Selank
Tuftsin analogue
A synthetic analogue of the immunomodulatory peptide tuftsin, developed for anxiety and cognitive support. It is routinely described as calming without sedation — an unusual combination.
- Category
- Cognitive
- Half-life
- Minutes in plasma
- Cycle length
- 10–14 days typical
- Level
- beginner
Overview
Selank was developed from tuftsin, a naturally occurring immunomodulatory tetrapeptide. Russian research focused on its anxiolytic potential, with the aim of producing a calm, alert state rather than the sedation of a benzodiazepine. It is a common companion to Semax in modern nootropic stacks, covering the anxiety side of the ledger.
How it works
Selank appears to inhibit the enzyme responsible for breaking down enkephalins, the body's endogenous opioid peptides involved in mood regulation, while also influencing GABA-A expression and monoamine turnover. The net effect described in the literature is anxiolysis without sedation or dependence — mechanistically distinct from how benzodiazepines work.
Reported benefits
- Anxiolytic effect without sedation reported in trials
- Improved memory and cognitive performance under stress
- No dependence profile reported
- Possible immunomodulatory activity
Reported benefits describe what the published literature and user reports suggest — not a promise of outcome for any individual.
Dosing reference
Commonly described at 250–500 mcg per day via intranasal administration, often split into two doses. A typical course runs ten to fourteen days.
Some protocols pair it with Semax at the same time of day; others use Selank in the evening where the goal is calm rather than stimulation. Intranasal is the documented route.
Community-reported: 250–500 mcg intranasally, one to three times daily, in courses of one to two weeks, occasionally repeated after a break.
These figures are what people report using in public communities. They have not been studied, verified or checked against certificates of analysis, and they are not a recommendation, a prescription or a target to aim for.
Where the reported amounts come from
Amounts are reproduced for education only. Doses from trials cannot be assumed to suit anyone else, and community-reported amounts are frequently wrong. Self-administering unapproved compounds carries serious risk.
The research picture
Russian human trials report reductions in anxiety scores comparable to a reference anxiolytic, without the sedation, dependence or cognitive blunting. Sample sizes are small and blinding is not always clear, so the effect size should be treated cautiously — but the direction of the finding is consistent across studies, which is more than most compounds here can claim.
Primary sources
Preclinical & non-clinical data
A Russian-developed medication with local published research in anxiety and asthenia, and animal work on GABA-related and BDNF pathways. Independent international replication is sparse and the human trials are small.
Non-clinical data comes from cells and animals unless stated otherwise. It answers whether a compound is worth studying in people — not whether it is safe or effective in them.
What users report
Reported for calm focus and reduced anxiety without sedation: an intranasal course of one to two weeks that users describe as a smoother, less reactive state rather than a stimulant. The recurring honest note in these accounts is how subtle the effect is and how easy it would be to overstate — a sizeable minority report no noticeable change at all, and a few report irritability.
Where these reports come from
These are unverified personal accounts collected from public sources. They are not evidence of effectiveness or safety, they have not been independently checked, and they are not a recommendation to use anything described.
Possible side effects
- Nasal irritation
- Transient headache
- Lethargy reported at higher doses
- Rare reports of taste disturbance
Safety notes
The dependence profile reported in the literature is benign, but long-term human data beyond a few weeks does not exist. Because it influences the enkephalin system, it should not be combined casually with opioids or opioid-derived medication. Not for use in pregnancy.
Stacking
Most often stacked with Semax for a focus-plus-calm profile. Also seen with selank-containing sleep protocols and alongside cholinergic supplements.
Related compounds
Semax
ACTH(4-10) analogue
Cognitive
A Russian nootropic peptide with genuine human data behind it.
Cerebrolysin
Porcine brain-derived peptide preparation
Cognitive
A peptide mixture from porcine brain, used clinically in some countries and unapproved in others.
DSIP
Delta sleep-inducing peptide — nine amino acids
Cognitive
A sleep peptide from the 1970s whose human evidence never matched its name.