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Tuftsin plus a Pro-Gly-Pro tail: a Russian-developed anxiolytic peptide with a rodent literature and a handful of small human studies.
Also known as: TP-7 · Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg-Pro-Gly-Pro · tuftsin analogue
Part of the Neuropeptides & signaling cluster
Overview
Selank is a synthetic heptapeptide, Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg-Pro-Gly-Pro (C33H57N11O9, ≈752 Da), built from the immune tetrapeptide tuftsin with a stabilising Pro-Gly-Pro extension. Developed at the Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Russian Academy of Sciences, it has been studied mainly in rats for anxiolytic, stress-protective and learning effects, with small human imaging and clinical studies in Russia. It has no marketing approval in the US, Canada or the EU.
Source & context
Biological / chemical source: Synthetic heptapeptide
Primary research or clinical context: Research compound in North America and Europe — no US, Canadian or EU approval. Clinical studies cited in the literature were conducted in Russia, where it was developed.
What Selank is
Selank is a seven-residue synthetic peptide: the sequence of tuftsin, a naturally occurring tetrapeptide that stimulates phagocytosis in immune cells, extended by a Pro-Gly-Pro tail that slows its breakdown. Its molecular formula is C33H57N11O9 and its mass about 752 Da. It was developed by the Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the same group behind Semax, and most of the published work comes from Russian laboratories. In the literature it is described as an anxiolytic with a spectrum of effects similar to classical benzodiazepines (Volkova et al., Frontiers in Pharmacology 2016).
Sequence and design
In one-letter code: T-K-P-R-P-G-P. Residues 1–4 (Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg) are tuftsin; residues 5–7 (Pro-Gly-Pro) are the C-terminal extension. The Pro-Gly-Pro motif is the same stabilising tail used in Semax, and its role is to protect the biologically active fragment from rapid enzymatic degradation. There are no non-canonical residues, no lipid and no cyclisation — Selank's stability strategy is sequence-based. A 2017 review of tuftsin and its analogues places Selank within a family of 86 documented tuftsin-derived peptides, most with anti-inflammatory, antitumour or antibacterial activity (Siebert et al., Current Medicinal Chemistry 2017).
What the animal studies show
The rodent literature is the core of the evidence. Selank enhanced the anxiolytic effect of diazepam in rats under unpredictable chronic mild stress (Kasian et al., Behavioural Neurology 2017); it attenuated aversive signs of morphine withdrawal in rats (Konstantinopolsky et al., Bulletin of Experimental Biology and Medicine 2022); it affected liver morphology under chronic foot-shock stress (Fomenko et al., 2019); and in a 2003 study it improved acquisition of a conditioned active-avoidance reflex in rats with initially low learning ability, compared with the nootropic piracetam (Kozlovskii & Danchev, Neuroscience and Behavioral Physiology 2003). Gene-expression studies report that Selank alters expression of genes involved in GABAergic neurotransmission in rat brain and in a human neuroblastoma cell line (Volkova et al., 2016; Filatova et al., 2017).
Human data
Human evidence in the pack is limited and small. A functional-connectivity MRI study in 52 healthy participants examined the effects of Selank and Semax on resting-state connectivity of the amygdala and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (Panikratova et al., Doklady Biological Sciences 2020). A study of cytokine levels under “social” stress conditions is also reported (Leonidovna et al., Current Reviews in Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology 2021). Volkova et al. refer to clinical studies showing similarity between Selank's physiological effects and those of benzodiazepines, but the pack contains no randomised, placebo-controlled trial with clinical endpoints, no pharmacokinetic study and no systematic safety data.
| Type | Examples | What it supports |
|---|---|---|
| Rat behavioural | Kasian 2017; Kozlovskii 2003; Konstantinopolsky 2022 | Anxiolytic, learning and withdrawal-related effects in rats |
| Gene expression | Volkova 2016; Filatova 2017 | Changes in GABAergic neurotransmission genes |
| Human imaging | Panikratova 2020 (n = 52 healthy) | Resting-state connectivity changes |
| Controlled clinical trial | None in the pack | — |
Mechanism as currently described
No receptor for Selank is characterised in the evidence pack. The proposed mechanisms are indirect: modulation of GABAergic neurotransmission at the level of gene expression, effects on cytokine balance under stress, and — inherited from tuftsin — immunomodulation. The connectivity study framed its hypothesis around the amygdala, a key region in anxiety regulation, and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, central to executive function. These are working hypotheses drawn from small studies rather than an established pharmacology.
Regulatory status
Selank has no IUPHAR ligand record and no marketing authorisation in the United States, Canada or the European Union as of September 2026; the clinical work cited in the pack was conducted in Russia, where the peptide originated. In North America and Europe it circulates as a “research” or nootropic product, typically as a nasal solution, outside any regulatory approval, quality standard or safety surveillance.
Selank vs Semax
Both come from the same Moscow institute and share the Pro-Gly-Pro stabilising tail, but their active cores differ: Selank is built on tuftsin (an immune peptide) and is studied as an anxiolytic; Semax is built on a fragment of ACTH and is studied as a nootropic and neuroprotectant. The 2020 connectivity study examined them together for exactly that contrast — anxiolytic versus nootropic. This profile is educational; it is not guidance on obtaining or using any product and it is not medical advice.
Sequence
One-letter sequence commonly cited for Selank (educational; isoforms and modifications may differ):
TKPRPGP
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
- Tuftsin (Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg) extended by Pro-Gly-Pro
- 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
- C33H57N11O9
- Average reference mass
- ≈ 751.9
- Receptors
- Not characterised in the evidence pack; effects in the literature are attributed to changes in GABAergic gene expression and cytokine levels rather than a defined receptor
- Backbone
- Tuftsin (Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg) extended by Pro-Gly-Pro
- Status
- No IUPHAR ligand record; no marketing authorisation in the US, Canada or EU. Research compound.
- PubChem CID: 11765600
- CAS RN: 129954-34-3
- UNII: TS9JR8EP1G
Chemistry values: curated profile, PubChem · fetched 2026-10-01.
Clinical development snapshot
ClinicalTrials.gov lists 2 registered studies with “Selank” as an intervention (snapshot 2026-09-06). A registry footprint is not evidence of efficacy or approval.
| NCT | Title | Phase | Status | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NCT05832060 | Comparing the Efficacy of tDCS and tRNS to Improve Reading Skills in Children and Adolescents With Dyslexia | Not applicable | unknown | 2023-09-15 |
| NCT01747200 | Effects of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation on Object Recognition | Not applicable | completed | 2017-07-02 |
Selank — 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: Tuftsin (Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg) extended by Pro-Gly-ProAverage reference mass: 751.9 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 Selank
What is Selank?+
Selank is a synthetic heptapeptide, Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg-Pro-Gly-Pro (C33H57N11O9, ≈752 Da), built from the immune tetrapeptide tuftsin with a stabilising Pro-Gly-Pro extension. Developed at the Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Russian Academy of Sciences, it has been studied mainly in rats for anxiolytic, stress-protective and learning effects, with small human imaging and clinical studies in Russia. It has no marketing approval in the US, Canada or the EU.
What Canadian product status is recorded for Selank?+
Canadian product status for Selank 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 Selank?+
Selank is commonly described as approximately 7 amino acids (Synthetic tuftsin analogue (anxiolytic research peptide)).
What is Selank?+
A synthetic seven-residue peptide (Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg-Pro-Gly-Pro): the immune tetrapeptide tuftsin plus a stabilising Pro-Gly-Pro tail, developed in Russia and studied mainly for anxiolytic effects in rats.
Is Selank approved?+
Not in the US, Canada or the EU, and it has no IUPHAR record. The clinical studies cited were conducted in Russia.
Does Selank work for anxiety?+
In rats it has anxiolytic and stress-protective effects, including enhancing diazepam. The pack contains no randomised placebo-controlled human trial with clinical endpoints.
Selank vs Semax — what is the difference?+
Same developer and same Pro-Gly-Pro tail, but Selank is tuftsin-based and studied for anxiety, while Semax is ACTH-fragment-based and studied for cognition.
What is Selank's sequence?+
TKPRPGP — threonine, lysine, proline, arginine, proline, glycine, proline. Formula C33H57N11O9, mass about 752 Da.
What are Selank's side effects?+
No systematic human safety data are in the pack. Grey-market products carry the usual unknowns of content, purity and sterility.
Further reading
- 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.
- 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.
- CanadaAre Peptides Legal in Canada? A Regulatory GuideAn educational overview of how Health Canada regulates peptides—drug authorization, DINs, the “research use only” gray area, and import ambiguity. Not legal advice.
- FoundationsPeptides for Beginners: A Clear Educational FoundationA beginner-friendly primer on what peptides are, how they differ from proteins and SARMs, approved medicines vs research materials, and how to learn responsibly.
Related peptides
References & further reading
- 1.Panikratova et al. (2020). Functional Connectomic Approach to Studying Selank and Semax Effects. Dokl Biol Sci
- 2.Konstantinopolsky et al. (2022). Selank, a Peptide Analog of Tuftsin, Attenuates Aversive Signs of Morphine Withdrawal in Rats. Bull Exp Biol Med
- 3.Fomenko et al. (2019). Effect of Selank on Morphological Parameters of Rat Liver in Chronic Foot-Shock Stress. Bull Exp Biol Med
- 4.Volkova et al. (2016). Selank Administration Affects the Expression of Some Genes Involved in GABAergic Neurotransmission. Front Pharmacol
- 5.Filatova et al. (2017). GABA, Selank, and Olanzapine Affect the Expression of Genes Involved in GABAergic Neurotransmission in IMR-32 Cells. Front Pharmacol
- 6.Leonidovna et al. (2021). The Influence of Selank on the Level of Cytokines Under the Conditions of "Social" Stress. Curr Rev Clin Exp Pharmacol
- 7.Kasian et al. (2017). Peptide Selank Enhances the Effect of Diazepam in Reducing Anxiety in Unpredictable Chronic Mild Stress Conditions in Rats. Behav Neurol
- 8.Vyunova et al. (2018). Peptide-based Anxiolytics: The Molecular Aspects of Heptapeptide Selank Biological Activity. Protein Pept Lett
- 9.Kozlovskii II, Danchev ND (2003). The optimizing action of the synthetic peptide Selank on a conditioned active avoidance reflex in rats. Neuroscience and Behavioral Physiology
- 10.Siebert A et al. (2017). Tuftsin — properties and analogs. Current Medicinal Chemistry
- 11.PubChem — Selank (CID 11765600)