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D2C Peptides

Research goal

Peptides and focus and memory

No compound on this page has consistent evidence of better memory or focus in people: in the largest trials, oral semaglutide did not slow early Alzheimer's disease in 3,808 people, and tesamorelin's better executive function in 152 older adults was not repeated in two later, smaller trials.46111213 This page maps the peptides people look up for focus, memory and brain health and what published sources report on each one; it makes no promise. Most findings come from cell studies, rodents or small human studies with weak controls.

This page summarizes published sources for information only. It is not medical advice and does not tell anyone to use a product. Questions about your own health belong with a licensed clinician. For questions about an order or a product, contact us.

What people mean by "brain peptide"

A search for a "brain peptide" turns up a short list of compounds promoted for focus, memory or mental energy. Two of them, Semax and Selank, are Russian drugs given as nasal drops.19205 Tesamorelin, semaglutide and SS-31 are US prescription drugs approved for other conditions,164717 and the rest are research compounds. The sections below sort them by the best evidence found for this goal, from randomized trials in people down to no data at all.

Human studies with mixed, weak or negative results

Tesamorelin

Tesamorelin is approved in the US only to reduce excess abdominal fat in adults with HIV-associated lipodystrophy.16 Its brain data are mixed: a 20-week trial in 152 older adults reported better executive function,11 while a 6-month trial in 73 people with HIV found no significant difference from standard care.12 Read What is Tesamorelin? or see Tesamorelin for sale.

Semaglutide

In two phase 3 trials, EVOKE and EVOKE+, oral semaglutide did not slow clinical progression over 104 weeks compared with placebo in 3,808 people with early Alzheimer's disease.46 Its approved uses, as Ozempic, Rybelsus and Wegovy, are type 2 diabetes, weight management, heart and kidney risk reduction and a fatty liver disease (MASH), not brain conditions.474849 Read What is Semaglutide?.

Semax

Semax is an analog of a fragment of the hormone ACTH, and most of its human research comes from small Russian studies in stroke and other brain disorders.2114 In two small placebo-controlled studies of healthy adults (24 and 52 people), it changed brain-network activity on fMRI scans; neither abstract reports memory or focus results.2022 A 1997 study of 30 stroke patients compared with 80 controls reported some influence on the speed of recovery,23 and in a 2018 study of 110 rehabilitation patients Semax raised blood BDNF, a nerve growth factor, with faster improvement in those with high BDNF.1424 Neither abstract describes randomization or blinding.2314 In rats, Semax raised BDNF in the hippocampus and improved a learning test.21 Read What is Semax? or see Semax for sale.

Selank

Selank is a lab-made analog of tuftsin, a small natural immune peptide.25 In 9-month-old rats it improved object recognition, and it prevented memory and attention problems during alcohol withdrawal after 30 weeks of drinking.25 Its human studies are small Russian anxiety trials, and no Selank trial is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov.826 Read What is Selank? or see Selank for sale.

NAD+

No controlled human trial in the sources reviewed has tested NAD+ injections for memory or thinking, and efficacy data for intravenous NAD+ remain limited.27 The nearest evidence uses an oral precursor: in a 2025 pilot trial of nicotinamide riboside in older adults with mild cognitive impairment, it was well tolerated but cognition did not significantly improve.15 Read What is NAD+? or see NAD+ for sale.

DSIP

Small 1980s studies from one research group reported higher daytime alertness and performance after DSIP injections,2829 and a 2001 letter reported a change in the P300 brain-wave response after a nasal dose.30 FDA notes that the group's 1987 study had no placebo arm.31 Its sleep research is mapped on Peptides and sleep. Read What is DSIP? or see DSIP for sale.

Pinealon

Most Pinealon research comes from Vladimir Khavinson's group in Russia.3233 In cell studies it protected nerve cells from free radicals and restored nerve-cell spines in a lab model of Alzheimer's disease,3234 and in rodents it was linked to better maze learning and to less loss of nerve-cell spines in Alzheimer's model mice.3533 Human evidence is limited to small Russian studies without clear design details, and none shows a memory benefit in healthy people.36 Read What is Pinealon? or see Pinealon for sale.

ARA-290

ARA-290 is a peptide modeled on part of the hormone erythropoietin, and it is not an approved medicine.3738 In its one human study related to the brain, 36 healthy volunteers given ARA-290 or placebo showed no change in mood a week later, and effects on emotional processing were mixed.39 It improved cognitive function in rodents,37 but no trial has tested it for memory, focus or cognitive decline in people.39 Read What is ARA-290? or see ARA-290 for sale.

Kisspeptin-10

The only human brain data come from a longer form, kisspeptin-54: in 29 healthy young men, a 75-minute infusion reduced negative mood and increased limbic brain responses to sexual and couple-bonding images, and memory and thinking were not tested.4041 Kisspeptin-10 is not an FDA-approved drug.42 Read What is Kisspeptin-10? or see Kisspeptin-10 for sale.

Epithalon

None of the human epitalon studies identified by FDA or a 2026 review measured memory, focus or mood with validated scales.4344 One sublingual spray study reported better "psycho-emotional" condition in 83% of those given epitalon against 25% on placebo, without saying how this was measured.43 In cell work, the developer's group reports raised nerve-development genes in human gum stem cells.45 Read What is Epithalon? or see Epithalon for sale.

Animal or cell results only

Cortagen

No study has tested Cortagen on memory or attention in people or in healthy animals; in rats with chronic brain ischemia, it sped the recovery of behavior.50 Memory and attention findings in the Russian literature belong to Cortexin, a related brain-cortex extract, not to Cortagen.5150 Read What is Cortagen? or see Cortagen for sale.

MGF

MGF peptide protected neurons in a gerbil stroke model and a rat Parkinson's disease model,5253 and mice engineered to overproduce MGF had more dividing cells in the hippocampus, where new neurons form.54 None of these studies involved people,525354 and MGF is not approved for therapeutic use.55 Read What is MGF? or see MGF for sale.

SS-31

In 24-month-old mice, two weeks of SS-31 improved brain blood-flow responses, working memory and motor learning.56 A small open-label safety study in adults aged 65 to 80 (SHAPE) lists cognitive function among its secondary aims and had posted no results as of October 2026.57 Read What is SS-31? or see SS-31 for sale.

KPV

FDA's 2026 review found no human studies of KPV.58 In one 2013 mouse study, a single injection after brain trauma reduced lesion size and nerve-cell death; memory and focus were not tested.59 FDA also notes websites claiming that KPV protects against nerve damage and stroke, without human data.58 Read What is KPV? or see KPV for sale.

No published data for this goal

CJC-1295

FDA's 2024 review lists website claims that CJC-1295 improves cognition, memory, mood and energy, but no study has tested any form of it for these effects.60 No form of CJC-1295 is an approved drug.60 Read What is CJC-1295 No DAC? or see CJC-1295 No DAC for sale.

How to read this research

Three checks sort most findings on this page. First, what was measured: a brain scan or a blood marker such as BDNF can change without any measured gain in memory or attention, and the healthy-adult Semax studies reported only brain-network results.2022 Second, who was studied: rodent and cell results, the only evidence here for Cortagen, MGF and KPV, describe those models, not people.5058 Third, how the study was run and whether it held up: several Russian studies do not describe randomization or blinding,23 no Semax or Selank trial appears on ClinicalTrials.gov, the US public trial registry,326 and tesamorelin's positive trial was not repeated in two later, smaller trials.1213 The largest placebo-controlled trials on this page, of oral semaglutide in early Alzheimer's disease, found no benefit.46 Each profile linked above gives the compound's regulatory status and full source list.

Other research goals

Frequently asked questions

Is Semax good for ADHD?

The evidence is thin. In 2026 a Russian expert council rated Semax as an add-on drug for children and adolescents with ADHD, with a limited evidence base.1 A 2007 paper that proposed Semax for ADHD put forward a hypothesis; it was not a trial.2 No Semax study is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov,3 and Semax is not FDA approved.4

Is Selank a nootropic?

Russia registers Selank as nonprescription nasal drops for anxiety, classed with other anti-anxiety drugs.56 Its Russian label also claims better memory and attention.6 Support for that comes mostly from rats, where Selank improved memory retention.7 In people, a 60-patient Russian trial that compared Selank with the drug phenazepam reported pronounced anti-anxiety effects and mild nootropic effects.8 It is not FDA approved.9

Which brain peptide has the strongest human evidence?

For a benefit, tesamorelin. In a 20-week randomized trial of 152 older adults, some with mild cognitive impairment, it had a favorable effect on cognition, mainly executive function.1011 Two later trials, in 73 people with HIV and in 22 adults, found no significant benefit.1213 The largest trials, of oral semaglutide in 3,808 people with early Alzheimer's disease, found it did not slow decline.46 Human data for Semax and Selank come from small Russian studies,148 and a pilot trial of oral nicotinamide riboside, an NAD+ precursor, found no significant cognitive gain.15

Is any peptide approved for memory or focus in the US?

No. Semax and Selank are not FDA approved for any use.49 Tesamorelin is an approved prescription drug, but its only approved use is reducing excess abdominal fat in adults with HIV-associated lipodystrophy.16 SS-31 (elamipretide) received accelerated approval as Forzinity for Barth syndrome, a rare mitochondrial disease, in patients weighing at least 30 kg.17 Semaglutide's approved uses do not include any brain condition,474849 and NAD+ is not an FDA-approved drug.18 Each compound below lists its own status.

Written by D2C Peptides Editorial Team.

Pending qualified review.

Updated .

Sources

  1. Expert Council resolution: adjunctive pharmacotherapy for hyperkinetic disorders (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) in children and adolescents [PMID 42910684]. Zhurnal Nevrologii i Psikhiatrii imeni S.S. Korsakova (abstract via NLM PubMed E-utilities), 2026.
  2. Semax, an analogue of adrenocorticotropin (4-10), is a potential agent for the treatment of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and Rett syndrome [PMID 16996699]. Medical Hypotheses (abstract via NLM PubMed E-utilities), 2007.
  3. ClinicalTrials.gov API v2 search: studies with Semax as an intervention. ClinicalTrials.gov, U.S. National Library of Medicine.
  4. Therapeutic peptides in gerontology: mechanisms and applications for healthy aging (PMC13095733) (regulatory status). Frontiers in Aging (PMC full text), 2026.
  5. Селанк (капли назальные, 0.15%): инструкция по медицинскому применению (Selank nasal drops 0.15%: instructions for medical use). RLS Encyclopedia of Medicines (rlsnet.ru), reproducing the Russian instruction for medical use, 2025.
  6. Селанк (Selank) капли назальные 0.15%: инструкция по применению. Vidal Russia drug reference (vidal.ru), reproducing the registered product information, 2025.
  7. [Experimental optimization of learning and memory processes by selank]. Eksperimental'naia i Klinicheskaia Farmakologiia (PubMed 20919548), 2010.
  8. [A comparison of the anxiolytic effect and tolerability of selank and phenazepam in the treatment of anxiety disorders]. Zhurnal Nevrologii i Psikhiatrii imeni S.S. Korsakova (PubMed 25176261), 2014.
  9. Therapeutic Peptides in Aesthetic, Metabolic and Endocrine Conditions: Effects, Safety, Clinical Applications, and Future Perspectives. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2026.
  10. Effects of growth hormone-releasing hormone on cognitive function in adults with mild cognitive impairment and healthy older adults: results of a controlled trial (Baker LD et al.): intervention. Arch Neurol (PubMed abstract via NCBI E-utilities), 2012.
  11. Same source as 10: GHRH and cognitive function in MCI and healthy older adults (Baker LD et al., 2012): executive function.
  12. Tesamorelin and neurocognitive impairment in HIV (Ellis RJ et al., 2025): conclusions. J Infect Dis (PubMed abstract via NCBI E-utilities), 2025.
  13. GHRH, cognition and brain connectivity pilot (Stewart CE et al., 2026): results. eNeurologicalSci (PubMed abstract via NCBI E-utilities), 2026.
  14. The efficacy of semax in the treatment of patients at different stages of ischemic stroke [PMID 29798983] (patients and regimen). Zhurnal Nevrologii i Psikhiatrii imeni S.S. Korsakova (abstract via NLM PubMed E-utilities), 2018.
  15. A phase-II randomized controlled pilot and feasibility study of nicotinamide riboside supplementation in older adults with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (Martens et al., conference abstract). Alzheimer's & Dementia (via PMC), 2025.
  16. EGRIFTA WR (tesamorelin) for injection, prescribing information: 1 Indications and Usage. U.S. Food and Drug Administration (Drugs@FDA label, BLA 022505), 2025.
  17. FDA Grants Accelerated Approval to First Treatment for Barth Syndrome. U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2025.
  18. Bulk Drug Substances Nominated for Use in Compounding Under Section 503B of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (updated March 21, 2025). U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2025.
  19. Evaluation of therapeutic effect of new Russian drug semax in optic nerve disease [PMID 10741256]. Vestnik Oftalmologii (abstract via NLM PubMed E-utilities), 2000.
  20. Effects of Semax on the Default Mode Network of the Brain [PMID 30225715]. Bulletin of Experimental Biology and Medicine (abstract via NLM PubMed E-utilities), 2018.
  21. Semax, an analog of ACTH(4-10) with cognitive effects, regulates BDNF and trkB expression in the rat hippocampus [PMID 16996037]. Brain Research (abstract via NLM PubMed E-utilities), 2006.
  22. Functional Connectomic Approach to Studying Selank and Semax Effects [PMID 32342318]. Doklady Biological Sciences (abstract via NLM PubMed E-utilities), 2020.
  23. Effectiveness of semax in acute period of hemispheric ischemic stroke (a clinical and electrophysiological study) [PMID 11517472]. Zhurnal Nevrologii i Psikhiatrii imeni S.S. Korsakova (abstract via NLM PubMed E-utilities), 1997.
  24. Same source as 14: The efficacy of semax in the treatment of patients at different stages of ischemic stroke [PMID 29798983] (results).
  25. Selank, Peptide Analogue of Tuftsin, Protects Against Ethanol-Induced Memory Impairment by Regulating of BDNF Content in the Hippocampus and Prefrontal Cortex in Rats. Bulletin of Experimental Biology and Medicine (PubMed 31625062), 2019.
  26. ClinicalTrials.gov API search: intervention = selank. U.S. National Library of Medicine (ClinicalTrials.gov), 2026.
  27. Intravenous infusion of NAD+ versus NR: a retrospective tolerability pilot study (Reyna et al.): discussion. Frontiers in Aging (via PMC), 2026.
  28. Effects of DSIP in man. Multifunctional psychophysiological properties besides induction of natural sleep (Schneider-Helmert and Schoenenberger). Neuropsychobiology (abstract via PubMed, NLM), 1983.
  29. Effects of delta-sleep-inducing peptide on 24-hour sleep-wake behaviour in severe chronic insomnia (Schneider-Helmert). European Neurology (abstract via PubMed, NLM), 1987.
  30. Intranasal administration of delta sleep-inducing peptide increases P300 (Hruz et al.; letter). Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology (citation via PubMed, NLM), 2001.
  31. FDA Briefing Document, PCAC July 23-24, 2026: Emideltide-Related Bulk Drug Substances (dated 5/11/2026). U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2026.
  32. Khavinson V, et al. Pinealon increases cell viability by suppression of free radical levels and activating proliferative processes. Rejuvenation Res. 2011;14(5):535-41. Rejuvenation Research; record via PubMed (NLM), 2011.
  33. Khavinson V, et al. Neuroprotective Effects of Tripeptides, Epigenetic Regulators in Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease. Pharmaceuticals (Basel). 2021;14(6):515 (PMC8227791). Pharmaceuticals (MDPI); full text via PMC (NLM), 2021.
  34. Kraskovskaya NA, et al. Tripeptides Restore the Number of Neuronal Spines under Conditions of In Vitro Modeled Alzheimer's Disease. Bull Exp Biol Med. 2017;163(4):550-553. Bulletin of Experimental Biology and Medicine; record via PubMed (NLM), 2017.
  35. Mendzheritski AM, et al. Effect of peptide geroprotectors on the navigation system learning and caspase-3 in brain structures in rats of different age. Adv Gerontol. 2013;26(2):252-257 (in Russian). Advances in Gerontology; record via PubMed (NLM), 2013.
  36. Meshchaninov VN, et al. Effect of synthetic peptides on aging of patients with chronic polymorbidity and organic brain syndrome of the central nervous system in remission. Adv Gerontol. 2015;28(1):62-7 (in Russian). Advances in Gerontology; record via PubMed (NLM), 2015.
  37. Nonerythropoietic, tissue-protective peptides derived from the tertiary structure of erythropoietin (Brines M, Patel NSA, Villa P, et al.). Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA (PNAS), via PubMed Central, 2008.
  38. Orphan designation record: L-pyr-L-glu-L-gln-L-leu-L-glu-L-arg-L-ala-L-leu-L-asn-L-ser-L-ser, treatment of neuropathic pain in patients with sarcoidosis. U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Search Orphan Drug Designations and Approvals, 2011.
  39. Testing the antidepressant properties of the peptide ARA290 in a human neuropsychological model of drug action (Cerit H, et al.; PubMed abstract, PMID 26431906). European Neuropsychopharmacology, via NCBI PubMed (E-utilities), 2015.
  40. Kisspeptin modulates sexual and emotional brain processing in humans (Comninos et al.): findings. Journal of Clinical Investigation (PMC), 2017.
  41. Same source as 40: methods.
  42. DailyMed search results for kisspeptin. DailyMed, NIH/NLM, 2026.
  43. FDA Briefing Document, Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee, July 23-24, 2026: Evaluation of Epitalon-Related Bulk Drug Substances (Epitalon (Free Base) and Epitalon Acetate) for Inclusion on the 503A Bulk Drug Substances List (memo dated 5/12/2026). U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2026.
  44. Jain A, et al. Epitalon and Epithalamin: A Narrative Review of Mechanistic, Preclinical, and Clinical Evidence. Int J Mol Sci. 2026;27(19):8922 (PMC13664938). International Journal of Molecular Sciences (MDPI), 2026.
  45. Khavinson V, et al. AEDG Peptide (Epitalon) Stimulates Gene Expression and Protein Synthesis during Neurogenesis: Possible Epigenetic Mechanism. Molecules. 2020;25(3):609. Molecules (MDPI); abstract via PubMed, NLM, 2020.
  46. Efficacy and safety of oral semaglutide 14 mg (flexible dose) in early-stage symptomatic Alzheimer's disease (evoke and evoke+): two phase 3, randomised, placebo-controlled trials. The Lancet (PubMed 41865758), 2026.
  47. OZEMPIC (semaglutide) injection, prescribing information (revised 5/2026). U.S. National Library of Medicine, DailyMed (label by Novo Nordisk), 2026.
  48. WEGOVY (semaglutide) injection and tablets, prescribing information (revised 6/2026). U.S. National Library of Medicine, DailyMed (label by Novo Nordisk), 2026.
  49. RYBELSUS and OZEMPIC (semaglutide) tablets, prescribing information (revised 1/2026). U.S. National Library of Medicine, DailyMed (label by Novo Nordisk), 2026.
  50. Cortexin and cortagen as correcting agents in functional and metabolic disorders in the brain in chronic ischemia. Eksperimental'naia i Klinicheskaia Farmakologiia, 2011.
  51. Influence of cortexin on memory and attention. Voenno-Meditsinskii Zhurnal, 2004.
  52. A strong neuroprotective effect of the autonomous C-terminal peptide of IGF-1 Ec (MGF) in brain ischemia (Dluzniewska J, et al.). FASEB Journal, 2005.
  53. C-terminal mechano growth factor protects dopamine neurons: a novel peptide that induces heme oxygenase-1 (Quesada A, Micevych P, Handforth A). Experimental Neurology, 2009.
  54. Mechano growth factor, a splice variant of IGF-1, promotes neurogenesis in the aging mouse brain (Tang JJ, et al.). Molecular Brain, 2017.
  55. Characterization and identification of a C-terminal amidated mechano growth factor (MGF) analogue in black market products (Esposito S, Deventer K, Van Eenoo P). Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry, 2012.
  56. Treatment with the mitochondrial-targeted antioxidant peptide SS-31 rescues neurovascular coupling responses and cerebrovascular endothelial function in aged mice. Aging Cell (PubMed abstract, PMID 29405550), 2018.
  57. SHAPE: Study of Healthy Aging and Physical Function With Elamipretide (NCT07275424). ClinicalTrials.gov, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2025.
  58. FDA Evaluation of KPV-Related Bulk Drug Substances (KPV (Free Base) and KPV acetate) for Inclusion on the 503A Bulk Drug Substances List, FDA briefing document for the July 23-24, 2026 PCAC meeting (memo dated 5/12/2026). U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2026.
  59. Single administration of tripeptide α-MSH(11-13) attenuates brain damage by reduced inflammation and apoptosis after experimental traumatic brain injury in mice (Schaible EV et al.) [PMID 23940690]. PLoS One (abstract via NLM PubMed E-utilities), 2013.
  60. FDA Briefing Document, Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee Meeting, December 4, 2024: CJC-1295-Related Bulk Drug Substances (FDA evaluation dated 11/15/2024). U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2024.