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Research use only
· 7 min read
Seven amino acids, one oxidation-prone sulphur atom, and a lineage that runs from Soviet neuropeptide laboratories into the awkward gap between melanocortin pharmacology and the neurotrophic-pathway literature - that is Semax, whose sequence reads Met-Glu-His-Phe-Pro-Gly-Pro. What it is not, and what this page will not be, is a compound described in terms of what it does in a person. Semax is supplied strictly as a research reagent; everything below describes what published studies have investigated, not any human use.
| Compound | Semax (heptapeptide, Met-Glu-His-Phe-Pro-Gly-Pro) |
|---|---|
| Synonyms | MEHFPGP; ACTH(4-7) core extended by Pro-Gly-Pro; ACTH(4-10) analogue |
| Class / mechanism | Melanocortin-peptide-family analogue (by sequence homology to ACTH(4-10)) |
| Molecular formula | C37H51N9O10S |
| Molecular weight | 813.9 g/mol |
| CAS number | 80714-61-0 |
| PubChem CID | 9811102 |
| InChIKey | AFEHBIGDWIGTEH-AQRCPPRCSA-N |
| Research status | Research use only; not for human or veterinary use |
Semax is the heptapeptide Met-Glu-His-Phe-Pro-Gly-Pro (single-letter MEHFPGP). Structurally it comprises the ACTH(4-7) core fragment (Met-Glu-His-Phe) extended at the C-terminus by a Pro-Gly-Pro tripeptide, and it is described in the literature as an analogue of the ACTH(4-10) sequence. The identifiers were adversarially cross-checked along three independent resolution paths, all converging on the same molecule. A PubChem name lookup for 'Semax' returns CID 9811102 (formula C37H51N9O10S, molecular weight 813.9 g/mol, InChIKey AFEHBIGDWIGTEH-AQRCPPRCSA-N). An independent PubChem lookup of CAS 80714-61-0 returns the identical CID 9811102 with the same formula, weight and InChIKey. A structure check confirms the canonical SMILES encodes the Met-Glu-His-Phe-Pro-Gly-Pro heptapeptide, and a PubChem synonym corroborates the ACTH(4-7) core extended by Pro-Gly-Pro. As a contrast control, the parent fragment ACTH(4-10) resolves to a distinct PubChem CID (123787), confirming this record describes the synthetic heptapeptide analogue and not the parent decapeptide. The Key facts table above carries only these verified values.
| Property | Value | Resolution path |
|---|---|---|
| Compound name | Semax | PubChem name lookup |
| PubChem CID | 9811102 | Name and CAS lookups both converge |
| CAS number | 80714-61-0 | Listed in CID 9811102 synonym set |
| Molecular formula | C37H51N9O10S | PubChem compound record |
| Molecular weight | 813.9 g/mol | PubChem compound record |
| InChIKey | AFEHBIGDWIGTEH-AQRCPPRCSA-N | PubChem compound record |
| Peptide sequence | Met-Glu-His-Phe-Pro-Gly-Pro | Canonical SMILES / synonym corroboration |
| Parent fragment (distinct) | ACTH(4-10), CID 123787 | Contrast control: separate molecule |
The usual shorthand - 'Semax is an ACTH analogue' - is accurate as far as it goes and stops before it gets interesting. The classification by receptor pharmacology runs deeper than sequence homology alone.
Semax belongs to the ACTH and melanocortin peptide family through its ACTH(4-10) sequence homology. Structure-activity work on ACTH(4-10)-derived analogues has characterised melanocortin receptor-subtype selectivity (MC1, MC3, MC4 and MC5) using competitive radioligand binding against [125I][Nle4,D-Phe7]-alpha-MSH in receptor-transfected cell systems. In that work (Schioth et al., 1997, PMID 9213373), the measured endpoint was receptor-subtype binding affinity at recombinant melanocortin receptors. This citation characterises ACTH(4-10)-derived analogues generally and is used here to ground Semax's melanocortin-family pharmacology by sequence homology; it is not a direct Semax receptor-potency claim.
Where the melanocortin framing ends, the neurotrophic-pathway literature begins. Two Dolotov et al. studies from 2006 measured, at the molecular endpoint level, how Semax-exposed rat brain tissue looks with respect to BDNF and TrkB. That is a different axis from melanocortin receptor binding, and it is why the published research on this compound does not sit comfortably in a single mechanistic column. A third line of preclinical work (Eremin et al., 2005, PMID 16362768) examined regional monoaminergic neurochemistry - dopamine and serotonin concentrations and turnover indices in rodent brain - which is a third mechanistic layer again. None of these are indications. They are receptor and pathway groupings used to organise what the studies actually measured. No therapeutic or human-relevant inference is drawn from any of them.
Three primary studies define the molecular and receptor-level pharmacology by which Semax is classified in the preclinical literature. Each is summarised strictly by its study design and the pre-specified endpoint names. No result, direction, magnitude, efficacy, benefit or human-relevant outcome is stated or implied.
Taken together, these reports define the receptor and pathway framing: melanocortin-family sequence origin, the BDNF/TrkB neurotrophic axis, and monoaminergic neurochemistry. These are listed here as research context, not as findings a reader should expect.
Semax is a heptapeptide (C37H51N9O10S, MW 813.9 g/mol) and is typically supplied as a lyophilised solid. The methionine residue at the N-terminus is the structural detail most worth noting at the bench: Met is an oxidation-sensitive amino acid, which means that air exposure of any reconstituted solution should be kept to a minimum and working aliquots kept small. A vial oxidised at the Met side-chain is not the same compound as the reference; a mass-spectrometry check on the lot CoA will catch this where visual inspection will not.
General research-peptide storage practice applies: keep the lyophilised solid cold and protected from moisture and light to limit hydrolysis and oxidation, refrigerate for short-term holding and freeze for longer-term storage. For in-vitro or preclinical work, reconstitute with an appropriate laboratory solvent, aliquot before freezing to avoid repeated freeze-thaw cycles, and use the reconstituted material within a defined working window for analysis. None of this is a preparation method for any use in humans or animals. Specific temperatures, diluent choice and stability windows should be confirmed from the lot certificate of analysis rather than from generic figures, including any published in this page. See the reconstitution guide for general bench technique.
Peptide identifiers are easy to get wrong, and MEHFPGP is compact enough that a label error can look plausible. A certificate of analysis closes that gap: every Kovalabs batch ships with one so the mass, purity and sequence in hand can be checked against the documented formula (C37H51N9O10S, CAS 80714-61-0) rather than taken on trust. Mechanistically distinct compounds in the neuropeptides catalogue include Selank, a tuftsin-derived heptapeptide studied on different receptor systems.
Worth separating into tiers. Tier one is solid: the chemistry is settled. Three independent PubChem resolution paths converge on CID 9811102, the formula C37H51N9O10S and the Met-Glu-His-Phe-Pro-Gly-Pro sequence, distinct from the ACTH(4-10) parent. The vial's identity can be verified. Tier two is the middle ground: the mechanistic story rests on melanocortin-family binding work on ACTH(4-10) analogues plus rodent BDNF/TrkB and monoamine endpoints - in-vitro and animal studies that describe what was measured, not what it means for anyone. A cell in a dish is not a person. Tier three is the weakest: there is no human outcome evidence on this page at all, only preclinical endpoint names. It is not a licensed medicine, and it has not been shown to produce defined outcomes in humans. Curiosity is warranted; certainty is not.
Semax is supplied by Kovalabs for laboratory research use only. It is not a medicine, food or cosmetic and is not for human or veterinary use, administration or consumption. No statement on this page is a medicinal, therapeutic, diagnostic or performance claim, and none should be inferred. It is an investigational compound that has not been evaluated by the MHRA or any comparable regulator for safety or efficacy in humans or animals. Every batch is third-party tested with a certificate of analysis. Purchasers are responsible for handling, storing and using the material in accordance with all applicable laws, institutional approvals and good laboratory practice. Please review the full research disclaimer before purchase.
Semax is a synthetic heptapeptide, Met-Glu-His-Phe-Pro-Gly-Pro (MEHFPGP). It is the ACTH(4-7) core fragment (Met-Glu-His-Phe) extended at the C-terminus by a Pro-Gly-Pro tripeptide, and is described in the literature as an analogue of the ACTH(4-10) sequence. It is supplied for research use only and is not for human or veterinary use.
PubChem CID 9811102; CAS 80714-61-0; molecular formula C37H51N9O10S; molecular weight 813.9 g/mol; InChIKey AFEHBIGDWIGTEH-AQRCPPRCSA-N. The name, CAS and CID were cross-checked along three independent PubChem resolution paths and all converge on the same molecule.
Semax is a synthetic heptapeptide analogue built on the ACTH(4-7) core with a C-terminal Pro-Gly-Pro extension, and resolves to PubChem CID 9811102. The parent ACTH(4-10) decapeptide fragment is a distinct molecule with its own record, PubChem CID 123787. The two are separate entities.
Structure-activity work on ACTH(4-10)-derived analogues has characterised melanocortin receptor-subtype binding (MC1, MC3, MC4 and MC5) by competitive radioligand assay, which is used here to ground Semax's melanocortin-family pharmacology by sequence homology. Separate preclinical rodent studies have measured BDNF and TrkB endpoints at the protein, mRNA and phosphorylation level, and regional dopamine and serotonin neurochemistry. These are endpoint names from study designs only; no results or effects are stated.
It is typically supplied as a lyophilised solid. General research-peptide practice is to keep the solid cold and protected from moisture and light (refrigerated short-term, frozen longer-term), reconstitute with an appropriate laboratory solvent for in-vitro or preclinical work, aliquot to avoid freeze-thaw cycles, and minimise air exposure given the oxidation-sensitive methionine residue. Always confirm specific temperatures, diluents, concentrations and stability windows against the lot Certificate of Analysis.
No. Semax is sold strictly for laboratory research use and is not for human or veterinary use, administration or consumption. This page makes no medicinal, therapeutic or human-outcome claim of any kind. Please read the full research disclaimer.