tuftsin is one of those subjects where the details matter more than the headlines. This page pulls together the background, the mechanisms, and the practical points readers ask about most.
Updated 2026-06-05. Numbers and descriptions here follow the published literature rather than marketing material.
Laboratory work relies on standard behavioral paradigms. Rodents are tested in the elevated plus maze, open field, and passive avoidance tasks, with outcomes compared against diazepam or vehicle controls. Intranasal dosing is used most often because it bypasses first-pass metabolism, though intraperitoneal and intravenous routes also appear in published protocols. Biochemical endpoints include tissue BDNF concentrations, cytokine levels, and monoamine metabolites. Human data are limited to small Russian trials reporting reduced anxiety scores; most were not prospectively registered, and few employed independent outcome assessment.
Measuring peptide exposure inside the brain is technically difficult. Selank is degraded rapidly in plasma, and assays must separate intact peptide from fragments, which favors targeted mass spectrometry over immunoassays alone. Reported half-lives are short, on the order of minutes, so effects observed hours later are attributed to downstream signaling rather than to the parent compound. Blood-brain barrier permeability is debated and rarely quantified directly. Gaps include absent dose-response characterization, inconsistent reporting of purity, and almost no pharmacokinetic data from human participants.
Published work on this peptide almost always uses intranasal delivery, with drops or a spray applied to the nasal mucosa. Some animal experiments have used subcutaneous or intraperitoneal injection, and a smaller number have compared routes directly. Oral administration is not a focus of the literature, because short peptides of this size are broken down by digestive enzymes and cross intestinal barriers poorly. How much of an intranasal dose reaches the bloodstream intact in humans remains an open question.
Animal studies have examined behaviour in tests of anxiety, memory retention and stress response, and several report changes in neurotrophic or neurotransmitter-related markers. The human evidence base is much smaller, consisting mainly of short trials conducted in Russia with limited reporting in English-language journals. Sample sizes are modest and outcome measures vary between studies, so the findings are best described as preliminary. Independent replication under modern trial standards has not been widely reported.
| Property | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Principal proposed target | GABA-A receptor complex | Hypothesis derived mainly from animal pharmacology |
| Common behavioral assay | Elevated plus maze | Rodent test for anxiety-like behavior |
| Reported molecular marker | Hippocampal BDNF expression | Measured by immunoassay or mRNA quantification |
| Typical dosing route | Intranasal | Chosen to reduce first-pass metabolism |
| Reported plasma half-life | Minutes | Based on limited peptide stability data |
Development took place at the Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Russian Academy of Sciences, where a series of short peptides were designed in the 1980s and 1990s. Selank was selected from variants of tuftsin that showed resistance to plasma peptidases. Russian regulatory approval covers it as an anxiolytic agent given intranasally. Outside that market the compound is normally handled as a research chemical rather than a medicine, and no widely recognised international pharmacopoeial monograph exists. The name Selank is a coined trade designation rather than a systematic chemical name.
Enzymatic stability motivates the extra three residues at the carboxyl end. Native tuftsin is cleaved quickly by circulating aminopeptidases and carboxypeptidases, which limits its duration of action and its usefulness as a tool compound. Extending the chain with proline-rich segments is a common design tactic because proline constrains the backbone and slows proteolysis. The same Pro-Gly-Pro motif appears in other Russian-developed peptides of the era. Whether the full seven-residue chain is required for activity, or whether it acts mainly as a prodrug releasing tuftsin, remains unresolved.
Selank is a synthetic heptapeptide with the sequence Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg-Pro-Gly-Pro. Its four N-terminal residues reproduce tuftsin, a tetrapeptide fragment of the immunoglobulin heavy chain, while the C-terminal Pro-Gly-Pro extension is a synthetic addition. The peptide has a molecular mass near 752 daltons and carries a net positive charge at physiological pH because of the arginine and lysine side chains. Published indexes list it under the name Selank and the sequence abbreviation TKPRPGP. Solid-phase peptide synthesis is the standard production route for research quantities.
Regulatory status differs sharply by region. Selank holds a Russian marketing authorization, where it is supplied mainly as nasal drops, while authorities elsewhere have not approved it for medical use. Material sold internationally is therefore usually labeled as a research chemical rather than a medicine. Peer-reviewed publications come predominantly from Russian laboratories, and sample sizes are generally small. Whether the compound produces comparable effects under independent, well-controlled replication remains an open question that the broader literature has not settled.
Selank is a synthetic heptapeptide developed in Russia as a structural analogue of tuftsin, a naturally occurring immunomodulatory tetrapeptide. Its sequence, Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg-Pro-Gly-Pro, keeps the tuftsin core at the N-terminus and appends a Pro-Gly-Pro tail. Researchers at the Institute of Molecular Genetics in Moscow synthesized the compound during the 1990s while searching for peptides with combined anxiolytic and immunomodulatory activity. The added tail was intended to resist enzymatic cleavage and prolong the molecule's presence in circulation.
The compound has a calculated molecular weight near 751.9 daltons and carries a net positive charge at physiological pH because of its arginine residue. It dissolves freely in water and in common aqueous buffers, and typically appears as a white or off-white lyophilized powder. The amide backbone makes the molecule susceptible to peptidases, which limits oral use and favors intranasal or parenteral routes. Nomenclature in the literature varies: the substance is also described by the sequence abbreviation TP-7 and by a Russian trade designation.
Development work on the compound began in the 1980s and 1990s at the Institute of Molecular Genetics in Moscow, within the same research programme that produced the peptide Semax. Early investigators sought a tuftsin derivative with improved resistance to enzymatic breakdown and with activity in the central nervous system after peripheral administration. Most of the primary literature from this period was published in Russian, a factor that still shapes how easily the findings can be checked by outside groups.
Naming for this compound is not fully standardised in English sources. The spelling Selanc appears in some transliterations, and catalogue entries may instead list the peptide sequence itself as the identifier. Reference material sometimes groups it with other short synthetic peptides studied for behavioural effects, which can create confusion when citations are compared. Distinguishing the exact sequence from related tuftsin analogues is therefore a practical first step when reviewing any dataset or specification sheet.
=== Oxidative stress === Many algicides produced by bacteria increase reactive oxygen species (ROS), which are highly reactive molecules produced during cell processes such as photosynthesis and respiration inside algal cells. This damages DNA, proteins, and lipids, due to an oxidative chain reaction which produces toxic products that lead to cell death. Algal cells can usually counteract these elevated ROS levels with antioxidants, however excessive or prolonged ROS levels can overwhelm the cell and lead to its death. Oxidative stress can be detected in algae based on elevated levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), which is a marker of lipid peroxidation (where lipids are attacked by oxidants), as well as elevated levels of antioxidants and defence enzymes.
==== Taiwan ==== In Taiwanese cuisine, they are called dōngfěn (Chinese: 冬粉; lit. 'winter flour'). They are a versatile ingredient used in soups, stir-fries, hot pots, and street food. A popular Taiwanese dish featuring glass noodles is bah-oân (肉圓), a translucent, doughy snack filled with meat and vegetables, often including glass noodles in the filling for added texture. Glass noodles are also a staple in Taiwanese-style lu wei (滷味), a braised food stall dish where various ingredients, including glass noodles, are simmered in a spiced soy-based broth and served hot or cold. In Hakka cuisine, a traditional preparation called kè jīa fěn sī (客家粉絲) involves stir-frying glass noodles with dried shrimp, mushrooms, pork, and preserved vegetables. Glass noodles are also often included in festive banquet dishes, such as steamed seafood casseroles and Buddha Jumps Over the Wall (佛跳牆), where they absorb rich flavours from broths and other ingredients. Taiwanese hot pots (火鍋) frequently include glass noodles as an essential add-in that soaks up the broth while maintaining a chewy texture, especially in spicy or medicinal broths popular in winter.
== History == Kwashiorkor was present in the world long before 1933 when Cicely Williams published research that took the Ga name for the disease. There were already many names for the illness which referenced the cessation of breastfeeding, or the consumption of monotonous diets high in starch. However, Williams was the first to suggest that this might be a deficiency of protein or an amino acid. Despite publishing in 1933, it was only in 1949 that the World Health Organization officially recognized kwashiorkor as a public health concern. This period also correlated with the promotion of infant formula, often by European colonial powers. The substitution of formula for breastmilk contributed significantly to the increasing visibility of kwashiorkor throughout the twentieth century. Cicely Williams later described the promotion of formula as "the most criminal form of sedition, and that those deaths should be regarded as murder." These arguments underpinned the 1970s Nestlé boycott.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
=== Side effects === Selective NRIs are generally well tolerated but the most common side effects reported are headache, dry mouth, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, and drowsiness. An increase in heart rate and blood pressure have been reported but are usually not clinically important. Sexual adverse effects are mostly related to erectile dysfunction and decreased libido, but they are significantly less common than with serotonergic drugs. Other side effects are urinary retention, constipation, sweating and insomnia. What can be considered serious side effects are thoughts of suicide, aggressiveness and hallucinations.
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Adnexal mass entry in the public domain NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms Emedicine overview This article incorporates public domain material from Dictionary of Cancer Terms. U.S. National Cancer Institute.
In 1917, Burnie Lee Benbow was granted a patent for the coiled coil filament, in which a coiled filament is then itself wrapped into a coil by use of a mandrel. In 1921, Junichi Miura created the first double-coil bulb using a coiled coil tungsten filament while working for Hakunetsusha (a predecessor of Toshiba). At the time, machinery to mass-produce coiled coil filaments did not exist. Hakunetsusha developed a method to mass-produce coiled coil filaments by 1936. Between 1924 and the outbreak of the Second World War, the Phoebus cartel attempted to fix prices and sales quotas for bulb manufacturers outside of North America. In 1925, Marvin Pipkin, an American chemist, patented a process for frosting the inside of lamp bulbs without weakening them. In 1947, he patented a process for coating the inside of lamps with silica. In 1930, Hungarian Imre Bródy filled lamps with krypton gas rather than argon, and designed a process to obtain krypton from air. Production of krypton filled lamps based on his invention started at Ajka, Hungary in 1937, in a factory co-designed by Polányi and Hungarian-born physicist Egon Orowan. By 1964, improvements in efficiency and production of incandescent lamps had reduced the cost of providing a given quantity of light by a factor of thirty, compared with the cost at introduction of Edison's lighting system. Consumption of incandescent light bulbs grew rapidly in the US. In 1885, an estimated 300,000 general lighting service lamps were sold, all with carbon filaments.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
The primary combat vehicles of the American divisions were the M1A1 Abrams tank and the Bradley Fighting Vehicle. The primary American artillery system was the self propelled M109 howitzer. The primary American attack helicopter was the Boeing AH-64 Apache (Army) with the Bell AH-1 Cobra (Army and Marines) also being in theatre. The U.S. Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II ground attack aircraft would distinguish itself during the Gulf War aided by the OH-58D JAATT eyes in the sky. Together they inflicted significant damage on Iraqi ground forces. U.S. A-10 "Warthog" crews would destroy 900 Iraqi tanks, 2,000 other military vehicles and 1,200 artillery pieces during combat operations. The U.S. Marine Corps was represented by the 1st Marine Division and the 2nd Marine Division. They were supported by the U.S. Army's 2nd Armored Division's Tiger Brigade to provide the Marines with additional armor support. Marine armor units mostly consisted of the older M-60 tank. The 1st Marine Division destroyed around 60 Iraqi tanks near the Burgan oil field without suffering any losses. The 1st Marine Division Task Force Ripper led the drive to the Kuwait International Airport on 27 February 1991. Marine Task Force Ripper destroyed about 100 Iraqi tanks and armored personnel carriers, including T-72 tanks. The division commander Maj. Gen. J.M. Myatt said, "During the first day of combat operations 1st Platoon, D Company, 3rd Tank Battalion destroyed 15 Iraqi tanks". The Marines also destroyed 25 APCs and took 300 prisoners of war. The U.S.M.C.
Although it is not entirely clear which gene causes the resistance phenotype, there is strong evidence supporting the correlation between a mutation in the membrane transporter ABCC2 and Bt resistance. Other studies with greenhouse-evolved population of Bt resistant cabbage looper demonstrate that the downregulation of the aminopeptidase N, APN1, results in its resistance.
== Select publications == Müller, Thomas; Badu-Tawiah, Abraham; Cooks, R. Graham (2012). "Accelerated Carbon-Carbon Bond-Forming Reactions in Preparative Electrospray". Angewandte Chemie International Edition. 51 (47): 11832–11835. doi:10.1002/anie.201206632. ISSN 1521-3773. PMID 23042619. Badu-Tawiah, Abraham K.; Eberlin, Livia S.; Ouyang, Zheng; Cooks, R. Graham (2016). "Faculty Opinions recommendation of Chemical aspects of the extractive methods of ambient ionization mass spectrometry". Annual Review of Physical Chemistry. 64: 481–505. doi:10.1146/annurev-physchem-040412-110026. PMID 23331308. Damon, Deidre E.; Davis, Kathryn M.; Moreira, Camila R.; Capone, Patricia; Cruttenden, Riley; Badu-Tawiah, Abraham K. (10 February 2016). "Direct Biofluid Analysis Using Hydrophobic Paper Spray Mass Spectrometry". Analytical Chemistry. 88 (3): 1878–1884. doi:10.1021/acs.analchem.5b04278.s001. PMID 26730614.
Wood Professor of Anesthesiology and Critical Care at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, and a professor of engineering at the University of Pennsylvania School of Engineering and Applied Science, travelled to the State Research Institute of Circulation Pathology (since 2008 called the Meshalkin National Medical Research Center), at Novosibirsk in Novosibirsk Oblast in Siberia, to visit anesthetist Dmitri Guvakov (now at the Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center) carry out an operation on ten-year-old Lyuda Sudilovskaya Produced by Brian Kay, directed by Pauline Duffy, made by Yorkshire Television
Immunology/Serology uses the process of antigen-antibody interaction as a diagnostic tool. Compatibility of transplanted organs may also be determined with these methods. Immunohematology, or blood bank determines blood groups, and performs compatibility testing on donor blood and recipients. It also prepares blood components, derivatives, and products for transfusion. This area determines a patient's blood type and Rh status, checks for antibodies to common antigens found on red blood cells, and cross matches units that are negative for the antigen. Urinalysis tests urine for many analytes, including microscopically. If more precise quantification of urine chemicals is required, the specimen is processed in the clinical biochemistry lab. Histopathology processes solid tissue removed from the body (biopsies) for evaluation at the microscopic level. Cytopathology examines smears of cells from all over the body (such as from the cervix) for evidence of inflammation, cancer, and other conditions. Molecular diagnostics includes specialized tests involving DNA and RNA analysis. Cytogenetics involves using blood and other cells to produce a DNA karyotype. This can be helpful in cases of prenatal diagnosis (e.g. Down's syndrome) as well as in some cancers which can be identified by the presence of abnormal chromosomes. Surgical pathology examines organs, limbs, tumors, fetuses, and other tissues biopsied in surgery such as breast mastectomies.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
Intranasal administration predominates in both animal and human research because it avoids hepatic first-pass metabolism. Injectable and intraperitoneal routes appear in animal work mainly for comparison.
Behavioral endpoints include time spent in open arms of the elevated plus maze and avoidance latencies. Biochemical endpoints include BDNF concentration, cytokine levels, and monoamine metabolite ratios in brain tissue.
Most published studies are small, originate from a limited number of laboratories, and lack independent replication. Dose-response relationships, measured brain exposure, and long-term outcomes are not well characterized.
Most published work uses intranasal application, either as drops or as a nasal spray. Injection routes appear in a smaller set of animal experiments. Oral use is uncommon in the literature because peptide breakdown and poor absorption limit this route.