Semax
REC PPT-SEMAX // REV 2026-10-04 // assessment changes are logged, never silent
Russian nootropic peptide, clinically used there, little studied elsewhere.
What it is
A synthetic analogue of a fragment of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH 4-10), modified for stability.
What it does
Reported to influence BDNF expression and neuroplasticity pathways.
Does it work?
Registered and used clinically in Russia for stroke and cognitive indications. Western peer-reviewed replication is limited, so the evidence base is real but geographically narrow.
Claims vs data
Each marketing claim, tagged by what the evidence actually supports.
| Used clinically in Russia for stroke and cognitive indications | supported |
| Raises BDNF and neuroplasticity | preclinical only |
| Enhances cognition in healthy adults | weak evidence |
Reference figures
Quoted from published reference material. These are not Peptuity recommendations.
molecular data — PubChem CID 9811102
The evidence, counted
Live counts from Europe PMC and ClinicalTrials.gov.
331 publications indexed, but only 2 randomised controlled trials and 0 registered interventional studies. Human evidence exists but is thin.
SRC // EUROPE PMC + CTGOV // "Semax" // FETCHED 2026-10-04 // 331 RECORDS
Most-cited literature
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[01]
C. elegans as model for the study of high glucose- mediated life span reduction
Schlotterer A, Kukudov G, Bozorgmehr F, Hutter H, Du X, Oikonomou D, I · Diabetes 2009 · 239 citations · DOI 10.2337/db09-0567
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[02]
Glioblastoma stem-like cells secrete the pro-angiogenic VEGF-A factor in extracellular vesicles
Treps L, Perret R, Edmond S, Ricard D, Gavard J. · J Extracell Vesicles 2017 · 228 citations · DOI 10.1080/20013078.2017.1359479
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[03]
Niche of harmful alga Aureococcus anophagefferens revealed through ecogenomics
Gobler CJ, Berry DL, Dyhrman ST, Wilhelm SW, Salamov A, Lobanov AV, Zh · Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2011 · 179 citations · DOI 10.1073/pnas.1016106108
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[04]
Orthogonal micro-organization of orientation and spatial frequency in primate primary visual cortex
Nauhaus I, Nielsen KJ, Disney AA, Callaway EM. · Nat Neurosci 2012 · 146 citations · DOI 10.1038/nn.3255
Regulatory status
Formal, dated regulatory actions.
US FDA — 503A compounding 2026-07
Advisory committee (PCAC) voted 8–5 in July 2026 to recommend inclusion on the 503A compounding list — non-binding, and against the written recommendation of FDA staff. Rulemaking pending; this is not an approval, and the earliest legally compounded product is estimated at late 2027.
Common questions
Is Semax an approved drug?
In Russia, yes — registered for stroke and cognitive indications. It holds no SFDA, FDA or EMA approval.
Why does geography matter to its evidence?
Because the clinical literature is real but concentrated in Russian journals and institutions, with limited independent Western replication. The base is genuine and narrow at once.
Does it enhance normal cognition?
The registered uses are for injury and impairment. Nootropic use in healthy adults is an extrapolation the controlled evidence does not cover.
Did the FDA just approve Semax?
No. In July 2026 an FDA advisory committee voted 8–5 to recommend adding it to the 503A compounding list — a non-binding recommendation made against FDA staff advice. Approval status is unchanged, and rulemaking could run into late 2027.