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Selank research

What published studies found for Selank: 12 papers, 6 in humans, with sample sizes and key results.

B
Some human evidence
Why: Small Russian randomized trials (62-70 patients) against or added to benzodiazepines, without placebo; most other evidence is from rodents.

Selank (a tuftsin analogue) has a few small Russian clinical trials in anxiety disorders comparing it with or adding it to benzodiazepines, without placebo control; most other evidence is from rat and mouse studies. Additional Russian reports (an open-label randomized trial in atopic dermatitis, a binge-eating report with no stated control group, two rodent studies) are consistent with an anxiolytic effect but add no placebo-controlled data.

✓ 7 positive~ 2 mixed? 3 inconclusive

No selank-specific adverse effects are reported in the human trial abstracts; trials were small and not placebo-controlled.

US compounding: Not compoundable (no pending nomination). Removed from FDA's Category 2 on about April 22, 2026 after its nominations were withdrawn. That doesn't add it to any allowed list, so US pharmacies still can't compound it from bulk ingredient. Status for every peptide.

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Human studies

✓ Positivehuman RCTЧеловек и его здоровье · 2020Russian-language

ВОЗМОЖНОСТИ КОРРЕКЦИИ КОГНИТИВНО-АФФЕКТИВНЫХ РАССТРОЙСТВ У БОЛЬНЫХ АТОПИЧЕСКИМ ДЕРМАТИТОМ С ПОМОЩЬЮ РЕГУЛЯТОРНОГО ПЕПТИДА СЕЛАНКА

n = 65 humansRandomized, open comparison (no placebo): basic therapy vs selank plus basic therapy14 days of treatment, assessed at 30 days

In 65 adults with atopic dermatitis randomized to basic therapy with or without 2 weeks of intranasal selank (no placebo), trait anxiety fell 2.4-fold with selank vs 1.4-fold with basic therapy alone, and blood beta-endorphin rose 1.9-fold; open-label with surrogate and self-report outcomes.

Key resultTrait anxiety fell 2.4-fold with selank plus basic therapy vs 1.4-fold with basic therapy alone; beta-endorphin rose 1.9-fold.
Studied
Patients with atopic dermatitis
Compared with
Basic medical therapy alone
Main outcome
Trait and state anxiety, alexithymia, blood beta-endorphin, quality of life
Sample
65 patients randomized to 2 groups; 30 healthy controls
Authors' conclusion
Selank in complex treatment had a corrective effect on affective-cognitive disorders, lowering anxiety and alexithymia and improving quality of life.
Limitations
No placebo; open-label; self-report scales; no adverse-event data in the abstract.
CyberLeninka (Russian)
✓ Positivehuman RCTZh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova · 2008

[Efficacy and possible mechanisms of action of a new peptide anxiolytic selank in the therapy of generalized anxiety disorders and neurasthenia].

62 patients (30 selank, 32 medazepam); number written out in abstractComparative clinical study

62 patients with generalized anxiety disorder or neurasthenia: selank had anxiolytic effects similar to medazepam, plus reported anti-asthenic effects.

Studied
Patients with generalized anxiety disorder and neurasthenia
Compared with
Medazepam
Main outcome
Hamilton, Zung and CGI scales; serum enkephalin activity
Authors' conclusion
Anxiolytic effects of both drugs were similar, but selank also had antiasthenic and psychostimulant effects; leu-enkephalin half-life increased during selank treatment, mostly in GAD.
PubMed 18454096
✓ Positivehuman RCTZh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova · 2015

[Optimization of the treatment of anxiety disorders with selank].

70 patients: 30 phenazepam alone, 40 selank plus phenazepamComparison of monotherapy and combined treatment

70 anxiety-disorder patients: adding selank to phenazepam (vs phenazepam alone) gave earlier improvement on HDRS and fewer phenazepam-related side effects.

Studied
Patients with anxiety-phobic, hypochondriac and somatoform disorders
Compared with
Phenazepam monotherapy
Main outcome
HDRS, CGI, Spielberger, UKU side-effect scale, SF-36
Authors' conclusion
Phenazepam's effect on HDRS was achieved earlier with selank, and combined treatment decreased phenazepam side-effects, improving quality of life.
Limitations
Abstract gives no numeric results.
PubMed 26356395DOI
✓ Positivehuman trialZh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova · 2014

[A comparison of the anxiolytic effect and tolerability of selank and phenazepam in the treatment of anxiety disorders].

n = 60 humansComparative study

60 patients with anxiety/somatoform disorders compared on selank vs phenazepam: selank showed pronounced anxiolytic effect lasting a week after the last dose.

Studied
Patients with phobic-anxiety and somatoform disorders (ICD-10)
Compared with
Phenazepam
Main outcome
Anxiolytic effect and tolerability
Sample
60 patients with phobic-anxiety and somatoform disorders
Authors' conclusion
Pronounced anxiolytic and mild nootropic effects of selank were shown, lasting a week after the last dose, with a positive impact on quality of life.
Limitations
Abstract gives no numeric results.
PubMed 25176261
? Inconclusivehuman trialDokl Biol Sci · 2020

Functional Connectomic Approach to Studying Selank and Semax Effects.

n = 52 humansResting-state fMRI before and after 5 and 20 min of injectionImaging up to 20 min after injection

52 healthy volunteers given selank, semax or placebo: altered resting-state amygdala-temporal cortex connectivity on fMRI; no clinical outcomes.

Studied
Healthy participants
Compared with
Placebo
Main outcome
Whole-brain resting-state functional connectivity of amygdala and DLPFC
Sample
52 healthy participants
Authors' conclusion
Group and condition differences were found in connectivity between the right amygdala and right temporal cortex regions, giving general and specific effects of Selank and Semax.
Limitations
Healthy volunteers; connectivity imaging only, no clinical outcomes.
PubMed 32342318DOI
? Inconclusivehuman trialТаврический журнал психиатрии · 2016Russian-language

Возможности применения нового анксиолитика пептидной природы " Селанк " в терапии психогенного переедания

Number of patients not given in the abstractClinical study (design and control group not described in the abstract)Effects noted by day 14

Russian clinical report in patients with psychogenic binge eating and asthenic-neurotic states: the authors report fewer overeating episodes, less anxiety and depression and good tolerability on selank, but the abstract gives no group sizes, control group or statistics.

Studied
Patients with psychogenic binge eating on a background of asthenic-neurotic states
Main outcome
Binge-eating episodes, anxiety, depression
Authors' conclusion
The authors concluded that selank has antidepressant and anti-anxiety activity, corrects eating behaviour and is well tolerated, with effects persisting after discontinuation.
Limitations
No sample size, control group or statistics stated; single-centre Russian report.
CyberLeninka (Russian)

Animal & lab studies

✓ PositiveanimalBehav Neurol · 2017

Peptide Selank Enhances the Effect of Diazepam in Reducing Anxiety in Unpredictable Chronic Mild Stress Conditions in Rats.

AnimalsIndividual and combined administration, elevated plus maze

In rats under chronic mild stress, selank reduced anxiety-like behaviour and, combined with diazepam, was most effective at normalizing anxiety measures.

Studied
Rats with or without unpredictable chronic mild stress
Compared with
Diazepam and combination
Main outcome
Anxiety indicators in elevated plus maze
Authors' conclusion
Selank alone was most effective against anxiety induced by the test substances, whereas diazepam plus Selank was most effective under chronic mild stress.
Limitations
Rat study.
PubMed 28280289DOIFree full text
✓ PositiveanimalBull Exp Biol Med · 2022

Selank, a Peptide Analog of Tuftsin, Attenuates Aversive Signs of Morphine Withdrawal in Rats.

AnimalsSingle intraperitoneal injection

In morphine-dependent rats, a single selank dose reduced the naloxone-precipitated withdrawal index by 39.6% (diazepam: 49.3%).

Key resultSelank 0.3 mg/kg reduced the total withdrawal index by 39.6% (p<0.0001 for attenuation of convulsive reactions, ptosis, posture) vs 49.3% with diazepam
Studied
Outbred rats with naloxone-precipitated morphine withdrawal
Compared with
Diazepam 2 mg/kg and active control
Main outcome
Total index of morphine withdrawal syndrome
Authors' conclusion
Selank, like diazepam, weakens aversive signs of morphine withdrawal in opiate-dependent rats, being slightly inferior to diazepam.
Limitations
Rat study.
PubMed 36322304DOI
✓ PositiveanimalBull Exp Biol Med · 2019

Selank, Peptide Analogue of Tuftsin, Protects Against Ethanol-Induced Memory Impairment by Regulating of BDNF Content in the Hippocampus and Prefrontal Cortex in Rats.

AnimalsObject recognition test and ex vivo BDNF measurementSelank 0.3 mg/kg daily for 7 days after 30 weeks of ethanol

In rats chronically given ethanol, selank prevented withdrawal-related memory and attention deficits and ethanol-induced BDNF changes.

Key resultSelank prevented ethanol-induced memory and attention disturbances during withdrawal (p<0.01) and ethanol-induced BDNF increase in hippocampus and frontal cortex (p<0.05)
Studied
Outbred rats receiving 10% ethanol for 30 weeks
Compared with
Rats not exposed to ethanol
Main outcome
Memory, attention and BDNF content
Authors' conclusion
Selank had positive effects on age-related memory disturbances with chronic alcohol intoxication, implicating BDNF production.
Limitations
Rat study.
PubMed 31625062DOI
~ MixedanimalDokl Biol Sci · 2017

Peptides semax and selank affect the behavior of rats with 6-OHDA induced PD-like parkinsonism.

AnimalsAnimal behavioural study

In rats with 6-OHDA-induced parkinsonism, selank reduced anxiety in the elevated maze but, like semax, did not change motor activity or passive defensive behaviour.

Studied
Rats with 6-OHDA toxic damage to dopamine neurons (Parkinson-like model)
Main outcome
Motor activity, anxiety and passive defensive behaviour
Authors' conclusion
Selank lowered anxiety in rats with toxic damage of dopamine neurons; neither peptide affected motor activity.
Limitations
Animal study; no comparison with an established anxiolytic.
PubMed 28702721DOI
~ MixedanimalZh Vyssh Nerv Deiat Im I P Pavlova · 2008

[Effects of heptapeptide selank on genetically-based and situation-provoked symptoms of depression in behavior in WAG/Rij and Wistar rats, and in BALB/c mice].

AnimalsAnimal behavioural study (forced swim, sucrose preference)

In rats genetically prone to depression-like behaviour and in BALB/c mice, repeated high-dose selank reduced depression-like signs in the rats and single low doses did so in mice, but repeated or high doses did not in mice; it did not change locomotion or anxiety.

Studied
WAG/Rij and Wistar rats and BALB/c mice
Compared with
Outbred Wistar rats as controls
Main outcome
Depression-like behaviour
Authors' conclusion
The results indicate an antidepressant component in selank's activity spectrum.
Limitations
Animal study; effect depended on dose and schedule; dose effect inconsistent in mice.
PubMed 18661785
? Inconclusivein vitroProtein Pept Lett · 2018

Peptide-based Anxiolytics: The Molecular Aspects of Heptapeptide Selank Biological Activity.

Cells / labIn vitro radioligand-receptor binding

Radioligand binding work suggesting selank acts as a positive allosteric modulator of GABA receptor binding; mechanistic only.

Studied
Brain cell plasma membranes in radioligand binding assays
Compared with
Diazepam and olanzapine
Main outcome
[3H]GABA binding
Authors' conclusion
Selank affects [3H]GABA binding as a positive allosteric modulator, suggesting one anti-anxiety mechanism may be subtype-selective allosteric modulation of GABA receptors.
Limitations
In vitro binding study only.
PubMed 30255741DOI

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.