Peptide data sheet
Semax
Cognitive · Semax acetate · ACTH(4-7) analog
Verdict
unprovenThe unproven label reflects a real but lopsided evidence base: most Semax research is early-stage and concentrated in Russian-language studies, with few rigorous English-language trials, so the focus and neuroprotection benefits people hope for are not established outside that narrow literature.
By MrPepTalks Editorial
Reviewed for scientific accuracy · research information, not medical advice
Last updated Reviewed
Quick answer
Semax is a short synthetic peptide derived from a fragment of the ACTH hormone, developed in Russia and commonly researched there for focus, memory, and neuroprotection. Most of its human data is early-stage and published in Russian-language journals, with few independent English-language trials, so the cognitive benefits people hope for are not established. It is not FDA-approved and is sold for research use only.
- Class
- Synthetic ACTH(4-7) analog (heptapeptide nootropic)
- Half-life
- very short in blood, minutes (reported); central effects reported to outlast it
- FDA status
- Not FDA-approved. Registered as a medicine in Russia but never approved by the FDA for any use; sold for laboratory research use only.
- WADA banned?
- No
Which form actually works?
Intranasal (drops / spray)
Unproven
The form used in most of the Russian research and the one people ask about most. Its selling point is that it skips needles entirely, which is a big part of the appeal. This is where the focus and neuroprotection data lives, and also where the mild reported effects such as nasal irritation show up.
Injectable (subcutaneous)
Unproven
A form some people ask about, but it carries far less of the published research context than the intranasal route and is not the delivery method most of the studies used.
Third-Party Testing & Certificate of Analysis (COA)
A certificate of analysis (COA) is a lab document that reports what a specific batch of material actually contains. Reputable research suppliers publish one for every batch, tied to a lot number you can match against the vial you received.
- HPLC — purity
- High-performance liquid chromatography reports purity as a percentage: how much of the sample is the intended compound rather than impurities.
- Mass spectrometry (MS) — identity
- Mass spectrometry confirms identity by measuring the sample's molecular mass, so it matches the peptide the label names.
It also matters who ran the test. In-house results come from the seller's own lab; an independent third-party lab has no stake in the result, so its COA generally carries more weight. Look for a named testing laboratory, a batch or lot number, and a test date that lines up with the vial in hand.
New to reading one? This guide walks through a COA line by line: how to read a peptide COA.
Sources
- Sudarkina OY et al. Brain protein expression profile confirms the protective effect of the ACTH(4-7)PGP peptide (Semax) in a rat model of cerebral ischemia-reperfusion. Int J Mol Sci. 2021.
- Dolotov OV et al. Semax, an analog of ACTH(4-10) with cognitive effects, regulates BDNF and trkB expression in the rat hippocampus. Brain Res. 2006.
- Gusev EI et al. The efficacy of Semax in the treatment of patients at different stages of ischemic stroke. Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova. 2018.
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