Cortagen
A Khavinson-group tetrapeptide isolated from cortex tissue — used in Russian neurology practice for post-stroke cognitive deficit; evidence is almost entirely Russian-language with minimal Western replication.
One of the Khavinson short-chain peptide bioregulators (Ala-Glu-Asp-Pro), derived from the parent Cortexin extract and proposed to regulate gene expression in cortical neurons and support recovery after ischemic brain injury in the Russian clinical literature.
Mechanism of action
Hypothesized by the Khavinson group to act as a tissue-specific gene-expression modulator — the short peptide sequence is proposed to bind DNA promoter regions in cortical cells and regulate transcription of neurotrophic and neuroprotective genes. Western mechanistic studies are limited; most published work is from the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology.
Primary uses
- Research into post-ischemic cognitive recovery (Russian clinical literature)
- Investigational neuroprotection
Typical dosing
Russian clinical practice uses the parent Cortexin extract at 10 mg IM for 10 days; dosing for the synthetic short peptide is not standardized outside Khavinson-group studies.
Educational information, not medical advice. The doses on this page come from approved labels, published studies and, where no study exists, amounts reported by users. None is a recommendation for you. An unapproved compound has no established safe or effective human dose, and products sold for “research use only” are not made or tested for people. Talk to a doctor before acting on anything on this site, including before you start, stop or change any medicine or dose. Full medical disclaimer.
Regulatory status
Not FDA-approved. The parent Cortexin extract is registered as a medicine in Russia and several CIS countries for neurological indications; the synthetic Cortagen short peptide is marketed as a bioregulator / supplement in the same jurisdictions.
Status as of this entry's last review, October 4, 2026. Approvals, compounding rules and sport rules change; the regulatory tracker is checked more often.
What the studies show
Cortagen is the tetrapeptide Ala-Glu-Asp-Pro from the Russian short-peptide programme. Its study below is in rats.
Animal · 2011
Chronic brain ischaemia in rats
Cortexin and cortagen sped recovery of disturbed behaviour in rats with chronic brain ischaemia, in both hypoxia-tolerant and hypoxia-sensitive animals, and prevented excess lipid peroxidation and the fall in the brain's antioxidant activity.
References
- [review] Khavinson VK, Malinin VV. "Gerontological aspects of genome peptide regulation." Karger AG, Basel, 2005.
- [pubmed] Khavinson VKh. "Peptides and Ageing." Neuro Endocrinol Lett, 2002;23 Suppl 3:11-144. PMID: 12374906.
- [pubmed] Zarubina IV, et al. "[Cortexin and cortagen as correcting agents in functional and metabolic disorders in the brain in chronic ischemia]." Eksp Klin Farmakol, 2011;74(2):8-15. PMID: 21476278.
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Guides & tools
This entry is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Dosing information reflects published regulatory or research data and is not a recommendation. Many compounds described here are not approved for human use in the United States. Consult a licensed medical professional before considering any peptide therapy.