Semax

Key Benefits#

• Enhances memory and learning
• Improves focus and concentration
• Increases mental energy and motivation
• Provides neuroprotection via BDNF and NGF upregulation
• Reduces cognitive decline
• May alleviate ADHD symptoms
• Supports recovery from brain injury and stroke
• Fast-acting — effects within 30–60 minutes
• Approved in Russia for cognitive disorders and stroke recovery

Mechanism of Action#

Semax increases brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and nerve growth factor (NGF), which support neuronal survival, growth, and synaptic plasticity. It modulates dopamine and serotonin systems, enhances cerebral blood circulation, and provides neuroprotective effects by reducing oxidative stress. Its ACTH-derived sequence activates melanocortin receptors that regulate neuroinflammation and cognition.

Dosing Protocols#

Side Effects#

• Headache (rare, often from higher doses)
• Anxiety or overstimulation at high doses
• Sleep disruption if dosed too late
• Irritability (uncommon)

Contraindications#

Bipolar disorder or history of mania (may trigger manic episodes). Pregnancy or breastfeeding. Avoid late evening use.

Storage#

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

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.
   The Potential of the Peptide Drug Semax and Its Derivative for Correcting Pathological Impairments in the Animal Model of Alzheimer's Disease

   Radchenko AI, Kuzubova EV, Apostol AA, Mitkevich VA, Andreeva LA, Limborska SA et al. · Acta naturae · 2025PubMed Verified

3. 3.
   Effect of ACTH4-10Pro8-Gly9-Pro10 on anti-inflammatory cytokine (IL-4, IL-10, IL-13) expression in acute spinal cord injury models (male Sprague Dawley rats)

   Asadullah A, Bajamal AH, Parenrengi MA, Turchan A, Utomo B, Sudiana IK et al. · F1000Research · 2023PubMed Verified

4. 4.
   The Effect of Peptide Semax, an ACTH(4-10) Analogue, on Intracellular Calcium Dynamics in Rat Brain Neurons

   Kolbaev SN, Sharonova IN, Skrebitsky VG · Bulletin of experimental biology and medicine · 2025PubMed Verified

5. 5.
   Modulation of neuropathological pathways by bioactive peptides and proteins/polypeptides: Targeting oxidative stress in neurodegenerative diseases

   Giri S, Chandra P · Neuropeptides · 2025ReviewPubMed Verified

6. 6.
   Semax peptide targets the μ opioid receptor gene Oprm1 to promote deubiquitination and functional recovery after spinal cord injury in female mice

   Liu R, Chen Y, Huang H, Li X, Lv J, Jiang L et al. · British journal of pharmacology · 2025PubMed Verified

7. 7.
   Genes That Associated with Action of ACTH-like Peptides with Neuroprotective Potential in Rat Brain Regions with Different Degrees of Ischemic Damage

   Filippenkov IB, Shpetko YY, Ales DA, Stavchansky VV, Denisova AE, Yuzhakov VV et al. · International journal of molecular sciences · 2025PubMed Verified

8. 8.
   Semax, a Copper Chelator Peptide, Decreases the Cu(II)-Catalyzed ROS Production and Cytotoxicity of aβ by Metal Ion Stripping and Redox Silencing

   Tomasello MF, Di Rosa MC, Naletova I, Sciacca MFM, Giuffrida A, Maccarrone G et al. · Bioinorganic chemistry and applications · 2025PubMed Verified

9. 9.
   ACTH-like Peptides Compensate Rat Brain Gene Expression Profile Disrupted by Ischemia a Day After Experimental Stroke

   Filippenkov IB, Shpetko YY, Stavchansky VV, Denisova AE, Gubsky LV, Andreeva LA et al. · Biomedicines · 2024PubMed Verified

10. 10.
    Robust Multifunctional Films with Excellent EMI Shielding, Anti-Peeling, and Joule Heating Performances Enabled by an Encapsulated Highly Conductive Fabric Strategy

    Chen T, Cheng X, Cai J, Gong D, Gong W, Yang P et al. · Small (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany) · 2025PubMed Verified

11. 11.
    Antidepressant-like and antistress effects of the ACTH(4-10) synthetic analogs Semax and Melanotan II on male rats in a model of chronic unpredictable stress

    Inozemtseva LS, Yatsenko KA, Glazova NY, Kamensky AA, Myasoedov NF, Levitskaya NG et al. · European journal of pharmacology · 2024PubMed Verified

12. 12.
    Changes of Transcriptomic Activity in Rat Brain Cells under the Influence of Synthetic Adrenocorticotropic Hormone-Like Peptides

    Filippenkov IB, Glazova NY, Sebentsova EA, Stavchansky VV, Andreeva LA, Myasoedov NF et al. · Biochemistry. Biokhimiia · 2024PubMed Verified

13. 13.
    Synthetic Adrenocorticotropic Peptides Modulate the Expression Pattern of Immune Genes in Rat Brain following the Early Post-Stroke Period

    Filippenkov IB, Remizova JA, Stavchansky VV, Denisova AE, Gubsky LV, Myasoedov NF et al. · Genes · 2023PubMed Verified

14. 14.
    Synthetic corticotropins and the GABA-receptor system: Direct and delayed effects

    Vyunova TV, Andreeva LA, Shevchenko KV, Glazova NY, Sebentsova EA, Levitskaya NG et al. · Chemical biology & drug design · 2023PubMed Verified

15. 15.
    Insight into Glyproline Peptides' Activity through the Modulation of the Inflammatory and Neurosignaling Genetic Response Following Cerebral Ischemia-Reperfusion

    Stavchansky VV, Filippenkov IB, Remizova JA, Denisova AE, Mozgovoy IV, Gubsky LV et al. · Genes · 2022PubMed Verified

16. 16.
    Diagnostic Value of Different 3-D Shear Wave Elastography Sections in the Diagnosis of Thyroid Nodules

    Hu Z, Lu M, Wang X, Yang W, Fan Y, Li T et al. · Ultrasound in medicine & biology · 2022PubMed Verified

17. 17.
    Semax, a Synthetic Regulatory Peptide, Affects Copper-Induced Abeta Aggregation and Amyloid Formation in Artificial Membrane Models

    Sciacca MFM, Naletova I, Giuffrida ML, Attanasio F · ACS chemical neuroscience · 2022PubMed Verified

18. 18.
    A Mouse Model of Nigrostriatal Dopaminergic Axonal Degeneration As a Tool for Testing Neuroprotectors

    Kolacheva AA, Ugrumov MV · Acta naturae · 2021PubMed Verified

19. 19.
    Antistress Action of Melanocortin Derivatives Associated with Correction of Gene Expression Patterns in the Hippocampus of Male Rats Following Acute Stress

    Filippenkov IB, Stavchansky VV, Glazova NY, Sebentsova EA, Remizova JA, Valieva LV et al. · International journal of molecular sciences · 2021PubMed Verified

20. 20.
    Investigation of the effect of a modified fragment of neuropeptide Y on memory phases and extrapolation escape of animals

    Student IOHP, Professor SYSMPD · Ceska a Slovenska farmacie : casopis Ceske farmaceuticke spolecnosti a Slovenske farmaceuticke spolecnosti · 2021PubMed Verified

21. 21.
    Brain Protein Expression Profile Confirms the Protective Effect of the ACTH((4-7))PGP Peptide (Semax) in a Rat Model of Cerebral Ischemia-Reperfusion

    Sudarkina OY, Filippenkov IB, Stavchansky VV, Denisova AE, Yuzhakov VV, Sevan'kaeva LE et al. · International journal of molecular sciences · 2021PubMed Verified

22. 22.
    Protective Effects of PGC-1α Activators on Ischemic Stroke in a Rat Model of Photochemically Induced Thrombosis

    Shakova FM, Kirova YI, Silachev DN, Romanova GA, Morozov SG · Brain sciences · 2021PubMed Verified

23. 23.
    Morphofunctional State of the Large Intestine in Rats under Conditions of Restraint Stress and Administration of Peptide ACTH((4-7))-PGP (Semax)

    Svishcheva MV, Mishina YS, Medvedeva OA, Bobyntsev II, Mukhina AY, Kalutskii PV et al. · Bulletin of experimental biology and medicine · 2021PubMed Verified

24. 24.
    Semax, synthetic ACTH(4-10) analogue, attenuates behavioural and neurochemical alterations following early-life fluvoxamine exposure in white rats

    Glazova NY, Manchenko DM, Volodina MA, Merchieva SA, Andreeva LA, Kudrin VS et al. · Neuropeptides · 2021PubMed Verified

25. 25.
    Peptide ACTH(4-7)-PGP: Effects on Various Types of Pain and Pain-Induced Behavior in Rats after Systemic and Central Administration

    Severyanova LA, Kryukov AA, Plotnikov DV, Dolgintsev ME · Bulletin of experimental biology and medicine · 2020PubMed Verified

26. 26.
    Composition of Colon Microbiota in Rats Treated with ACTH(4-7)-PGP Peptide (Semax) under Conditions of Restraint Stress

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

27. 27.
    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

28. 28.
    Novel Insights into the Protective Properties of ACTH((4-7))PGP (Semax) Peptide at the Transcriptome Level Following Cerebral Ischaemia-Reperfusion in Rats

    Filippenkov IB, Stavchansky VV, Denisova AE, Yuzhakov VV, Sevan'kaeva LE, Sudarkina OY et al. · Genes · 2020PubMed Verified

29. 29.
    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

30. 30.
    Correction of Lipid Metabolism Disorders in Diabetes Mellitus with Peptide Drugs

    Elagina AA, Lyashev YD, Lyashev AY, Pronyaeva TV, Chahine AR · Bulletin of experimental biology and medicine · 2020PubMed Verified

31. 31.
    The Use of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells for Testing Neuroprotective Activity of Pharmacological Compounds

    Novosadova EV, Arsenyeva EL, Antonov SA, Vanyushina YN, Malova TV, Komissarov AA et al. · Biochemistry. Biokhimiia · 2019PubMed Verified

32. 32.
    The occurrence of putative cognitive enhancing research peptides in seized pharmaceutical preparations: An incentive for controlling agencies to prepare for future encounters of the kind

    Vanhee C, Francotte A, Janvier S, Deconinck E · Drug testing and analysis · 2020PubMed Verified

33. 33.
    An integrated approach to study the molecular aspects of regulatory peptides biological mechanism

    Vyunova TV, Andreeva LA, Shevchenko KV, Myasoedov NF · Journal of labelled compounds & radiopharmaceuticals · 2019PubMed Verified

34. 34.
    Experimental Substantiation of Application of Semax as a Modulator of Immune Reaction on the Model of "Social" Stress

    Samotrueva MA, Yasenyavskaya AL, Murtalieva VK, Bashkina OA, Myasoedov NF, Andreeva LA et al. · Bulletin of experimental biology and medicine · 2019PubMed Verified

35. 35.
    Effects of Semax on the Default Mode Network of the Brain

    Lebedeva IS, Panikratova YR, Sokolov OY, Kupriyanov DA, Rumshiskaya AD, Kost NV et al. · Bulletin of experimental biology and medicine · 2018PubMed Verified

36. 36.
    Modulation of GABA- and Glycine-Activated Ionic Currents with Semax in Isolated Cerebral Neurons

    Sharonova IN, Bukanova YV, Myasoedov NF, Skrebitskii VG · Bulletin of experimental biology and medicine · 2018PubMed Verified

37. 37.
    Strategy to discover full-length amyloid-beta peptide ligands using high-efficiency microarray technology

    Galati C, Spinella N, Renna L, Milardi D, Attanasio F, Sciacca MFM et al. · Beilstein journal of nanotechnology · 2017PubMed Verified

38. 38.
    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

39. 39.
    Rhythmoinotropic Response of Papillary Muscles in Rats with Different Severity of Postinfarction Cardiosclerosis

    Kondratieva DS, Afanasiev SA, Usov VY, Popov SV · Bulletin of experimental biology and medicine · 2017PubMed Verified

40. 40.
    Changes in Sympathetic Innervation of the Heart in Rats with Experimental Myocardial Infarction. Effect of Semax

    Gavrilova SA, Markov MA, Berdalin AB, Kurenkova AD, Koshelev VB · Bulletin of experimental biology and medicine · 2017PubMed Verified

41. 41.
    Pharmacological Aspects of Neuro-Immune Interactions

    Tarasov VV, Kudryashov NV, Chubarev VN, Kalinina TS, Barreto GE, Ashraf GM et al. · Current pharmaceutical design · 2018ReviewPubMed Verified

42. 42.
    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

43. 43.
    Influence of ACTG(4-7)-PGP (Semax) on Morphofunctional State of Hepatocytes in Chronic Emotional and Painful Stress

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

44. 44.
    Risk Assessment of Florists Exposed to Pesticide Residues through Handling of Flowers and Preparing Bouquets

    Toumi K, Joly L, Vleminckx C, Schiffers B · International journal of environmental research and public health · 2017PubMed Verified

45. 45.
    Semax, an analog of ACTH((4-7)), regulates expression of immune response genes during ischemic brain injury in rats

    Medvedeva EV, Dmitrieva VG, Limborska SA, Myasoedov NF, Dergunova LV · Molecular genetics and genomics : MGG · 2017PubMed Verified

46. 46.
    Synacton and individual activity of synthetic and natural corticotropins

    Vyunova TV, Andreeva LA, Shevchenko KV, Myasoedov NF · Journal of molecular recognition : JMR · 2017PubMed Verified

47. 47.
    Changes in Sympathetic Innervation of Rat Caudal Artery in Experimental Myocardial Infarction. Effect of Semax Peptide

    Gorbacheva AM, Berdalin AB, Stulova AN, Nikogosova AD, Lin MD, Buravkov SV et al. · Bulletin of experimental biology and medicine · 2016PubMed Verified

48. 48.
    Influence of the N-terminus acetylation of Semax, a synthetic analog of ACTH(4-10), on copper(II) and zinc(II) coordination and biological properties

    Magrì A, Tabbì G, Giuffrida A, Pappalardo G, Satriano C, Naletova I et al. · Journal of inorganic biochemistry · 2016PubMed Verified

49. 49.
    Semax prevents learning and memory inhibition by heavy metals

    Inozemtsev AN, Bokieva SB, Karpukhina OV, Gumargalieva KZ, Kamensky AA, Myasoedov NF · Doklady biological sciences : proceedings of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR, Biological sciences sections · 2016PubMed Verified

50. 50.
    The action of the peptide drug Semax on the currents of AMPA receptors of rat cerebellar Purkinje cells

    Grigoriev VV, Andreeva LA, Zamoyski VL, Shevchenko VP, Bachurin SO, Myasoedov NF · Doklady. Biochemistry and biophysics · 2015PubMed Verified