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Mental Focus

Semax

A20-1177 · Cognitive & Focus & Mood

What labs study it for

Brain-chemistry research. Neuroscience labs use it, mostly in rodent models, to study BDNF (a protein that supports nerve cells) and brain messengers such as dopamine and serotonin.

What this compound is

Semax is a synthetic peptide of seven amino acids. Its first four residues copy a fragment of adrenocorticotropic hormone that has no hormonal activity on its own, joined to a proline-glycine-proline tail added to slow enzymatic breakdown. Neuroscience laboratories use it as a tool for studying brain-derived neurotrophic factor and monoamine signalling, largely in rodent models. Semax is licensed for clinical use in Russia; it has not been approved by the FDA or the EMA and is supplied here solely as a laboratory reagent.

Semax. Supplied lyophilized. Lot-specific HPLC and MS documentation accompanies each unit.

3D structure

Carbon in orange, nitrogen blue, oxygen red, sulfur yellow. Formula C37H51N9O10S.

Computed 3D model, not a measured structure. Drag to rotate · scroll to zoom.

Structure from PubChem CID 9811102, with 3D coordinates computed from it.

Family

All families →

PGP-stabilised neuropeptides

Two unrelated fragments given the same protective tail.

This is a design family rather than a biological one, and it is a neat piece of chemistry. Short peptides are broken down quickly by enzymes in the body. Researchers in Russia addressed this by attaching a proline-glycine-proline tail, which resists that breakdown. Semax applies it to a fragment of adrenocorticotropic hormone; Selank applies it to tuftsin, a fragment of an antibody molecule. The starting fragments are unrelated — the shared tail is what makes them siblings.

Fields of study

  • Neurotrophic factor expression
  • Monoamine signalling
  • Peptide neurochemistry

Specifications

Catalog numberA20-1177
CAS number80714-61-0
Molecular formulaC37H51N9O10S
Molecular weight813.90 g/mol
Purity (HPLC)≥ 99.0 %
Physical formLyophilized powder
Storage-20 C, desiccated, protected from light
PubChem recordCID 9811102

Literature

Published sources, listed for reference. Follow the citation for findings.

  1. Dolotov OV, Karpenko EA, Seredenina TS, et al. Semax, an analogue of adrenocorticotropin (4-10), binds specifically and increases levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor protein in rat basal forebrain. J Neurochem. 2006;97 Suppl 1:82-6. PMID 16635254

Reference information for laboratory research only — not for human or veterinary use.