Brain, mood and sleep

Semax is a 7-amino-acid peptide based on a fragment of ACTH, a brain-signaling hormone. In plain terms: it raises BDNF, a chemical that helps brain cells grow and connect, which is why it is used for focus and memory, and in Russia after strokes. The human studies and the Russian registration both use the nasal route. Vendors sell it as a vial of powder, which people also inject under the skin, though no published human study has tested it that way.

Selank is a synthetic version of tuftsin, a natural immune-and-brain peptide. In plain terms: it gently tunes the calming GABA and serotonin systems to lower anxiety without sedation or dependence. The human studies and the Russian approval both use the nasal route. Vendors sell it as a vial of powder, which people also inject under the skin, though no published human study has tested it that way.

N-Acetyl Semax Amidate is a chemically tweaked, more stable version of Semax. In plain terms: it does the same focus-and-memory job by raising BDNF, but resists breakdown so it lasts longer.

DSIP (delta sleep-inducing peptide) is a natural 9-amino-acid brain peptide linked to deep sleep. In plain terms: taken before bed, it is used to encourage the deep, slow-wave stage of sleep, though results are inconsistent.

Dihexa is a small peptide derived from angiotensin IV that powerfully activates HGF, a growth signal for brain connections. In plain terms: it is studied for building new synapses and reversing memory loss, with striking animal results but essentially no human safety data.

Methylene blue is a century-old synthetic dye, not a peptide, that can shuttle electrons inside cells' energy machinery. In plain terms: at low doses it helps mitochondria make energy more efficiently, which is why it is taken for focus and energy. It famously turns urine blue-green, which is harmless.

Pinealon is a 3-amino-acid 'bioregulator' from the Russian Khavinson family of short peptides. In plain terms: it is marketed to support brain function, sleep, and healthy aging, but there is very little real human research behind it.

P21 is a small peptide derived from CNTF, a natural nerve-growth factor. In plain terms: it is studied for growing new brain cells and protecting memory, but there is no human data.

PE-22-28 is a peptide based on spadin that blocks a potassium channel (TREK-1) tied to mood. In plain terms: it is studied as a fast-acting antidepressant that may also support brain flexibility, but there is no human data.

N-Acetyl Selank Amidate is a modified version of Selank, a Russian anti-anxiety peptide. Two small changes are made to the ends of the molecule so that enzymes take longer to break it down. In plain terms: it is Selank built to last a bit longer, usually sold as a nasal spray.

Noopept is a small molecule built from two amino acids joined together, made in Russia in 1996. It is not really a peptide: it is swallowed, absorbed like an ordinary drug, and broken down into a different active compound in the body. In plain terms: it is a memory and focus drug that gets sold beside peptides like Semax and Selank because it came out of the same Russian research world.

Cortexin is not a single peptide. It is a mixture pulled out of the brain cortex of cattle or pigs, containing dozens of small peptide fragments, most of which have never been identified individually. It is given as an injection into muscle and is used in Russia for brain recovery. In plain terms: it is a biological extract rather than a designed molecule, which is the same category as Cerebrolysin.

Adamax is sold under one name by vendors who do not agree on what it contains. Some describe it as a modified Semax analogue for cognition. Others describe it as a blend of CJC-1295, ipamorelin and BPC-157. Those are not variations on a theme; they are unrelated products.

Davunetide is an eight amino acid fragment of activity-dependent neuroprotective protein, a protein important in brain development. Its sequence is NAPVSIPQ, which is why it is usually called NAP. It stabilises microtubules, the internal scaffolding neurons use to move material along their length.

Dermorphin is a seven amino acid peptide originally found in the skin of South American tree frogs. It is a potent and highly selective agonist at the mu-opioid receptor, the same receptor morphine acts on.

This blend puts semax and selank in one vial or one nasal spray. In plain terms: semax is sold for focus and selank for anxiety, and the pairing is marketed as covering both at once.

CMS-121 is a synthetic derivative of fisetin developed at the Salk Institute, acting on fatty acid synthase and lipid peroxidation rather than on amyloid. In plain terms: it is a lab-built version of a strawberry compound, aimed at brain ageing.

Phenibut is beta-phenyl-GABA, a GABA-B receptor agonist developed in the Soviet Union and still prescribed in Russia and Latvia for anxiety, insomnia and alcohol withdrawal. In plain terms: it is a sedative that works on the same receptor as baclofen, and tolerance builds quickly.

GB-115 is a synthetic dipeptide, N-(6-phenylhexanoyl)-glycyl-L-tryptophan amide, built as a retro-analogue of cholecystokinin-4 and acting as an antagonist at cholecystokinin receptors. In plain terms: it blocks the receptor that triggers panic, rather than damping the brain down the way a sedative does.