    Shimoda M, Nunokawa H, Tanaka Y, Morimoto K, Moue I, Yoshimori K et al. · Medicine · 2024PubMed Verified

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    Increase in False-Positive Fourth-Generation Human Immunodeficiency Virus Tests in Patients With Coronavirus Disease 2019

    Gudipati S, Shallal A, Peterson E, Cook B, Markowitz N · Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America · 2023PubMed Verified

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    Effect of dietary inclusion of mealworm frass on growth, hematology, and serum biochemistry of sheep

    Ayaz M, Khan R, Khan S, Suhail SM, Khan K, Ahmad I et al. · Tropical animal health and production · 2023PubMed Verified

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    Selank, a Peptide Analog of Tuftsin, Attenuates Aversive Signs of Morphine Withdrawal in Rats

    Konstantinopolsky MA, Chernyakova IV, Kolik LG · Bulletin of experimental biology and medicine · 2022PubMed Verified

  17. 17.
    Exosomal and Non-Exosomal MicroRNAs: New Kids on the Block for Cancer Therapy

    Syed SN, Brüne B · International journal of molecular sciences · 2022ReviewPubMed Verified

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    Long-term Survival of Adhesively Luted Post-endodontic Restorations

    Bruhnke M, Wierichs RJ, von Stein-Lausnitz M, Meyer-Lückel H, Beuer F, Naumann M et al. · Journal of endodontics · 2022PubMed Verified

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    The effects of thickness and shade on translucency parameters of contemporary, esthetic dental ceramics

    Pop-Ciutrila IS, Ghinea R, Dudea D, Ruiz-López J, Pérez MM, Colosi H · Journal of esthetic and restorative dentistry : official publication of the American Academy of Esthetic Dentistry ... [et al.] · 2021PubMed Verified

  22. 22.
    Morphological Changes in the Large Intestine of Rats Subjected to Chronic Restraint Stress and Treated with Selank

    Mukhina AY, Mishina ES, Bobyntsev II, Medvedeva OA, Svishcheva MV, Kalutskii PV et al. · Bulletin of experimental biology and medicine · 2020PubMed Verified

  23. 23.
    The Influence of Selank on the Level of Cytokines Under the Conditions of "Social" Stress

    Leonidovna YA, Aleksandrovna SM, Aleksandrovna TA, Aleksandrovna BO, Fedorovich MN, Aleksandrovna AL · Current reviews in clinical and experimental pharmacology · 2021PubMed Verified

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    Functional Connectomic Approach to Studying Selank and Semax Effects

    Panikratova YR, Lebedeva IS, Sokolov OY, Rumshiskaya AD, Kupriyanov DA, Kost NV et al. · Doklady biological sciences : proceedings of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR, Biological sciences sections · 2020PubMed Verified

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    Warming Effects on Periphyton Community and Abundance in Different Seasons Are Influenced by Nutrient State and Plant Type: A Shallow Lake Mesocosm Study

    Hao B, Wu H, Zhen W, Jo H, Cai Y, Jeppesen E et al. · Frontiers in plant science · 2020PubMed Verified

  27. 27.
    Contrasting effects of high-starch and high-sugar diets on ruminal function in cattle

    Francesio A, Viora L, Denwood MJ, Tulley W, Brady N, Hastie P et al. · The Journal of dairy research · 2020PubMed Verified

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    Effects of Huatan Tongluo decoction on vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 expression in synovial tissues of rats with collagen-induced arthritis

    Chen J, Qiu M, Li Y, Zhang Q, Zhang Y, Lin S et al. · Journal of traditional Chinese medicine = Chung i tsa chih ying wen pan · 2019PubMed Verified

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    Prevalence of Clinically Significant Differences in Sodium Measurements Due to Abnormal Protein Concentrations Using an Indirect Ion-Selective Electrode Method

    Katrangi W, Baumann NA, Nett RC, Karon BS, Block DR · The journal of applied laboratory medicine · 2019PubMed Verified

  31. 31.
    Selank, Peptide Analogue of Tuftsin, Protects Against Ethanol-Induced Memory Impairment by Regulating of BDNF Content in the Hippocampus and Prefrontal Cortex in Rats

    Kolik LG, Nadorova AV, Antipova TA, Kruglov SV, Kudrin VS, Durnev AD · Bulletin of experimental biology and medicine · 2019PubMed Verified

  32. 32.
    Effect of Selank on Morphological Parameters of Rat Liver in Chronic Foot-Shock Stress

    Fomenko EV, Bobyntsev II, Ivanov AV, Belykh AE, Andreeva LA, Myasoedov NF · Bulletin of experimental biology and medicine · 2019PubMed Verified

  33. 33.
    State of Colon Microbiota in Rats during Chronic Restraint Stress and Selank Treatment

    Mukhina AY, Medvedeva OA, Svishcheva MV, Shevchenko AV, Efremova NN, Bobyntsev II et al. · Bulletin of experimental biology and medicine · 2019PubMed Verified

  34. 34.
    Isoselenocarbonyl complexes

    Cade IA , Hill AF , McQueen CMA · Dalton transactions (Cambridge, England : 2003) · 2019PubMed Verified

  35. 35.
    Investigation of the prevalence and severity of foot pad dermatitis at the slaughterhouse in fattening turkeys reared in organic production systems in Germany

    Freihold D, Bartels T, Bergmann S, Berk J, Deerberg F, Dressel A et al. · Poultry science · 2019PubMed Verified

  36. 36.
    Peptide-based Anxiolytics: The Molecular Aspects of Heptapeptide Selank Biological Activity

    Vyunova TV, Andreeva L, Shevchenko K, Myasoedov N · Protein and peptide letters · 2018PubMed Verified

  37. 37.
    Short- and long-term clinical impact of tissue protrusion after newer-generation drug-eluting stent implantation for acute coronary syndrome

    Suzuki Y, Murata A, Murase S, Ochiumi Y, Ito T · Cardiovascular intervention and therapeutics · 2019PubMed Verified

  38. 38.
    Different Patterns in Muscular Strength and Hypertrophy Adaptations in Untrained Individuals Undergoing Nonperiodized and Periodized Strength Regimens

    De Souza EO, Tricoli V, Rauch J, Alvarez MR, Laurentino G, Aihara AY et al. · Journal of strength and conditioning research · 2018RCTPubMed Verified

  39. 39.
    Performance of Roche cobas high-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) testing in the two most common liquid-based Papanicolaou test platforms

    Fuller MY, Mody RR, Luna E, Armylagos D, Schwartz MR, Mody DR et al. · Journal of the American Society of Cytopathology · 2018PubMed Verified

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    Studying the Toxic Effects of Some Biologically Active Peptides on the Model of Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells

    Kobylyanskii AG, Zolotarev YA, Andreeva LA, Grivennikov IA, Myasoedov NF · Bulletin of experimental biology and medicine · 2017PubMed Verified

  42. 42.
    Effect of Selank on Functional State of Rat Hepatocytes under Conditions of Restraint Stress

    Fomenko EV, Bobyntsev II, Kryukov AA, Ivanov AV, Andreeva LA, Myasoedov NF · Bulletin of experimental biology and medicine · 2017PubMed Verified

  43. 43.
    Affective pictures processing is reflected by an increased long-distance EEG connectivity

    Güntekin B, Femir B, Gölbaşı BT, Tülay E, Başar E · Cognitive neurodynamics · 2017PubMed Verified

  44. 44.
    Tuftsin - Properties and Analogs

    Siebert A, Gensicka-Kowalewska M, Cholewinski G, Dzierzbicka K · Current medicinal chemistry · 2017ReviewPubMed Verified

  45. 45.
    Peptides semax and selank affect the behavior of rats with 6-OHDA induced PD-like parkinsonism

    Slominsky PA, Shadrina MI, Kolomin TA, Stavrovskaya AV, Filatova EV, Andreeva LA et al. · Doklady biological sciences : proceedings of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR, Biological sciences sections · 2017PubMed Verified

  46. 46.
    Effect of Selank on Spontaneous Synaptic Activity of Rat Hippocampal CA1 Neurons

    Povarov IS, Kondratenko RV, Derevyagin VI, Myasoedov NF, Skrebitsky VG · Bulletin of experimental biology and medicine · 2017PubMed Verified

  47. 47.
    GABA, Selank, and Olanzapine Affect the Expression of Genes Involved in GABAergic Neurotransmission in IMR-32 Cells

    Filatova E, Kasian A, Kolomin T, Rybalkina E, Alieva A, Andreeva L et al. · Frontiers in pharmacology · 2017PubMed Verified

  48. 48.
    Peptide Selank Enhances the Effect of Diazepam in Reducing Anxiety in Unpredictable Chronic Mild Stress Conditions in Rats

    Kasian A, Kolomin T, Andreeva L, Bondarenko E, Myasoedov N, Slominsky P et al. · Behavioural neurology · 2017PubMed Verified

  49. 49.
    Selank Inhibits Ethanol-Induced Hyperlocomotion and Manifestation of Behavioral Sensitization in DBA/2 Mice

    Kolik LG, Nadorova AV, Seredenin SB · Bulletin of experimental biology and medicine · 2016PubMed Verified

  50. 50.
    Sleep related bradyarrhythmic events and heart rate variability in apparently healthy individuals

    Çimen T, Sunman H, Erat M, Efe TH, Akyel A, Bilgin M et al. · Anatolian journal of cardiology · 2017PubMed Verified

Medical disclaimer: This information is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Many compounds listed are research chemicals not approved for human use. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before starting any protocol.

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