If you have been reading about Neurotrophic factor and want a single page that covers the useful parts, this is it: definitions, context, how it is studied, and the questions that come up repeatedly.
Last reviewed on 2026-01-16. Where a claim depends on a specific study, the study is described rather than over-claimed.
Outside its country of origin the compound is generally handled as a research chemical rather than an approved medicine. No regulatory approval from the United States Food and Drug Administration or the European Medicines Agency has been granted for human use. Identity and purity are normally checked by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography, with mass spectrometry used to confirm the molecular mass. Lyophilised material is stored cold and desiccated, and repeated freeze-thaw cycles are avoided.
Published work on this peptide almost always uses intranasal delivery, with drops or a spray applied to the nasal mucosa. Some animal experiments have used subcutaneous or intraperitoneal injection, and a smaller number have compared routes directly. Oral administration is not a focus of the literature, because short peptides of this size are broken down by digestive enzymes and cross intestinal barriers poorly. How much of an intranasal dose reaches the bloodstream intact in humans remains an open question.
Animal studies have examined behaviour in tests of anxiety, memory retention and stress response, and several report changes in neurotrophic or neurotransmitter-related markers. The human evidence base is much smaller, consisting mainly of short trials conducted in Russia with limited reporting in English-language journals. Sample sizes are modest and outcome measures vary between studies, so the findings are best described as preliminary. Independent replication under modern trial standards has not been widely reported.
Most published work on selank originates from a small number of research groups in the Russian Federation. A large share of that record appears in Russian-language journals, which limits access for readers who rely on English-indexed databases. Independent replication by laboratories outside the original research network is sparse in publicly available sources. This concentration of origin and language is a frequently noted feature when the compound is summarized in broader reviews of synthetic peptides.
Reported pharmacological effects center on reduced anxiety-like behavior in animal models and on measures of memory and learning. Proposed contributing mechanisms include modulation of GABAergic signaling, shifts in monoamine turnover, and changes in the activity of enzymes that degrade neuropeptides. Effects on the expression of genes linked to neuroplasticity have also been described. No single molecular target is widely accepted, and whether the behavioral findings arise from one pathway or several remains an open question.
| Property | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Common route | Intranasal | Also injected in some animal work |
| Solubility class | Freely soluble in water | Solid form is hygroscopic |
| Typical storage | About -20 degrees Celsius | Keep desiccated and dark |
| Purity method | Reverse-phase HPLC | Reported as area percent |
| Confirmatory method | Mass spectrometry | Verifies expected molecular mass |
Proposed mechanisms center on modulation of the GABA system, but no single molecular target has been confirmed. Rodent studies report changes in GABA-A receptor expression and in the turnover of serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine in several brain regions. Increases in brain-derived neurotrophic factor and its receptor have also been described after repeated administration. These findings come largely from animal models, and the degree to which they describe human neurochemistry remains an open question. The mechanism is best characterized as multi-system and not fully resolved.
Pharmacokinetic data are limited. Like most short peptides, Selank is vulnerable to plasma and tissue peptidases, and its measured half-life in circulation is short, on a minutes scale. The Pro-Gly-Pro tail slows this degradation but does not eliminate it. Intranasal administration is the route described in most reports, with absorption through the nasal mucosa and a hypothesized path into the central nervous system that avoids the blood-brain barrier. Direct measurements of human brain exposure are unavailable, so distribution claims rest on inference from animal work.
Dry powder is normally held at -20 degrees Celsius or lower, in a sealed container with desiccant and protection from light. Reconstituted solutions are usually kept at 2 to 8 degrees Celsius for short periods and frozen for longer ones. Proline residues at several positions are generally associated with some resistance to peptidase attack, but chemical stability still declines at neutral to alkaline pH and at elevated temperature. Exact shelf-life figures are product-specific and are not standardised across suppliers.
Identity and purity are usually assessed by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography, with mass spectrometry used to confirm molecular mass and sequence information. Amino acid analysis and peptide mapping may supplement these methods. Certified reference standards are scarce, and many commercial lots are sold as research chemicals without a pharmacopoeial monograph. Regulatory treatment differs by country: Selank is a registered prescription medicine in Russia, while in the European Union and the United States it is not an approved drug and may fall under research-chemical or unapproved-product frameworks.
Selank is a hydrophilic peptide and dissolves readily in water and in aqueous buffers. The lyophilised powder is typically a white to off-white solid. Because short peptides are prone to hydrolysis and oxidation, handling benefits from limiting exposure to heat, moisture and strong light. Working solutions are commonly prepared in sterile water or saline, and repeated freeze-thaw cycles are avoided to reduce aggregation and loss of activity. These practices reflect general laboratory convention rather than published stability specifications.
== History == In 1999 it became a wholly owned subsidiary of the publicly held Cracker Barrel. On December 6, 2006, Logan's Roadhouse was sold to affiliates of Bruckmann, Rosser, Sherrill & Co., Canyon Capital Advisors LLC, and Black Canyon Capital LLC for $486 million. In 2010, private equity firm Kelso & Company acquired the company. On February 20, 2013, Mike Andres, a former McDonald's vice-president and former chief executive officer of Boston Market, replaced Tom Vogel as chief executive officer. On January 12, 2017, Hazem Ouf, former chief executive officer of American Blue Ribbon Holdings, was named president and chief executive officer. On August 8, 2016, Logan's Roadhouse filed for bankruptcy and announced plans to close eighteen of its 256 locations that are under-performing. The chain was reported to be struggling with heavy debt and falling sales. Locations closing in late September 2016, include, in Florida, two each in Kissimmee and Orlando, and one each in Mary Esther, Tampa, and Tallahassee; one in each of those cities: Macon, Georgia; Houston, Texas; Lafayette, Louisiana and Waynesboro, Virginia. On December 1, 2016, Logan's Roadhouse formally exited bankruptcy with a debt load reduced from about $400 million to $100 million. On November 1, 2018, Logan's Roadhouse announced that it was acquired by CraftWorks Restaurants & Breweries. On March 3, 2020, Craftworks filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy protection. On March 19, 2020, all open Logan's locations were temporarily closed amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Consequently, "if military MREs are sold to the general public on eBay, then they are clearly not reaching their intended recipients and represent a waste of taxpayer dollars and possible criminal activity." Further, MREs found on eBay are typically older and closer to their expiration date, having been sourced in "neighborhood yard sales" and "Marine base dumpsters". The growth of MREs listed on eBay in 2005 resulted in a government investigation of whether they were intended for Hurricane Katrina victims, and the news media nickname "Meals Ready for eBay". Some cases were being sold from Louisiana, Mississippi, Florida and other Gulf states affected by Katrina. The internal cost of a 12 pack case of MREs is $86.98 (approx. $7.25 a meal) to the government, much higher than what is paid to vendors. MREs can be purchased by civilians directly from the contractors who supply MREs to the U.S. government. These MREs usually omit the flameless ration heater and have other minor differences (i.e., design of case and bag or type of spoon), but otherwise are often very similar to genuine U.S. government MREs. While MRE boxes say resale is unlawful, it is legal to buy them if they were sold as surplus. On the low end they can be bought for $2 to $3 off government auction sites like Gov Planet. In the Philippines, the government stopped MREs from being sold in local markets in 2013.
== History == In the early 1960s, Dr. Arnold Kadish, a physician working at Loma Linda University, developed a closed-loop device for blood glucose control using a double-lumen autoanalyzer to measure blood glucose linked to an intravenous insulin infusion pump. Although it worked, the prototype was considered so bulky, worn as a backpack, and complicated, that it was never commercialized. In 1976, the first commercialized insulin pump was created and was named the Biostator. The pump was a 60 kg bedside device. It also had the capability of monitoring blood glucose levels, so this also doubles as the first continuous glucose monitor. Between 1978 and 1988, Robert Channon, working with Guy's Hospital and the Bristol Royal Infirmary, developed a series of miniature insulin infusion pumps. Today, insulin pumps are so small that they can fit in a pocket or a purse. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Sandia National Laboratories and the University of New Mexico School of Medicine developed a remotely programmable implantable insulin infusion system that was tested in animals and implanted in human patients beginning in 1981. In 1984, an Infusaid implantable infusion device was used to treat a 22-year-old patient successfully. The insulin pump was first endorsed in the United Kingdom in 2003 by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).
Testosterone is used as a medication for the treatment of male hypogonadism, gender dysphoria, and certain types of breast cancer. This is known as hormone replacement therapy (HRT) or testosterone replacement therapy (TRT), which maintains serum testosterone levels in the normal range. Decline of testosterone production with age has led to interest in androgen replacement therapy. It is unclear if the use of testosterone for low levels due to aging is beneficial or harmful. Testosterone is included in the World Health Organization's list of essential medicines, which are the most important medications needed in a basic health system. It is available as a generic medication. It can be administered as a cream or transdermal patch that is applied to the skin, by injection into a muscle, as a tablet that is placed in the cheek, or by ingestion. Common side effects from testosterone medication include acne, swelling, and breast enlargement in males. Serious side effects may include liver toxicity, heart disease (though a randomized trial found no evidence of major adverse cardiac events compared to placebo in men with low testosterone), and behavioral changes. Women and children who are exposed may develop virilization. It is recommended that individuals with prostate cancer not use the medication. It can cause harm if used during pregnancy or breastfeeding. 2020 guidelines from the American College of Physicians support the discussion of testosterone treatment in adult men with age-related low levels of testosterone who have sexual dysfunction.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
=== 1965 === January 24: Winston Churchill dies. February 18: The Gambia becomes independent from the UK under Commonwealth status. March 18: Alexei Leonov conducts the first extravehicular activity or spacewalk in history from his spacecraft, Voskhod 2 in space. March 23: Ranger 9 transmitted live footage of the surface of the Moon before crashing into its surface. April 24: Dominican Civil War: Forces loyal to former President Juan Bosch overthrow current leader Donald Reid Cabral. June 3: Ed White conducts the first American spacewalk from his spacecraft, Gemini IV. July 14–15: Mariner 4 successfully takes pictures of the surface of Mars. August 5: Beginning of the Indo-Pakistani war of 1965. August 9: Singapore gains independence after being expelled from Malaysia. October 1: Six Indonesian generals are killed by the 30 September Movement during an abortive coup d'état later blamed on the Communist Party of Indonesia. Mass killings of suspected communists begin shortly after. November 1: The Chadian Civil War was waged between rebels and the Chadian government. November 11: The white-dominated government of Rhodesia declares its independence which was regarded as an illegal proclamation by British Prime Minister Harold Wilson. Rhodesia was never formally recognised by any country but receives support from neighboring Portuguese Mozambique and the South African apartheid regime in their war against African guerrillas that determined to oust the white government. November 1965: Venera 3 was launched.
Potatoes were highly valued for their wide diversity and adaptability to different environments and climates. They were commonly used in stews (308). There was also oca (oca), which came in two varieties, sweet and bitter. The sweet variety could be eaten raw or preserved and was used as a sweetener before the arrival of sugar made from sugar cane. Similar to oca in purpose, paiko (Dysphania ambrosioides), was a part of the Inca diet for flavoring and edible leaves. Species of the Chenopodium family in the Inca cuisine were Chenopodium pallidicaule, also known as cañihua, and Chenopodium quinoa, or quinoa, due to their ability to survive in the high altitudes of the Andes. Quinoa has grown popular in the modern world beyond the Andes due to its adaptability, nutritional value, and many uses. Another high-altitude plant in Inca cuisine is Lupinus mutabilis, also known as tarwi or chocho. High in protein, this plant was often eaten with chilis and onions after being carefully treated, since improper treatment can leave the crop poisonous. Like chocho in protein count, Ahipa (Pachyrhizus ahipa) was another crop in Inca cuisine. It grows rapidly and has a high yield rate of the tubers that were cherished for their sweet taste like water chestnuts. Another tuber consumed in the Andes was Tropaeolum tuberosum, also known as mashua and añu in Quechua, due to its resistance to droughts and frost. It was specially prepared and cooked to bring out the flavor that was desired as it was very bitter before doing so.
=== Applications === Mestanolone is used in the chemical synthesis of Methyl-1-testosterone, which in-turn is used to make oxandrolone. Mestanolone is also used to make Oxymesterone, Methyldiazirinol & Furazabol. Another use is in the synthesis of Oxymetholone, a compound which itself finds use in the synthesis of stanozolol, Cyanostane, Androisoxazole & Methasterone.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
Liquid helium below its lambda point (called helium II) exhibits very unusual characteristics. Due to its high thermal conductivity, when it boils, it does not bubble but rather evaporates directly from its surface. Helium-3 also has a superfluid phase, but only at much lower temperatures; as a result, less is known about the properties of the isotope.
The axonal transport system carries material along the axon in both directions (anterograde and retrograde) at different speeds (fast and slow). The fast transport travels at up to 400 mm/day. The slow transport is less than 8 mm/day. During compression not severe enough to cause axonmetesis (not destroy the axon), the axons will maintain their structural integrity but experience degraded function in the axonal transport systems. Studies have found that pressures as low as 30mmHg can impair axonal transport. The double-crush theory originally referred to anterograde axonal transport. For example, a spinal compressive lesion was posited to increase susceptibility to more distal compressive lesions like carpal tunnel. There is a complimentary reverse double-crush theory which refers to retrograde axonal transport.
=== Detection in body fluids === Zolpidem may be quantitated in blood or plasma to confirm a diagnosis of poisoning in people who are hospitalized, to provide evidence in an impaired driving arrest, or to assist in a medicolegal death investigation. Blood or plasma zolpidem concentrations are usually in a range of 30–300 μg/L in persons receiving the drug therapeutically, 100–700 μg/L in those arrested for impaired driving, and 1000–7000 μg/L in victims of acute overdosage. Analytical techniques, in general, involve gas or liquid chromatography.
== Current efforts == Current efforts in drug delivery are vast and include topics such as controlled-release formulations, targeted delivery, nanomedicine, drug carriers, 3D printing, and the delivery of biologic drugs.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
Most published work uses intranasal application, either as drops or as a nasal spray. Injection routes appear in a smaller set of animal experiments. Oral use is uncommon in the literature because peptide breakdown and poor absorption limit this route.
Reported human trials are few, brief and originate mainly from one country. They describe effects on anxiety-related measures, but sample sizes are small and reporting is limited. The results are widely regarded as preliminary rather than confirmed.
Reverse-phase liquid chromatography is used to assess purity and separation of related impurities. Mass spectrometry confirms that the observed molecular mass matches the expected peptide. A certificate of analysis from the supplier is the usual document of record.
Selank is a synthetic heptapeptide with the sequence Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg-Pro-Gly-Pro, designed as a metabolically stabilized analogue of the endogenous tetrapeptide tuftsin. It has been studied mainly against anxiety-related and cognitive endpoints rather than as an approved medicine in most jurisdictions.