Scientific Reference
Selank
Evidence profile: Controlled human evidence
Selank is a synthetic seven-residue peptide, Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg-Pro-Gly-Pro, made by adding Pro-Gly-Pro to the tetrapeptide tuftsin. Tuftsin is a fragment of the heavy chain of immunoglobulin G, studied in immunology for its actions on phagocytic cells; the Pro-Gly-Pro extension was added to slow enzymatic breakdown. Selank was developed in Russia, and most published work on it comes from Russian groups. That literature consists mainly of rodent behavioural and gene-expression studies, with some small clinical studies, many of them published in Russian-language journals. Independent work outside Russia is limited.
Mechanism of Action
No single receptor for Selank has been identified. Rodent studies have reported that it changes the expression of genes involved in GABAergic neurotransmission, and some experiments suggest it modulates GABA-A receptor function allosterically. It has also been reported to inhibit enkephalin-degrading enzymes in blood serum, to affect monoamine metabolism in the brain, and to alter the expression of cytokines including interleukin-6. Increased expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the rat hippocampus has also been described. Much of this evidence comes from a small number of laboratories and awaits independent replication.
Molecular Information
- Type: Synthetic tuftsin analog (heptapeptide)
- Length: 7 amino acids
- Molecular weight: 751.9 g/mol
- Molecular formula: C33H57N11O9
- CAS: 129954-34-3
Published Research
[A comparison of the anxiolytic effect and tolerability of selank and phenazepam in the treatment of anxiety disorders]
Medvedev VE et al. · Zhurnal nevrologii i psikhiatrii imeni S.S. Korsakova · 2014 · Clinical
PMID 25176261 — View on PubMed