The short version of certificate of analysis fits in a sentence. The long version — which is the one that helps — is below.
Reviewed 2025-11-03. Anything still debated is marked as such rather than presented as settled.
Development took place at the Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Russian Academy of Sciences, where a series of short peptides were designed in the 1980s and 1990s. Selank was selected from variants of tuftsin that showed resistance to plasma peptidases. Russian regulatory approval covers it as an anxiolytic agent given intranasally. Outside that market the compound is normally handled as a research chemical rather than a medicine, and no widely recognised international pharmacopoeial monograph exists. The name Selank is a coined trade designation rather than a systematic chemical name.
Enzymatic stability motivates the extra three residues at the carboxyl end. Native tuftsin is cleaved quickly by circulating aminopeptidases and carboxypeptidases, which limits its duration of action and its usefulness as a tool compound. Extending the chain with proline-rich segments is a common design tactic because proline constrains the backbone and slows proteolysis. The same Pro-Gly-Pro motif appears in other Russian-developed peptides of the era. Whether the full seven-residue chain is required for activity, or whether it acts mainly as a prodrug releasing tuftsin, remains unresolved.
Purity assessment relies mainly on reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection. Because the peptide lacks a strong chromophore, detection often uses backbone absorbance near 214 nm. Identity is confirmed by mass spectrometry, typically electrospray ionization or matrix-assisted laser desorption, comparing the measured mass against the expected value. Amino acid analysis can verify composition after acid hydrolysis. Diastereomer content and residual counterions are reported less often, although both can influence biological assays.
Lyophilized material is generally stable for extended periods when kept dry at or below minus twenty degrees Celsius. Working solutions are less stable, and common practice is to aliquot and freeze them so that repeated freeze-thaw cycles are avoided. Aqueous solutions are sensitive to pH extremes and to microbial growth, so short-term storage at refrigerator temperature is typical. Oxidation and hydrolysis are the principal degradation routes. Reconstitution with sterile water or a mild buffer is standard, and solutions should be protected from light.
Regulatory treatment varies by jurisdiction. In Russia the compound is a registered prescription product, while in the European Union and the United States it is generally handled as a research chemical without a marketing authorization. Suppliers therefore operate outside pharmaceutical oversight, and buyers rely on supplier documentation for purity and identity claims. Chain of custody and third-party testing are the main verification tools. Analysts note that the absence of a pharmacopoeial monograph for research-grade material limits standardization across vendors.
| Property | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Chemical class | Synthetic heptapeptide | Tuftsin analogue with a C-terminal Pro-Gly-Pro tail |
| Amino acid sequence | Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg-Pro-Gly-Pro | Abbreviated TKPRPGP in most catalogues |
| Molecular mass | About 752 Da | Value for the free peptide |
| Solubility | Freely soluble in water | Aqueous solutions are kept cold and used promptly |
| Typical storage | -20 °C, dry, protected from light | Applies to the lyophilised powder before reconstitution |
Peptide bonds are vulnerable to protease attack, and Selank is no exception. Measured half-life in serum is short, on the order of minutes in several reports, which explains why intranasal administration is the common route described in the literature. Absorption across the nasal mucosa partially bypasses first-pass hepatic metabolism. Quantitative data on human bioavailability remain limited and are difficult to compare across studies.
Lyophilised material kept dry at minus 20 degrees Celsius or colder is the most stable form, and suppliers commonly state a shelf life of two years or more under those conditions. Once dissolved, degradation accelerates through hydrolysis and deamidation, particularly at alkaline pH or elevated temperature. Working solutions are usually divided into single-use aliquots to avoid repeated freeze-thaw cycles. The choice of reconstitution solvent affects both stability and the ionic strength of the final preparation.
Reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection near 214 nanometres is the standard purity method. Mass spectrometry, typically electrospray ionisation, confirms identity through the expected mass-to-charge pattern. Amino acid analysis can verify composition independently. Chiral purity requires separate techniques such as derivatisation followed by chromatographic separation, and such data are rarely reported for research-grade material.
Characterization of Selank in laboratory settings relies on standard peptide analytical techniques. Reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography separates the peptide from related impurities and degradation products, while mass spectrometry confirms molecular identity through accurate mass measurement. Amino acid analysis and peptide sequencing verify the primary structure when reference material is unavailable. Because Selank is a short chain, fragmentation-based analysis produces a diagnostic ion pattern that supports confident identification.
Peptide stability depends strongly on temperature, moisture, and pH. Lyophilized Selank is generally most stable when stored cold and dry, with freezer temperatures commonly used for long-term storage. In solution, the compound is susceptible to hydrolysis and to microbial growth if it is not handled aseptically. The C-terminal proline-rich extension appears to slow enzymatic cleavage relative to tuftsin, though quantitative degradation rates vary with the matrix and the conditions tested. Published stability data specific to Selank remain sparse.
amination (see Figure) The C-terminus can also be blocked (thus, neutralizing its negative charge) by amination. glycosyl phosphatidylinositol (GPI) attachment Glycosyl phosphatidylinositol(GPI) is a large, hydrophobic phospholipid prosthetic group that anchors proteins to cellular membranes. It is attached to the polypeptide C-terminus through an amide linkage that then connects to ethanolamine, thence to sundry sugars and finally to the phosphatidylinositol lipid moiety. Finally, the peptide side chains can also be modified covalently, e.g.,
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=== Legal status === Bulevirtide was approved for medical use in the European Union in July 2020, in Canada in August 2025, and in the United States in May 2026. The US Food and Drug Administration granted the application for bulevirtide priority review, breakthrough therapy, and orphan drug designations.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
Tasipimidine (INNTooltip International Nonproprietary Name, USANTooltip United States Adopted Name; developmental code names ODM-105 and ORM-19695), sold under the brand name Tessie, is an α2-adrenergic receptor agonist which is approved for the short-term treatment of fear and anxiety in dogs. It is also under development for the treatment of insomnia in humans. The drug is used as an oral solution in dogs, whereas its route of administration for humans is unspecified. The drug acts as a potent and selective full agonist of the human α2A-adrenergic receptor. Conversely, it is a much weaker agonist of the rodent α2B-, α2C-, and α2D-adrenergic receptors. In addition, it shows only low affinity for α1-adrenergic receptors, where it appears to act as a partial agonist. Tasipimidine produces anxiolytic, sedative, hypolocomotor, hypotensive, and bradycardic effects in animals. Tasipimidine is under development for use in humans by Orion Corporation. As of October 2024, it is in phase 2 clinical trials for this indication. The drug is or was also under development for the treatment of psychiatric disorders in humans, but no recent development for this indication has been reported. It has reached phase 1 trials for psychiatric disorders. Tasipimidine was approved for treatment of fear and anxiety in dogs in the European Union in 2021.
=== Illegal distribution === In the United States, the vaccine distribution line, while varying by state, has placed healthcare workers and senior citizens high on the list for COVID-19 vaccination, while less essential workers are secondary recipients. Due to the long process of distribution, some individuals tried to secure a more favorable position on the vaccination list, such as by bribery or making donations to hospitals. In response, state governments imposed large fines and other penalties for violation of federal vaccine distribution guidelines. A COVID-19 vaccine black market enabled some individuals to buy illegal early access to a vaccine. By mid-February 2021, China had arrested 80 people involved in vaccine contraband, and the Colombian government intercepted a freezer with 70 doses of a Chinese-manufactured vaccine that a traveler brought with her into the airport without any accompanying paperwork.
=== Mental illness referred to in children's television === A 2000 study of New Zealand Children's television shows showed that a mental illness reference appeared in 59 out of 128 episodes chosen. In those 59 episodes, there were 159 references to mental illness, frequently of character descriptions. The terms "mad," "crazy," and "losing your mind" were above the three most common references. Character appearances consisted of disfigured facial features (teeth, noses, etc.) and disfigured extremities. Mental illness has also been portrayed in Walt Disney animated films. A study examined the portrayal of mental illness in Disney films and found that 85% of these films made reference to mental illness, and 21% of the characters were referred to as mentally ill. On average, 4.6 references to mental illness were made in these films, with the most commonly used terms being "mad," "crazy," or "nutty." The study highlighted how Maurice, from Beauty and the Beast, was often depicted as mentally ill, referred to as a lunatic, and was even attempted to be sent to an asylum. Another study examined 40 children's programs on Netflix, analyzing 339 episodes for references to mental illness. The study found that 23 of these programs had at least one reference to mental illness, with 58 episodes featuring such references. It also noted differences in how male and female characters with mental illness were portrayed. Male characters were often depicted as violent or aggressive, while female characters were shown as "crazy" or obsessive.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
Selank is a seven-amino-acid peptide built from the tuftsin sequence plus a Pro-Gly-Pro tail. It is produced by chemical synthesis rather than extracted from a natural source. The free peptide is usually supplied as a lyophilised powder or in an aqueous formulation.
Tuftsin is a natural tetrapeptide derived from the Fc portion of immunoglobulin G. Selank retains that tetrapeptide at its N-terminus and adds three residues to improve resistance to enzymatic breakdown. The relationship is structural, and the two molecules are not interchangeable in experimental work.
It holds a product registration in Russia for intranasal use as an anxiolytic. Registrations of that kind are not automatically accepted by regulators elsewhere. In most other countries it is treated as an unapproved substance or a research material.
Purity is usually reported as an HPLC area percentage, most often measured at 214 nm. Identity is confirmed separately by mass spectrometry. A certificate of analysis should state both the method and the observed value.