Compound · cortexin
T2Nootropic

Cortexin

Polypeptide bioregulator derived from the cerebral cortex of cattle and pigs. Contains low-molecular-weight neuropeptides that exhibit tissue-specific regulatory activity on cortical neurons. Proposed mechanisms include GABA-ergic and glutamatergic neuromodulation, antioxidant enzyme upregulation (superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase), and reduction of excitotoxic cell death. Extensive Russian and CIS clinical data across pediatric and adult neurology indications.

Half-life
Not fully characterized (peptide mixture)
Bioavailability
100% (IM)
Route
intramuscular
Evidence tier
T2 — Single-RCT or mechanistic
Optimization pillars
recovery · cellular-health
References
3 peer-reviewed
Dose ranges

Three tiers ordered by aggressiveness. Tier chips on every OPTIMIZE intervention let you filter the catalog by your evidence tolerance.

conservative
10 mg IM/day
Standard adult dose
moderate
10 mg IM 2x/day
Intensive cognitive protocol
aggressive
20 mg IM/day
Clinical neurology (Russian protocol)
Monitoring
  • alt
  • ast
  • hs-crp
Contraindications
  • bovine-protein-allergy
  • pregnancy
  • lactation
References
  • PMID:18709786Cortexin in the treatment of epilepsy in childrenZh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova, 2008
  • PMID:15202207The use of Cortexin in the complex treatment of cerebrovascular diseasesZh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova, 2004
  • PMID:21526738Neuroprotective and nootropic effects of CortexinNeurosci Behav Physiol, 2011
Notes

Cortexin is Cerebrolysin's less famous sibling. Bovine cortex-derived rather than porcine whole-brain. The Russian clinical literature runs deep — cerebrovascular disease, pediatric neurology, cognitive rehabilitation. Western data is sparse, which locks it at Tier 2 despite decades of clinical use in the CIS. The 10-day IM protocol at 10mg/day is the standard cycle, repeated 2-4 times per year. If Cerebrolysin is the broadband neurotrophic signal, Cortexin is the cortex-specific modulator. The tissue-origin specificity of peptide bioregulators is a framework the Western pharmacological tradition has not fully engaged with.

This is not medical advice

Discuss with a licensed clinician before starting, stopping, or changing any compound. This page documents what the research literature describes — it is not a prescription.

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