Selank
(TP-7)

1970s

The Tuftsin Discovery

An Immune Peptide's Secret Life

In the 1970s, scientists discovered tuftsin — a tiny four-amino-acid peptide released when your spleen breaks down antibodies. Its job was to activate immune cells, helping your body fight infections.

But researchers noticed something odd. Patients without spleens (and thus low tuftsin levels) often suffered from depression and anxiety. Could this immune peptide also affect the brain?

Studies confirmed the connection. Tuftsin receptors existed in brain areas controlling mood and emotion. The peptide seemed to modulate both immune function and mental state. But like most natural peptides, tuftsin broke down too quickly to be useful as medicine.

1980s-1990

The Soviet Synthesis

Stabilizing Nature's Design

At the Institute of Molecular Genetics in Moscow, researchers had already solved a similar problem. Their peptide Semax — based on a brain hormone fragment — worked because they'd added a Pro-Gly-Pro tail that protected it from breakdown.

Could the same trick work for tuftsin? The team attached the stabilizing sequence to tuftsin, creating a seven-amino-acid peptide they called Selank. Early tests showed it lasted long enough to affect the brain and could be delivered through the nose.

Animal studies were promising. Mice given Selank were less anxious in stress tests but remained alert and active — unlike animals given traditional tranquilizers, which became sedated and slow.

1990s-2000s

Clinical Trials

Proving the Concept

As the Soviet Union collapsed, Russian medical research faced enormous challenges. Funding vanished. Scientists emigrated. But the Selank team persevered, running clinical trials even as their country transformed around them.

The trials focused on generalized anxiety disorder — the chronic worry that affects millions worldwide. Patients received Selank nasal spray daily for several weeks. Results were compared against placebo and against standard anxiety medications.

Selank worked. Anxiety scores dropped significantly. Patients reported feeling calmer but not foggy. Unlike benzodiazepines, there was no sedation, no memory impairment, no signs of addiction. The peptide seemed to calm the anxiety circuits without shutting down the whole brain.

2000s-2010s

Russian Approval

A New Treatment Option

Russian regulatory authorities reviewed the clinical data and approved Selank as a prescription medication for anxiety and related conditions. Pharmacies began stocking nasal spray formulations.

Doctors in Russia and Ukraine started prescribing Selank alongside — or instead of — traditional anxiety medications. It became particularly popular for patients who couldn't tolerate the side effects of benzodiazepines or who needed to remain mentally sharp.

The peptide also gained a following among the nootropic community. Western biohackers, reading about Russian research, began importing Selank for self-experimentation. Online forums filled with reports of reduced anxiety, improved focus, and better stress tolerance.

2015-Present

Global Interest

Science Without Borders

Western researchers are finally paying attention to Russian peptide research. Studies have confirmed that Selank affects the GABA system — the same target as benzodiazepines — but also influences serotonin and dopamine. This multi-target approach may explain why it reduces anxiety without causing sedation.

Research has expanded beyond anxiety. Selank may boost immune function, reduce inflammation, and help with depression. Some studies suggest it could help people recover from chronic stress or trauma.

But like Semax, Selank remains unapproved outside Russia and Ukraine. Western pharmaceutical companies have shown little interest in licensing a peptide that can't be patented. For now, Selank exists in a grey zone — proven in one part of the world, unknown in another.