If you have been reading about MC4 receptor and want a single page that covers the useful parts, this is it: definitions, context, how it is studied, and the questions that come up repeatedly.
Updated 2026-02-13. Numbers and descriptions here follow the published literature rather than marketing material.
从分子层面看，Semax 是线性七肽，没有二硫键、糖基或脂链修饰，N 端为游离氨基，C 端为游离羧基。分子含组氨酸与谷氨酸侧链，因此在水和甲醇等极性溶剂中溶解良好，在非极性溶剂中溶解有限。计算分子量约为 814 Da，与其质子化离子的质荷比吻合，可用于质谱确认。
稳定性主要由水解与氧化两条路径支配。肽键在中性或弱酸性条件下相对稳定，遇到强碱或长时间高温则明显断裂；甲硫氨酸侧链容易被氧化成亚砜，使主峰前移并拉低实际含量。金属离子、光照和反复冻融会进一步促进降解或聚集。冻干粉在低温避光条件下可存放较长时间，配制后的水溶液通常需要冷藏并尽快用完。
The C-terminal Pro-Gly-Pro extension is not incidental. Proline-rich tails are known to resist several common peptidases, and the published literature attributes the longer half-life of Semax, relative to unmodified ACTH fragments, to this feature. The modification also removes the melanocyte-stimulating and corticosteroidogenic activity that characterizes longer ACTH-derived sequences. Because the molecule is small and hydrophilic, it is typically formulated as an aqueous solution for intranasal or parenteral delivery. Acetylation or amidation at the termini appears in closely related research peptides and shifts the mass by a fixed increment.
Reported pharmacological work centers on neurotrophic signaling, including changes in BDNF and NGF expression in hippocampal tissue in animal models. Human data come largely from studies conducted in Russia, and how well those results generalize to other populations remains an open question. Regulatory status differs sharply by jurisdiction: Semax is a registered prescription medicine in Russia, while it holds no approved marketing status in the United States or the European Union. Outside such jurisdictions it is generally handled as a research chemical, which affects both documentation and quality expectations.
| Property | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 分子式 | C37H51N9O10S | 游离碱形式 |
| 等电点 | 约 6.5 | 估算值，随缓冲体系变化 |
| 主要降解途径 | 水解与氧化 | 侧链氧化最为常见 |
| 溶液储存 | 2 至 8 摄氏度避光 | 避免反复冻融 |
| 常规分析手段 | 反相色谱与质谱联用 | 氨基酸分析辅助核对 |
The mechanisms attributed to semax are inferred from animal and cell studies rather than traced to one confirmed target. The most frequently cited pathway involves increased expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and nerve growth factor in hippocampal and cortical tissue. Some work points to engagement of melanocortin receptors, particularly MC4, which the parent ACTH fragment can activate. Effects on dopaminergic and serotonergic signalling have also been reported. No single account explains all observed results, and the relative weight of each pathway remains unsettled.
Published studies examine a fairly narrow set of endpoints. Rodent experiments commonly measure maze learning, infarct volume after induced ischemia, and tissue levels of neurotrophic factors. Clinical reports from Russian centres describe attention, memory and recovery scores in patients after stroke or transient ischemic attack. Most of those human studies are small and few have been repeated by independent groups. Outcome measures differ between studies, which limits direct comparison.
Circulation time for the peptide is short because peptidases cleave it readily. The Pro-Gly-Pro tail is thought to slow breakdown compared with the bare ACTH fragment, but the gain appears modest. Absorption after intranasal dosing is limited, and only a fraction of a dose is expected to reach the central nervous system. Laboratory concentrations therefore sit well above levels achieved systemically, a gap that complicates translation from bench findings to clinical claims.
Semax is a synthetic heptapeptide with the sequence Met-Glu-His-Phe-Pro-Gly-Pro. It corresponds to the ACTH(4-7) fragment extended at the C-terminus by a Pro-Gly-Pro tripeptide, an addition intended to slow enzymatic breakdown. The molecular formula is C37H51N9O10S and the molecular mass is approximately 814 daltons. In the literature it is often described as an ACTH(4-10) analog, although that label reflects a naming convention as much as a precise structural relationship. The compound was developed in Russia and remains most closely associated with that research tradition.
Laboratory descriptions of the material are consistent across suppliers. It appears as a white to off-white lyophilized powder that dissolves readily in water and in polar organic solvents such as dimethyl sulfoxide. Aqueous solutions are clear and colorless at low concentrations. Because the peptide contains methionine, oxidation at the sulfur atom is a recognized degradation pathway, and handling notes usually call for protected, desiccated storage. Reported purity for research-grade lots is generally above 95 percent as measured by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography.
The compound is registered in Russia as a pharmaceutical product, most commonly formulated as a nasal solution, and has been used in that setting since the 1990s. Outside that jurisdiction it is generally handled as a research chemical rather than an approved medicine. Regulatory status therefore differs sharply between countries, and material sold internationally may not correspond to the Russian pharmaceutical formulation. Documentation with commercial samples is typically limited to a certificate of analysis covering purity and identity, not clinical status or local legal classification.
Even after being expelled from the government of Peru and the Gran Colombo-Peruvian war ended, he would continue to rant against Peru and its people in multiple letters, considering them the greatest disgrace on the American continent and with a people complicit in tyranny, seeing the country as epitome of all the anarchic defects that plagued Latin America after the independences:"What men, or what demons, are these! From one end to the other, the New World seems an abyss of abomination; and if anything were lacking to complete this frightful chaos, Peru, with too much, would be enough to fill it. Accomplice of their tyrants during the War of Independence, without yet achieving its freedom, Peru anticipates tearing up its own bosom in the first days of its existence.The gallant General San Martín, at the head of the Chileans and the Argentineans, expels to the Spaniards from Trujillo to Ica. For Lima, there was no Peru but freedom, and at once some were bent on getting rid of San Martín, whose services they most urgently needed.
The Theodor Bilharz Research Institute is located in Giza, Egypt. Theodor Bilharz was a German scientist who discovered, in autopsy material at Kasr El Aini Hospital, the causative agent of haematuria: Schistosoma worm, during his work in Egypt in 1851. The bilhariziasis disease was named after him.
First, increased dynorphin levels block the release of glutamate, a neurotransmitter involved in plasticity in the hippocampus, which would inhibit new learning. Blocking dynorphin effects would allow glutamate to be released and restore functional plasticity in the hippocampus, reversing the phenomenon of learned helplessness. In addition, blocking dynorphin would enhance dopamine signaling and thus reduce depressive symptoms associated with stress. The authors suggest that KOR antagonists might have potential in treating depression in humans.
1,2-Diarylethylamines are a class of psychoactive compounds defined by two aryl groups attached to adjacent carbon atoms on an ethylamine backbone. These compounds display a range of pharmacological activities, most notably as NMDA receptor antagonists, and have attracted attention as dissociative designer drugs that produce feelings of detachment from reality or oneself.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
==== Seed-mediated growth ==== Seed-mediated growth is a synthetic method in which small, stable nuclei are grown in a separate chemical environment to a desired size and shape. Seed-mediated methods consist of two different stages: nucleation and growth. Variation of certain factors in the synthesis (e.g. ligand, nucleation time, reducing agent, etc.), can control the final size and shape of nanoparticles, making seed-mediated growth a popular synthetic approach to controlling morphology of nanoparticles. The nucleation stage of seed-mediated growth consists of the reduction of metal ions in a precursor to metal atoms. In order to control the size distribution of the seeds, the period of nucleation should be made short for monodispersity. The LaMer model illustrates this concept. Seeds typically consist small nanoparticles, stabilized by a ligand. Ligands are small, usually organic molecules that bind to the surface of particles, preventing seeds from further growth. Ligands are necessary as they increase the energy barrier of coagulation, preventing agglomeration. The balance between attractive and repulsive forces within colloidal solutions can be modeled by DLVO theory. Ligand binding affinity, and selectivity can be used to control shape and growth. For seed synthesis, a ligand with medium to low binding affinity should be chosen as to allow for exchange during growth phase. The growth of nanoseeds involves placing the seeds into a growth solution.
7 December Storm Darragh: Hundreds of thousands are left without power, while travel is disrupted and many planned events are called off, as winds of up to 93 mph (150 km/h) hit much of the UK, along with heavy rain. A rare red weather warning is in place in Wales and south-west England, meaning the storm poses a risk to life. The deaths of two men are reported, in Birmingham and Lancashire, due to trees falling on vehicles. A 61-year-old Elizabeth line worker dies following a serious assault at Ilford railway station on 4 December. A 28-year-old man is charged with grievous bodily harm, affray, and possession of a prohibited offensive weapon. 8 December Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer welcomes the Fall of the Assad regime in Syria, which he describes as "barbaric", and calls for the restoration of "peace and stability". Emma Pinchbeck, the new chief executive of the UK government's Climate Change Committee, says the UK is "not ready" for the kind of extreme weather brought by Storm Darragh. Prince William helps to serve lunch at The Passage, a London-based homeless charity he first visited with his mother as a boy. 9 December – The UK pauses asylum claims from Syrian refugees following the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad. 10 December The UK government recommends a 2.8% pay rise for public sector workers from April 2025. In response, the Unison trade union describes the offer as "barely above the cost of living". King Charles III presents the first Elizabeth Emblems, recognising public servants such as police officers and firefighters who died while on duty.
=== Antiquity === Aristotle used the word frequently in his philosophy, both to describe the organs of plants or animals (e.g. the roots of a tree, the heart or liver of an animal) because, in ancient Greek, the word 'organon' means 'tool', and Aristotle believed that the organs of the body were tools for us by means of which we can do things. For similar reasons, his logical works, taken as a whole, are referred to as the Organon because logic is a tool for philosophical thinking. Earlier thinkers, such as those who wrote texts in the Hippocratic corpus, generally did not believe that there were organs of the body but only different parts of the body. Some alchemists (e.g. Paracelsus) adopted the Hermetic Qabalah assignment between the seven vital organs and the seven classical planets as follows:
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
While these documents formed the foundation for NPU entries applying to each scientific discipline, subsequent additions in the last decade have consisted primarily of "User driven" requests. The day-to-day administration of the NPU Terminology has for many years been carried out by representatives from the Danish Board of Health with input from the advising NPU committee. The NPU terminology is in nationwide use in laboratories, messages and national registers in Denmark and Sweden (which were also heavily involved in the initial development of the terminology), and in sporadic use in several other European countries. In 2014, Norway declared the NPU terminology mandatory on a national scale for most clinical laboratory fields.
This reagent is a good formylating agent and can regenerate the unsubstituted imidazole (with formation of carbon monoxide) upon heating. Yet another reaction involves the acylation of triphenylalkelynephosphoranes.
== Further reading == Dean L (2016). "Diazepam Therapy and CYP2C19 Genotype". In Pratt VM, McLeod HL, Rubinstein WS, et al. (eds.). Medical Genetics Summaries. National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). PMID 28520370. Bookshelf ID: NBK379740.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
电喷雾或基质辅助激光解吸电离质谱是常用手段，测得的质子化离子质荷比可换算为分子量。结果与理论值落在合理误差内，才支持结构一致的判断。
甲硫氨酸侧链含硫醚，在氧气、光照或金属离子存在时容易被氧化。氧化产物极性略增，常在色谱图上表现为主峰之前的肩峰或前伸峰。
通常建议冷藏避光，并在较短时间内使用。不存在适用于所有配方的统一期限，具体取决于浓度、缓冲体系与容器材质。
The sequence is Met-Glu-His-Phe-Pro-Gly-Pro, a seven-residue peptide. The first four residues correspond to the ACTH(4-10) fragment, and Pro-Gly-Pro is added at the C-terminus. N-acetylated versions also appear in the literature and differ in mass.