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Pancragen research

What published studies found for Pancragen: 10 papers, 1 in humans, with sample sizes and key results.

C
Mostly animal studies
Why: Only one small non-randomized, non-placebo human study from the developer's group; the controlled data are in rats, aged monkeys and cell cultures.

Pancragen (the tetrapeptide Lys-Glu-Asp-Trp) has been studied almost entirely by one Russian research group, mostly in rats, aged monkeys and cell culture, where it lowers blood glucose and stimulates pancreatic cell markers. The only human report is a small non-randomized, non-placebo-controlled study in elderly people with type 2 diabetes; no independent or randomized human data were found.

✓ 9 positive? 1 inconclusive

The single human report (33 patients) was uncontrolled and did not report adverse events, so there is essentially no human safety data.

US compounding: Not compoundable. Not an FDA-approved drug and not nominated for FDA's 503A bulks list, so US pharmacies can't legally compound it. Status for every peptide.

Browse and filter these papersPancragen prices and vendors

Human studies

✓ Positivehuman trialBull Exp Biol Med · 2011

Prospects of using pancragen for correction of metabolic disorders in elderly people.

30 healthy older persons and 33 patients with type 2 diabetesComparison of healthy vs diabetic older persons, with pancragen given to patients with type 2 diabetes versus patients not receiving it

In 33 elderly people with type 2 diabetes and 30 healthy elderly controls, pancragen lowered fasting and post-load glucose, insulin and the insulin resistance index, while untreated participants showed no change; the study was not randomized or placebo-controlled.

Key resultNocturnal melatonin production was reduced by 70% in type 2 diabetes vs healthy individuals; pancragen significantly decreased fasting and glucose-tolerance-test glucose and reduced insulin and insulin resistance index
Studied
Older persons: 30 healthy and 33 with type 2 diabetes
Main outcome
Fasting glucose, glucose tolerance test, insulin and insulin resistance index
Authors' conclusion
Pancragen is a promising approach to correct insulin resistance in elderly individuals.
Limitations
Abstract gives no randomization, blinding, dose or duration details.
PubMed 22448364DOI

Animal & lab studies

✓ PositiveanimalAdv Gerontol · 2015

[Correction of impaired glucose tolerance using tetrapeptide (Pancragen) in old female rhesus monkeys].

n = 9 animalsComparative animal study against glimepiride10 days

In 9 old rhesus monkeys, 10 days of pancragen lowered fasting glucose and normalized insulin and C-peptide responses, while the comparator glimepiride produced a larger and more delayed glucose fall.

Studied
Old (20-25 years) clinically healthy female rhesus monkeys
Compared with
Glimepiride 4 mg/animal per day orally
Main outcome
Blood glucose, insulin and C peptide, basal and during glucose tolerance testing
Sample
9 old female rhesus monkeys (5 pancragen, 4 glimepiride)
Authors' conclusion
Pancragen lowered basal glucose and normalized insulin and C peptide; the authors suggest it is effective and safe for age-related pancreatic endocrine imbalance.
Limitations
Small study in healthy monkeys; 4-5 animals per group.
PubMed 28509500
✓ PositiveanimalAdv Gerontol · 2014

[Impact of tetrapeptide pancragen on endocrine function of the pancreas in old monkeys].

Old female rhesus monkeys; number not statedGlucose tolerance test before and after pancragen10 days of treatment; effect followed for 3 weeks after discontinuation

In old female rhesus monkeys, 10 days of pancragen increased the rate of glucose disappearance and normalized insulin and C-peptide dynamics, with partial persistence 3 weeks after stopping.

Studied
Old female rhesus monkeys compared with young animals
Compared with
Young animals / control period
Main outcome
Glucose disappearance rate, insulin and C-peptide dynamics
Authors' conclusion
Pancragen increased glucose disappearance rate and normalized insulin and C-peptide responses; the effect partially persisted 3 weeks after stopping. Authors call it promising for age-related endocrine dysfunction.
Limitations
Animal study; sample size not given in abstract.
PubMed 25946840
✓ PositiveanimalBull Exp Biol Med · 2007

Effect of pancragen on blood glucose level, capillary permeability and adhesion in rats with experimental diabetes mellitus.

AnimalsExperimental diabetes model

In rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes, oral pancragen lowered blood glucose and intramuscular pancragen normalized mesenteric capillary endothelial adhesion but did not change capillary permeability.

Studied
Wistar rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes
Main outcome
Blood glucose, mesenteric capillary permeability and adhesion
Authors' conclusion
Oral pancragen had a pronounced hypoglycemic effect and intramuscular pancragen normalized capillary endothelium adhesion but not permeability, indicating homeostatic and endothelioprotective effects early in diabetes.
Limitations
Animal study; sample size not given in abstract.
PubMed 18642713DOI
✓ PositiveanimalBull Exp Biol Med · 2005

Effect of tetrapeptide on insulin biosynthesis in rats with alloxan-induced diabetes.

AnimalsAnimal study of a KEDWa tetrapeptide analog

In rats with alloxan-induced diabetes, the KEDW tetrapeptide partially restored insulin synthesis and produced a glucose curve similar to that of normal animals.

Studied
Rats with alloxan-induced diabetes
Main outcome
Insulin synthesis and sugar curve
Authors' conclusion
The tetrapeptide partially restored insulin synthesis and gave a sugar curve slope similar to normal animals; a promoter-binding mechanism is proposed (presumed).
Limitations
Animal study; mechanism is presumptive.
PubMed 16671579DOI
✓ PositiveanimalBull Exp Biol Med · 2007

Effect of tetrapeptide pancragene on functional morphology of the pancreas in rats with experimental diabetes mellitus.

AnimalsAnimal experiment; control details not stated in the abstract

In rats with experimental diabetes, Pancragen was reported to improve pancreatic tissue morphology and function (developer's institute; abstract gives no numbers).

Studied
Rats with experimental diabetes mellitus
Main outcome
Morphology and function of pancreatic tissue
Authors' conclusion
The authors report a regulatory effect of Pancragen on pancreatic morphology and function in diabetic rats and see good prospects for the drug.
Limitations
Animal study; abstract gives no sample size, controls or effect sizes.
PubMed 18225766DOI
✓ Positivein vitroBull Exp Biol Med · 2013

Effects of pancragen on the differentiation of pancreatic cells during their ageing.

Cells / labIn vitro expression study

In cultured human pancreatic cells, pancragen increased expression of acinar and islet differentiation factors (Pdx1, Pax6, Pax4, Foxa2 and others), with a larger effect in aged cultures.

Studied
Young and aged pancreatic cell cultures
Main outcome
Expression of acinar and islet differentiation factors
Authors' conclusion
Pancragen stimulated expression of differentiation factors (e.g. Pdx1, Pax6, Foxa2) in young and aged cultures; transcription factors are proposed as its pharmacological target.
Limitations
In vitro only.
PubMed 23486591DOI
✓ Positivein vitroAdv Gerontol · 2012

[Tetrapeptide stimulates functional activity of the pancreatic cells in aging].

Cells / labIn vitro expression study

In aged human pancreatic cell cultures, the tetrapeptide raised proliferation and anti-apoptotic markers (PCNA, Ki67, Mcl1) and lowered p53.

Studied
Aged human pancreatic cell cultures
Main outcome
Expression of functional, proliferation and apoptosis markers
Authors' conclusion
The tetrapeptide increased MMP2, MMP9, serotonin, CD79alpha, Mcl1, PCNA and Ki67 and decreased p53 expression in aged pancreatic cells.
Limitations
In vitro only.
PubMed 23734516
✓ Positivein vitroBull Exp Biol Med · 2012

Peptides tissue-specifically stimulate cell differentiation during their aging.

Cells / labIn vitro expression study in young and late-passage (aging) cultures

In aging human cell cultures, pancragen raised differentiation-factor expression in pancreatic cells specifically, while other short peptides acted on bronchial or prostatic cells.

Studied
Human embryonic pancreatic and bronchial cells and prostatic fibroblasts in culture
Main outcome
Expression of CXCL12, Hoxa3 and WEGC1 differentiation factors
Authors' conclusion
Vesugen stimulated differentiation factor expression in fibroblasts, with a stronger effect in aged cultures, which may be a mechanism of geroprotective effect.
Limitations
In vitro cell culture only.
PubMed 22808515DOI
? Inconclusivein vitroBiochemistry (Mosc) · 2015

Epigenetic mechanisms of peptidergic regulation of gene expression during aging of human cells.

Cells / labIn vitro gene expression and promoter DNA-methylation analysis with KEDW and AEDL peptides

In aging human pancreatic and bronchial cell cultures, the peptide KEDW (Pancragen) tissue-specifically changed expression of pancreatic genes (PDX1, PAX6, NGN3) alongside promoter methylation changes; a mechanism study with no clinical outcome.

Studied
Ageing human pancreatic and bronchial epithelium cell cultures
Compared with
Untreated cultures of different age
Main outcome
Gene expression and promoter methylation of PDX1, PAX6, NGN3 and other genes
Authors' conclusion
Changes in promoter methylation might explain the age- and peptide-induced changes in expression of PDX1, PAX6 and NGN3 in pancreatic cells; other genes appear controlled by other mechanisms.
Limitations
Cell cultures only; mechanism, not efficacy.
PubMed 25761685DOI

Verdicts are judged on each paper's own main outcome; grades run from A (strong human evidence) to D (little or none). Details are read from the abstracts, and figures are reproduced only from openly licensed full texts. Not medical advice.