Selank · 6 May 2026
Selank: A Tuftsin-Derived Anxiolytic Research Peptide
Essential Peptides Au · Journal · 3 min read
A heptapeptide developed from a naturally occurring immunomodulatory protein (Tuftsin), originally synthesised in Russia. Studied in anxiolytic and cognitive research contexts, with much of the foundational literature published outside the English-language journal system. Recent years have seen increased Western research interest, though the compound remains less widely cited than others on this list.
Mechanism in brief
Selank is a tuftsin analog (Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg-Pro-Gly-Pro) that has been studied for modulation of GABA-A receptor activity and for increased BDNF expression, with anxiolytic-like readouts in behavioural assay models. One proposed contributor to its mechanism is inhibition of enkephalin-degrading enzymes.
In current research
Because Selank does not have a single definitively assigned receptor target, selectivity controls are especially important — comparator panels paired with established GABA-A modulators and appropriate negative controls help distinguish receptor-mediated from indirect readouts.
BDNF-expression assays in neuronal cell models, frequently run alongside Semax, are a common framework for this work.
View compound
Selank in the catalogue
Related reading
For research use only. This article is provided for research and educational purposes and does not describe or imply therapeutic use. None of these compounds are for human or veterinary consumption.