Semax 50mg

What is Semax? 

Semax is a derivative of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). Different studies suggest that this peptide could help cardiovascular function, protect neurons, and potentially be beneficial in pain relief and preventing blood clotting. 

Scientists also assume that Semax may improve immune function and may be part of therapy in cases like dementia or ADHD. Furthermore, this peptide could potentially help mood improvement and memory enhancement and possibly join anti-stress therapy. 

Additionally, one of the most interesting possible benefits of Semax is its impact on brain health.

Semax Research Benefits

Effects of Semax on Pain Control

The effects of Semax were studied in the research that complies with the Directive 2010/63/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council (On the Protection of Animals Used for Scientific Purposes). Semax application was carried out on rats with different types of pain and pain-induced behavior. Semax showed possible analgesic effects and potential power to weaken emotional-affective behavior. 

According to the results of the study, changes in the activity of supraspinal brain structures were crucial in the mechanism of the nociceptive process and formation of behavior. The existence of specific peptide binding sites in the hippocampus is essential because the hippocampus is the most important part of the development of emotional and affective actions, which come to expression when it comes to painful sensations.

Effects of Semax in pain control were studied in another type of study. This research was conducted at the Institute of Molecular Genetics, Russian Academy of Sciences. The way of testing the pain sensitivity of rats was the paw pressure test. Increasing pressure on the hand paw was used as a way of pain stimulus. The peptide was injected at doses of 0.05 and 0.5 mg/kg. The pain sensitivity of animals that received Semax was reduced compared to the group exposed to pain but did not receive this peptide. Scientists assume that injection of Semax could reduce pain induced by acute stressors.

The participation of Semax in ADHD therapy

Based on different research, Semax could stimulate memory and attention in rodents (animals used in the study) and humans after administration. 

According to some results from animal studies, this peptide could potentially increase the effects of psychostimulants on central dopamine release. Scientists assume it also could stimulate the synthesis of central brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). 

In addition to the above, Semax could improve selective attention and modulate brain development. ADHD is defined as a neurodevelopmental disorder with disturbance in dopamine and BDNF function and secretion. This and many more studies show that Semax could possibly have great therapeutic potential in the therapy plan for ADHD. 

Based on the results of the research, increased BDNF activity is found to be connected with the improvement of Rett syndrome, an aggressive neurodevelopmental disorder. This condition is found to be caused by gene mutations. The potential therapeutic effect of Semax in Rett syndrome, but also in ADHD, may be of interest for further animal studies.

Effects of Semax on the Network of the Brain

Many clinical trials and studies have shown a chance of high potential of the Semax in areas of neurology and psychiatry. 

The effects of Semax on the neuronal network of the brain were studied for a long time through different studies. The research method used in this clinical trial was resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging. 

Subjects were divided into two groups of healthy volunteers (the study included men and women). fMRI imaging was performed three times during the clinical trial: before and 5 and 20 minutes after administration of Semax or placebo. 

Scientists studied the topography of the resting-state mode network. A bigger volume of the default mode network (medial frontal cortex) subcomponent was detected in the group that received Semax compared with the other group. 

Resting-state fMRI confirmed the potential of Semax effects on the neuronal brain network. The effect of this peptide (increase in subcomponent volumes) can be based on two facts. It could result from including a greater percentage of neuronal populations in the network. The second chance could be based on local changes in the hemodynamic parameters. 

Summary

Semax is a synthetic derivative of adrenocorticotropic hormone that has shown many potential benefits. According to the knowledge gained so far, studies show that this peptide may have beneficial effects on the cardiovascular and immune systems, as well as being involved in preventing blood clots and pain relief. 

Research showed that Semax may be part of therapy for conditions like dementia or ADHD. This peptide could potentially help mood improvement and memory enhancement and possibly join anti-stress therapy. One of the most interesting possible benefits is the impact on brain health. 

Semax, with its possible benefits, will certainly be part of future research. However, please note that Semax is not approved for human use and is currently available only for research purposes.

References:

A.Ivanov, I.Bobyntsev, O.Shepeleva, A.Kryukov, L.Andreeva, N.Myasoedov, Influence of ACTG4-7-PGP (Semax) on Morphofunctional State of Hepatocytes in Chronic Emotional and Painful Stress. 2017; 163;1. DOI 10.1007/s10517-017-3748-4

O.Dołotow, E.Karpenko, L.Inozemcewa, T.Seredenina, N.Lewicka, J.Rozyczki, E.Dubynina, E,Novosadova, Semax, analog ACTH(4-10) o działaniu poznawczym, reguluje ekspresję BDNF i trkB w hipokampie szczura. 2006; 1117(1):54-60. doi: 10.1016/j.brainres.2006.07.108

I. S. Lebedeva et al., “Effects of Semax on the Default Mode Network of the Brain,” Bull. Exp. Biol. Med., vol. 165, no. 5, pp. 653–656, Sep. 2018. [PubMed]

R. B. Mars, F.-X. Neubert, M. P. Noonan, J. Sallet, I. Toni, and M. F. S. Rushworth, “On the relationship between the ‘default mode network’ and the ‘social brain,’” Front. Hum. Neurosci., vol. 6, 2012. [PMC]

E. V. Medvedeva et al., “The peptide semax affects the expression of genes related to the immune and vascular systems in rat brain focal ischemia: genome-wide transcriptional analysis,” BMC Genomics, vol. 15, p. 228, Mar. 2014. [PubMed]

E. I. Gusev, M. Y. Martynov, E. V. Kostenko, L. V. Petrova, and S. N. Bobyreva, “[The efficacy of semax in the tretament of patients at different stages of ischemic stroke],” Zh. Nevrol. Psikhiatr. Im. S. S. Korsakova, vol. 118, no. 3. Vyp. 2, pp. 61–68, 2018. [PubMed]

T. I. Agapova et al., “[Effect of semax on the temporary dynamics of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and nerve growth factor gene expression in the rat hippocampus and frontal cortex],” Mol. Genet. Mikrobiol. Virusol., no. 3, pp. 28–32, 2008. [PubMed]

M. H. Scantlebury, K.-C. Chun, S.-C. Ma, J. M. Rho, and D. Y. Kim, “Adrenocorticotropic Hormone Protects Learning and Memory Function in Epileptic Kcna1-null mice,” Neurosci. Lett., vol. 645, pp. 14–18, Apr. 2017. [PubMed]

T. Deltheil et al., “Behavioral and serotonergic consequences of decreasing or increasing hippocampus brain-derived neurotrophic factor protein levels in mice,” Neuropharmacology, vol. 55, no. 6, pp. 1006–1014, Nov. 2008. [PubMed]

Ivanov, Alexander & Bobyntsev, Igor & Shepeleva, Olga & Kryukov, Alexey & Andreeva, L & Myasoedov, N. (2017). Influence of ACTG4-7-PGP (Semax) on Morphofunctional State of Hepatocytes in Chronic Emotional and Painful Stress. Bulletin of experimental biology and medicine. 163. [Research Gate]

Bobyntsev, Igor & Kryukov, Alexey & Shepeleva, Olga & Ivanov, Alexander. (2015). The effect of ACTH-4-7-PGP peptide on lipid peroxidation in liver and activity of serum transaminases in rats under acute and chronic immobilization stress conditions. 78. 18-21. [Research Gate]