If you have been reading about semax and want a single page that covers the useful parts, this is it: definitions, context, how it is studied, and the questions that come up repeatedly.
Last reviewed on 2026-08-01. Where a claim depends on a specific study, the study is described rather than over-claimed.
Common degradation pathways include oxidation of the methionine side chain, hydrolysis of the peptide backbone, and aggregation under unfavourable pH or concentration. Stability studies typically monitor the main peak by chromatography and report total related substances as a percentage. Because no official monograph exists, acceptance criteria vary between laboratories, and reported purity values are not directly comparable across suppliers. Analysts therefore document the method, column, and detection wavelength alongside each result, and open questions remain about how much biological activity the oxidised forms retain.
Solid semax is typically supplied as a lyophilised powder that is hygroscopic and sensitive to moisture, light, and repeated temperature cycling. Long-term storage of the dry peptide is generally recommended at approximately -20 degrees Celsius, while shorter working periods may use refrigeration at 2 to 8 degrees Celsius. Vials should remain tightly closed and desiccated when brought to room temperature, because condensation can damage the material before it is weighed. Dividing a batch into aliquots is preferable to thawing one container repeatedly.
Development of the compound took place in the Soviet Union during the 1980s, largely through peptide research groups affiliated with the Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute and Moscow State University. Investigators screened fragments of adrenocorticotropic hormone for activity on the central nervous system while attempting to separate cognitive effects from hormonal ones. The shortened sequence was selected because it retained behavioral activity in animal models without stimulating corticosteroid release. Early publications described the molecule as an ACTH(4-10) analog.
Published research on this peptide originates mainly from Russian laboratories, and the wider international literature is comparatively thin. Studies have used rodent models of stroke, hypoxia, and memory tasks, with a smaller number of human trials reported. Reported outcomes include changes in attention and memory measures, along with effects on neurotrophic factor expression in some experiments. Small sample sizes, inconsistent dosing protocols, and limited independent replication are widely noted limitations, so the strength of the clinical evidence remains an open question.
| Property | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Typical analytical method | Reversed-phase HPLC with UV detection | Separates target peptide from truncated and oxidised forms |
| Identity confirmation | LC-MS or ESI-MS | Compares observed and calculated molecular ion |
| Primary degradation route | Methionine oxidation | Forms the sulfoxide; monitored as an early-eluting peak |
| Short-term storage | 2 to 8 degrees Celsius | Applies to working vials and reconstituted portions |
| Common synonyms | ACTH(4–10) analogue, MEHFPGP | Descriptive names used in laboratory catalogues |
多数实验室与市售的 Semax 以冻干粉形式提供。冻干粉通常建议保存在 -20 °C 或更低温度下，同时避免光照与反复升温。短期运输有时采用冷藏条件，但长期保存仍以冷冻为主。分包操作应尽量减少开盖次数，以降低吸湿和微生物污染的风险。开封后若未一次用完，建议在干燥环境中密封并尽快放回低温储存。
溶液状态的稳定性明显低于冻干粉。肽类在水溶液中可能经历水解、氧化与聚集，其中甲硫氨酸和天冬酰胺等残基常是敏感位点。Semax 含有甲硫氨酸，因此氧化风险相对突出。工作液一般主张现配现用，或冷藏并在数日内用尽。缓冲液种类、pH 和离子强度都会影响降解速率，而关于最佳条件的公开数据并不统一。
常规纯度与身份确认依赖反相高效液相色谱，并辅以质谱测定分子量。氨基酸组成分析可用于验证序列构成，肽图分析则能进一步定位修饰或降解产物。杂质谱通常关注缺失序列肽、截短片段和氧化产物。不同方法的检出限并不相同，因此各实验室报告的纯度数值不宜直接横向比较。
Semax is a synthetic heptapeptide with the sequence Met-Glu-His-Phe-Pro-Gly-Pro. Its design combines the ACTH(4-7) core fragment with a C-terminal Pro-Gly-Pro extension, a modification intended to improve stability and prolong activity. The molecule is hydrophilic, carries no lipid chains or glycosylation, and has a theoretical mass just over 810 daltons in its free form. All seven residues are proteinogenic amino acids, so no non-natural building blocks appear in the backbone. A free N-terminal methionine and C-terminal proline define the unmodified parent peptide.
The compound was developed during the 1980s at the Institute of Molecular Genetics in Moscow as part of research on fragments of adrenocorticotropic hormone. Early work examined short ACTH-derived sequences that retained neurotrophic effects while lacking the endocrine activity of the full hormone. Semax entered clinical use in Russia during the 1990s, where it received registration for several neurological indications. Outside that region it remained primarily a laboratory research material rather than an approved therapeutic. English-language literature on it grew more slowly and frequently cited the original Russian studies.
Terminology around the compound varies by source. It appears in catalogues and papers as Semax, as the heptapeptide ACTH(4-7)-Pro-Gly-Pro, and under various alphanumeric laboratory codes used by individual suppliers. These names refer to the same sequence but may imply different salt forms, purity grades, or counter-ions. Peptide databases usually list the free base mass, while product descriptions sometimes report acetate or trifluoroacetate salts with a different formula weight. Because naming conventions for research peptides are not standardised across vendors, checking the declared sequence and measured mass is more reliable than relying on a trade name alone.
=== EC 1.11.1 Peroxidases === EC 1.11.1.1: NADH peroxidase EC 1.11.1.2: NADPH peroxidase EC 1.11.1.3: fatty-acid peroxidase EC 1.11.1.4: Now EC 1.13.11.11 EC 1.13.11.11 tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase EC 1.11.1.5: cytochrome-c peroxidase EC 1.11.1.6: catalase EC 1.11.1.7: peroxidase EC 1.11.1.8: iodide peroxidase EC 1.11.1.9: glutathione peroxidase EC 1.11.1.10: chloride peroxidase EC 1.11.1.11: L-ascorbate peroxidase EC 1.11.1.12: phospholipid-hydroperoxide glutathione peroxidase EC 1.11.1.13: manganese peroxidase EC 1.11.1.14: lignin peroxidase EC 1.11.1.15: Now described by EC 1.11.1.24, thioredoxin-dependent peroxiredoxin; EC 1.11.1.25, glutaredoxin-dependent peroxiredoxin; EC 1.11.1.26, NADH-dependent peroxiredoxin; EC 1.11.1.27, glutathione-dependent peroxiredoxin; EC 1.11.1.28, lipoyl-dependent peroxiredoxin; and EC 1.11.1.29, mycoredoxin-dependent peroxiredoxin EC 1.11.1.16: versatile peroxidase EC 1.11.1.17: glutathione amide-dependent peroxidase EC 1.11.1.18: bromide peroxidase EC 1.11.1.19: dye decolorizing peroxidase EC 1.11.1.20: prostamide/prostaglandin F2α synthase EC 1.11.1.21: catalase-peroxidase EC 1.11.1.22: hydroperoxy fatty acid reductase EC 1.11.1.23: (S)-2-hydroxypropylphosphonic acid epoxidase EC 1.11.1.24: thioredoxin-dependent peroxiredoxin EC 1.11.1.25: glutaredoxin-dependent peroxiredoxin EC 1.11.1.26: NADH-dependent peroxiredoxin EC 1.11.1.27: glutathione-dependent peroxiredoxin EC 1.11.1.28: lipoyl-dependent peroxiredoxin EC 1.11.1.29: mycoredoxin-dependent peroxiredoxin
Craniocervical instability (CCI) is a medical condition characterized by excessive movement of the vertebra at the atlanto-occipital joint and the atlanto-axial joint located between the skull and the top two vertebra, known as C1 and C2. The condition can cause neural injury and compression of nearby structures, including the brain stem, spinal cord, vagus nerve, and vertebral artery, resulting in a constellation of symptoms. Craniocervical instability is more common in people with a connective tissue disease, including Ehlers–Danlos syndromes, osteogenesis imperfecta, and rheumatoid arthritis. It is frequently co-morbid with atlanto-axial joint instability, Chiari malformation, or tethered spinal cord syndrome. The condition can be brought on by physical trauma, including whiplash, laxity of the ligaments surrounding the joint, or other damage to the surrounding connective tissue.
=== Afterhyperpolarization === The depolarized voltage opens additional voltage-dependent potassium channels, and some of these do not close right away when the membrane returns to its normal resting voltage. In addition, further potassium channels open in response to the influx of calcium ions during the action potential. The intracellular concentration of potassium ions is transiently unusually low, making the membrane voltage Vm even closer to the potassium equilibrium voltage EK. The membrane potential goes below the resting membrane potential. Hence, there is an undershoot or hyperpolarization, termed an afterhyperpolarization, that persists until the membrane potassium permeability returns to its usual value, restoring the membrane potential to the resting state.
Concurrently, a line of work led by Mary Higby Schweitzer, Jack Horner, and colleagues reported various occurrences of preserved soft tissues and proteins within dinosaur bone fossils. Various mineralized structures that likely represented red blood cells and collagen fibres had been found by Schweitzer and others in tyrannosaurid bones as early as 1991. However, in 2005, Schweitzer and colleagues reported that a femur of Tyrannosaurus preserved soft, flexible tissue within, including blood vessels, bone matrix, and connective tissue (bone fibers) that had retained their microscopic structure. This discovery suggested that original soft tissues could be preserved over geological time, with multiple mechanisms having been proposed. Later, in 2009, Schweitzer and colleagues reported that a Brachylophosaurus femur preserved similar microstructures, and immunohistochemical techniques (based on antibody binding) demonstrated the presence of proteins such as collagen, elastin, and laminin. Both specimens yielded collagen protein sequences that were viable for molecular phylogenetic analyses, which grouped them with birds as would be expected. The extraction of fragmentary DNA has also been reported for both of these fossils, along with a specimen of Hypacrosaurus. In 2015, Sergio Bertazzo and colleagues reported the preservation of collagen fibres and red blood cells in eight Cretaceous dinosaur specimens that did not show any signs of exceptional preservation, indicating that soft tissue may be preserved more commonly than previously thought.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
Druze tradition honors several "mentors" and "prophets", and Elijah (Khidr) is honored as a prophet. Druze venerate Elijah, and he is considered a central figure in Druzism. And due to his importance in Druzism, the settlement of Druze on Mount Carmel had partly to do with Elijah's story and devotion. There are two large Druze towns on the eastern slopes of Mount Carmel: Daliyat al-Karmel and Isfiya. The Druze regard the Cave of Elijah as holy, and identify Elijah as "El-Khidr", the green prophet who symbolizes water and life, a miracle who cures the sick.
==== "FDA-Approved" vs. "FDA-Accepted in Food Processing" ==== The FDA does not approve applied coatings used in the food processing industry. There is no review process to approve the composition of nonstick coatings; nor does the FDA inspect or test these materials. Through their governing of processes, however, the FDA does have a set of regulations that cover the formulation, manufacturing, and use of nonstick coatings. Hence, materials like Polytetrafluoroethylene (Teflon) are not and cannot be considered as FDA Approved, but rather, they are a "FDA Compliant" or "FDA Acceptable".
== R == RCM – Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry REIMS – Rapid evaporative ionization mass spectrometry REMPI – Resonance enhanced multiphoton ionization RGA – Residual gas analyzer RI – Resonance ionization
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
==== Iron import ==== Most cell types take up iron primarily through receptor-mediated endocytosis via transferrin receptor 1 (TFR1), transferrin receptor 2 (TFR2) and GAPDH. TFR1 has a 30-fold higher affinity for transferrin-bound iron than TFR2 and thus is the main player in this process. The higher order multifunctional glycolytic enzyme glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) also acts as a transferrin receptor. Transferrin-bound ferric iron is recognized by these transferrin receptors, triggering a conformational change that causes endocytosis. Iron then enters the cytoplasm from the endosome via importer DMT1 after being reduced to its ferrous state by a STEAP family reductase. Alternatively, iron can enter the cell directly via plasma membrane divalent cation importers such as DMT1 and ZIP14 (Zrt-Irt-like protein 14). Again, iron enters the cytoplasm in the ferrous state after being reduced in the extracellular space by a reductase such as STEAP2, STEAP3 (in red blood cells), Dcytb (in enterocytes) and SDR2.
He cut the spending proposal he sent to Congress to include funding for only the Space Shuttle, with perhaps an option to pursue the Earth orbital space station for the foreseeable future. AAP planners decided the Earth orbital workshop could be accomplished more efficiently by prefabricating it on the ground and launching it with a single Saturn V, which immediately eliminated Apollo 20. Budget cuts soon led NASA to cut Apollo 18 and 19 as well. Apollo 13 had to abort its lunar landing in April 1970 due to an in-flight spacecraft failure but returned its crew safely to Earth. The Apollo program made its final lunar landing in December 1972; the two unused Saturn Vs were used as outdoor visitor displays and allowed to deteriorate due to the effects of weathering. The USSR continued trying to develop its N1 rocket, after two more launch failures in 1971 and 1972, finally canceling it in May 1974, without achieving a single successful uncrewed test flight.
=== Alternative medicine === In general, there is not enough evidence to support any complementary health approaches for RA, with safety concerns for some of them. Some mind and body practices and dietary supplements may help people with symptoms and therefore may be beneficial additions to conventional treatments, but there is not enough evidence to draw conclusions. A systematic review of CAM modalities (excluding fish oil) found that " The available evidence does not support their current use in the management of RA." Studies showing beneficial effects in RA on a wide variety of CAM modalities are often affected by publication bias and are generally not high quality evidence such as randomized controlled trials (RCTs). A 2005 Cochrane review states that low level laser therapy can be tried to improve pain and morning stiffness due to rheumatoid arthritis as there are few side-effects. There is limited evidence that tai chi might improve the range of motion of a joint in persons with rheumatoid arthritis. The evidence for acupuncture is inconclusive with it appearing to be equivalent to sham acupuncture. A Cochrane review in 2002 showed some benefits of electrical stimulation as a rehabilitation intervention to improve the power of the hand grip and help to resist fatigue. D‐penicillamine may provide similar benefits as DMARDs, but it is also highly toxic. Low-quality evidence suggests the use of therapeutic ultrasound on arthritic hands. Potential benefits include increased grip strength, reduced morning stiffness and number of swollen joints.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
Dry powder is usually kept at about -20 degrees Celsius for long-term storage and at 2 to 8 degrees Celsius for short working periods. Containers should stay sealed and protected from light and moisture to limit degradation.
Oxidation of the methionine residue to the sulfoxide is a frequently reported change, and it usually appears as an earlier-eluting peak in reversed-phase chromatography. Backbone hydrolysis products can also accumulate in aqueous solution.
Liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry is the usual approach, because the observed molecular ion can be compared with a calculated mass of about 813.9 Da. Retention time alone does not establish identity.
It is a synthetic peptide of seven amino acids. Its backbone corresponds to a fragment of adrenocorticotropic hormone extended at the carboxyl end. The material is distributed as a lyophilized solid for laboratory use.