Selank
Selank is a lab-made peptide from Russia, studied as a calming nasal spray that does not cause drowsiness. In Russia it is a prescription spray for anxiety and nervous exhaustion. It was built from tuftsin, a tiny piece of an immune protein. It is not FDA-approved, and almost all the human research comes from small Russian studies.
What it’s studied for
- Calm without drowsinessStudied in humans
In a Russian trial of 62 adults, it eased anxiety about as well as a benzodiazepine, an anti-anxiety medicine. It did not make people sleepy. source
- A lasting effectStudied in humans
In another Russian trial, the calm was still there about a week after the last dose. source
- Alongside a benzodiazepineStudied in humans
Added to a benzodiazepine under medical care, it lowered that drug’s side effects, like sleepiness and memory trouble. source
2 more uses studied
New here? Three things worth knowing first
What’s a peptidepeptideA short chain of amino acids. Proteins are long chains; peptides are short ones, usually under 50 amino acids.? A short chain of amino acids, the building blocks of protein. Many act like messengers in the body.
Why the vial has to be mixed. It ships as a dry powder. You add bacteriostatic waterbacteriostatic waterSterile water with a little benzyl alcohol that stops bacteria growing, so a mixed vial lasts days or weeks. Often called BAC water., and the amount you add decides how many unitsunitsMarks on an insulin syringe. On a U-100 syringe, 100 units = 1 mL. How many units equal a dose depends on how much water was added. on the syringe equal one dose. The calculator does that math.
SubcutaneoussubcutaneousUnder the skin, into the fat layer. The usual route for peptide injections. Often shortened to sub-Q. injection, Once daily. Subcutaneous means into the fat layer just under the skin. It uses a small insulin syringe. Any word with a dotted underline on this page opens a short definition.
Dosage guidelines
Under the skin, protocols describe 100 to 300 mcg once a day, in the morning, for 4 to 6 weeks. That range comes from users; the studies used a nasal form.
The doses below come from published reference protocols and, where they exist, the human trials. Tap a row to load it into the calculator.
Figures reviewed against their sources in October 2026. Where a trial or approved label sets a schedule, it is shown first; where a label sets one fixed dose, the FAQ below says so.
Subcutaneous protocol. 100 to 300 mcg once a day, in the morning, for 4 to 6 weeks. No studies have tested injected doses; the range comes from users.
100–300 mcg, once daily · 4–6 weeks
| Step | Dose per injection | Draw to | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 100 mcg (0.1 mg) between 5-unit marks | 3 units | |
| 2 | 200 mcg (0.2 mg) between 5-unit marks | 6 units | |
| 3 | 333 mcg (0.333 mg) rounded to the nearest 5-unit mark; the source says 300 mcg | 10 units |
Doses marked “between 5-unit marks” sit between the 5-unit lines on a 1 mL syringe; the 1-unit lines on a 0.5 mL or 0.3 mL syringe make them easier to read.
Units are for a 10 mg vial mixed with 3 mL of water. Change the vial in the calculator
Full protocol details
Other protocols described
- Short cycle. The same doses over a short 10 to 14 days, around a stressful event. Then 1 to 3 weeks off.
Other forms: Selank is mainly used as a nasal spray, which is how it was studied and approved in Russia (a 0.15% solution). Effects are described as building over 5 to 14 days for most people, with results usually judged after 1–2 weeks. Plain Selank, N-acetyl Selank and N-acetyl Selank amidate are all sold; every clinical study used plain Selank.
Subcutaneous protocol
- Dose
- 100–300 mcg
- How often
- Once daily
- Timing
- Morning preferred
- Route
- Subcutaneous
- How long
- 4–6 weeks
- Break
- 1–3 weeks between cycles
There are no dose-finding studies for injected Selank; this range comes from user consensus.
Short cycle
Acute stress or a specific event
- Dose
- As in the subcutaneous protocol
- How often
- As in the protocol used
- How long
- 10–14 days
- Break
- 1–3 weeks
Cycle
4–6 weeks; 1–3 weeks between cycles
When a step up happens
User reports describe stepping up only after progress has stalled for two weeks or more, and only if the previous step was tolerated. Everyone is different.
Timing: Morning preferred.
Peptide calculator
Already filled with this vial. Change anything you like.
How much is in your vial?
Check the label. The most common strengths:
Every 10 units = 1 mg.
1 units. 1 mL of BAC water
How the vial is mixed
The powder has to be dissolved in bacteriostatic (BAC) water before use. For a 10 mg vial this page uses 3 mL, which puts the usual dose on a round syringe mark: every 10 units is 333 mcg.
STEP 1Wipe both topsAlcohol pad on the peptide vial and the BAC water vial.
STEP 2Draw 3 mL of waterThat’s 3 full 1 mL syringes.
STEP 3Add it slowlyAim at the glass wall, not at the powder.
STEP 4Swirl, don’t shakeRoll gently until clear. Refrigerate after.What to watch for
- Mild nose irritationStudied in humans
- A bitter taste at the back of the throatReported by users
- A brief headacheReported by users
- More anxiety or emotional flatness at very high doses, which users say fades at a lower doseReported by users
Not for anyone allergic to tuftsin or similar peptides, or with an active autoimmune disease. Not for pregnancy or breastfeeding, since there is no safety data. Talk to a doctor first, especially with diabetes, panic attacks, antidepressants, benzodiazepines, gabapentin or pregabalin.
Reasons to get medical help right away: trouble breathing, swelling of the face or throat, chest pain, fainting, or any severe or worrying reaction.
Full side-effect list and who should avoid it
In published research
- Well tolerated in the Russian trials
- No sedation, impaired thinking, tolerance, withdrawal or dependence, compared with benzodiazepines
- No acute toxicity reported at any dose studied
- Mild nasal irritation in a small share of people
What users report
- Nasal irritation or a bitter taste at the back of the throat
- Brief headache
- Less often: tiredness at higher doses, mild dizziness
- At very high doses: more anxiety or emotional flatness, which users say fades at a lower dose
Not for
- Allergy to tuftsin or related peptides
- Active autoimmune disease, where stimulating the immune system could do harm
- Pregnancy or breastfeeding (no safety data)
Use caution with
- Psychiatric medicines: SSRIs, SNRIs, MAOIs and benzodiazepines
- Other GABA-acting drugs, such as alcohol, barbiturates, gabapentin and pregabalin
- Diabetes
- Severe anxiety or panic disorder, where the evidence is weaker
How the body handles it
- After a nasal dose it appears in the blood within 30 seconds
- Blood levels drop quickly, within about 5 minutes of a nasal dose
- Broken down by enzymes in the tissues, with no breakdown products found in urine
- Its downstream effects last far longer than it stays in the blood
Supplies
What 12 weeks of the schedule above takes, counted dose by dose.
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Stacking
The community pairs Selank with Semax, for calm plus focus. The two have not been tested together in a trial.
- SemaxReported by users
Selank is used for calm and Semax for focus, which may ease the restlessness some feel on Semax alone. Some protocols start Selank alone for about a week first, and others start both together.
Not combined with: alcohol or other sedatives, which are listed as combinations not to use.
Talk to a doctor before combining it with: benzodiazepines, which were combined only under medical supervision, and SSRI or SNRI antidepressants, which have not been studied with it.
Go deeper
Every study, community report and source behind this page.
What the studies show16 findings, each with its evidence label
Status, October 2026. Selank is not FDA-approved and is not on the FDA's 503A bulks list. It was developed in Russia, where it is used as a nasal spray for anxiety. Source
How it works
Selank is thought to work on GABA, the brain's main calming signal. In an animal study, a single dose changed the activity of 45 of 84 genes tied to nerve signaling within an hour, and 22 at three hours, in a pattern resembling GABA itself. It is described as acting on the GABA-A receptor at a different site from benzodiazepines.
It also slows the enzymes that break down enkephalins, the body's own calming and pain-dampening peptides. In lab work it blocked these enzymes at a concentration of 15 µM, more strongly than two reference inhibitors. People with generalized anxiety had enkephalins that broke down faster than usual.
In animal studies it shifted the balance of serotonin and dopamine, switched on a dopamine receptor (Drd5) linked to memory, and raised BDNF, a protein that helps nerve cells grow and connect, in the memory and planning areas of the brain. Because it comes from an immune fragment, it also changes immune signaling: in lab and animal work it lowered the inflammatory messengers IL-1 beta, IL-6 and TNF-alpha and restored IL-4.
The route seems to matter. In an animal study, injected Selank raised GABA receptor binding in the front of the brain by 38%, while nasal Selank raised NMDA receptor binding by 23%.
Benefits
Each one carries an evidence label, so you can see how much is actually known.
Calm without sedation
In a Russian trial of 62 adults with generalized anxiety or neurasthenia, Selank eased anxiety about as much as the benzodiazepine medazepam, and also lifted fatigue, with a mild stimulating effect rather than drowsiness. source
Effect that outlasts the last dose
In a trial comparing it with phenazepam, the calming effect was still present about one week after the final dose. source
Focus, memory and clarity
In animal studies Selank raised BDNF in the brain and preserved memory and attention under stress. Users describe clearer thinking and better focus. source
No dependence seen in short trials
The Russian trials, which ran about two weeks, reported no tolerance, dependence or withdrawal. Whether that holds over long-term use has not been studied. source
Alongside a benzodiazepine
When Selank was added to phenazepam, people had fewer of the benzodiazepine's side effects, such as sedation, memory and attention problems and emotional flatness, both during treatment and after stopping. source
What the science shows
Selank vs medazepam (human, 2008)
Studied in humans62 adults with generalized anxiety or neurasthenia: 30 used intranasal Selank and 32 took medazepam by mouth for 14 days, in an open-label trial. Anxiety improved about equally in both groups, and Selank also eased fatigue and had a mild stimulating effect. Low enkephalin levels tracked how severe symptoms were, and Selank raised them. source
Fast and slow responders (human, 2012)
Studied in humans20 people aged 24 to 52 with generalized anxiety received 2,700 mcgmcgMicrogram, one thousandth of a milligram. 1 mg = 1,000 mcg. a day intranasally, as 900 mcg three times a day. 40% responded within 1 to 3 days and 60% gradually by day 14. Presented at a conference. source
Selank vs phenazepam (human, 2014)
Studied in humansSelank had a clear calming effect and a mild effect on thinking, with quality of life improving. The benefit was still present about a week after the last dose. source
Added to phenazepam (human, 2015)
Studied in humansAdding Selank reduced benzodiazepine side effects, including attention and memory problems, sedation, longer sleep, sexual problems and emotional indifference, during treatment and after withdrawal. source
Enkephalin breakdown (lab, 2001)
Studied in animals or labSelank slowed the enzymes that break down enkephalins, with an IC50 of 15 µM, stronger than bacitracin or puromycin. source
Gene activity in the brain (animal, 2016)
Studied in animals or labIn the frontal cortex, 45 of 84 nerve-signaling genes changed at 1 hour and 22 at 3 hours, in a pattern resembling GABA. The Drd5 dopamine receptor gene was switched on. source
BDNF in the hippocampus (animal, 2008)
Studied in animals or labIntranasal Selank changed levels of BDNF in the hippocampus, the brain's memory center. source
Memory during alcohol withdrawal (animal, 2019)
Studied in animals or lab0.3 mg/kg a day for 7 days kept memory and attention from declining during alcohol withdrawal, through BDNF. source
Immune balance (human, 2008)
Studied in humansIn people with anxiety and fatigue treated for 14 days, the balance of immune signaling shifted (Th1/Th2). In lab tests on the same samples, IL-6 gene activity was fully suppressed at some concentrations. source
Brain connectivity (human, 2020)
Studied in humansResting-state brain scans in 52 healthy people showed that both Selank and Semax changed the connection between the right amygdala and the right temporal cortex. source
Nose vs injection (animal, 2016)
Studied in animals or labInjected Selank at 300 mcg/kg a day for 5 days raised GABA receptor binding by 38%; intranasal Selank raised NMDA receptor binding by 23%. source
What the community reports3 user reports, a timeline and 4 pairings
What to expect
In a trial of 20 people with generalized anxiety on 2,700 mcgmcgMicrogram, one thousandth of a milligram. 1 mg = 1,000 mcg. a day by nose, 40% responded quickly: anxiety scores fell from 20.3 to 7.0 by day 3. These fast responders had more fatigue and thinking complaints at the start, and their brain-wave recordings changed after a single dose.
Studied in humansThe other 60% in that trial improved gradually, with a clinically meaningful change by the second week.
Studied in humansUsers describe calm and clarity within days. Some notice it within minutes; others need a week or more.
Reported by usersUsers describe stronger effects on mood and focus.
Reported by usersUsers describe gains in memory and learning.
Reported by usersUser reports describe it as best suited to mild or moderate generalized anxiety and everyday stress. Results are described as less consistent for panic disorder or severe social anxiety.
What people report
Gathered from user communities. Anecdotal: useful for what to expect, not proof.
Best for everyday anxiety
Described as working best for mild to moderate generalized anxiety and situational stress, and less reliably for panic attacks or severe social anxiety.
Weaker than expected
The most common complaint is that the effect is milder than people hoped. Sedation, dependence and withdrawal are not reported.
Product quality
Users often put inconsistent results down to variable quality between nasal-spray sources.
Stacking
How it is described alongside other compounds.
Semax
The most common pairing: Semax for focus, Selank for calm. Protocols differ on the start: some run Selank alone for the first week before adding Semax, to offset the restlessness some people feel on Semax alone; others start both together. Semax is described in the morning, not after 2 pm.
Benzodiazepines
Both act on the GABA system. The combination was studied only under medical supervision, where it reduced benzodiazepine side effects.
SSRIs and SNRIs
Not studied together. A serotonin interaction is a theoretical concern, so this is a combination for a prescriber to weigh.
Alcohol and other sedatives
Listed as combinations not to use with Selank.
Common questions7 questions
Common questions
What is the difference between Selank, N-acetyl Selank and N-acetyl Selank amidate?
The acetyl and amidate caps on the ends are added for stability and do not change how it works. All the clinical data used plain Selank.
Can Selank replace anxiety medication?
That is a decision for a doctor. The trials found calming effects similar to a benzodiazepine without the sedation, but the effect is described as weaker for acute panic, and the studies were small and short.
Is the nasal spray or the injection better?
They appear to act differently: in animal studies the nasal route raised NMDA receptor binding while injection raised GABA receptor binding. The nasal route matches the human trials; injection gives a more precise dose.
Does Selank need to be cycled?
The Russian schedule is 10–14 days on and 1–3 weeks off. The extended schedule users describe is 4–6 weeks on and 2 weeks off. No tolerance has been documented, so cycling is a precaution.
How fast does it act?
About 40% of people in one trial responded within 1–3 days. For most, the effect builds over 5 to 14 days, and it can last about a week after the last dose.
What does “minimum effective dose” mean?
It is the lowest dose that still produces the effect someone is after. User reports describe starting there and staying there for as long as it keeps working, rather than climbing toward the top of the range. Side effects tend to rise with dose, and the top of each range on this page is a ceiling people report, not a target.
When does the dose go up?
There is no trial schedule for Selank. User reports describe staying on a dose while it is still working, and moving up only after progress has stalled for two weeks or more and side effects have settled. There is no prize for getting to the top dose fast. These are not quick fixes: most of what people report builds over weeks, not days.
Source material11 studies and documents
References
- Zozulya AA, et al. Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova. 2008. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18454096/…
- Neznamov GG, et al. Eur Psychiatry. 2012;27(S1). www.cambridge.org/core/journals/european-psychia…
- Medvedev VE, et al. Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova. 2014. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25176261/…
- Medvedev VE, et al. Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova. 2015. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26356395/…
- Zozulya AA, et al. Bull Exp Biol Med. 2001;131(4):315-317. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11550013/…
- Volkova A, et al. Front Pharmacol. 2016;7:31. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26924987/…
- Inozemtseva LS, et al. Dokl Biol Sci. 2008;421:241-243. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18841804/…
- Kolik LG, et al. Bull Exp Biol Med. 2019;167(5):641-644. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31625062/…
- Uchakina ON, et al. Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova. 2008. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18577961/…
- Panikratova YR, et al. Dokl Biol Sci. 2020;490:9-11. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32342318/…
- Vasil'eva EV, et al. Eksp Klin Farmakol. 2016;79(9):3-11. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29787664/…
Related
What is Selank?
Selank is a synthetic peptidepeptideA short chain of amino acids. Proteins are long chains; peptides are short ones, usually under 50 amino acids. with the sequence Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg-Pro-Gly-Pro. It was built at the Institute of Molecular Genetics in Russia by taking tuftsin, a four-amino-acid piece of the antibody IgG, and adding Pro-Gly-Pro to the end. That extra tail makes it more stable in the body and helps it reach the brain. It is described as a calming compound that also sharpens thinking, without the drowsiness associated with anti-anxiety medicines. In Russia it is a prescription nasal spray for generalized anxiety and neurasthenia, a condition of low energy and nervous exhaustion. Selank is not FDA-approved and is not on the FDA's 503A bulks list. Nearly all of the human research on it comes from Russia, in small groups.
What people look into Selank for
Every line carries an evidence label, so you can see how much is actually known.
Calm without sedation: In a Russian trial of 62 adults with generalized anxiety or neurasthenia, Selank eased anxiety about as much as the benzodiazepine medazepam, and also lifted fatigue, with a mild stimulating effect rather than drowsiness.source
Studied in humansEffect that outlasts the last dose: In a trial comparing it with phenazepam, the calming effect was still present about one week after the final dose.source
Studied in humansFocus, memory and clarity: In animal studies Selank raised BDNF in the brain and preserved memory and attention under stress. Users describe clearer thinking and better focus.source
Studied in animals or labNo dependence seen in short trials: The Russian trials, which ran about two weeks, reported no tolerance, dependence or withdrawal. Whether that holds over long-term use has not been studied.source
Studied in humansAlongside a benzodiazepine: When Selank was added to phenazepam, people had fewer of the benzodiazepine's side effects, such as sedation, memory and attention problems and emotional flatness, both during treatment and after stopping.source
Studied in humansMix and measure: a 10 mg vial
Go deeper
How it works, in plain words
Selank is thought to work on GABA, the brain's main calming signal. In an animal study, a single dose changed the activity of 45 of 84 genes tied to nerve signaling within an hour, and 22 at three hours, in a pattern resembling GABA itself. It is described as acting on the GABA-A receptor at a different site from benzodiazepines.
What did the study measure?
No single study is featured for Selank; the human trials are linked from the uses above.
Sources
Side effects and who should avoid it
Side effects and limits, stated plainly. If anything here applies to you, talk to a doctor first.