Selank

Synthetic analog of the endogenous immunomodulatory peptide tuftsin with a Pro-Gly-Pro sequence added for enzymatic stability. Modulates GABA, serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine systems. Increases BDNF expression. Approved in Russia as an anxiolytic. Produces anxiolytic effects without sedation or cognitive impairment.

Half-life

Several minutes (nasal), extended by Pro-Gly-Pro stabilization

Bioavailability

92.8% (intranasal)

Route

intranasal, subcutaneous

Evidence tier

T2 — Single-RCT or mechanistic

Optimization pillars

recovery

References

2 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

150–250 mcg/day intranasal

Anxiolytic baseline

moderate

250–500 mcg/day intranasal

Generalized anxiety

aggressive

500–750 mcg/day intranasal

Acute stress periods

Monitoring

cortisol
dhea-s

Contraindications

pregnancy
autoimmune-disease

References

PMID:18577768Selank administration affects the expression of some genes involved in GABAergic neurotransmission — Bull Exp Biol Med, 2008
PMID:19071022Anxiolytic-like properties of selank in animal models — Bull Exp Biol Med, 2008

Notes

Selank is anxiolysis without the benzodiazepine tradeoff. No sedation. No cognitive blunting. No dependence. The BDNF upregulation means you are not just suppressing anxiety — you are building the neuroplastic infrastructure that makes the brain more resilient to stress over time. The intranasal route matters. 92.8% bioavailability bypasses first-pass metabolism entirely. Subcutaneous works but nasal delivery is the studied route.

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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