Everything below concerns heptapeptide. We keep the language plain, cite what the science says, and separate well-supported claims from open questions.
Last reviewed on 2026-05-09. Where a claim depends on a specific study, the study is described rather than over-claimed.
Semax 是一种人工合成的七肽，氨基酸序列为 Met-Glu-His-Phe-Pro-Gly-Pro，单字母缩写记作 MEHFPGP。它被归类为促肾上腺皮质激素片段 ACTH(4-10) 的结构类似物，但并不天然存在于生物体内。母体片段 ACTH(4-10) 的序列为 Met-Glu-His-Phe-Arg-Trp-Gly，Semax 替换了中间两个残基，并在羧基端延长了 Pro-Gly-Pro 三肽。这种延长被普遍认为能提升分子对肽酶的耐受性。
该化合物于二十世纪八十年代在俄罗斯被开发，相关工作由俄罗斯科学院分子遗传学研究所的研究团队主导。开发目标并非复制 ACTH 的完整激素活性，而是寻找保留其神经作用方向、同时去除促肾上腺皮质激素释放效应的短肽片段。研究记录显示，这一方向促成了多个相关短肽的合成与筛选，而 Semax 是其中被研究最广泛的一个。当地文献常以 Семакс 这一名称指代它。
Semax is a synthetic peptide created in the Soviet Union during the early 1980s by researchers working in Moscow. It was built from the short adrenocorticotropic hormone fragment known as ACTH(4-10), and the chain was then extended with three additional amino acids. The resulting molecule was named semax and entered clinical use in Russia in 1994. It is generally described as a nootropic and neuroprotective agent rather than as a hormone analogue.
The parent fragment ACTH(4-10) carries the sequence Met-Glu-His-Phe-Arg-Trp-Gly. Semax replaces the arginine and tryptophan positions with a proline-glycine-proline tail, giving Met-Glu-His-Phe-Pro-Gly-Pro. That change removes residues associated with adrenal stimulation, so the peptide does not drive cortisol release the way full ACTH does. This distinction shapes how the compound is grouped in the literature, where it sits with neuropeptides and peptide neuromodulators rather than with corticosteroids.
Regulatory status varies sharply by country. Semax is registered for medical use in Russia, where it appears in formularies as a nasal solution, and it also holds registration in a small number of neighbouring states. It has no approval from the United States Food and Drug Administration or the European Medicines Agency, and it is not a scheduled controlled substance in most jurisdictions. Elsewhere it circulates mainly as laboratory material, so purity documentation comes from suppliers rather than from a national pharmacopoeia.
| Property | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 化学类别 | 合成七肽 | ACTH(4-10) 结构类似物 |
| 氨基酸序列 | Met-Glu-His-Phe-Pro-Gly-Pro | 单字母写作 MEHFPGP |
| 分子量 | 约 813.9 Da | 随确切形式和盐型略有变化 |
| 常见同义词 | ACTH(4-10) 类似物 | 俄语文献称 Семакс |
| 开发来源 | 俄罗斯 | 二十世纪八十年代 |
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.
Russian regulatory authorities approved the peptide for nasal administration, and it remains listed in the national pharmacopoeia under several trade names. Documented indications include acute ischemic stroke, transient ischemic attacks, traumatic brain injury, and certain ophthalmological and neurological conditions. Physicians also prescribe it for cognitive complaints in older patients, although the evidence base for that use is thinner. Outside Russia and a few neighboring states, the substance is not an approved medicine and is sold instead as a research chemical.
Later generations of the molecule include an N-acetylated form and an amidated form, both marketed online alongside the parent peptide. These variants differ in terminal chemistry and stability, and they are frequently discussed in the same breath even though they have not been compared in controlled trials. Supply outside formal healthcare systems comes largely from laboratories that synthesize peptides to order. Purity and identity of these materials vary widely, and no single body oversees the international trade.
Regulatory status differs sharply between jurisdictions. In Russia the peptide is registered as a prescription nasal preparation, while agencies such as the United States Food and Drug Administration have not approved it for any indication. Products sold elsewhere are typically labeled for laboratory research only, and such labels shift responsibility for safe handling to the purchaser. Because the same name covers pharmaceutical-grade nasal drops and bulk research powder, identity and purity documentation becomes the main practical concern when comparing sources.
Semax is a synthetic seven-amino-acid peptide whose sequence extends the ACTH(4-10) fragment with a C-terminal proline-glycine-proline tripeptide. The commonly cited sequence is Met-Glu-His-Phe-Pro-Gly-Pro, giving a molecular formula near C37H51N9O10S and a molecular weight close to 813.9 g/mol. It belongs to the broader class of synthetic ACTH fragments studied for central nervous system effects rather than for adrenal steroid stimulation. In practice the material appears as a lyophilized white powder for laboratory work or as a dilute saline solution in clinical settings.
Development is attributed to researchers at the Institute of Molecular Genetics in Moscow during the early 1980s, building on earlier Soviet work with ACTH fragments. Russian regulatory approval followed for intranasal use, and the compound has remained commercially available there for decades. Most published human data originate from Russian and, later, some Eastern European clinical reports, which are not always accessible in English translation. Outside that region the material is generally handled as a research chemical rather than a licensed medicine.
The compound is registered in Russia as a pharmaceutical product, most commonly formulated as a nasal solution, and has been used in that setting since the 1990s. Outside that jurisdiction it is generally handled as a research chemical rather than an approved medicine. Regulatory status therefore differs sharply between countries, and material sold internationally may not correspond to the Russian pharmaceutical formulation. Documentation with commercial samples is typically limited to a certificate of analysis covering purity and identity, not clinical status or local legal classification.
Semax is a synthetic heptapeptide with the sequence Met-Glu-His-Phe-Pro-Gly-Pro. It corresponds to the ACTH(4-7) fragment extended at the C-terminus by a Pro-Gly-Pro tripeptide, an addition intended to slow enzymatic breakdown. The molecular formula is C37H51N9O10S and the molecular mass is approximately 814 daltons. In the literature it is often described as an ACTH(4-10) analog, although that label reflects a naming convention as much as a precise structural relationship. The compound was developed in Russia and remains most closely associated with that research tradition.
Paregoric, or camphorated tincture of opium, also known as tinctura opii camphorata, is a patent medicine known for its antidiarrheal, antitussive, and analgesic properties. According to Goodman and Gilman's 1965 edition, "Paregoric is a 4% opium tincture in which there is also benzoic acid, camphor, and anise oil. ... Paregoric by tradition is used especially for children." The term paregoric, which comes from Ancient Greek παρηγορικός parēgorikós "soothing", has also been used for boiled sweets which contained the substance, in particular the Army & Navy brand.
=== DEA classification === Vicoprofen was initially scheduled as a schedule III drug, but was later reclassified to a schedule II drug based on the DEA reclassification of products containing hydrocodone, effective October 2014.
In 1999, American scientists at the University of California, Berkeley, announced that they had succeeded in synthesizing three atoms of 293Og. These parent nuclei were reported to have successively emitted three alpha particles to form copernicium-281 nuclei, which were claimed to have undergone alpha decay, emitting alpha particles with decay energy 10.68 MeV and half-life 0.90 ms, but their claim was retracted in 2001 as it had been based on data fabricated by Ninov. This isotope was truly produced in 2010 by the same team; the new data contradicted the previous fabricated data. The missing isotopes 278Cn and 279Cn are too heavy to be produced by cold fusion and too light to be produced by hot fusion. They might be filled from above by decay of heavier elements produced by hot fusion, and indeed 280Cn and 281Cn were produced this way. The isotopes 286Cn and 287Cn could be produced by charged-particle evaporation, in the reaction 244Pu(48Ca,αxn) with x equalling 1 or 2.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
This led to endemic pellagra in poor populations throughout the southern US in the early 20th century. A more varied diet and fortification of wheat flour, the other staple food, have essentially eliminated this deficiency. Although maize cultivation spread far beyond the Americas via colonialism, the process of nixtamalization did not. For this reason, outbreaks of pellagra occurred in many areas of Europe, where corn often became a staple crop due to its high caloric efficiency relative to the land use required for its cultivation. A prominent example of endemic pellagra occurred in northern Italy in the late 19th century, from which the English term pellagra derives: "pel" meaning skin and "agra" meaning rough or sour in the Bergamo dialect.
Throughout recorded history, attempts at producing a state of general anesthesia can be traced back to the writings of ancient Sumerians, Babylonians, Assyrians, Akkadians, Egyptians, Persians, Indians, and Chinese. Despite significant advances in anatomy and surgical techniques during the Renaissance, surgery remained a last-resort treatment largely due to the pain associated with it. This limited surgical procedures to addressing only life-threatening conditions, with techniques focused on speed to limit blood loss. All of these interventions carried high risk of complications, especially death. Around 80% of surgeries led to severe infections, and 50% of patients died either during surgery or from complications thereafter. Many of the patients who were fortunate enough to survive remained psychologically traumatized for the rest of their lives. However, scientific discoveries in the late 18th and early 19th centuries paved the way for the development of modern anesthetic techniques. The 19th century was filled with scientific advancements in pharmacology and physiology. During the 1840s, the introduction of diethyl ether (1842), nitrous oxide (1844), and chloroform (1847) as general anesthetics revolutionized modern medicine. The late 19th century also saw major advancements to modern surgery with the development and application of antiseptic techniques as a result of the germ theory of disease, which significantly reduced morbidity and mortality rates.
"The meaning of a Beethoven symphony," he wrote, "heard while the listener is walking around or lying in bed is very likely to differ from its effect in a concert hall where people sit as if they were in church." In essays published by the institute's Zeitschrift, Adorno dealt with the atrophy of musical culture that had become instrumental in accelerating tendencies—toward conformism, trivialization, and standardization—already present in the larger culture. Unsurprisingly, Adorno's studies found little resonance among members of the Project. At the end of 1939, when Lazarsfeld submitted a second application for funding, the musical section of the study was left out. Yet during the two years during which he worked on the Project, Adorno was prolific, publishing "The Radio Symphony," "A Social Critique of Radio Music," and "On Popular Music," texts that, along with the draft memorandum and other unpublished writings, are found in Robert Hullot-Kentor's translation, Current of Music. In light of this situation, Horkheimer soon found a permanent post for Adorno at the Institute. In addition to helping with the Zeitschrift, Adorno was expected to be the institute's liaison with Benjamin, who soon passed on to New York the study of Charles Baudelaire he hoped would serve as a model of the larger Arcades Project. In correspondence, the two men discussed the difference in their conceptions of the relationship between critique and artworks that had become manifest through Benjamin's "The Work of Art in the Age of its Technical Reproducibility".
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
不是。Semax 是完全人工合成的七肽，自然界中没有对应的已知肽段。它的设计灵感来自促肾上腺皮质激素片段 ACTH(4-10)，但序列经过了替换和延长。
Semax 被描述为 ACTH(4-10) 的结构类似物，两者共享部分序列特征。它保留了该片段的部分神经相关活性方向，但去除了完整片段带来的激素释放效应。二者并非同一物质，也不能互相替代。
加入的 Pro-Gly-Pro 三肽被普遍认为能提升分子对蛋白水解酶的稳定性。这种设计让短肽在体内维持时间更长。具体延长的程度以及不同组织中是否一致，文献中仍存在不同报告。
Registered medical products are most often 0.1% nasal drops. Research suppliers ship lyophilized powder, usually in milligram quantities, which is dissolved before use. The active peptide is the same in both cases; presentation and excipients differ.