Selank
Also known as Selank
Synthetic heptapeptide analogue of tuftsin. Russian-developed anxiolytic with nootropic properties.
Evidence
Animal or in-vitro only
Risk band
Known AEs, monitoring advised
Research goals
Summary
Selank is a synthetic peptide analogue of the immunomodulatory peptide tuftsin, investigated mainly as an anxiolytic and neuroactive agent [1,2]. The provided evidence is predominantly preclinical: in rats, a single anxiolytic-dose injection attenuated naloxone-precipitated morphine withdrawal signs and raised tactile sensitivity thresholds, performing only slightly below diazepam [1], and Selank reduced stress-induced liver degeneration and lowered pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1beta, IL-6, TNF-alpha, TGF-beta1) under experimental social-stress conditions [3,4]. A 2026 review groups Selank with other neuroactive peptides thought to enhance brain-derived neurotrophic factor and HGF/c-Met neuroplasticity pathways, but explicitly notes that despite promising preclinical work there is a current lack of clinical trials [2]. On this basis the human therapeutic evidence is preliminary, resting on animal and mechanistic data rather than controlled human trials.
Sources
- 1. Selank, a Peptide Analog of Tuftsin, Attenuates Aversive Signs of Morphine Withdrawal in Rats Bulletin of experimental biology and medicine, 2022.
- 2. Therapeutic Peptides in Orthopaedics: Applications, Challenges, and Future Directions Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Global research & reviews, 2026.
- 3. The Influence of Selank on the Level of Cytokines Under the Conditions of "Social" Stress Current reviews in clinical and experimental pharmacology, 2021.
- 4. Effect of Selank on Morphological Parameters of Rat Liver in Chronic Foot-Shock Stress Bulletin of experimental biology and medicine, 2019.
For educational purposes only.