Educational, research-use-only content. This article summarizes published scientific literature for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. The compounds discussed are supplied strictly for in-vitro laboratory research and are not approved for human or veterinary use.
What is Selank?
Selank is a synthetic heptapeptide (Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg-Pro-Gly-Pro) developed by Russian researchers as a stabilized analog related to the immunopeptide tuftsin. It is studied as a “regulatory peptide” in models of anxiety-related behavior and cognition (Vyunova et al., 2018).
GABA-receptor research
Using radioligand-binding and isolated brain-cell-membrane methods, researchers reported that Selank acts as a positive allosteric modulator of GABA receptors and can interact with benzodiazepine-binding activity in a distinct, non-additive way (Vyunova et al., 2018). This is mechanistic, laboratory-level research into how the peptide may influence GABA signaling.
The limits of the current evidence
- The evidence is from animal and in-vitro binding studies; effects in humans are not established here.
- The literature is concentrated in a small number of research groups, and Selank is not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
References
According to PubMed:
- Vyunova TV, et al. Peptide-based Anxiolytics: The Molecular Aspects of Heptapeptide Selank Biological Activity. Protein Pept Lett. 2018. doi:10.2174/0929866525666180925144642
