Selank: A Plain-English Research Guide
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What is Selank?
Selank is a synthetic seven-amino-acid peptide (Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg-Pro-Gly-Pro) developed at the Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Russian Academy of Sciences. It is built from tuftsin, a natural four-amino-acid immune peptide (Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg), with a short Pro-Gly-Pro tail added to make it more stable.12
Selank is studied mainly for its effects on anxiety-related behavior and on the immune system, which reflects its tuftsin origin. It has been registered as a medicine in Russia, so there is some clinical literature, but almost all of it is published in Russian-language journals.3
Selank is a seven-amino-acid peptide built from the immune peptide tuftsin, and it is studied in laboratory research on anxiety-related behavior, GABA signaling, BDNF and immune regulation. Full Scale Peptides supplies it as a freeze-dried powder with a published COA, for research use only.
Selank at a glance
Amino acids
Tuftsin (TKPR) plus a stabilizing Pro-Gly-Pro tail.
Parent peptide
A natural four-amino-acid peptide known for stimulating immune cells.
Developed
Created at the Institute of Molecular Genetics, Russian Academy of Sciences.
Our current lot
HPLC purity for lot FSP-SEL-072126-01, with identity confirmed by LC-MS.
How researchers think Selank works
1. GABA signaling
GABA is the brain's main calming neurotransmitter, and many anti-anxiety drugs act on it. Studies in rats and in cell lines have reported that Selank changes the activity of genes involved in GABA signaling, and research suggests it may modulate GABA-A receptors indirectly.145
2. BDNF
BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) supports nerve-cell growth and plasticity. A rat study reported that Selank given into the nose increased BDNF expression in the hippocampus, a brain region involved in memory and emotion.6
3. Immune signaling
Because it is built on tuftsin, Selank has also been studied for its effects on immune signaling, including cytokines such as IL-6. This dual nervous-immune profile is one of its more distinctive research features.12
4. Enkephalins
Research has also reported that Selank can slow the breakdown of enkephalins, the body's own opioid-like peptides involved in stress and mood.1
This page summarizes published laboratory, animal and clinical research. It does not describe any use of Selank in people or animals. Selank from Full Scale Peptides is sold strictly for laboratory research.
What scientists study Selank for
- Anxiety-related behavior. Animal models of anxiety and stress, plus Russian clinical studies in anxiety disorders.3
- GABA-system gene expression. How Selank changes GABA-related genes in the brain and in nerve-cell lines.45
- Neuroplasticity. BDNF expression and hippocampal function.6
- Immune modulation. Cytokine signaling linked to its tuftsin origin.2
- Comparisons with Semax. Both were developed at the same institute and are often studied side by side.
Most Selank research comes from a small number of Russian research groups, and much of it is published in Russian-language journals with limited independent replication in the West. The clinical studies are small. Treat the findings as promising leads, not settled science.
Selank 10mg, research grade
Freeze-dried powder with a third-party COA published before you buy, and tracked U.S. shipping. For laboratory research use only.
Purity and testing: why the COA matters
With repeating proline residues in its sequence, Selank needs sequence-level identity testing to confirm it was made correctly. Every Selank lot from Full Scale Peptides is tested by an independent lab, Freedom Diagnostics, before it is sold. HPLC measures purity, LC-MS confirms the sequence, and the full report is published before you buy.
- Lot
- FSP-SEL-072126-01
- Tested
- Jul 28, 2026
- Lab
- Freedom Diagnostics
- Measured content
- 12.85 mg (10 mg labeled)
- Accession #
- 2607240453
- Report
- View full COA
New to reading lab reports? See how to read and verify a Certificate of Analysis and why 99%+ purity matters in research.
How Selank is handled in the lab
Selank ships as a lyophilized (freeze-dried) powder, meaning the water has been removed to keep the peptide stable. Store sealed vials at −20 °C, protected from light. Before use in research it is reconstituted, or dissolved back into a liquid, usually with bacteriostatic water. Handling it the same careful way every time keeps results consistent:
- Let the sealed vial come to room temperature before opening it, to limit condensation.
- Add the water slowly down the inside wall of the vial, not directly onto the powder.
- Swirl gently until the powder is fully dissolved. Don’t shake it.
- Label the vial with the date, keep it refrigerated at 2–8 °C away from light, and avoid repeated freeze–thaw cycles.
For more detail, see our reconstitution guide and storage and handling best practices.
Key takeaways
- Selank is a seven-amino-acid peptide built from the immune peptide tuftsin, developed in Russia.
- It is studied for effects on anxiety-related behavior, GABA-system genes and BDNF.
- Its tuftsin origin gives it a distinctive immune-signaling profile as well.
- Most research comes from a few Russian groups, with limited independent replication.
- Our current lot tests at 99.80% purity, with identity confirmed by LC-MS and the full COA published. For laboratory research use only.
Frequently asked questions
What is Selank made from?
It is based on tuftsin, a natural four-amino-acid immune peptide, with a Pro-Gly-Pro tail added for stability, for seven amino acids in total.
What is the difference between Selank and Semax?
Both were developed at the same Russian institute. Selank is based on the immune peptide tuftsin and is studied mainly for anxiety-related effects, while Semax is based on a fragment of ACTH and is studied mainly for cognition and neuroprotection. See our Semax guide.
What is Selank studied for?
Mainly anxiety-related behavior, GABA-system gene expression, BDNF and immune signaling, in animal, cell and small clinical studies.
What purity is Full Scale Peptides' Selank?
The current lot (FSP-SEL-072126-01) measured 99.80% purity by HPLC, with identity confirmed by LC-MS at Freedom Diagnostics. The full Certificate of Analysis is published in our COA library.
How is Selank supplied and stored?
It ships as a 10 mg lyophilized powder in a sealed glass vial. Store unopened vials at −20 °C away from light. Once reconstituted, keep the vial refrigerated at 2–8 °C.
Is Selank for human or veterinary use?
No. The Selank we supply is sold strictly for laboratory research. It is not for human or veterinary use and must not be administered to people or animals.
Scientific references
The findings summarized on this page come from published scientific literature, available on PubMed. Full Scale Peptides did not conduct, fund or sponsor this research, and nothing here implies endorsement by the authors or their institutions. The studies describe research on Selank itself, not the product we supply.
- Vyunova TV, Andreeva L, Shevchenko K, et al. Peptide-based anxiolytics: the molecular aspects of heptapeptide Selank biological activity. Protein Pept Lett. 2018;25(10):914–923. PMID: 30255741
- Siebert A, Gensicka-Kowalewska M, Cholewinski G, et al. Tuftsin: properties and analogs. Curr Med Chem. 2017;24(34):3711–3727. PMID: 28745220
- Zozulia AA, Neznamov GG, Siuniakov TS, et al. Efficacy and possible mechanisms of action of a new peptide anxiolytic Selank in the therapy of generalized anxiety disorders and neurasthenia [in Russian]. Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova. 2008;108(4):38–48. PMID: 18454096
- Volkova A, Shadrina M, Kolomin T, et al. Selank administration affects the expression of some genes involved in GABAergic neurotransmission. Front Pharmacol. 2016;7:31. PMID: 26924987
- Filatova E, Kasian A, Kolomin T, et al. GABA, Selank, and olanzapine affect the expression of genes involved in GABAergic neurotransmission in IMR-32 cells. Front Pharmacol. 2017;8:89. PMID: 28293190
- Inozemtseva LS, Karpenko EA, Dolotov OV, et al. Intranasal administration of the peptide Selank regulates BDNF expression in the rat hippocampus in vivo. Dokl Biol Sci. 2008;421:241–243. PMID: 18841804
Continue your research
For laboratory research use only. Not for human or veterinary use. The information on this page is provided for educational purposes and describes published research; it is not medical advice, and no statement here has been evaluated by the FDA.