If you have been reading about MC4 receptor and want a single page that covers the useful parts, this is it: definitions, context, how it is studied, and the questions that come up repeatedly.
Last reviewed on 2026-02-02. Where a claim depends on a specific study, the study is described rather than over-claimed.
纯度评估以反相高效液相色谱为主，通过主峰面积百分比给出粗略结果，再配合电喷雾质谱核对分子量。氨基酸分析可验证组成比例，手性色谱或毛细管电泳用于检查残基构型。常见杂质包括缺失序列的短肽、氧化产物与二聚体。由于多数市售品不附带完整检验报告，独立第三方检测常被用来核实标称值。
从分子层面看，Semax 是线性七肽，没有二硫键、糖基或脂链修饰，N 端为游离氨基，C 端为游离羧基。分子含组氨酸与谷氨酸侧链，因此在水和甲醇等极性溶剂中溶解良好，在非极性溶剂中溶解有限。计算分子量约为 814 Da，与其质子化离子的质荷比吻合，可用于质谱确认。
稳定性主要由水解与氧化两条路径支配。肽键在中性或弱酸性条件下相对稳定，遇到强碱或长时间高温则明显断裂；甲硫氨酸侧链容易被氧化成亚砜，使主峰前移并拉低实际含量。金属离子、光照和反复冻融会进一步促进降解或聚集。冻干粉在低温避光条件下可存放较长时间，配制后的水溶液通常需要冷藏并尽快用完。
The proposed mechanism centres on neurotrophic signalling rather than direct receptor activation. Semax is reported to increase expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and nerve growth factor in several brain regions, and to shift the balance between excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitter systems. Interaction with melanocortin receptors has been suggested because of the parent ACTH fragment. Many of these findings come from rodent studies, and the extent to which they translate to human physiology remains an open question.
Scientific literature on semax is unevenly distributed. A substantial share of published work originates from a small number of laboratories in Russia, while independent replication elsewhere is limited. Human data consist mostly of small trials with short follow-up, and several reported outcomes rely on subjective rating scales. Questions about how much intact peptide reaches the central nervous system after nasal administration, and how long it persists there, are still unresolved. The compound is best described as an active research subject rather than a settled pharmacological agent.
| Property | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 分子式 | C37H51N9O10S | 游离碱形式 |
| 等电点 | 约 6.5 | 估算值，随缓冲体系变化 |
| 主要降解途径 | 水解与氧化 | 侧链氧化最为常见 |
| 溶液储存 | 2 至 8 摄氏度避光 | 避免反复冻融 |
| 常规分析手段 | 反相色谱与质谱联用 | 氨基酸分析辅助核对 |
The mechanisms attributed to semax are inferred from animal and cell studies rather than traced to one confirmed target. The most frequently cited pathway involves increased expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and nerve growth factor in hippocampal and cortical tissue. Some work points to engagement of melanocortin receptors, particularly MC4, which the parent ACTH fragment can activate. Effects on dopaminergic and serotonergic signalling have also been reported. No single account explains all observed results, and the relative weight of each pathway remains unsettled.
Published studies examine a fairly narrow set of endpoints. Rodent experiments commonly measure maze learning, infarct volume after induced ischemia, and tissue levels of neurotrophic factors. Clinical reports from Russian centres describe attention, memory and recovery scores in patients after stroke or transient ischemic attack. Most of those human studies are small and few have been repeated by independent groups. Outcome measures differ between studies, which limits direct comparison.
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.
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.
=== 24-norursodeoxycholic acid === A recent scientific breakthrough for cholestasis that has allowed us to evaluate a new treatment option is that a hydrophilic environment and bicarbonate production protects hepatocytes from bile acid. The novel agent norUDCA (24-norursodeoxycholic acid) can be passively absorbed by cholangiocytes. This leads to bicarbonate production and an environment that is less toxic. Mouse models have found promising results with norUDCA with the drug showing antiproliferative and anti-inflammatory properties. A recent clinical trial found norUDCA had significant dose-dependent reductions for ALP levels. This makes norUDCA a viable possibility to look into as it clearly plays a significant role in the treatment of cholestasis.
=== HAP2 family === HAP2 is a fusexin (similar to viral class II) found in diverse eukaryotes including Toxoplasma, vascular plants, and fruit flies. This protein is essential for gamete fusion in these organisms. Its origin is unclear, as the broader grouping of fusexins could be older than the viral class II with the discovery of archaeal homologs.
== Accessory structures == Hair is a protein filament that grow from follicles found in the dermis. That primarily composed of protein, notably alpha-keratin. The part beneath the skin, called the hair follicle, or, when pulled from the skin, the bulb or root.This organ is located in the dermis and maintains stem cells. The part that we see above the skin it's made of dead, hardened keratin cells. A nail is a protective plate characteristically found at the tip of the digits of almost all primates.The nail matrix is the active tissue that generates cells and contains nerves, lymph, and blood vessels if it has enough nutrition and makes the nail pink. The nail plate is the pink part made of flat keratin cells which are strong but slightly flexible. The cuticle is a thin protective layer which can keep bacteria out. The free edge is the white edge of the nail that is cut whenever more nail plate grows out. A gland is a cell or an organ in an animal's body that produces and secretes different substances that the organism needs, either into the bloodstream or into a body cavity or outer surface. Endocrine glands that ductless and secrete their products, hormones, directly into interstitial spaces to be taken up into the bloodstream. Exocrine glands secrete their products through ducts into a body cavity or outer surface.
== Treatment == CTD is difficult to treat because the transporter responsible for transporting creatine to the brain and muscles is defective. Affected individuals have sufficient amounts of creatine, but it cannot get to the tissues where it is needed. Studies in which oral creatine monohydrate supplements were given to patients with CTD found that patients did not respond to treatment. Patients with CTD are unresponsive to oral creatine monohydrate supplements because regardless of the amount of creatine they ingest, the creatine transporter is still defective, and therefore creatine is incapable of being transported across the BBB. Therapeutic approaches that are currently in development include dodecyl creatine ester (DCE) for intranasal creatine delivery, pharmacochaperones to aid in rescuing misfolded transporter, and gene therapy to compensate for the mutated SLC6A8 gene.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
Overweight Non- Supportive footwear Flat arched feet High arched feet A sudden increase in activity/Overuse Hormone problems Lack of flexibility of the calf, Achilles tendon and the plantar fascia. Connective tissue disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis.
==== Solution and precipitation ==== The diagram above illustrates the point that a precipitate that is not one of the main species in the solution equilibrium may be formed. At pH just below 5.5 the main species present in a 5 μM solution of Al3+ are aluminium hydroxides Al(OH)2+, AlOH+2 and Al13(OH)7+32, but on raising the pH Al(OH)3 precipitates from the solution. This occurs because Al(OH)3 has a very large lattice energy. As the pH rises more and more Al(OH)3 comes out of solution. This is an example of Le Châtelier's principle in action: Increasing the concentration of the hydroxide ion causes more aluminium hydroxide to precipitate, which removes hydroxide from the solution. When the hydroxide concentration becomes sufficiently high the soluble aluminate, Al(OH)−4, is formed. Another common instance where precipitation occurs is when a metal cation interacts with an anionic ligand to form an electrically neutral complex. If the complex is hydrophobic, it will precipitate out of water. This occurs with the nickel ion Ni2+ and dimethylglyoxime, (dmgH2): in this case the lattice energy of the solid is not particularly large, but it greatly exceeds the energy of solvation of the molecule Ni(dmgH)2.
Human Timeline (Interactive) – Smithsonian, National Museum of Natural History (August 2016). Donsmaps: a vast repository of Paleolithic resources Interactive Timeline Simile/Timemap index of Eurasian sites
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
== Medical uses == In the United States, it is indicated for the treatment of adults with hormone receptor (HR)-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative advanced or metastatic breast cancer in combination with an aromatase inhibitor as initial endocrine-based therapy; or fulvestrant as initial endocrine-based therapy or following disease progression on endocrine therapy in postmenopausal women or in men. In the European Union, it is indicated for the treatment of women with hormone receptor (HR)‑positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)‑negative locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer in combination with an aromatase inhibitor or fulvestrant as initial endocrine-based therapy, or in women who have received prior endocrine therapy. In pre‑ or perimenopausal women, the endocrine therapy should be combined with a luteinising hormone‑releasing hormone (LHRH) agonist. In September 2024, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) expanded the indication for ribociclib, in combination with an aromatase inhibitor, for the adjuvant treatment of adults with hormone receptor (HR)-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative stage II and III early breast cancer at high risk of recurrence. Additionally, the FDA approved the ribociclib and letrozole co-pack for the same indication.
March 5 Trump appoints DHS Secretary Noem as the "Special Envoy for The Shield of the Americas," a security initiative focusing on the Western Hemisphere. Trump nominates U.S. Senator Markwayne Mullin to replace Noem as DHS Secretary. The Pentagon officially designates artificial intelligence company Anthropic a supply chain risk – the first time the government has given this label to a domestic firm. Anthropic states it will challenge the decision in court. March 6 – Virginia passes legislation to prohibit schools from teaching about falsehoods of the January 6 United States Capitol attack. March 7 – Trump hosts the first Shield of the Americas summit in Doral, Florida, with 12 Latin American countries in attendance. Mach 10 – U.S. federal judge Sarah D. Morrison rules that the prediction market Kalshi constitutes as gambling and must adhere to state gambling regulations. March 11 – 2026 Minab school attack: A preliminary inquiry finds that the U.S. is at fault for an airstrike which killed 168–180 people at a girls' only elementary school in Minab, Iran. March 12 Temple Israel synagogue attack: A suspected attacker is killed after a vehicle rams into a synagogue in West Bloomfield, Michigan, and travels "with purpose down the hall of the building". 2026 Old Dominion University shooting: A former National Guardsman opens fire at an ROTC class at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, killing the instructor and injuring two cadets. Cadets subdue the shooter, with one fatally stabbing him.
A property of DNA is its ability to re-anneal into double-stranded molecules when pH conditions are neutralized. Under neutral conditions, hydrogen bonds reform between complementary base pairs. Because the plasmid was so tightly coiled and small before the alkaline conditions were established, it can easily re-anneal. The chromosomal DNA, however, because of its lengthy strands, does not re-anneal. Once the plasmid DNA reassociates into double-stranded molecules, it dissolves into the solution. Potassium acetate reacts with the SDS detergent, magnesium ions, and calcium ions already present in the solution and forms potassium dodecyl sulfate (KDS), an insoluble white solid which precipitates out of solution. The remaining chromosomal DNA strands, denatured proteins, and added chemicals stick together and precipitate out with the KDS. The plasmid DNA, however, remains dissolved in the liquid solution. The solution is usually centrifuged to collect the insoluble precipitates into a debris pellet at the bottom of the sample tube and thereby isolate them from the supernatant.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
电喷雾或基质辅助激光解吸电离质谱是常用手段，测得的质子化离子质荷比可换算为分子量。结果与理论值落在合理误差内，才支持结构一致的判断。
甲硫氨酸侧链含硫醚，在氧气、光照或金属离子存在时容易被氧化。氧化产物极性略增，常在色谱图上表现为主峰之前的肩峰或前伸峰。
通常建议冷藏避光，并在较短时间内使用。不存在适用于所有配方的统一期限，具体取决于浓度、缓冲体系与容器材质。
Semax is based on the ACTH(4-10) fragment, a seven-amino-acid segment of adrenocorticotropic hormone. The synthetic peptide retains the core sequence while removing regions associated with endocrine activity. This modification is intended to isolate effects on the nervous system.