If you have been reading about melanocortin signalling 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.
Last reviewed on 2025-09-09. Where a claim depends on a specific study, the study is described rather than over-claimed.
Semax is a synthetic heptapeptide with the sequence Met-Glu-His-Phe-Pro-Gly-Pro. It is described in the literature as an analogue of the ACTH(4–10) fragment, a short N-terminal portion of adrenocorticotropic hormone that retains some neurotropic activity without the full hormonal effects of the parent peptide. The molecule carries a methionine residue at the N-terminus and two proline residues near the C-terminus, features that shape both its interactions with receptor systems and its chemical stability. The free peptide corresponds to the formula C37H51N9O10S and a molecular mass near 813.9 Da.
The compound was developed in the 1980s at the Institute of Molecular Genetics in Moscow, where it emerged from research on short ACTH fragments and their effects on the central nervous system. Russian pharmaceutical listings describe it as a nootropic and neuroprotective agent, most often formulated as nasal drops. It is not a marketed medicine in the United States or the European Union, and no pharmacopoeial monograph covers it. Consequently, most published clinical experience with the substance originates from a small number of research centres, mainly in Russia and neighbouring countries.
Semax is a synthetic heptapeptide developed in the Soviet Union during the 1980s by researchers at the Institute of Molecular Genetics in Moscow. It was designed as a truncated analog of adrenocorticotropic hormone, retaining only the fragment spanning residues four through ten. Investigators sought a peptide that would preserve the cognitive effects associated with ACTH while eliminating the hormonal stimulation of the adrenal cortex. The compound entered clinical use in Russia during the following decade.
Russian regulatory authorities approved the peptide for nasal administration, and it remains listed in the national pharmacopoeia under several trade names. Documented indications include acute ischemic stroke, transient ischemic attacks, traumatic brain injury, and certain ophthalmological and neurological conditions. Physicians also prescribe it for cognitive complaints in older patients, although the evidence base for that use is thinner. Outside Russia and a few neighboring states, the substance is not an approved medicine and is sold instead as a research chemical.
Later generations of the molecule include an N-acetylated form and an amidated form, both marketed online alongside the parent peptide. These variants differ in terminal chemistry and stability, and they are frequently discussed in the same breath even though they have not been compared in controlled trials. Supply outside formal healthcare systems comes largely from laboratories that synthesize peptides to order. Purity and identity of these materials vary widely, and no single body oversees the international trade.
| Property | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Molecular formula | C37H51N9O10S | Free acid form of the heptapeptide; depends on terminal groups |
| Molecular mass | About 813.9 g/mol | Average mass used for mass spectrometry confirmation |
| Appearance | White to off-white solid | Supplied as a lyophilised powder; hygroscopic |
| Solubility class | Freely soluble in aqueous media | Water, saline, and phosphate buffers; limited organic solubility |
| Typical storage temperature | -20 degrees Celsius | Long term and dry; short working periods may use 2 to 8 degrees Celsius |
Semax 是人工设计的七肽，序列为 Met-Glu-His-Phe-Pro-Gly-Pro，骨架取自促肾上腺皮质激素片段 ACTH(4-10)。它于二十世纪八十年代在苏联的分子遗传学研究机构内合成。设计目标是保留该片段与注意力和记忆相关的活性，同时剔除促皮质激素释放等内分泌作用。此后俄罗斯将其登记为药品并进入临床使用。
当时的短肽研究普遍关注能否穿越血脑屏障、在低剂量下产生中枢效应，Semax 属于这一路线。鼻内给药是其主要使用方式，俄语文献报道的适应症涵盖缺血性卒中、短暂性脑缺血发作、认知功能减退以及视神经病变。这些研究大多发表在当地期刊上，样本规模与终点设置同西方试验惯例存在差异，国际同行对其临床证据的强度看法不一。
Semax 是一种人工合成的七肽，氨基酸序列为 Met-Glu-His-Phe-Pro-Gly-Pro，单字母缩写记作 MEHFPGP。它被归类为促肾上腺皮质激素片段 ACTH(4-10) 的结构类似物，但并不天然存在于生物体内。母体片段 ACTH(4-10) 的序列为 Met-Glu-His-Phe-Arg-Trp-Gly，Semax 替换了中间两个残基，并在羧基端延长了 Pro-Gly-Pro 三肽。这种延长被普遍认为能提升分子对肽酶的耐受性。
该化合物于二十世纪八十年代在俄罗斯被开发，相关工作由俄罗斯科学院分子遗传学研究所的研究团队主导。开发目标并非复制 ACTH 的完整激素活性，而是寻找保留其神经作用方向、同时去除促肾上腺皮质激素释放效应的短肽片段。研究记录显示，这一方向促成了多个相关短肽的合成与筛选，而 Semax 是其中被研究最广泛的一个。当地文献常以 Семакс 这一名称指代它。
The circulatory system consists of the heart and blood vessels (arteries, veins and capillaries). The heart propels the circulation of the blood, which serves as a "transportation system" to transfer oxygen, fuel, nutrients, waste products, immune cells and signaling molecules (i.e. hormones) from one part of the body to another. Paths of blood circulation within the human body can be divided into two circuits: the pulmonary circuit, which pumps blood to the lungs to receive oxygen and leave carbon dioxide, and the systemic circuit, which carries blood from the heart off to the rest of the body. The blood consists of fluid that carries cells in the circulation, including some that move from tissue to blood vessels and back, as well as the spleen and bone marrow.
== Context == Selection acts on variation in phenotypes, which are often the result of mutations in protein-coding genes. The genetic code is written in DNA sequences as codons, groups of three nucleotides. Each codon represents a single amino acid in a protein chain. However, there are more codons (64) than amino acids found in proteins (20), so many codons are effectively synonyms. For example, the DNA codons TTT and TTC both code for the amino acid Phenylalanine, so a change from the third T to C makes no difference to the resulting protein. On the other hand, the codon GAG codes for Glutamic acid while the codon GTG codes for Valine, so a change from the middle A to T does change the resulting protein, for better or (more likely) worse, so the change is not a synonym. These changes are illustrated in the tables below. The Ka/Ks ratio measures the relative rates of synonymous and nonsynonymous substitutions at a particular site.
These names were later suggested for element 114 (flerovium) and element 116 (moscovium). Flerovium became the name of element 114; the final name proposed for element 116 was instead livermorium, with moscovium later being proposed and accepted for element 115 instead. Traditionally, the names of all noble gases end in "-on", with the exception of helium, which was not known to be a noble gas when discovered. The IUPAC guidelines valid at the moment of the discovery approval however required all new elements be named with the ending "-ium", even if they turned out to be halogens (traditionally ending in "-ine") or noble gases (traditionally ending in "-on"). While the provisional name ununoctium followed this convention, a new IUPAC recommendation published in 2016 recommended using the "-on" ending for new group 18 elements, regardless of whether they turn out to have the chemical properties of a noble gas. The scientists involved in the discovery of element 118, as well as those of 117 and 115, held a conference call on 23 March 2016 to decide their names. Element 118 was the last to be decided upon; after Oganessian was asked to leave the call, the remaining scientists unanimously decided to have the element "oganesson" after him. Oganessian was a pioneer in superheavy element research for sixty years reaching back to the field's foundation: his team and his proposed techniques had led directly to the synthesis of elements 107 through 118.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
== Current application of LED light therapy == Red light therapy, utilising red LED lights, originated from techniques intended to enhance plant growth in space and aid in astronauts' wound healing. Primarily used in dermatology, it enhances skin conditions by stimulating mitochondria, thereby increasing collagen production and blood circulation while reducing inflammation. Additionally, it plays a crucial role in photodynamic therapy, where it combines with photosensitive drugs to target and destroy cancerous cells through a light-induced chemical reaction. Blue light therapy is also a common LED light therapy to treat acne, skin cancer, and depression. While blue light therapy has similar mechanisms for skin enhancement as red light therapy, its usage for photodynamic therapies in treating cancer are slightly different. Blue light therapy stimulates immune system defences, destroys blood vessels that help cancer cells grow, and causes cell death by reacting with oxygen. It also prevents skin cancer and metastasis by removing precancerous and cancerous skin lesions. Application of red and blue LED light for photodynamic treatments are generally safe and can be used to treat different cancers. However, they may differ in the efficiency and response. For instance, In the treatment of Gorlin syndrome, a genetic disorder predisposed to cancer, studies have shown that blue light therapy achieves a higher tumor clearance rate and induces less pain than red light therapy.
=== Undifferentiation === Undifferentiated cells have not completed differentiation or specialization, thus retaining their cell potency and oftentimes being highly proliferative. This is often the final cell state after the dedifferentiation process is completed and maintained, as cells become less specialized.
Ofgem announces a 23% decrease in the quarterly price cap on the amount suppliers can charge for household energy bills, from £4,279 to £3,280 – a £999 drop, to apply from April 2023. Sunak and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen announce a new agreement concerning movement of goods to/from Northern Ireland, named the Windsor Framework. Lidl becomes the latest UK food retailer to limit the sale of some fruit and vegetables due to an ongoing shortage. New regulations come into force in England and Wales banning transgender women who still have male genitalia, or those who are sex offenders, from being sent to women's prisons. 28 February Royal Mail issue the final special set of stamps featuring the late Queen Elizabeth II, to mark the centenary of The Flying Scotsman. Sunak meets businesses and their employees in Belfast, to secure support for his new agreement with the EU. He tells them that being in both the single market and the UK makes Northern Ireland the "world's most exciting economic zone" and "an incredibly attractive place to invest." Transgender rapist Isla Bryson is sentenced to eight years in prison with a further three years supervision. Sainsbury's announces the closure of two Argos depots over the next three years, with the loss of 1,400 jobs. Zholia Alemi, who faked a medical degree certificate from the University of Auckland to work as a psychiatrist for two decades, is sentenced to seven years in prison following a trial at Manchester Crown Court.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
It is described as a synthetic analogue of the ACTH(4–10) fragment, a short segment of adrenocorticotropic hormone. Its sequence differs from that fragment and includes two proline residues, which influence stability and behaviour in solution.
It appears in Russian pharmaceutical listings as a nasal formulation, but it is not an authorised medicine in the United States or the European Union. Outside those markets it is normally encountered as a research chemical rather than a prescription product.
Laboratory and animal work points to melanocortin signalling and changes in neurotrophic factor levels, especially brain-derived neurotrophic factor. The exact receptor targets and the degree to which these findings transfer to humans are still unresolved.
It originated at the Institute of Molecular Genetics in Moscow during the 1980s. The work was carried out by a Russian research group that specialized in peptide neuropharmacology.