Semax: clinical evidence record
Also known as: ACTH (4-10) Pro-Gly-Pro, Methionyl-glutamyl-histidyl-phenylalanyl-prolyl-glycyl-proline
Oliver Mackman · Editorial director · Best Business Loans Ltd (16833937)
Last updated 2026-05-22
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AI-friendly summary · Semax
Russian Federation registered medicine for acute ischaemic stroke, ADHD, and optic-nerve atrophy. Bulk of clinical literature is Russian. Limited Western replication. No phase III RCTs published outside Russia.
Mechanism of action
How Semax works
Synthetic heptapeptide based on residues 4 to 7 of ACTH with a proline-glycine-proline C-terminal extension. Proposed to upregulate BDNF and NGF expression in preclinical rodent brain tissue and to exert neuroprotective effects in animal stroke models.
Top peer-reviewed citations
Selection of the most-cited peer-reviewed literature on Semax. 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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[Effectiveness of semax in acute period of hemispheric ischemic stroke (a clinical and electrophysiological study)]
Gusev EI, Skvortsova VI, Miasoedov NF, et al.. Zhurnal nevrologii i psikhiatrii imeni S.S. Korsakova, 1997.
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Semax, an analog of ACTH(4-10) with cognitive effects, regulates BDNF and trkB expression in the rat hippocampus
Dolotov OV, Karpenko EA, Inozemtseva LS, et al.. Brain research, 2006.
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[Evaluation of therapeutic effect of new Russian drug semax in optic nerve disease]
Polunin GS, Nuriyeva SM, Bayandin DL, et al.. Vestnik oftalmologii, 2000.
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Semax, an ACTH(4-10) analogue with nootropic properties, activates dopaminergic and serotoninergic brain systems in rodents
Eremin KO, Kudrin VS, Saransaari P, et al.. Neurochemical research, 2005.
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Semax, an analogue of adrenocorticotropin (4-10), binds specifically and increases levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor protein in rat basal forebrain
Dolotov OV, Karpenko EA, Seredenina TS, et al.. Journal of neurochemistry, 2006.
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Novel synthetic analogue of ACTH 4-10 (Semax) but not glycine prevents the enhanced nitric oxide generation in cerebral cortex of rats with incomplete global ischemia
Bashkatova VG, Koshelev VB, Fadyukova OE, et al.. Brain research, 2001.
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[The efficacy of semax in the tretament of patients at different stages of ischemic stroke]
Gusev EI, Martynov MY, Kostenko EV, et al.. Zhurnal nevrologii i psikhiatrii imeni S.S. Korsakova, 2018.
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The occurrence of putative cognitive enhancing research peptides in seized pharmaceutical preparations: An incentive for controlling agencies to prepare for future encounters of the kind
Vanhee C, Francotte A, Janvier S, et al.. Drug testing and analysis, 2020.
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The Potential of the Peptide Drug Semax and Its Derivative for Correcting Pathological Impairments in the Animal Model of Alzheimer's Disease
Radchenko AI, Kuzubova EV, Apostol AA, et al.. Acta naturae, 2025.
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Therapeutic peptides in gerontology: mechanisms and applications for healthy aging
Mavrych V, Shypilova I, Bolgova O. Frontiers in aging, 2026.
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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=Semax+ACTH.
Registered clinical trials
As of 2026-07-13, no interventional trials for Semax are listed on ClinicalTrials.gov or the ISRCTN registry. This is itself informative: much of the Semax 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 Semax 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 Semax
Known concerns
- The evidence for Semax is mixed: some human data exists alongside a larger preclinical literature. Mixed evidence is easy to quote selectively, so check whether a claim you have read rests on the human work or the animal work.
- There are no registered interventional clinical trials for Semax on ClinicalTrials.gov or the ISRCTN registry. Nobody is currently running the study that would answer the safety and efficacy questions.
- Semax 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
- Long-term outcomes beyond the duration of the published trials are unknown, and the published trials are considerably shorter than the periods over which people actually use these compounds.
- Interactions between Semax and prescribed medicines are not systematically studied, which matters most for anyone already on treatment for a long-term condition.
- Cognitive endpoints are notoriously sensitive to study design, and the measures used in this literature vary enough that results are hard to compare across studies.
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 Semax?
What is the UK regulatory status of Semax?
Has Semax been tested in human clinical trials?
Where can I read the source literature for Semax?
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.