Cartalax vs Epithalon

Molecular formula

C₁₂H₁₉N₃O₈

Molecular weight

333.3 g/mol

Half-life

Short plasma half-life typical of tripeptides (minutes to hours); biological effects persist for weeks to months through epigenetic gene regulation; metabolized to constituent amino acids

Bioavailability

Orally bioavailable via intestinal peptide transporters (PepT1/PepT2, LAT1); 10-fold more potent than crude cartilage polypeptide complex at chondrogenic activation (200 vs 2000 ng/mL effective concentration)

CAS number

Not yet registered (research compound)

Molecular formula

C₁₄H₂₂N₄O₉

Molecular weight

390.35 g/mol

Half-life

2-4 hours (estimated)

Bioavailability

High when injected subcutaneously

CAS number

307297-39-8

Common

• Mild injection site reaction
• Mild GI discomfort
• Mild fatigue
• Transient joint stiffness

Uncommon

• Temporary increase in joint discomfort

Serious

• No documented serious adverse effects

Common

• Injection site redness
• Mild headache
• Temporary fatigue

Uncommon

• Vivid dreams
• Sleep pattern changes

Serious

• Allergic reaction

Evidence level

Moderate human trials (Phase 1-2)

FDA status

Research compound

Safety overview

Cartalax (polypeptide complex from bovine cartilage) has not undergone formal FDA approval or rigorous clinical safety trials. The safety profile is based on traditional use in Russia and Eastern Europe as a cartilage extract supplement, with limited published safety data. As a complex mixture of polypeptides, collagens, and proteoglycans, the actual active components and their pharmacology are undefined, making toxicity prediction impossible. Potential allergic reactions to bovine proteins exist, and contamination risks from source animal tissues cannot be ruled out without pharmaceutical manufacturing standards.

Contraindications

• Known hypersensitivity to peptide bioregulators or constituent amino acids (alanine, glutamic acid, aspartic acid)
• Pregnancy and breastfeeding — insufficient reproductive safety data
• Active joint infection — treat infection before initiating peptide bioregulator therapy
• Malignant bone or cartilage tumors — proliferative effects of peptide bioregulators may be contraindicated

Evidence level

Limited human trials

FDA status

Research compound

Safety overview

Two different substances share this page's name, and almost all of the human data belongs to the older one. Epithalamin is an extract of the pineal gland. Epitalon (also written Epithalon, sequence Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly) is the synthetic four-amino-acid peptide later identified within it [4]. The long-term human studies people cite for this compound used **Epithalamin, the extract** — not the synthetic peptide. Those studies report the outcomes plainly. In 266 elderly people followed 6-8 years, mortality in the Epithalamin group fell 1.6-1.8-fold against control [6]. In a separate 12-year randomised study in elderly patients with coronary disease, deaths in the epithalamine group were 28% lower than control on the same basic therapy, and cardiovascular mortality was 2-fold lower [8]. For the synthetic peptide itself, a 2025 peer-reviewed review identifies only two human uses: 5.0 micrograms per eye injected parabulbarly for 10 consecutive days in retinitis pigmentosa, and 0.5 mg per day sublingually for 20 days in a circadian rhythm study [3]. That same review states that before Epitalon could be approved as a new active ingredient, further studies of short- and long-term toxicity are essential, including genotoxicity, carcinogenic potential and food-drug interactions [3]. Reported side effects across this literature are limited to mild injection site reactions. Nearly all of it comes from one research group in Russia [3][6].

Contraindications

• Pregnancy or planning to become pregnant
• Currently breastfeeding
• Active cancer or history of cancer
• Known allergy to peptide components
• Children and adolescents