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Three residues, a large Russian preclinical literature, and no controlled human trial.
Also known as: EDR · Glu-Asp-Arg
Part of the Neuropeptides & signaling cluster
Overview
Pinealon is the synthetic tripeptide Glu-Asp-Arg (EDR), one of the Khavinson short-peptide bioregulators. Its evidence is rodent, cell-culture and small uncontrolled Russian human observations reporting antioxidant and neuroprotective effects; no registered clinical trial exists and it is not an approved medicine in the US, Canada or the EU.
Source & context
Biological / chemical source: Synthetic tripeptide (Khavinson short-peptide class)
Primary research or clinical context: Research compound from the Russian short-peptide bioregulator programme; not approved as a medicine by the FDA, Health Canada or the EMA
What pinealon is
Pinealon is a synthetic tripeptide, glutamate–aspartate–arginine (EDR), developed at the St Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology as one of a family of very short “peptide bioregulators” (others include epithalon, vilon, vesugen and testagen). It is not derived from a known hormone; the sequence was designed within the group's hypothesis that short acidic-basic peptides act on gene expression. At three residues it is among the smallest molecules on this site, and its literature is almost entirely from affiliated Russian laboratories. No IUPHAR record exists and no clinical trial is registered.
Proposed mechanism: antioxidant signalling and nuclear entry
In cerebellar granule cells, neutrophils and PC12 cells, pinealon restricted reactive-oxygen-species accumulation and reduced necrotic death in a dose-dependent way, with a delayed time course of ERK1/2 activation and changes in the cell cycle; the authors inferred a direct interaction with the genome beyond antioxidant action (Khavinson et al., Rejuvenation Research 2011). Fluorescein-labelled pinealon, epithalon and testagen entered the cytoplasm, nucleus and nucleolus of HeLa cells and bound oligonucleotides and DNA in vitro (Fedoreyeva et al., Biochemistry (Moscow) 2011). Whether these cell-culture observations translate to any effect after oral or injected administration in humans has not been established.
Animal evidence
Among four short peptides tested in a hypobaric-hypoxia model, pinealon showed the most pronounced antihypoxic effect, attributed to stimulation of internal antioxidant enzymes and possibly limitation of NMDA excitotoxicity (Kozina, Advances in Gerontology 2008, in Russian). In rats with prenatal hyperhomocysteinaemia induced by dietary methionine, giving pinealon to the pregnant dams improved offspring spatial orientation and learning and reduced ROS accumulation and necrotic neurons in cerebellar cultures (Arutjunyan et al., International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Medicine 2012). In old rats, pinealon given before carotid-artery occlusion improved survival and altered caspase-3 activity and behaviour, and under acute hypoxia it was associated with increased neurogenesis markers and reduced neuroinflammatory signals (Mendzheritskiĭ et al., Advances in Gerontology 2011, 2014, 2015).
Human observations, and why they are not trials
Two Russian reports describe human use. In 32 people aged 41–83 with multiple chronic conditions and organic brain syndrome in remission, capsule preparations of pinealon and vesugen were reported to improve biological-age indicators; the same study found pro-oxidant activity on chemiluminescence and a fall in CD34+ haematopoietic progenitor cells in blood, which the authors interpreted as inhibition of haemopoiesis (Meshchaninov et al., Advances in Gerontology 2015). A two-week open observation in locomotive-brigade workers reported improved biological-age and adaptation indices (Nazimko et al., Advances in Gerontology 2012). Neither was randomised, blinded or placebo-controlled, and neither reported adverse events systematically. They are hypothesis-generating at best.
| Evidence type | Examples | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Cell culture | ROS restriction, ERK1/2, nuclear uptake (2011) | Mechanistic only |
| Rodent models | Hypoxia, prenatal hyperhomocysteinaemia, carotid occlusion (2008–2015) | Single research network; limited independent replication |
| Human observations | 32-person open study (2015); worker cohort (2012) | Uncontrolled; no placebo; safety signals noted |
| Randomised controlled trials | None | — |
Pharmacokinetics
No human pharmacokinetic data for pinealon have been published in the sources reviewed. A free tripeptide of this kind would be expected to be rapidly hydrolysed by plasma and tissue peptidases, and the Russian human reports used oral capsules, which for a peptide implies very low intact absorption. The 2011 HeLa study shows cellular uptake in culture but says nothing about systemic exposure. Any claim of a specific half-life or bioavailability for pinealon is not supported by the literature in this pack.
Regulatory status as of September 2026
Pinealon is not an approved medicine in the United States, Canada or the European Union, has no IUPHAR ligand record, and has no study registered on ClinicalTrials.gov. In Russia it has been studied as a capsule preparation within the bioregulator programme; the sources reviewed do not establish its regulatory category there. Products sold online as pinealon for injection are unlicensed and of unverified content.
Pinealon vs epithalon and the other bioregulators
Pinealon (EDR) and epithalon (AEDG) come from the same programme and share a design logic — acidic residues plus a basic or glycine residue — and overlapping claims of geroprotection and antioxidant action. Epithalon has a larger and older animal literature, including lifespan and tumour data in transgenic mice and telomerase work in cultured cells; pinealon's distinctive thread is the hypoxia and neuronal-viability work. Vesugen (KED) outperformed pinealon on the 2015 biological-age indices. None of the three has a controlled human trial. The epithalon profile gives that peptide's evidence in detail.
Reading the claims responsibly
Almost every pinealon paper comes from one institute and its collaborators, several are in Russian with only abstracts available in English, and the human reports lack controls. The 2015 study's own findings — pro-oxidant activity and reduced CD34+ progenitor cells — are the only safety signals in the literature and cut against the marketing framing. This profile describes the science; it is not guidance on obtaining or using any product and it is not medical advice.
Sequence
One-letter sequence commonly cited for Pinealon (educational; isoforms and modifications may differ):
EDR
Residues plotted ~100° apart around an α-helix — clustering of one color reveals an amphipathic face.
Structure & chemistry
Molecular identity & reference confidence
Source-supported reference
Reference values are taken from the cited molecular record or curated profile. A database match is not independent laboratory verification; modifications, counter-ions, and formulations can change the measured mass.
- Molecular form
- Linear tripeptide Glu-Asp-Arg (EDR); free N- and C-termini
- Species
- Not established by this molecular identity audit
- Termini (N / C)
- Not specified / Not specified
Average reference mass
Reference policy updated: 2026-10-05
- PubChem molecular record · 2026-10-01
- Molecular formula
- C15H26N6O8
- Average reference mass
- ≈ 418.4
- Backbone
- Linear tripeptide Glu-Asp-Arg (EDR); free N- and C-termini
- Status
- Not approved anywhere; no trials registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (snapshot September 2026)
- PubChem CID: 10273502
- CAS RN: 175175-23-2
Chemistry values: curated profile, PubChem · fetched 2026-10-01.
Pinealon — reconstitution calculator
Enter how much peptide is in the vial and how much diluent (e.g. bacteriostatic water) is added. The tool returns the resulting solution concentration — and, for any amount you type, the volume it corresponds to. This is educational arithmetic, not a dosing recommendation.
Reference form: Linear tripeptide Glu-Asp-Arg (EDR); free N- and C-terminiAverage reference mass: 418.4 Da
Enter an amount to see the volume it corresponds to.
Educational concentration mathematics only. This tool does not recommend a dose, amount, or protocol, and nothing here is medical advice. Many peptides are not authorized by Health Canada for human use — see our reconstitution and bacteriostatic-water guides for context.
Change log
Dated observations from the data pipeline (registry flags, trial footprints, identifiers) and editorial reviews of this profile.
- EditorialProfile content reviewed and updated by the editorial team.
FAQ about Pinealon
What is Pinealon?+
Pinealon is the synthetic tripeptide Glu-Asp-Arg (EDR), one of the Khavinson short-peptide bioregulators. Its evidence is rodent, cell-culture and small uncontrolled Russian human observations reporting antioxidant and neuroprotective effects; no registered clinical trial exists and it is not an approved medicine in the US, Canada or the EU.
What Canadian product status is recorded for Pinealon?+
Canadian product status for Pinealon has not been verified in this profile. No verified record here does not mean no authorization exists. Status depends on the product, formulation and use; consult Health Canada's product records.
What is the typical length of Pinealon?+
Pinealon is commonly described as approximately 3 amino acids (Research peptide).
What is pinealon?+
A synthetic tripeptide, Glu-Asp-Arg (EDR), from the Russian short-peptide bioregulator programme. It has cell-culture and rodent studies reporting antioxidant and neuroprotective effects, and no controlled human trial.
Is pinealon approved?+
No. It is not an approved medicine in the US, Canada or the EU, has no IUPHAR record and no registered clinical trial.
What does pinealon do?+
In cells and rodents it restricted reactive-oxygen-species accumulation, reduced necrotic neuronal death and improved outcomes in hypoxia models. No human efficacy has been demonstrated.
Is pinealon safe?+
Unknown. The one 32-person open study reported pro-oxidant activity and a fall in CD34+ progenitor cells in blood. No controlled safety data exist.
Pinealon vs epithalon — what is the difference?+
Both are Khavinson bioregulators. Epithalon (AEDG) has lifespan and telomerase studies; pinealon (EDR) has hypoxia and neuronal-viability studies. Neither has a randomised human trial.
What is pinealon's half-life?+
No human pharmacokinetic data have been published. Free tripeptides are generally hydrolysed rapidly in plasma.
Further reading
- FoundationsWhat Are Research Peptides? A Clear Educational GuideLearn what “research peptides” means, how they differ from approved peptide drugs, quality markers (COA, purity), and how to study them responsibly.
- SafetyPeptide Safety and Risks: A Balanced Educational OverviewAn objective, balanced overview of what research does and does not establish about peptide risks—unknowns, purity and contamination concerns, and why unapproved compounds carry uncertainty. Not reassurance and not medical advice.
- PK conceptsWhy Peptides Have Short Half-Lives (And How Engineers Fix It)Proteases, renal clearance, DPP-4, PEGylation, lipidation, cyclization—educational guide to peptide pharmacokinetics concepts.
Related peptides
References & further reading
- 1.Khavinson et al. (2011). Pinealon increases cell viability by suppression of free radical levels and activating proliferative processes. Rejuvenation Res
- 2.Arutjunyan et al. (2012). Pinealon protects the rat offspring from prenatal hyperhomocysteinemia. Int J Clin Exp Med
- 3.Mendzheritskiĭ et al. (2014). [Regulation of content of cytokines in blood serum and of caspase-3 activity in brains of old rats in model of sharp hypoxic hypoxia with Cortexin and Pinealon]. Adv Gerontol
- 4.Mendzheritsky et al. (2015). [Pinealon and Cortexin influence on behavior and neurochemical processes in 18-month aged rats within hypoxia and hypothermia]. Adv Gerontol
- 5.Kozina (2008). Investigation of antihypoxic properties of short peptides. Advances in Gerontology
- 6.Fedoreyeva et al. (2011). Penetration of short fluorescence-labeled peptides into the nucleus in HeLa cells and in vitro specific interaction of the peptides with deoxyribooligonucleotides and DNA. Biochemistry (Moscow)
- 7.Meshchaninov et al. (2015). Effect of synthetic peptides on aging of patients with chronic polymorbidity and organic brain syndrome of the central nervous system in remission. Advances in Gerontology
- 8.Nazimko et al. (2012). Analysis of some parameters of biological age and adaptation possibilities of workers of locomotive brigades. Advances in Gerontology
- 9.PubChem — Glu-Asp-Arg (pinealon), CID 10273502