Semax
Semax is a synthetic heptapeptide analog of ACTH(4-10) (with an added Pro-Gly-Pro tripeptide) approved as a drug in Russia for conditions including ischemic stroke and cognitive/vascular disorders, supported by a substantial but largely Russian-language clinical and mechanistic literature.
This page is a research-orientation summary, not a dosing guide. For anything beyond general background, read the primary literature or talk to a qualified clinician — specifics like amount, frequency, or administration aren't something we publish here.
What it does & how it works
Semax has no significant hormonal (corticotropic) activity despite its ACTH-derived sequence, and instead is reported to upregulate expression of neurotrophic factors including BDNF and NGF, modulate opioid peptide and monoaminergic systems, and exert antioxidant effects. Genome-wide transcriptional studies in rodent focal-ischemia models show that Semax and its C-terminal fragment Pro-Gly-Pro shift expression of large gene networks involved in vascular remodeling (e.g., VEGF-family genes), immune response, and neuroprotection after stroke.
Typical results seen in research
In Russian clinical use and trials, Semax has been studied for acute ischemic stroke, cognitive and vascular disorders, and optic nerve conditions, with claimed improvements in neurological recovery and cognitive performance; rodent stroke models consistently show reduced infarct-related gene dysregulation and improved neurological/vascular outcomes. Because most controlled clinical data originate from Russian-language sources and the CIS regulatory/research ecosystem, the evidence should be regarded as real and clinically meaningful within that context but not as extensively validated by independent Western trials.
How it’s commonly used
Semax is administered intranasally as a nasal-drop solution, which is both its approved route in Russia and the route used across its clinical and preclinical research.
- Genes · 2023 Neuroprotective Peptides and New Strategies for Ischemic Stroke Drug Discoveries
- BMC Genomics · 2014 The peptide semax affects the expression of genes related to the immune and vascular systems in rat brain focal ischemia: genome-wide transcriptional analysis
- Genes · 2020 Novel Insights into the Protective Properties of ACTH(4-7)PGP (Semax) Peptide at the Transcriptome Level Following Cerebral Ischaemia-Reperfusion in Rats
- Acta Naturae · 2025 The Potential of the Peptide Drug Semax and Its Derivative for Correcting Pathological Impairments in the Animal Model of Alzheimer's Disease
Curated from published literature for research orientation. Not an exhaustive review, and not a substitute for reading primary sources.