Peptide Price Finder

Home · Research · Inflammation & immune

Thymalin research

What published studies found for Thymalin: 9 papers, 7 in humans, with sample sizes and key results.

C
Mostly animal studies
Why: Only Russian developer-run clinical comparisons without described randomization or blinding; animal and cell data are sparse.

Thymalin is a calf-thymus peptide extract used as a drug in Russia since the 1980s. Human studies exist but are small, often uncontrolled or poorly described, published mainly in Russian-language journals and largely by the developers' institute; the headline claims (halved mortality in the elderly, lower COVID-19 mortality) have not been independently replicated. Two additional small Russian comparisons (postoperative endometritis, children's chronic lung disease) found shifts in immune lab markers, without blinding or clinical end points.

✓ 5 positive~ 1 mixed? 3 inconclusive

No adverse effects are described in the human study abstracts reviewed; systematic safety reporting is lacking.

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 papersThymalin prices and vendors

Human studies

✓ Positivehuman RCTNeuro Endocrinol Lett · 2003

Peptides of pineal gland and thymus prolong human life.

n = 266 humansClinical assessment by the bioregulator developers; randomization and blinding not described in the abstract6-8 years of observation; bioregulators given for the first 2-3 years

Developer-run study of 266 elderly people followed 6-8 years: those given thymalin (alone or with epithalamin) for the first 2-3 years had 2.0-2.1-fold lower mortality and fewer respiratory infections than controls; randomization and blinding details are not given.

Key resultMortality decreased 2.0-2.1-fold in the Thymalin group, 1.6-1.8-fold with Epithalamin and 2.5-fold with both vs control; 4.1 times lower with annual combined treatment for 6 years
Studied
Elderly and older persons (over 60) treated with Thymalin and/or Epithalamin
Compared with
Control group
Main outcome
Mortality and disease incidence
Sample
266 elderly and older persons followed 6-8 years
Authors' conclusion
The authors state the data confirmed high geroprotective efficacy of Thymalin and Epithalamin for health maintenance in persons over 60.
Limitations
Study run by the developing institutes; allocation and blinding not described; combination arms.
PubMed 14523363
~ Mixedhuman trialStomatologiia (Mosk) · 1994

[Thymalin in the treatment of herpetic stomatitis in children].

n = 44 humansClinical treatment study with laboratory and immunological monitoring; no control group described

In 44 children with herpetic stomatitis, thymalin did not speed relief of acute symptoms but was reported to reduce relapses.

Studied
Children with herpetic stomatitis
Main outcome
Relief of acute symptoms; relapse prevention; immune status
Sample
44 children with acute and relapsing herpetic stomatitis
Authors' conclusion
Thymalin did not rapidly abate acute symptoms but is considered justified because it helps attain a stable antirelapse effect in children at high risk of recurrences.
Limitations
No comparator described and no quantitative results in the abstract.
PubMed 8191521
? Inconclusivehuman trialActa Biomedica Scientifica · 2005Russian-language

Применение иммуномодулятора тималина при лечении хронических заболеваний легких у детей

n = 28 humansOpen comparison by random selection: usual care with or without thymalin5 to 10 days of treatment, re-tested after 2 weeks

In 28 children with chronic lung disease (10 given intramuscular thymalin plus usual care, 18 usual care only), thymalin moved immune markers toward normal (lymphocyte-platelet adhesion 13.92% vs 13.2%, healthy 15.9%), but groups were tiny, only lab markers were measured and no clinical outcome was reported.

Key resultLymphocyte-platelet adhesion rose to 13.92% with thymalin vs 13.2% with traditional therapy (healthy children 15.9%).
Studied
Children aged 7 to 14 with bronchiectasis or chronic deforming bronchitis
Compared with
Traditional therapy alone
Main outcome
Lymphocyte subsets, immunoglobulins, lymphocyte-platelet adhesion
Sample
28 children with chronic lung disease (10 thymalin, 18 control) plus 20 healthy children
Authors' conclusion
The author concluded that thymalin brought cellular and humoral immune indices closer to normal and improved treatment results.
Limitations
Only 10 treated children; surrogate immune markers; no clinical outcomes; no blinding.
CyberLeninka (Russian)
? Inconclusivehuman trialKhirurgiia (Mosk) · 1994

[Prevention of postoperative complications in diffuse purulent peritonitis in children].

n = 21 humansComplex multi-component surgical protocol including wound-edge infiltration with 0.01% thymalin, compared with controls

In 21 children with purulent peritonitis, a multi-component surgical protocol that included thymalin wound infiltration reduced complications vs controls; thymalin's own contribution cannot be separated.

Studied
Children with generalized fibrinopyogenic peritonitis
Compared with
Control group of patients operated on conventionally
Main outcome
Postoperative complications
Sample
21 children
Authors' conclusion
Results were significantly improved with the complex protocol and complications were much fewer than in controls; the effect of thymalin alone cannot be separated.
Limitations
Thymalin was only one part of a multi-component protocol; no numerical data in the abstract.
PubMed 7990325
✓ Positivehuman trialAdv Gerontol · 2022

[Morphological compound and indicators of the blood clotting system in severe COVID-19 patients of middle aged and elderly during treatment of Tocilizumab and Thymalin.].

Three groups; group sizes not given in the abstractComparative study of three groups (basic therapy; plus Tocilizumab; plus Thymalin); allocation method not described

Severe COVID-19 patients given thymalin with standard therapy had 20.6% hospital mortality vs 40.9% on standard therapy alone (28.4% with tocilizumab), with improved lymphocyte counts and clotting markers; allocation method not described.

Key resultHospital mortality 40.9% (standard therapy), 28.4% (Tocilizumab) and 20.6% (Thymalin)
Studied
Middle-aged and elderly patients with severe COVID-19
Compared with
Basic therapy alone and basic therapy plus Tocilizumab
Main outcome
Hospital mortality; blood morphology and clotting indicators
Authors' conclusion
Thymalin, compared with Tocilizumab, was judged to meet the principles of pathogenic therapy for severe COVID-19 to a greater extent, normalizing blood morphology and clotting indicators.
Limitations
Group sizes and randomization not stated; mortality not tested statistically in the abstract.
PubMed 36169363
? Inconclusivehuman trialLik Sprava · 1999

[Thymalin in the combined treatment of parkinsonism patients].

Fifteen patients (written as a word)Before-and-after examination around a thymalin course; no control group

Uncontrolled study of 15 people with Parkinson's disease: authors report improved well-being, symptoms and EEG measures after a thymalin course; no control group.

Studied
Patients aged 45 to 72 with idiopathic parkinsonism (stage 1.5 to 2.5)
Main outcome
Well-being, parkinsonian symptoms, EEG mapping
Authors' conclusion
The authors report a positive course of well-being and parkinsonian symptoms, with EEG changes suggesting improved cortical neurodynamics.
Limitations
Uncontrolled, 15 patients, no numerical results in the abstract.
PubMed 10424021
✓ Positivehuman trialБайкальский медицинский журнал · 2012Russian-language

Сравнительное действие тималина , тимогена и ронколейкина на состояние иммунитета и гемостаза при развитии эндометрита после кесарева сечения

60 women treated with thymalin, thymogen or ronkoleykin; 25 controls on standard therapyComparative clinical study versus standard complex therapy (randomization not described)10 days of thymalin

60 women with endometritis after caesarean section received standard therapy plus thymalin, thymogen or ronkoleykin and were compared with 25 on standard therapy alone: the thymalin group had higher CD4+ cells (37.4% vs 22.5%) and fewer clotting abnormalities, but randomization and blinding are not described.

Key resultCD4+ cells 37.4% with thymalin vs 22.5% with standard therapy alone (healthy postpartum women 62.6%); IgG 11.4 vs 9.1 g/l.
Studied
Women with endometritis after caesarean section
Compared with
Standard complex therapy alone; thymogen; ronkoleykin
Main outcome
Lymphocyte subsets, immunoglobulins and haemostasis markers; clinical course
Authors' conclusion
Adding thymalin, thymogen or ronkoleykin to complex therapy was followed by rapid disappearance of the immune and clotting disturbances and a good clinical effect.
Limitations
Not blinded; no randomization described; small groups; surrogate lab markers.
CyberLeninka (Russian)

Animal & lab studies

✓ PositiveanimalBull Exp Biol Med · 2018

Effect of Thymalin on the Tumor and Thymus under Conditions of Activation Therapy In Vivo.

AnimalsAnimal experiment with low-dose thymalin under activation-therapy regimens

In rats with transplanted sarcoma, low-dose thymalin arrested or regressed tumor growth in over half the animals.

Key resultTumor growth arrest and regression in more than half of animals; in other cases growth was suppressed by 78%
Studied
Albino outbred male rats with transplanted sarcoma 45
Main outcome
Tumor growth and thymus microstructure
Authors' conclusion
Thymalin at doses lower than therapeutic doses showed a pronounced antitumor effect in rats, which the authors attribute to lower, modulated dosing.
Limitations
Rat model; numbers of animals not stated in the abstract.
PubMed 29797130DOI
✓ Positivein vitroBull Exp Biol Med · 2020

Thymalin: Activation of Differentiation of Human Hematopoietic Stem Cells.

Cells / labIn vitro differentiation study

In human hematopoietic stem cell cultures, thymalin reduced stem-cell markers and increased the mature T-cell marker CD28 6.8-fold.

Key resultThymalin reduced CD44 and CD117 expression by 2-3 times and increased CD28 expression by 6.8 times
Studied
Human hematopoietic stem cells in culture
Main outcome
Expression of CD44, CD117 and CD28
Authors' conclusion
Thymalin appears to stimulate differentiation of CD117+ cells into mature CD28+ T lymphocytes; the authors suggest it could be an immunoprotective drug for COVID-19 prevention.
Limitations
In vitro; effect on COVID-19 is a hypothesis.
PubMed 33237528DOIFree full text

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.