DSIP: clinical evidence record
Also known as: Delta Sleep-Inducing Peptide
Oliver Mackman · Editorial director · Best Business Loans Ltd (16833937)
Last updated 2026-05-22
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AI-friendly summary · DSIP
Sparse literature base. Some sleep-effect work in animal models (mixed and species-dependent). Stress-response and HPA-axis modulation reported in older preclinical work. No modern phase II or III human RCTs.
Mechanism of action
How DSIP works
Endogenous nine-amino-acid peptide first isolated from rabbit cerebral venous blood by Schoenenberger and Monnier in 1977. Named for its association with delta-wave EEG sleep activity. Mechanism remains incompletely characterised despite decades of research.
Top peer-reviewed citations
Selection of the most-cited peer-reviewed literature on DSIP. Where a verified PMID or DOI is shown, the citation links to the original record. Other citations list the title, authors, journal and year so the reader can locate the paper through the journal index or the PubMed search linked below. PeptideClear publishes editorial commentary, not clinical guidance.
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Characterization of a delta-electroencephalogram (-sleep)-inducing peptide
Schoenenberger GA, Monnier M. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 1977.
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The delta EEG (sleep)-inducing peptide (DSIP). XI. Amino-acid analysis, sequence, synthesis and activity of the nonapeptide
Schoenenberger GA, Maier PF, Tobler HJ, et al.. Pflugers Archiv : European journal of physiology, 1978.
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Acute and delayed effects of DSIP (delta sleep-inducing peptide) on human sleep behavior
Schneider-Helmert D, Gnirss F, Monnier M, et al.. International journal of clinical pharmacology, therapy, and toxicology, 1981.
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Delta sleep-inducing peptide (DSIP): a still unresolved riddle
Kovalzon VM, Strekalova TV. Journal of neurochemistry, 2006.
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Delta-sleep-inducing peptide (DSIP): a review
Graf MV, Kastin AJ. Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews, 1984.
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Diurnal rhythm of plasma delta-sleep-inducing peptide in humans: evidence for positive correlation with body temperature and negative correlation with rapid eye movement and slow wave sleep
Friedman TC, Garcia-Borreguero D, Hardwick D, et al.. The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism, 1994.
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Delta sleep-inducing peptide
Pollard BJ, Pomfrett CJ. European journal of anaesthesiology, 2001.
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Delta-sleep-inducing peptide reduces CRF-induced corticosterone release
Graf MV, Kastin AJ, Coy DH, et al.. Neuroendocrinology, 1985.
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Delta sleep-inducing peptide and glucocorticoid-induced leucine zipper: potential links between circadian mechanisms and obesity?
Gimble JM, Ptitsyn AA, Goh BC, et al.. Obesity reviews : an official journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity, 2009.
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Therapeutic Peptides in Orthopaedics: Applications, Challenges, and Future Directions
Rahman OF, Lee SJ, Seeds WA. Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Global research & reviews, 2026.
Full PubMed search: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=delta+sleep+inducing+peptide+DSIP.
Registered clinical trials
As of 2026-07-13, no interventional trials for DSIP are listed on ClinicalTrials.gov or the ISRCTN registry. This is itself informative: much of the DSIP evidence base is preclinical, which is why the evidence grade above matters.
Source: ClinicalTrials.gov and the ISRCTN registry, refreshed 2026-07-13. See the peptide clinical-trials tracker for the full picture across compounds.
UK regulatory status
Plain-English summary of where DSIP sits under the four UK and international frameworks that govern peptide supply. Editorial commentary, not legal advice.
- Misuse of Drugs Act 1971: Not controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.
- Psychoactive Substances Act 2016: Not scheduled under the Psychoactive Substances Act 2016.
- MHRA medicines classification: No UK marketing authorisation as a medicine.
- WADA Prohibited List: Not currently listed on the WADA Prohibited List.
Risks and unknowns
What the literature does not yet show about DSIP
Known concerns
- The published work on DSIP is preclinical. Findings in rodent or in vitro models do not establish that the same thing happens in people, and the step from an animal model to a human outcome is where most candidate compounds fail.
- There are no registered interventional clinical trials for DSIP on ClinicalTrials.gov or the ISRCTN registry. Nobody is currently running the study that would answer the safety and efficacy questions.
- DSIP holds no UK marketing authorisation, so nothing you can buy has been assessed by a regulator, released by batch, or dispensed by an accountable pharmacy. Purity, dose accuracy and sterility rest entirely on the seller's own documentation.
Open questions in the literature
- Human pharmacokinetics for DSIP have not been formally characterised, so how much reaches circulation, for how long, and what the body does with it are open questions.
- Interactions between DSIP and prescribed medicines are not systematically studied, which matters most for anyone already on treatment for a long-term condition.
Regulatory note
No UK marketing authorisation as a medicine. Not currently listed on the WADA Prohibited List. The moment a UK seller or commentator makes a therapeutic claim, MHRA can treat the product as an unlicensed medicinal product.
Important: PeptideClear publishes encyclopedia commentary only and does not recommend human use. Speak to a UK-registered prescriber before any medical decision.
Related reading on PeptideClear
Frequently asked questions
What is the evidence level for DSIP?
What is the UK regulatory status of DSIP?
Has DSIP been tested in human clinical trials?
Where can I read the source literature for DSIP?
Last verified 2026-05-22. Editorial commentary, not legal or clinical advice. Citations without a linked identifier can be located through the PubMed search and the journal index.