Everything below concerns GABA-A receptor. We keep the language plain, cite what the science says, and separate well-supported claims from open questions.
Last reviewed on 2025-11-15. Where a claim depends on a specific study, the study is described rather than over-claimed.
Published clinical work is concentrated in Russian-language journals and generally involves small samples without independent replication. Systematic reviews in English note the shortage of randomised, placebo-controlled trials and the difficulty of verifying methods from translated reports. Outcome measures vary between studies, which complicates pooling of results. Interest in the compound as a cognitive or anxiolytic agent therefore rests on a thinner evidence base than the volume of citations suggests. Replication in well-powered trials with preregistered endpoints would be needed before firm conclusions about efficacy can be drawn.
Proposed mechanisms centre on the GABAergic system. Animal and tissue studies report changes in GABA-A receptor expression and reduced activity of GABA transaminase, the enzyme that degrades GABA. Effects on monoamine turnover, including serotonin and dopamine pathways, are also described, and a separate line of work links the peptide to increased expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in hippocampal tissue. Most of these findings come from rodent models and cell preparations. How the individual observations combine into a single coherent mode of action is not settled.
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.
Quantification in biological matrices relies on liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry with stable-isotope internal standards. Low plasma concentrations and adsorption to container surfaces both complicate measurement. Solid-phase extraction is often needed to reduce matrix interference before injection. Reported limits of quantification differ widely between laboratories, which makes direct comparison of pharmacokinetic results difficult and limits meta-analysis.
| Property | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Primary route studied | Intranasal | Also examined parenterally in animal work |
| Reported plasma half-life | Minutes to tens of minutes | Values vary widely between reports |
| Main model systems | Rodent behavioural and cell assays | Human trials are few and small |
| Principal proposed targets | GABA-A receptor, GABA transaminase | Monoamine and neurotrophic pathways also reported |
| Evidence grade | Preliminary | Limited independent replication |
Naming for this compound is not fully standardised in English sources. The spelling Selanc appears in some transliterations, and catalogue entries may instead list the peptide sequence itself as the identifier. Reference material sometimes groups it with other short synthetic peptides studied for behavioural effects, which can create confusion when citations are compared. Distinguishing the exact sequence from related tuftsin analogues is therefore a practical first step when reviewing any dataset or specification sheet.
Selank is a synthetic heptapeptide with the sequence Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg-Pro-Gly-Pro, frequently abbreviated as TKPRPGP. It was designed as a structural analogue of tuftsin, a naturally occurring tetrapeptide released by enzymatic cleavage of the immunoglobulin heavy chain. The two additional proline residues at the C-terminal end extend the parent chain and change how the molecule behaves in solution. The free peptide has a calculated molecular mass of approximately 751.9 g/mol and is generally supplied as a lyophilised white to off-white powder.
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.
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.
Naming conventions place Selank in the same research family as Semax, another Russian-developed peptide investigated for cognitive effects. The two compounds share a lineage but differ in sequence and in the biological systems proposed as their targets. Semax descends from ACTH fragments, whereas Selank descends from tuftsin. Publications sometimes identify Selank by its full peptide sequence or by laboratory codes rather than one uniform trade name. Because replication outside Russia is limited, reports on its properties are best read alongside the study design and the purity of the material tested.
Selank is a synthetic heptapeptide developed in Russia during the 1990s. Researchers at the Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Russian Academy of Sciences designed it as a stabilized analog of tuftsin, a naturally occurring immunomodulatory tetrapeptide. The compound has been studied primarily for its reported anxiolytic and nootropic effects. It remains largely unknown in Western pharmacology and is not approved as a medicine by major regulators such as the FDA or the EMA.
The primary structure of Selank is Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg-Pro-Gly-Pro, corresponding to the molecular formula C33H57N11O9 and a monoisotopic mass of roughly 751.9 daltons. The N-terminal threonine and the arginine residue in the fourth position are shared with tuftsin, which carries the sequence Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg. The three additional residues at the C-terminus, Pro-Gly-Pro, extend the chain and are associated with greater resistance to enzymatic degradation. This extension also separates Selank from the shorter parent peptide.
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.
Selank is a synthetic heptapeptide with the sequence Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg-Pro-Gly-Pro. Its four N-terminal residues reproduce tuftsin, a tetrapeptide fragment of the immunoglobulin heavy chain, while the C-terminal Pro-Gly-Pro extension is a synthetic addition. The peptide has a molecular mass near 752 daltons and carries a net positive charge at physiological pH because of the arginine and lysine side chains. Published indexes list it under the name Selank and the sequence abbreviation TKPRPGP. Solid-phase peptide synthesis is the standard production route for research quantities.
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.
=== Single-Crystal X-ray Diffraction === Single-crystal X-ray diffraction serves as the definitive method for determining atomic-level structure of organic cages. This technique provides precise information about spatial arrangements of atoms, revealing exact bond lengths, angles, and the three-dimensional architecture of the cage framework. Critical structural features such as cavity dimensions, shape, and packing arrangements in the solid state can be determined with high accuracy.
The interaction of carisoprodol with essentially all opioids, and other centrally acting analgesics, but especially codeine and those of the codeine-derived subgroup of the semisynthetic class (ethylmorphine, dihydrocodeine, hydrocodone, oxycodone, nicocodeine, benzylmorphine, and the various acetylated codeine derivatives, such as acetyldihydrocodeine, dihydroisocodeine, and nicodicodeine), which require smaller doses to have a given effect, is useful in general and especially where skeletal muscle injury and/or spasm is a large part of the problem. The potentiation effect is also useful in other pain situations and especially with opioids of the open-chain class, such as methadone, levomethadone, ketobemidone, and phenadoxone. In recreational drug users, death has resulted from combining hydrocodone and carisoprodol. Another danger of misuse of carisoprodol and opiates is the potential to asphyxiate while unconscious. Meprobamate and other muscle-relaxing drugs often misused in the 1950s and '60s. Overdose cases were reported as early as 1957, and have been reported on several occasions since. Carisoprodol is metabolized by the liver and excreted by the kidneys, so it must be used with caution by patients with impaired hepatic or renal function. Because of potential for more severe side effects, this drug is among those that elderly people should avoid.
=== Therapeutics === Because it is abundant, of human origin, and easy to grow, L. plantarum has been tested for health effects. It has been identified as a probiotic, which suggests its value for further research and application. L. plantarum has significant antioxidant activities and also helps to maintain intestinal permeability. It is able to suppress the growth of gas-producing bacteria in the intestines and may benefit some patients who suffer from IBS. It helps to create microbe balance and stabilize digestive enzyme patterns. Lactiplantibacillus plantarum has been found in experiments to increase hippocampal brain derived neurotrophic factor, which means L. plantarum may have a beneficial role in the treatment of depression. The ability of L. plantarum to survive in the human gastro-intestinal tract makes it a possible in vivo delivery vehicle for therapeutic compounds or proteins. Lactiplantibacillus plantarum is a constituent in VSL#3. This proprietary, standardized formulation of live bacteria may be used in combination with conventional therapies to treat ulcerative colitis and requires a prescription.
Microcapsules that respond to magnetic and photo stimuli, such as these constructed of graphene oxide, are useful for biomedical applications that require in vivo, contact-free manipulation of cellular structures such as stem cells.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
In late October, Gaza's premature babies faced a critical situation as Medical Aid for Palestinians and UNICEF warned that 130 infants were at risk of death due to a hospital fuel shortage caused by Israel's siege. The lack of fuel led to power outages, endangering premature babies in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). Despite assurances from the IDF to assist in evacuations, the Gaza Health Ministry reported a lack of evacuation mechanisms, resulting in the deaths of several infants. The situation escalated in mid-November when Israel launched a raid on al-Shifa Hospital. Evacuations eventually occurred, facilitated by the Palestinian Red Crescent, World Health Organization, and UNOCHA, with 31 premature babies moved to southern Gaza, with most then to Egypt. Not all infants were accompanied by their parents, and two died at al-Shifa before the evacuation. The distress extended to Al-Nasr Children's Hospital, bombed by the IDF in early November, where medical workers had to leave babies in incubators during evacuation. Video footage later revealed the aftermath, with five premature babies found dead in their incubators. The IDF initially denied responsibility, though an Israel official was heard providing assurances to evacuate the hospital in a released audio. In mid-December, a military siege on Kamal Adwan Hospital worsened the situation, as IDF soldiers reportedly prevented staff from supporting 12 babies in intensive care.
In dental anatomy, the gingival fibers are the connective tissue fibers that inhabit the gingival tissue (gums) adjacent to teeth and help hold the tissue firmly against the teeth. They are primarily composed of type I collagen, although type III fibers are also involved. These fibers, unlike the fibers of the periodontal ligament, in general, attach the tooth to the gingival tissue, rather than the tooth to the alveolar bone.
While advertising of tobacco products is banned in most countries, television and radio e-cigarette advertising in several countries may be indirectly encouraging traditional cigarette use. E-cigarette advertisements are also in magazines, newspapers, online, and in retail stores. Between 2010 and 2014, e-cigarettes were second only to cigarettes as the top advertised product in magazines. As cigarette companies have acquired the largest e-cigarette brands, they currently benefit from a dual market of smokers and e-cigarette users while simultaneously presenting themselves as agents of harm reduction. This raises concerns about the appropriateness of endorsing a product that directly profits the tobacco industry. There is no evidence that the cigarette brands are selling e-cigarettes as part of a plan to phase out traditional cigarettes, despite some stating to want to cooperate in "harm reduction". E-cigarette advertising for using e-cigarettes as a quitting tool have been seen in the US, UK, and China, which have not been supported by regulatory bodies. In the US, six large e-cigarette businesses spent $59.3 million on promoting e-cigarettes in 2013. In the US and Canada, over $2 million is spent yearly on promoting e-cigarettes online. E-cigarette websites often made unscientific health statements in 2012. The ease to get past the age verification system at e-cigarette company websites allows underage individuals to access and be exposed to marketing.
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf – Speaker of the Parliament (head of delegation) Abbas Araghchi – Foreign Minister Reza Amiri Moghadam – Ambassador to Pakistan Ali Akbar Ahmadian – Member of the Supreme National Security Council Ali Bagheri Kani – Deputy to the Supreme National Security Council Esmail Ahmadi Moghadam – President of the National Defence University Mohammad Jafari – Assistant to the Secretary at the Supreme National Security Council Abdolnaser Hemmati – Central Bank Governor Kazem Gharibabadi – Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi – Deputy Foreign Minister Valiollah Nouri – Deputy Foreign Minister Esmail Baghaei – Deputy Foreign Minister and Foreign Ministry spokesperson Abolfazl Amouei – Member of Parliament Mohammad Nabavian – Member of Parliament Pakistani leadership, including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Chief of Defense Forces Asim Munir, facilitated the negotiations and acted as intermediaries. On 11 April, it was reported that amid the negotiations, high-ranking senior IRGC officials arrived in Pakistan to provide "consultation" to the Iranian delegation.
=== France === In France, a clinical biologist (biologiste médical) is a doctor in medicine or pharmacy who has completed a four-year specialization in medical biology. The profession is strictly regulated, and clinical biologists are responsible for overseeing and interpreting laboratory analyses. Their training includes a national competitive exam (internat de biologie médicale), followed by a structured residency program in clinical laboratories. They play a key role in laboratory diagnostics, clinical decision-making, and quality management of biological analyses.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
=== Directed evolution === A primary goal of protein engineering is the design of novel peptides or proteins with a desired structure and chemical activity. Because our knowledge of the relationship between primary sequence, structure, and function of proteins is limited, rational design of new proteins with engineered activities is extremely challenging. In directed evolution, repeated cycles of genetic diversification followed by a screening or selection process, can be used to mimic natural selection in the laboratory to design new proteins with a desired activity. Several methods exist for creating large libraries of sequence variants. Among the most widely used are subjecting DNA to UV radiation or chemical mutagens, error-prone PCR, degenerate codons, or recombination. Once a large library of variants is created, selection or screening techniques are used to find mutants with a desired attribute. Common selection/screening techniques include FACS, mRNA display, phage display, and in vitro compartmentalization. Once useful variants are found, their DNA sequence is amplified and subjected to further rounds of diversification and selection. The development of directed evolution methods was honored in 2018 with the awarding of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry to Frances Arnold for evolution of enzymes, and George Smith and Gregory Winter for phage display.
== Materials == Microneedles (MNs) consist of micro-sized needles arrays that are made of various materials exhibiting different characteristics and are suitable in the synthesis of different types of MNs. The selection of materials for formation of MNs greatly depends on the strength of skin penetration, manufacturing method, and rate of drug release. Silicon is the first material used for the production of MNs. While the flexible nature of silicon allows easy manufacture of different sizes and types of MNs, silicon MNs can easily fracture during insertion in the skin. On the contrary, MNs made of metals like stainless steel, titanium, and aluminum, are non-toxic and possess strong mechanical properties to penetrate the skin without breakage. Nevertheless, metal MNs may cause allergic effects in some patients and it creates non-biodegradable wastes. Polymer is also regarded as a promising material for MNs due to its good biocompatibility and low toxicity. Water-soluble polymers are more commonly used within the big polymer group and MNs tip breaking is more likely compared to MNs made of silicon and metal. Therefore, polymer is a more suitable material for dissolving MNs or hydrogel-forming MNs.
== Professional activities == Tippett's work in cybersecurity has led to roles as speaker, contributor and advisor to government and private sector organizations. From 2003 to 2005, he served on the President's Information Technology Committee (PITAC), established by Congress in 1997 under the High Performance Computing Act of 1991 to "guide the Administration's efforts to accelerate the development and adoption of information technologies vital for American prosperity in the 21st century." The U.S. Chamber of Commerce awarded Tippett its first Leadership in Health Care Award at the Chamber's first annual Health Care Summit (2012) for his leadership of Verizon's incubator. Tippett was also Chief Scientist for ICSA Labs and previously served as president of the International Computer Security Association. Tippett is currently an adjunct professor in the Division of General Medical Sciences at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. In November 2017, T.E.N., a technology and information security executive networking and relationship-marketing firm, announced that Tippett received the 2017 ISE® Luminary Leadership Award.
The vaccine is free of charge to users in Russia and Kazakhstan. The cost per dose would be less than US$10 (US$20 for the required two doses) on international markets, much less than the cost of mRNA vaccines from other manufacturers. Kirill Dmitriev, head of the fund, told reporters that over 1 billion doses of the vaccine are expected to be produced in 2021 outside of Russia. The head of the Gamaleya Research Institute Alexander Ginzburg estimated that it would take 9–12 months to vaccinate the vast majority of the Russian population, assuming in-country resources were adequate. The commercial release of the Gam-COVID-Vac was first scheduled for September 2020. In October, Mikhail Murashko said that the Gam-COVID-Vac would be free for all Russian citizens after the launching of mass production. Later on, the Russian Ministry of Health registered the maximum ex-factory price equal to 1,942 rubles for two components and included it into The National List of Essential medicines. There were also suggestions to include the vaccine in the National Immunisation Calendar of Russia. In the beginning of December 2020, Russian authorities announced the start of a large-scale free of charge vaccination with Gam-COVID-Vac for Russian citizens: the immunization program was launched on 5 December 2020 (with 70 medical centres in Moscow providing vaccinations). Doctors and other medical workers, teachers, and social workers were given priority due to their highest risk of exposure to the disease.
1994: Ong Yeow Tian, a Singaporean hairstylist who was hanged on 25 November 1994 for murdering a police officer and shooting two other cops in 1989. 1995: Ng Theng Shuang, a Malaysian national, hanged on 14 July 1995 for discharging a firearm with intent to cause injury, after shooting 3 people during the attempted robbery of Tin Sing Goldsmiths in South Bridge Road in 1992. 1997: Lim Chwee Soon, hanged on 25 July 1997 for discharging a firearm seven times during the robbery of the Kee Hing Hung Rolex boutique at the People's Park Complex in 1995. 2001: Tay Chin Wah, a Singaporean taxi driver, was arrested for an unsolved 1995 case of shooting two men. He was sentenced to death on 21 February 2001, and hanged on 26 October 2001. 2006: Khor Kok Soon, one of Singapore's top ten fugitives, was charged in 2004 for firing a gun at 43-year-old police sergeant Lim Kiah Chin (who escaped unharmed) in 1984. He was sentenced to death in February 2005, and eventually hanged. Khor was also alleged to have killed 25-year-old truck driver Ong King Hock. 2006: Lim Thian Lai, a Singaporean gunman who was caught in 2004 for murdering an illegal moneylender Tan Tiong Huat back in 1997. Lim was found guilty of discharging a firearm and killing Tan by shooting, and sentenced to death in May 2005. He lost his appeal in September 2005 and had since been hanged. 2009: Tan Chor Jin, alias Tony Kia, nicknamed the "One-eyed Dragon" in Singapore media, was executed on 9 January 2009 for illegally discharging a firearm and killing 41-year-old nightclub owner Lim Hock Soon by shooting.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
Reports describe modulation of GABA signalling, changes in monoamine turnover and effects on neurotrophic factor expression. These observations come mainly from animal and cell studies. A single unifying mechanism has not been demonstrated.
The peptide enters plasma rapidly and is broken down by ordinary proteases into amino acids and shorter fragments. Reported half-lives are short. Whether meaningful amounts of the intact molecule reach the brain is an open question.
Most clinical reports are small, published in Russian and not independently replicated. English-language reviews highlight the absence of large randomised trials. Conclusions about efficacy should be treated as provisional.
Dry powder is best kept sealed, protected from light, and held at minus 20 degrees Celsius or below. Desiccant packaging helps limit moisture uptake because the material is hygroscopic. A sealed vial should be allowed to equilibrate to room temperature before opening to reduce condensation.