counterion comes up often in conversation and rarely with the context attached. Here we lay out the basics in order, then work through the practical considerations.
Last reviewed on 2026-03-23. Where a claim depends on a specific study, the study is described rather than over-claimed.
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.
Pharmacological accounts link semax to melanocortin signalling and to modulation of neurotrophic factor expression, particularly brain-derived neurotrophic factor and nerve growth factor. Much of this evidence comes from rodent studies using intranasal delivery, a route chosen because it allows peptides to reach the central nervous system with limited systemic exposure. Whether the same mechanisms operate in humans at comparable magnitude remains an open question. The precise receptor or receptors responsible for the reported behavioural and neuroprotective effects have not been conclusively identified.
Clinical reports describe use in ischaemic stroke, transient ischaemic attack, optic nerve conditions, and cognitive complaints, but most of these studies are small and were conducted in a single region. Systematic reviews have generally described the evidence base as limited in size and variable in methodological quality. Randomised controlled data suitable for international regulatory assessment are scarce. As a result, major treatment guidelines outside Russia do not include the peptide, and interest in it remains largely research-driven rather than routine clinical.
Semax is supplied as a lyophilized powder that appears white to off-white. It dissolves readily in water, phosphate-buffered saline, and other aqueous media, which simplifies preparation of working solutions for laboratory use. The nasal products registered in Russia are dilute aqueous solutions, typically around 0.1 percent peptide by weight. Organic solvents are rarely necessary and can complicate handling. Because the peptide is hygroscopic, weighing should be performed quickly and with minimal exposure to ambient humidity.
Solid material is normally kept at minus 20 degrees Celsius in a sealed, desiccated container. Reconstituted solutions are less stable and are usually divided into single-use aliquots before freezing. Repeated freeze-thaw cycles are avoided because they promote aggregation and loss of activity. Light exposure is minimized by using amber glassware or foil wrapping. Published stability data for this peptide are sparse, so recommended storage conditions rest mainly on general practice for short synthetic peptides rather than on dedicated study.
| 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 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.
Identity and purity of Semax are established mainly by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. The chromatographic trace gives a purity estimate as a percentage of total peak area, while electrospray or matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization confirms the molecular mass against the calculated value. Amino acid analysis and sequence-specific fragmentation provide further confirmation when a supplier's chain of custody is unclear. Vendors frequently quote a purity figure without stating the detection wavelength or the integration method, which limits how far one number can be compared with another.
Stability depends heavily on physical state. Lyophilized powder held dry, cold and dark retains its content over long periods, whereas dissolved peptide begins to change within days at room temperature. The most cited degradation route is oxidation of the methionine residue, which converts the peptide to a sulfoxide form that elutes differently on chromatography. Hydrolysis of amide bonds and adsorption onto container walls contribute smaller losses. Buffers that exclude oxygen from the headspace slow the oxidation pathway, but no single condition prevents all change indefinitely.
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.
Common degradation pathways include oxidation of the methionine side chain, hydrolysis of the peptide backbone, and aggregation under unfavourable pH or concentration. Stability studies typically monitor the main peak by chromatography and report total related substances as a percentage. Because no official monograph exists, acceptance criteria vary between laboratories, and reported purity values are not directly comparable across suppliers. Analysts therefore document the method, column, and detection wavelength alongside each result, and open questions remain about how much biological activity the oxidised forms retain.
Solid semax is typically supplied as a lyophilised powder that is hygroscopic and sensitive to moisture, light, and repeated temperature cycling. Long-term storage of the dry peptide is generally recommended at approximately -20 degrees Celsius, while shorter working periods may use refrigeration at 2 to 8 degrees Celsius. Vials should remain tightly closed and desiccated when brought to room temperature, because condensation can damage the material before it is weighed. Dividing a batch into aliquots is preferable to thawing one container repeatedly.
Dissolution is normally performed in water, phosphate-buffered saline, or normal saline, since the peptide is freely soluble in aqueous media and is rarely handled with strong organic solvents. Solution pH should be kept near neutral, because extreme acidity or alkalinity accelerates backbone hydrolysis and encourages oxidation of the methionine side chain. Once dissolved, the material is less stable than the dry powder and is commonly divided into single-use portions and frozen. Buffers containing primary amines, such as Tris, are often avoided because of possible side reactions.
=== Agmatine and polyamines === The decarboxylation of arginine by arginine decarboxylase produces agmatine, which functions as a neuromodulator and serves as an alternative precursor for the synthesis of polyamines. In mammals, these are essential for various post-translational modifications, including those involving histones. Agmatine can be converted into N-carbamoylputrescine and subsequently into putrescine. Alternatively, putrescine is formed by decarboxylation of ornithine. Putrescine can then be converted into spermidine and subsequently into spermine, the other polyamines. The relative contributions of agmatine and ornithine to putrescine formation are not yet fully understood. Various plant alkaloids, such as nicotine and the tropane alkaloids cocaine, hyoscyamine, and scopolamine, are synthesized in plants from putrescine. This compound is usually derived from ornithine but can also originate from arginine. Likewise, homospermidine, a precursor of the pyrrolizidine alkaloids (e.g., senecionin), is formed from arginine or ornithine via putrescine. Both arginine and ornithine can be converted into putrescine in bacteria. The pathway utilized depends on whether arginine is converted into ornithine or metabolized via alternative routes, as well as on its availability. Prokaryotes possessing arginine decarboxylase include enterobacteria, mycobacteria, and representatives of Aeromonas and Pseudomonas.
Ojos Locos (pronounced [ˈo.xos ˈlo.kos], Spanish for "Crazy Eyes") was founded in 2010 by restaurateurs Randy DeWitt, Jack Gibbons, Rich Hicks, and Todd East. DeWitt, the owner of parent company Front Burner Restaurants, had previously founded Twin Peaks, a chain of wilderness lodge-themed breastaurants, in 2005. The 2010 opening of the first Ojos Locos restaurant in Dallas coincided closely with the 2010 FIFA World Cup and the chain has consistently emphasized soccer as a principal sport to watch at its locations. Ojos Locos has been called a "Mexican Hooters" or "Twin Peaks for a Hispanic customer base" and markets itself to working class Hispanic men. Workers at the chain frequently speak both Spanish and English and The New York Times has singled out the restaurant as an example of an establishment that has thrived even during an anti-Spanish-language political environment. D Magazine cited it as being the best sports bar in Dallas in 2013. The servers at Ojos Locos are known as "chicas" and wear short skirts along with cleavage and midriff-baring outfits, leading the chain to colloquially be referred to as a "breastaurant". The food served is a mix of Mexican and Southwestern American food developed by chef John Franke, with tacos being a particular specialty. They are also known for their tall beer pitchers called "balones" that contain 100 US fluid ounces (3.0 L). As of 2020, there were thirteen locations across Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico.
The American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) and World Cancer Research Fund International (WCRF) have stated that there is strong evidence that consuming salted foods including salt-preserved fish and salt-preserved foods in general increases risk of stomach cancer and that the high salt content of processed meat may result in damage to the stomach mucosal lining. The American Cancer Society have stated that "stomach cancer risk is increased in people whose diets include large amounts of foods preserved by salting, such as salted fish and meat and pickled vegetables." Additionally, an excessive intake of salt has a dose-response relationship with elevated blood pressure, increasing the risk of several cardiovascular diseases.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
== Approval == The patch was granted a license from the European Medicines Agency in July, and is available on Britain's National Health Service from March 2007. However, in December 2004 the United States the 14-member Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisory committee, plus voting consultants, for Reproductive Health Drugs unanimously rejected Procter and Gamble's fast-track request for Intrinsa citing concerns about off-label use. In Canada, post-menopausal women have been able to obtain government-approved testosterone treatment since 2002. In Australia, post-menopausal women can use Organon testosterone implants which have to be surgically inserted and last from three to six months.
=== Therapeutic evaluation === Several investigations correlate the Bristol stool scale in response to medications or therapies, in fact, in one study was also used to titrate the dose more finely than one drug (colestyramine) in subjects with diarrhoea and faecal incontinence. In a randomised controlled study, the scale was used to study the response to two laxatives: Macrogol (polyethylene glycol) and psyllium (Plantago psyllium and other species of the same genus) of 126 male and female patients for a period of 2 weeks of treatment; failing to show the most rapid response and increased efficiency of the former over the latter. The primary outcomes were the number of weekly bowel movements, stool consistency according to the Bristol stool scale, time to defecation, overall effectiveness, difficulty in defecating, and stool consistency. From 2010, several studies have used the scale as a diagnostic tool validated for recognition and evaluation of response to various treatments, such as probiotics, moxicombustion, laxatives in the elderly, preparing Ayurvedic poly-phytotherapy filed TLPL/AY, psyllium, mesalazine, methylnaltrexone, and oxycodone/naloxone, or to assess the response to physical activity in athletes.
A mixture of 12-(S)-hydroxy-5Z,8E,10E-heptadecatrienoic acid (HHT) and 12-(S)-hydroxy-5Z,8Z,10E-heptadecatrienoic acid (see 12-hydroxyheptadecatrienoic acid) These breakdown products are associated with increased aggregation of Amyloid beta peptides and Alzheimer's disease. Functions of prostaglandin H2:
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
Dermatology Neurosurgery Ophthalmology Oral and maxillofacial surgery Orthopedic surgery Otorhinolaryngology Podiatric surgery – do not undergo medical school training, but rather separate training in podiatry school Urology
=== Agitation === Deramciclane, under the developmental code name EXV-801, is under development for the treatment of agitation. It is being developed by Exciva. The drug is also being developed for this indication in combination with dextromethorphan (DXM) under the code name EXV-802 (also known as Deraphan). As of March 2026, deramciclane is in phase 2/3 clinical trials for treatment of agitation.
Selegiline has been limitedly studied in large animals like horses and its dosage in these animals has not been established. In preliminary research, a dose of selegiline of 30 mg orally or intravenously in horses had no observable effects on behavior or locomotor activity. The doses of selegiline used in animals are described as extremely high relative to those used in humans (which are ~0.1 mg/kg body weight).
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.
Solid peptide is best kept frozen at about minus 20 degrees Celsius in a sealed container with desiccant. It should be allowed to reach room temperature before opening to prevent condensation. Repeated warming and cooling of the same vial is discouraged.