Summary
Selank is a seven amino acid synthetic analog (modified version) of tuftsin, a natural immune signaling fragment, developed in Moscow and registered in Russia as nasal drops for anxiety and asthenia (chronic fatigue and weakness). Small Russian clinical studies report anxiolytic (anti-anxiety) effects comparable to the benzodiazepine phenazepam, a sedating anxiety drug, without sedation, and rodent studies suggest actions on GABA receptors (the brain's calming system), serotonin, and enkephalin breakdown, but no blinded placebo controlled trial (where no one knows who got the real drug) has been published in an indexed English language journal. It has never been approved by FDA, was placed on the 503A Category 2 list (compounding ingredients flagged for significant safety risks) in 2023, is now listed by FDA as a withdrawn nomination (off Category 2 but not on the bulks list of ingredients pharmacies may use), and was not among the peptides the Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee (FDA's outside expert panel) recommended in July 2026.
What is Selank?
Selank is a synthetic heptapeptide analog of the immune tetrapeptide tuftsin (Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg) extended with Pro-Gly-Pro, a Russian anxiolytic peptide. It is also known as Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg-Pro-Gly-Pro, Tuftsin-Pro-Gly-Pro, Selank 0.15% nasal drops, N-acetyl Selank and NA-Selank amidate (unstudied analogs), Selank peptide, Selank nasal spray, Selank nasal drops.
How does it work?
Selank is built from tuftsin, a natural immune stimulating fragment of immunoglobulin G, with a C-terminal Pro-Gly-Pro added for stability. Proposed mechanisms from rodent and cell work include allosteric modulation of GABA-A receptors, inhibition of enkephalin degrading enzymes (raising endogenous opioid peptide levels), modulation of serotonin and brain derived neurotrophic factor expression, and changes in cytokine expression. A 2018 review summarizes these molecular findings; none has been confirmed in humans.
| Cluster | Cognitive and neuroprotective |
|---|---|
| Routes | Intranasal drops (Russian product and most sold forms); Subcutaneous injection (as sold, no published human data) |
| Conditions studied | Cognitive decline and nootropic use; Anxiety disorders; Depression |
| Record | v3, draft, verified Sep 22, 2026 |
Selank benefits: what the evidence shows
Human evidence consists of small Russian clinical studies. Zozulya et al. 2008 reported reduced anxiety scores in patients with generalized anxiety disorder and neurasthenia treated with intranasal selank, with proposed effects on enkephalin metabolism. Medvedev et al. 2014 compared selank with phenazepam in anxiety disorders and reported similar anxiolytic effect with better tolerability, and Medvedev 2015 reported that adding selank optimized anxiety treatment. These studies are open or single blind, small, published in Russian, and from the developing research network; no independent blinded placebo controlled trial exists. Rodent studies support anxiolytic and nootropic effects.
| Evidence type | Indexed studies | Participants (human) |
|---|---|---|
| Human randomized trials | 0 | n/a |
| Human observational studies | 3 | n/a |
| Animal studies | 1 | n/a |
| All indexed studies | 4 | n/a |
Human evidence
Zozulya 2008: patients with generalized anxiety disorder or neurasthenia received intranasal selank; authors report reduced Hamilton anxiety scores and changes in serum enkephalin degrading activity. Medvedev 2014: comparative study of selank versus phenazepam in anxiety disorders reporting comparable reductions in anxiety with fewer sedative effects for selank. Medvedev 2015: report on optimizing anxiety treatment with selank added to standard regimens. None were double blind placebo controlled by indexed English language description.
Animal evidence
Rodent studies report reduced anxiety like behavior in elevated plus maze and open field tests, improved memory retention, and modulation of GABA-A receptor function and monoamine turnover. Vyunova et al. 2018 review the molecular pharmacology, including effects on GABAergic transmission and gene expression in brain regions.
Key studies
| Study | Design and population | Outcome | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Efficacy and possible mechanisms of action of a new peptide anxiolytic selank in the therapy of generalized anxiety disorders and neurasthenia2008 PMID 18454096 | Open clinical study with biochemical measures, Russian languageAdults with generalized anxiety disorder or neurasthenia | Reduced anxiety scores with intranasal selank; changes in serum enkephalin degrading activity proposed as mechanism; not placebo controlled | Evidence: Human observational evidence |
| A comparison of the anxiolytic effect and tolerability of selank and phenazepam in the treatment of anxiety disorders2014 PMID 25176261 | Comparative clinical study, Russian languageAdults with anxiety disorders | Anxiolytic effect comparable to phenazepam with better tolerability and less sedation reported for selank; not placebo controlled | Evidence: Human observational evidence |
| Optimization of the treatment of anxiety disorders with selank2015 PMID 26356395 | Open clinical study, Russian languageAdults with anxiety disorders | Improved anxiety outcomes reported with selank added to treatment; not blinded | Evidence: Human observational evidence |
| Peptide-based anxiolytics: the molecular aspects of heptapeptide selank biological activity2018 PMID 30255741 | Narrative review of molecular and animal pharmacologyRodent and cell studies | Summarizes GABA-A modulation, enkephalinase inhibition, monoamine effects, and gene expression changes underlying anxiolytic activity in animals | Evidence: Animal-only evidence |
Conditions studied
| Condition | Grade | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive decline and nootropic use | Evidence: Human observational evidence | Approved in Russia for anxiety; no indexed RCT. |
| Anxiety disorders | Evidence: Human observational evidence | Open label Russian studies reported anxiety reduction comparable to phenazepam with less sedation; no placebo control; not FDA approved. |
| Depression | Evidence: Animal-only evidence | Mechanism work in rodents covers GABA, monoamine, and stress pathways; human studies are in anxiety, not depression. |
Is Selank legal in the United States?
FDA and compounding status
Selank was placed on the FDA 503A Category 2 list (substances with significant safety risks) in 2023. The FDA Category 2 page current as of April 22, 2026 now lists selank acetate under bulk drug substances nominated but withdrawn, so it is no longer in Category 2, but it is not on the 503A bulks list and was not among the peptides the Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee recommended on July 23 to 24, 2026. With no active nomination and no listing, a 503A pharmacy has no federal basis to compound it from bulk, and state boards cannot authorize what federal law does not. It is not an FDA approved drug and is not eligible for 503B outsourcing. It is a registered prescription drug in Russia.
WADA status
WADA status unclear. The current prohibited list does not name this compound explicitly and its class status is not settled. Athletes should ask their anti-doping organization before use.
Regulatory timeline
- FDA
FDA lists BPC-157 and 16 other peptides as withdrawn from 503A Category 2
FDA's Category 2 page, revised in April 2026 and current as of April 22, 2026, moved BPC-157, AOD-9604, CJC-1295, dihexa, DSIP, epitalon, injectable GHK-Cu, ipamorelin, KPV, LL-37, melanotan II, MOTS-c, PEG-MGF, selank, semax, thymosin alpha-1, and thymosin beta-4 fragment (TB-500) to a list of bulk drug substances nominated but withdrawn by their nominators. A withdrawn substance is no longer in 503A Category 2, but withdrawal is not an approval and does not place a substance on the 503A bulks list; a 503A pharmacy still needs a listing before it may compound it. Ipamorelin acetate remains in 503B Category 2. Seven of the withdrawn peptides (BPC-157, KPV, TB-500, MOTS-c, semax, epitalon, and DSIP) were taken to the Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee in July 2026.
- FDA
FDA places a batch of nominated peptides in 503A Category 2
In September 2023 FDA updated its 503A bulk drug substances category lists to place a group of nominated peptides in Category 2, which means FDA identified significant safety risks and the substances may not be used in 503A compounding while the evaluation continues. Kisspeptin-10 and ibutamoren (MK-677) were added on September 29, 2023 and remain in Category 2 on the FDA page current as of April 22, 2026. BPC-157, CJC-1295, ipamorelin, AOD-9604, dihexa, DSIP, epitalon, KPV, MOTS-c, selank, semax, melanotan II, LL-37, thymosin alpha-1, and thymosin beta-4 fragment (TB-500) were also placed in Category 2 under the 503A interim policy; that same page now lists them as nominated but withdrawn (see the April 2026 event). Hexarelin, PNC-27, and 5-amino-1MQ have never appeared on the FDA category lists.
What published studies of Selank used
Ranges below are reported from published studies and labeling only. PeptideAgent does not recommend doses or protocols.
Russian clinical studies used intranasal selank 0.15% solution at roughly 0.3 to 2.7 mg per day (2 to 3 drops per nostril, up to 3 times daily) for 10 to 14 days, according to Russian labeling and open label reports. No dose finding trial has been published in an indexed English language journal.
Routes reported
| # | Route |
|---|---|
| 1 | Intranasal drops (Russian product and most sold forms) |
| 2 | Subcutaneous injection (as sold, no published human data) |
Selank side effects
Side effects
| # | Reported side effect |
|---|---|
| 1 | No systematic safety data from blinded trials |
| 2 | Nasal irritation with intranasal use |
| 3 | Fatigue or drowsiness reported anecdotally despite claims of no sedation |
| 4 | Long term safety unknown |
Interactions
| # | Interaction |
|---|---|
| 1 | No formal human interaction studies exist |
| 2 | Theoretical additive effects with benzodiazepines, alcohol, and other GABAergic drugs given proposed GABA-A modulation (not tested) |
| 3 | Theoretical interaction with opioids via enkephalinase inhibition (not tested) |
Contraindications
| # | Contraindication |
|---|---|
| 1 | Russian labeling lists pregnancy, breastfeeding, and hypersensitivity |
| 2 | Children (no indexed data) |
| 3 | Competitive athletes should confirm status with their anti-doping organization |
How do people access Selank legally?
Typical cost: No lawful compounded price: selank is off 503A Category 2 but is not on the 503A bulks list and was not recommended by PCAC in July 2026. Advertised clinic prices are not a comparable price. Products sold as research chemicals are not lawful for human use and are not verified for identity or purity.
Verified access options
Step 1
Selank is off Category 2 but not on the 503A bulks list, so a 503A pharmacy has no federal basis to compound it from bulk.
Step 2
Not available as an FDA approved product; registered prescription drug in Russia.
Step 3
Products labeled research use only are not lawful for human use and are not verified for purity.
Access paths are verified against public regulatory records and prescriber licensing. We never list unlicensed vendors.
Compare Selank
What's actually offered, and what that means for you
Licensed compounding pharmacies, clinics, and telehealth prescribers openly offer many unapproved peptides, and prescribers write prescriptions for them. That does not make selank lawful. Selank is not FDA approved and not on the 503A bulks list, so a pharmacy has no lawful basis to compound it. [5] [8]
Enforcement is uneven. FDA mostly acts through warning letters to compounders and online sellers, Category 2 safety listings, and import alerts that let it detain shipments, rather than stopping every pharmacy. State pharmacy boards oversee pharmacies day to day, and their rules differ. [8] [9] [10] [11] [12]
What changes for you
- No FDA review of the product: FDA does not check a compounded drug's safety, effectiveness, or quality before it is sold. [12]
- Identity, purity, sterility, and dose accuracy can vary from batch to batch. [8]
- Insurance rarely covers it, so you usually pay cash.
- For tested athletes, WADA status is unclear; ask your anti-doping organization before any use. [7]
What to check
These checks lower some risks, but they do not make an unlawfully compounded product lawful or safe. Check for:
- A 503A pharmacy licensed in your state (your state board of pharmacy publishes license lookups). [12]
- A real evaluation by a licensed prescriber, not just an online form.
- A certificate of analysis for the specific batch.
Frequently asked questions
What is selank?
Selank is a synthetic seven amino acid peptide built from tuftsin, a natural immune signaling fragment, with a Pro-Gly-Pro tail added for stability. It was developed in Moscow and is registered in Russia as nasal drops for anxiety. It is not FDA approved, is not on the 503A bulks list (ingredients pharmacies may use to compound drugs for individual patients), and was not among the peptides the FDA advisory committee recommended in July 2026, so there is no lawful US source. [1] [4] [5] [6]
Is selank legal in the United States?
It is not an FDA approved drug, but possessing it is not a crime. Selank was placed on FDA's 503A Category 2 list in 2023. FDA now lists it as a withdrawn nomination (off Category 2 but not on the 503A bulks list), and it was not among the peptides the advisory committee recommended for the bulks list in July 2026, so most US pharmacies will not compound it. It is a prescription drug in Russia. [5] [6]
Selank benefits: does it work for anxiety?
Small Russian studies say yes: a 2008 study reported lower anxiety scores in generalized anxiety disorder and neurasthenia, and a 2014 comparison found effects similar to the benzodiazepine phenazepam with less sedation. These were small, not placebo controlled, and not independently replicated, so the true effect size is unknown. PeptideAgent grades the evidence human observational. [1] [2]
How does selank work?
The proposed mechanisms come from rodent and cell studies: modulation of GABA-A receptors, slower breakdown of enkephalins (the body's own opioid peptides), and changes in serotonin, BDNF, and immune gene expression. A 2008 clinical study linked its anti-anxiety effect to changes in enkephalin degrading activity in patients' blood. None of these mechanisms has been confirmed in controlled human research, and PeptideAgent found no indexed human pharmacokinetic study, so its half-life in people is unknown. [1] [4]
What are the side effects of selank?
No blinded safety trial exists. Nasal irritation is the most common complaint with drops. Russian studies reported good tolerability compared with benzodiazepines, and anecdotal reports mention fatigue in some users. Long term safety has not been studied. [2] [3]
How is selank taken?
As nasal drops, the form registered in Russia as a 0.15% solution and the route used in the published human studies. Injectable versions are sold but have no published human data. Selank is not an approved drug in the United States, so there is no US labeled dose. PeptideAgent does not give doses for unapproved peptides. [1] [3]
How much does selank cost?
There is no lawful compounded price: it is not on the 503A bulks list, and advertised clinic prices are not a comparable price. Products sold as research chemicals are not lawful for human use and are not verified for identity or purity. [5]
Is selank banned by WADA?
Unclear. Selank is not named on the WADA Prohibited List, and because it is an approved drug in Russia it does not automatically fall under section S0 for non-approved substances. Athletes should confirm with their anti-doping organization before use. [7]
Selank vs semax: which is better?
They target different things. Selank is a tuftsin analog studied for anxiety with small Russian comparisons against benzodiazepines; semax is an ACTH fragment studied for stroke recovery and cognition with rodent BDNF data. Semax was recommended for the FDA 503A bulks list in July 2026 while selank was not. Neither has an independent blinded placebo controlled trial. [4] [6]
Decisions about starting, stopping, or combining any treatment belong with a licensed clinician who knows your history.
From the blog
- N-acetyl semax and selank amidate: is there any human data?
What N-terminal acetylation and C-terminal amidation are claimed to change in semax and selank, what the lab studies actually found, and why no human study has tested either modified version.
- Selank nasal spray: the evidence, and combining it with semax
What the intranasal selank studies measured, whether the route matters, and what is known about semax and selank nasal spray together: no trial has tested the combination.
- Selank withdrawal: dependence, benzodiazepines, and alcohol
Does selank cause withdrawal? What studies measured on dependence, how it compares with benzodiazepines, the rodent alcohol and opioid withdrawal studies, and the untested alcohol interaction.
- BPC-157 nasal spray: what is and is not known about intranasal use
No published study has given BPC-157 as a nasal spray to animals or people. What the one nose-related rat study tested, what a nasal peptide must prove, and its legal status.
Sources
Numbered citations above point to these primary sources. PubMed entries link to the indexed abstract.
- [1]Zozulya AA et al. Efficacy and possible mechanisms of action of a new peptide anxiolytic selank in the therapy of generalized anxiety disorders and neurasthenia. Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova 2008PubMed 18454096, 2008
- [2]Medvedev VE et al. A comparison of the anxiolytic effect and tolerability of selank and phenazepam in the treatment of anxiety disorders. Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova 2014PubMed 25176261, 2014
- [3]Medvedev VE et al. Optimization of the treatment of anxiety disorders with selank. Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova 2015PubMed 26356395, 2015
- [4]Vyunova TV et al. Peptide-based anxiolytics: the molecular aspects of heptapeptide selank biological activity. Protein Pept Lett 2018PubMed 30255741, 2018
- [5]FDA: Bulk drug substances used in compounding under section 503A of the FD&C Act (links to the Category 1, 2, and 3 lists and the bulks list)FDA, 2026
- [6]FDA Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee meetings (July 2026 meeting on peptide nominations)FDA, 2026
- [7]WADA Prohibited ListWADA, 2026
- [8]FDA: Certain bulk drug substances for use in compounding may present significant safety risks (Category 2)FDA
- [9]FDA: Compounding inspections, recalls, and other actions (warning letters to compounders)FDA
- [10]FDA warning letters database: July 30, 2019 letter to a 503A pharmacy that compounded BPC-157 acetate outside section 503AFDA, 2019
- [11]FDA Import Alert 66-41: Detention without physical examination of unapproved new drugs promoted in the U.S. (includes peptide entries)FDA
- [12]FDA: Compounding and the FDA, questions and answersFDA
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Free to cite and quote with a link. Data is licensed CC BY 4.0 with attribution to PeptideAgent.
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<a href="https://peptideagent.ai/peptides/selank">Selank: evidence, legality, and access</a>, PeptideAgent, updated September 22, 2026.