Category · 31 entries
Cognitive & Nootropic
Peptides studied for memory, cognition, and neuroprotection.
Adamax
An enhanced Semax derivative with an adamantane modification borrowed from P21, studied in limited Russian research for BDNF upregulation and cognitive enhancement.
Beta-Endorphin
The body's most potent endogenous painkiller — the 31-amino-acid opioid peptide behind the 'runner's high' and natural pain modulation.
BRN2 (POU3F2) Research Peptide
A research-only peptide derived from the POU3F2 (BRN2) neural transcription factor; mechanistic and phenotypic evidence is limited almost entirely to in vitro and lineage-specification studies. No human therapeutic development, no clinical trials, no established dosing, and no commercial availability through regulated channels.
Cerebrolysin
A pig-brain peptide mixture approved in about 50 countries for stroke and dementia; Cochrane found no survival benefit after stroke and more non-fatal serious adverse events.
Colostrinin
A colostrum-derived polypeptide complex — studied in clinical trials for Alzheimer's disease, with immunomodulatory activity that shifts cytokine profiles from pro- to anti-inflammatory.
Cortexin
A polypeptide extract of calf or pig brain cortex, injected in Russia after stroke and for cognitive problems; its trials are Russian and none is placebo-controlled.
Davunetide
NAPVSIPQ, the minimum active fragment of ADNP — an 8-amino-acid neuroprotective peptide studied in Phase 2 (cognition in mild cognitive impairment, schizophrenia) and Phase 3 (progressive supranuclear palsy). The Phase 3 PSP trial failed in 2012; development continues in schizophrenia (Coronis / ATL-104) and ADNP syndrome research.
Dihexa
A modified dipeptide built from angiotensin IV to reach the brain by mouth: rodent memory studies only, no human data, and the paper tying it to HGF/c-Met is retracted.
DSIP
A nine-amino-acid peptide isolated from rabbit brain blood in 1977 and named for delta-wave sleep, whose sleep effects in human trials were weak and inconsistent.
Dynorphin
The brain's 'anti-reward' opioid — a kappa-receptor agonist that produces dysphoria rather than euphoria, critical to understanding addiction, stress, and depression.
Enkephalin
The body's short-acting local painkillers — five-amino-acid opioid peptides that modulate pain, mood, and gut motility at the synaptic level.
FGL Peptide
A 15-amino-acid synthetic peptide derived from the second fibronectin-type-III module of NCAM, designed to mimic NCAM's interaction with FGFR1 and reproduce downstream neurogenic signaling. Preclinical cognition and neuroprotection data only; no human clinical trials; research-only.
Galanin
A neuropeptide with uniquely broad functions — modulating seizures, pain, mood, and neurogenesis across three receptor subtypes.
NA-Selank Amidate
Selank with an acetyl cap and an amide end. Sellers claim better stability and nasal absorption; no study of this form has been published.
Nerinetide
The stroke neuroprotectant that almost worked: three large trials missed, but every one hinted it helps patients who are not given clot-busting alteplase.
Neuropeptide Y
The brain's most abundant neuropeptide — a 36-amino-acid master regulator of appetite, stress resilience, and anxiety that connects metabolic and cognitive peptide networks.
Neurotensin
A gut-brain peptide that modulates dopamine transmission, pain sensitivity, and fat absorption — linking metabolic health to schizophrenia and addiction research.
Noopept
A Russian capped-dipeptide nootropic (omberacetam) with rodent memory data, two small open human studies, and a habit of turning up in US supplements.
NPAS3 Research Peptide
A research-only peptide derived from the NPAS3 (neuronal PAS domain protein 3) basic helix-loop-helix PAS transcription factor. NPAS3 has been linked to schizophrenia and cognitive phenotypes in human genetic studies, but the peptide itself has no clinical development. No human trials, no established dosing, and no substantiated therapeutic use.
Orexin-A
The hypothalamic wakefulness peptide — loss of orexin neurons causes narcolepsy, and blocking its receptors produced the blockbuster insomnia drugs suvorexant and lemborexant.
Orexin-B
The second orexin isoform — a 28-amino-acid peptide that preferentially activates the OX2 receptor most critical for maintaining wakefulness.
P21
A CNTF-derived research peptide (Institute for Basic Research, New York) that crosses the blood-brain barrier and stimulates hippocampal neurogenesis in rodent models of Alzheimer disease, Down syndrome, and aging. Not FDA-approved; not commercially marketed; research-only with no human trials to date.
PACAP
The neuropeptide that sets off migraine on infusion, independently of CGRP: a research tool in people, and the target of the first PACAP antibody to cut migraine days.
PE-22-28
A short peptide that selectively blocks the TREK-1 potassium channel — studied in animal models as a fast-acting antidepressant candidate.
Rovatirelin
An oral TRH mimic for hereditary and sporadic ataxia: effective in rodent models, but two phase 3 trials missed.
Selank
A Russian nasal anxiolytic built from the immune peptide tuftsin; its human evidence is small Russian trials that compare it with benzodiazepines, not placebo.
Semax
A synthetic ACTH-derived heptapeptide approved in Russia for stroke rehabilitation and optic nerve disorders, with documented BDNF upregulation and broad nootropic activity.
Sovateltide
An endothelin-B agonist that won approval in India for stroke after one small phase 2 and one 158-patient phase 3 trial run by its developer; a larger multinational trial is meant to test it for the US.
Taltirelin
A modified form of the brain hormone TRH that works by mouth and lasts longer. Approved in Japan since 2000 as Ceredist for ataxia in spinocerebellar degeneration; not approved in the US or EU.
Trofinetide
An oral analogue of a three-amino-acid fragment of IGF-1, taken twice daily as a liquid. Approved as Daybue in 2023 for Rett syndrome in patients aged 2 and older; diarrhoea affected 80.6% in its phase 3 trial.
Ziconotide
A cone snail venom peptide turned FDA-approved painkiller — the first non-opioid intrathecal analgesic for severe chronic pain.