By: Laura Mildon
Selank is a synthetic heptapeptide: a chain of seven amino acids joined by peptide bonds. Its sequence is threonine–lysine–proline–arginine–proline–glycine–proline, abbreviated TKPRPGP. Researchers investigate its effects on signaling processes and gene expression.
Its history is associated with Russian peptide research. It is more accurately described as a designed analogue than as a molecule discovered in nature. The relationship to a natural peptide does not establish a benefit or intended use for a commercial research material.
Tuftsin is a naturally occurring four-amino-acid peptide with the sequence Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg, or TKPR. Selank contains that sequence followed by Pro-Gly-Pro, making a seven-residue chain.
An analogue is a molecule designed with similarities to another molecule and deliberate structural changes. Adding residues changes chemical identity; findings about tuftsin should not automatically be attributed to Selank.
| Property | Description |
| Name | Selank |
| Related research designation | TP-7 |
| Chemical class | Synthetic linear heptapeptide |
| Length | 7 amino acids |
| Sequence | Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg-Pro-Gly-Pro; TKPRPGP |
| Molecular formula | C₃₃H₅₇N₁₁O₉ |
| Molecular weight | Approximately 751.9 g/mol |
| PubChem identifier | CID 11765600 |
| CAS number | 129954-34-3 |
These values describe the unmodified peptide with free termini, without a salt counterion. Acetate salts, hydration, and terminal modifications require separate identification. A material called N-acetyl Selank or amidated Selank is chemically different from the peptide described here.
PubChem chemical identity and sequence
Some publications describe Selank as an anxiolytic or nootropic. Anxiolytic refers to an effect on anxiety-related measures; nootropic refers broadly to cognitive effects. These terms identify questions being investigated, rather than proving that a research product produces those outcomes.
The experimental model matters. Changes in a rat brain sample, a cultured-cell assay, and a clinical symptom scale represent different kinds of evidence and should be described separately.
Selank’s published research lineage includes Russian investigators studying regulatory peptides and tuftsin analogues. Work from the Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Russian Academy of Sciences in Moscow documents investigation of its molecular effects.
The sources selected here establish the synthetic sequence and a Russian research history. They do not establish an exact first-synthesis date. A publication date, a patent milestone, and authorization of a particular medicine would represent different historical events.
Original research from the Institute of Molecular Genetics in Moscow 2016
Selank is not FDA-approved as a medicine. These selected publications describe limited clinical and experimental evidence; they do not establish an intended application for a research product.
Zozulia and colleagues reported a study of 62 patients described as having generalized anxiety disorder or neurasthenia. They compared Selank in 30 participants with medazepam in 32, using symptom scales and a serum enkephalin-related measurement.
The authors reported similar anxiety-related effects between groups. The indexed abstract does not establish a placebo-controlled, blinded design. Its small sample and reporting limitations mean it should not be presented as definitive proof of effectiveness or long-term safety.
Zozulia and colleagues 2008 English abstract of a Russian-language article
Kolomin and colleagues investigated changes in the hippocampal transcriptome after Selank exposure in a rat model. A transcriptome is the collection of RNA transcripts produced from genes; the hippocampus is a brain region involved in processes including learning and memory.
The study addresses molecular responses in an experimental system. A change in gene expression does not establish improved cognition or a clinical benefit in people.
Kolomin and colleagues 2013 indexed research report
Volkova and colleagues examined 84 neurotransmission-related genes in rat frontal cortex after Selank or GABA exposure. They reported changes in expression and similarities in some responses, suggesting possible involvement of the GABAergic system.
GABA is a neurotransmitter involved in inhibitory signaling. This study generated a mechanistic hypothesis; it does not prove that Selank acts exactly like GABA or a benzodiazepine, or establish the same effects in humans.
Volkova and colleagues in Frontiers in Pharmacology 2016
The molecular formula counts atoms; the sequence specifies their order along the peptide chain. PubChem provides a two-dimensional chemical depiction of Selank. That connectivity diagram should not be described as an experimentally established fixed three-dimensional shape.
Important questions include which molecular interactions drive particular effects, reproducibility across research groups, and the relationship between laboratory measurements and meaningful clinical outcomes. The selected studies do not resolve long-term human safety or effectiveness.
The country of origin does not determine the strength of evidence. Study design, sample size, controls, reporting, and independent replication matter. Russian-language publications should be evaluated on those features rather than accepted or dismissed because of their language.
Findings about unmodified Selank, tuftsin, or a particular pharmaceutical formulation cannot automatically establish the behavior of an acetylated analogue, amidated variant, blend, or independently supplied research material.
FDA’s compounding safety notice specifically identifies Selank acetate, also labeled TP-7. It describes potential immune-response risks associated with peptide aggregation and impurities and states that important human safety information is lacking.
This is a substance-specific compounding notice, rather than a blanket prohibition on laboratory research. A reference to Russian clinical research or a substance registry does not establish FDA approval. Research labeling does not establish clinical safety or permission for another intended use.
FDA notice on Selank acetate and compounding risks
Research and regulatory sources checked October 13, 2026.
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