A practical reference on neurotrophic factor: what it is, how it behaves, what the literature reports, and where the honest uncertainties sit.
Reviewed 2026-04-17. Anything still debated is marked as such rather than presented as settled.
Semax is a synthetic heptapeptide with the sequence Met-Glu-His-Phe-Pro-Gly-Pro. It corresponds to the ACTH(4-7) fragment extended at the C-terminus by a Pro-Gly-Pro tripeptide, an addition intended to slow enzymatic breakdown. The molecular formula is C37H51N9O10S and the molecular mass is approximately 814 daltons. In the literature it is often described as an ACTH(4-10) analog, although that label reflects a naming convention as much as a precise structural relationship. The compound was developed in Russia and remains most closely associated with that research tradition.
Laboratory descriptions of the material are consistent across suppliers. It appears as a white to off-white lyophilized powder that dissolves readily in water and in polar organic solvents such as dimethyl sulfoxide. Aqueous solutions are clear and colorless at low concentrations. Because the peptide contains methionine, oxidation at the sulfur atom is a recognized degradation pathway, and handling notes usually call for protected, desiccated storage. Reported purity for research-grade lots is generally above 95 percent as measured by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography.
Development of the compound took place in the Soviet Union during the 1980s, largely through peptide research groups affiliated with the Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute and Moscow State University. Investigators screened fragments of adrenocorticotropic hormone for activity on the central nervous system while attempting to separate cognitive effects from hormonal ones. The shortened sequence was selected because it retained behavioral activity in animal models without stimulating corticosteroid release. Early publications described the molecule as an ACTH(4-10) analog.
Published research on this peptide originates mainly from Russian laboratories, and the wider international literature is comparatively thin. Studies have used rodent models of stroke, hypoxia, and memory tasks, with a smaller number of human trials reported. Reported outcomes include changes in attention and memory measures, along with effects on neurotrophic factor expression in some experiments. Small sample sizes, inconsistent dosing protocols, and limited independent replication are widely noted limitations, so the strength of the clinical evidence remains an open question.
Semax is a synthetic heptapeptide whose sequence is Met-Glu-His-Phe-Pro-Gly-Pro. The first four residues correspond to the ACTH(4-10) fragment, while the terminal Pro-Gly-Pro extension was added to improve metabolic stability. Its molecular formula is C37H51N9O10S and its monoisotopic mass is approximately 813.9 Da. The compound is classified as a peptide research chemical and as a registered pharmaceutical product in Russia, but it does not hold marketing approval in the European Union or the United States. Naming conventions vary across supplier catalogs.
| Property | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Molecular formula | C37H51N9O10S | Contains one methionine sulfur atom |
| Molecular mass | Approximately 814 Da | Consistent with a seven-residue peptide |
| Appearance | White to off-white powder | Typical lyophilized form |
| Solubility | Freely soluble in water | Also soluble in dimethyl sulfoxide |
| Typical storage | -20 °C, desiccated | Limits methionine oxidation |
Terminology around the compound varies by source. It appears in catalogues and papers as Semax, as the heptapeptide ACTH(4-7)-Pro-Gly-Pro, and under various alphanumeric laboratory codes used by individual suppliers. These names refer to the same sequence but may imply different salt forms, purity grades, or counter-ions. Peptide databases usually list the free base mass, while product descriptions sometimes report acetate or trifluoroacetate salts with a different formula weight. Because naming conventions for research peptides are not standardised across vendors, checking the declared sequence and measured mass is more reliable than relying on a trade name alone.
Semax is a synthetic heptapeptide with the sequence Met-Glu-His-Phe-Pro-Gly-Pro. Its design combines the ACTH(4-7) core fragment with a C-terminal Pro-Gly-Pro extension, a modification intended to improve stability and prolong activity. The molecule is hydrophilic, carries no lipid chains or glycosylation, and has a theoretical mass just over 810 daltons in its free form. All seven residues are proteinogenic amino acids, so no non-natural building blocks appear in the backbone. A free N-terminal methionine and C-terminal proline define the unmodified parent peptide.
The compound was developed during the 1980s at the Institute of Molecular Genetics in Moscow as part of research on fragments of adrenocorticotropic hormone. Early work examined short ACTH-derived sequences that retained neurotrophic effects while lacking the endocrine activity of the full hormone. Semax entered clinical use in Russia during the 1990s, where it received registration for several neurological indications. Outside that region it remained primarily a laboratory research material rather than an approved therapeutic. English-language literature on it grew more slowly and frequently cited the original Russian studies.
Development took place during the 1980s at institutes of the Russian Academy of Sciences, where peptide fragments of ACTH were screened for cognitive and neuroprotective effects. The compound received regulatory approval in Russia as a nasal preparation, marketed for conditions such as ischemic stroke, transient ischemic attacks, and optic nerve disorders. Registration in other countries has not followed. Most published clinical reports originate from a small number of Russian research groups, and independent replication outside that setting remains limited. The regulatory status therefore differs sharply between Russia and the rest of the world.
Laboratory work points toward modulation of neurotrophic signaling, particularly expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and nerve growth factor in hippocampal tissue. Studies also describe effects on monoamine turnover, inflammatory mediators, and oxidative markers. These observations come mainly from animal models and cultured cells, so the causal chain in humans is not firmly established. Whether the reported molecular changes translate into measurable clinical benefit is an open question. Reviews generally present the mechanism as plausible rather than demonstrated.
Net sales for fiscal 2002 were $182 million in spite of a shaky economic climate. Bowman retired as chairman of the board in 2005, but continued to serve on the board of directors. Net sales for fiscal 2005 were $279.3 million, and by 2007 had reached $327.3 million. In 2010, Dionex was acquired by Thermo Fisher Scientific for $2.1 billion.
This is a list of instant foods. Instant foods are convenience foods which require minimal preparation, typically just adding water or milk. Some authors define "instant" food as requiring less than five minutes of preparation and "ultra-instant food" as requiring less than one minute. Instant foods are often dehydrated, freeze-dried, or condensed.
In 1886, Eugen Goldstein discovered canal rays (also known as anode rays) exiting from perforations in the discharge tube. Wilhelm Wien in 1898 showed that these rays had a charge opposite to the negative electrons discovered by J. J. Thomson, but with a much higher mass to charge ratio. Later that year Thomson was able to determine a value for the magnitude of the electric charge, e, and show that the canal rays included material with charge-to-mass ratio (q/m) consistent with the hydrogen ion. Following the discovery of the atomic nucleus by Ernest Rutherford in 1913, Antonius van den Broek proposed that the place of each element in the periodic table (its atomic number) is equal to its nuclear charge. Van den Broek speculated that the nucleus contained alpha particles with four positive charges and two electrons, the first version of the nuclear-electron hypothesis. (The modern model of two positive protons and two neutrons would take many years to discover). Also in 1913 Niels Bohr presented a theory of atomic structure which predicted electronic transitions related to nuclear charge. This was confirmed experimentally by Henry Moseley in 1913 when he showed that the energy of X-ray spectra lines of many elements followed a pattern based on atomic number. In 1919, after a long series of sporadic experiments interrupted by WWI, Rutherford discovered what he called artificial disintegration of nitrogen atoms.
== External links == Nanotechnology-Enabled Water Treatment (NEWT) - NSF-funded Nanosystems Engineering Research Center Project ETAP-ERN, that uses renewable energies for desalinization. (in Spanish) Nano based methods to improve water quality - Hawk's Perch Technical Writing, LLC Michael Pritchard: How to make filthy water drinkable, a TED talk Safety of Manufactured Nanomaterials: OECD Environment Directorate Assessing health risks of nanomaterials summary by GreenFacts of the European Commission SCENIHR assessment Textiles Nanotechnology Laboratory at Cornell University IOP.org Article Nano Structured Material Online course MSE 376-Nanomaterials by Mark C. Hersam (2006)
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
=== Armenia === On April 24, 1999, the founding meeting of the International Armenian-Cossack Friendship and Cooperation Association was held in Yerevan. There is a Separate Cossack District of the Great Don Army operating in Armenia. The organization was established by the decision of the Council of Atamans on December 15, 2015. It is a partner of the Ministry of Defense of Armenia.
=== Color === The brown color of whole grain breads is caused by cerealine, a discovery attributed to Hippolyte Mège-Mouriès of France. Cerealine, considered by Mouriès an active principal or ferment similar in action to diastase, came from the cereal layer of rectangular cells that millers considered a part of bran, later sometimes called the aleurone layer. In a statement attributed to Mouriès, if the cerealine is neutralized, white bread can be made from bran-containing flour.
Sinecatechins (Veregen) was the first botanical drug approved in the US in 2006; a green tea extract, for genital warts Crofelemer (Mytesi), approved by the FDA in 2012, an extract of "dragon's blood" sap of the Croton lechleri plant, for diarrhea in people with HIV/AIDS Nabiximols (USAN, trade name Sativex) is a specific extract of Cannabis approved as a botanical drug in the United Kingdom as a mouth spray for people with multiple sclerosis, who can use it to alleviate neuropathic pain, spasticity, overactive bladder, and other symptoms; it was developed by the UK company GW Pharmaceuticals Menerba is a botanical drug candidate consisting of 22 herbs that have been used historically in traditional Chinese medicine that act as a selective estrogen receptor modulator. As of 2015 the FDA had approved Bionovo's chemical manufacturing and controls and Menerba was in a Phase III clinical trial as a potential treatment to relieve hot flashes associated with menopause.
== R == Raman spectroscopy RAXRS – Resonant anomalous X-ray scattering RBS – Rutherford backscattering spectrometry REM – Reflection electron microscopy RDS – Reflectance difference spectroscopy RHEED – Reflection high energy electron diffraction RIMS – Resonance ionization mass spectrometry RIXS – Resonant inelastic X-ray scattering RR spectroscopy – Resonance Raman spectroscopy
== History == Compound 22 was identified in 2015 by virtual screening of over 3 million compounds at the human TAAR1 in silico followed by experimental evaluation of 42 top candidate compounds at the TAAR1 in vitro. Compound 22 is one of the only TAAR1 antagonists that has been identified as of 2022.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
13 June – Science and the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine:Groups of academics report how global science community could help Ukraine via an action plan, including for helping organizing (re)vitalization of Ukrainian science and reconstruction in the future. On the same day, a researcher outlined a number of possible major policy-based actions that could mitigate the energy and resource crises caused or exacerbated by the war. Russian space agency Roscosmos announces the intent to, unilaterally and hazardously, take over paused telescope eROSITA, launched in collaboration with Germany (4 June). A science journalist outlines some of the food system-related environmental impacts of the war (21 June). A study reports a number of humanitarian, economic, and financial impacts of the war (23 June). 15 June Astronomers identify J1144 as the fastest-growing black hole of the last nine billion years, consuming matter equivalent to one Earth every second, as well as being the most luminous quasi-stellar object of that period. Researchers report Lac-Phe as the most significantly induced circulating metabolite in two animal models of exercise which – including via chronic administration – reduces food intake and suppresses obesity. 20 June A study suggests global food miles CO2 emissions are 3.5–7.5 times higher than previously estimated, with transport accounting for about 19% of total food-system emissions, albeit shifting towards plant-based diets remains substantially more important.
Provides straightforward information about effects arising from individual compounds in complex or natural samples separated in parallel. Combines chromatographic separation with effect-directed detection using enzymatic or biological assays. Helps to select important compounds from a sample for further characterization using high-resolution mass spectrometry. Offers unique benefits such as super-hyphenation, minimum sample preparation requirements, detection of multi-modulating compounds, and distinguishing agonistic versus antagonistic effects.
Photoacoustic Tomography (PAT) is a hybrid imaging modality that utilizes the photoacoustic effect without the use of ionizing radiation. It works without contact with very fast laser pulses that generate ultrasound in the tissue under examination. The local absorption of the light leads to sudden local heating and the resulting thermal expansion. The result is broadband acoustic waves. The original distribution of absorbed energy can be reconstructed by measuring the outgoing ultrasound waves with appropriate ultrasound transducers.
== Significance == Among bark and ambrosia beetle pests that disperse various fungi, the degree to which the beetle and its symbiont are each responsible for causing host damage varies from system to system – for example, Harringtonia lauricola represents a true pathogen of Lauraceae vectored by Xyleborus glabratus, but others merely facilitate the mass accumulation of beetles on wood. A. roeperi and the symbionts of most other Xylosandrus fall into the latter category. As previously mentioned, X. crassiusculus is highly attracted to ethanol produced by stressed trees, in which they can kill twigs, branches, and saplings; this makes them of particular concern in settings such as nurseries and orchards, where the protrusion of noodle-like extrusions of beetle frass can be a diagnostic feature for this and other Xylosandrus. The potential for damage necessitates management techniques such as ensuring the growth of vigorous, unstressed stands by allowing more space between individual trees, keeping track of soil water content, selecting plants well-adapted to the climate, pruning infested twigs, monitoring beetle populations with ethanol-based lures, designating trap trees or logs, and applying insecticides (for example, through direct injection) [28]. Novel methods such as entomopathogenic or mycopathogenic microorganisms remain under exploration [29]. Ecologically, though biologists may be concerned about the downstream impact of beetle attacks on native plants such as oaks, cedars, maples, elms, redbud, magnolia, etc.
== Structure == Osteocytes have a stellate shape, approximately 7 micrometers deep and wide by 15 micrometers in length. The cell body varies in size from 5–20 micrometers in diameter and contain 40–60 cell processes per cell, with a cell to cell distance between 20–30 micrometers. A mature osteocyte contains a single nucleus that is located toward the vascular side and has one or two nucleoli and a membrane. The cell also exhibits a reduced size endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus and mitochondria, and cell processes that radiate largely towards the bone surfaces in circumferential lamellae, or towards a haversian canal and outer cement line typical of osteons in concentric lamellar bone. Osteocytes form an extensive lacunocanalicular network within the mineralized collagen type I matrix, with cell bodies residing within lacunae, and cell/dendritic processes within channels called canaliculi.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
It is registered as a pharmaceutical product in Russia, where it is typically supplied as a nasal solution. In most other countries it is not an approved drug and is traded as a research chemical instead. Approval status depends entirely on the jurisdiction involved.
Most published work uses intranasal administration, matching the route of the registered Russian formulation. Some animal experiments use intravenous or intraperitoneal injection. The route matters because the intact peptide is cleared rapidly from blood, so exposure differs between methods.
A purity value describes the share of the powder accounted for by the target peptide, usually by high-performance liquid chromatography. It does not confirm that the sequence is correct, which requires mass spectrometry or amino acid analysis. Purity and identity are separate checks.
It is a synthetic peptide of seven amino acids. Its backbone corresponds to a fragment of adrenocorticotropic hormone extended at the carboxyl end. The material is distributed as a lyophilized solid for laboratory use.