Selank quick reference
What is Selank?
Lab-made peptide built from tuftsin plus Pro-Gly-Pro.
Sold in Russia as prescription nasal drops for anxiety.
Not approved in the US or EU; trials are small.
How Selank works
In blood samples, it slowed enzymes that break down calming enkephalins.
In rat frontal cortex it changed 45 neurotransmission genes within an hour.
Alone, it changed none of the genes tested in nerve-cell cultures.
In 52 healthy adults, it shifted amygdala–temporal cortex connectivity.
What Selank is studied for
62 patients: Selank eased anxiety about as well as medazepam.
60 patients: anxiety relief lasted a week after the last dose.
70 patients: fewer sedative side effects when Selank was added.
52 healthy adults: connectivity between right amygdala and temporal cortex shifted.
Selank prevented alcohol-linked memory loss and BDNF changes.
Changed GABA-related and other neurotransmission genes in frontal cortex.
Selank dosing protocol
| Item | Russian label (0.15% nasal drops) |
|---|---|
| Strength | 1.5 mg per mL |
| Dose | 2 drops in each nostril, 3 times a day (12 drops a day) |
| Course | 14 days |
| Repeat | After 1 to 3 weeks, with a doctor |
| Drop size | Not stated on the label |
From the Russian drug reference RLS (Selank entry, Peptogen, registration number ЛП-№(010951)-(РГ-RU)). Nasal use only. The label does not give a daily amount in mcg.
Label and trial amounts come from the sources below. Community amounts are what people report; they have not been tested.
Mixing
Community nasal example. One 0.1 mL spray = 200 mcg; check your pump.
What the research found
Small Russian studies in anxiety, compared with older anxiety drugs. The abstracts do not give effect sizes. I found no placebo-controlled trial.
Zozulia AA et al. 2008 (PMID 18454096); Medvedev VE et al. 2014 (PMID 25176261) and 2015 (PMID 26356395). All in Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova, Russian-language papers.
Selank community experience
What users report. Not tested in trials.
Positive reports
- Calm, not sedated Most common report: less background anxiety without a medicated feel.
- Less tension Some feel less muscle tension and fewer racing-heart moments.
- Easier recall Better word recall and working memory are often mentioned.
- Gentle effect Described as subtle, neither stimulating nor sleepy.
Negative & mixed
- No effect Some notice nothing, often with weak nasal products.
- Severe anxiety Less reliable for panic or severe social anxiety.
- Side complaints Headache, tiredness, dizziness or nasal irritation now and then.
- Odd timing Onset ranges from 10 minutes to two weeks; late doses hurt winding down.
Selank stacking
Calm plus focus. Each studied alone in a brain-scan study, never as a stack.
Studied in 70 patients under a doctor: fewer sedative side effects.
Used for separate goals. No evidence of synergy.
Selank side effects & safety
Common
- Allergic reactions, including delayed ones (label).
- Unpleasant taste when drops run down the throat (label).
- Nasal irritation (community).
- Headache or mild tiredness (community).
Less common
- Dizziness or nausea (community).
- Restlessness or vivid dreams (community).
- Redness or bruising at injection sites (community).
Precautions
- Label: avoid in pregnancy, breastfeeding and under age 18.
- Alcohol, sedatives or benzodiazepines: combined use studied only in clinics.
- Psychiatric drugs: no interaction program exists.
- No large trial measured safety.
- Not a substitute for care in panic, mania or crisis.
Our verdict on Selank
More human data than most nootropic peptides. Trials are small, Russian, and none I found had a placebo arm.
Selank FAQ
Is Selank a benzodiazepine?
No. It is a tuftsin-based peptide. In one trial, adding it cut phenazepam side effects.
How is Selank taken?
Label: nasal drops for 14 days. Injection has no source.
Does Selank cause dependence?
I found no trial that measured dependence. Studies were short.
Selank or Semax?
Selank is studied for anxiety. Semax is studied for stroke and thinking.
Sources
- RLS (rlsnet.ru) Selank 0.15% nasal drops entry, Peptogen
- Zozulia AA et al. Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr 2008;108(4):38-48, PMID 18454096
- Medvedev VE et al. Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr 2014;114(7):17-22, PMID 25176261
- Medvedev VE et al. Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr 2015;115(6):33-40, PMID 26356395
- Enkephalin-degrading enzymes and Selank. Bull Exp Biol Med 2001, PMID 11550013
- Selank and ethanol-induced memory impairment in rats (BDNF). Bull Exp Biol Med 2019, PMID 31625062
- ClinicalTrials.gov search by intervention name, run 5 Nov 2026: no Selank peptide trials
- Selank and GABA-related gene expression in rat frontal cortex. Front Pharmacol 2016, PMID 26924987
- Selank, GABA and olanzapine in IMR-32 cells. Front Pharmacol 2017, PMID 28293190
- Functional connectomic approach to Selank and Semax. Dokl Biol Sci 2020, PMID 32342318
- Community reports summarised from public peptide-community notes (peptideprotocols.app page); user reports, not research