Selank
Selank was engineered as a more stable analog of tuftsin and studied primarily in Russia for generalized anxiety disorder and neurasthenia. Small Russian trials report anxiolytic effects broadly comparable to benzodiazepines such as medazepam with additional antiasthenic effects, but these studies are small and have not been independently replicated in large Western trials; it remains unapproved outside Russia/Ukraine.
Mechanism
Selank is reported to modulate GABAergic and monoaminergic (serotonin/dopamine) neurotransmission, to rapidly elevate hippocampal brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression, to alter interleukin-6/T-helper cytokine balance, and to inhibit enzymatic degradation of enkephalins. These mechanisms are drawn largely from Russian preclinical and small clinical studies and are not independently confirmed in large Western trials.
Regulatory Status by Region
- United States (FDA)Not FDA-approved. Historically placed on the FDA 503A 'Category 2' bulk drug substances list (significant safety concerns) restricting compounding; part of ongoing 2026 FDA compounding review.
- Australia (TGA)Not approved by the TGA and not on the ARTG; no registered therapeutic product.
- European Union (EMA)No EMA marketing authorisation; not an approved medicine in the EU.
- WADANot listed by name; because it lacks approval by major (stringent) regulatory authorities, it is generally treated as captured by the S0 'Non-Approved Substances' category, prohibited at all times. Athletes should treat it as prohibited.
Key Studies
- Efficacy and possible mechanisms of action of a new peptide anxiolytic selank in the therapy of generalized anxiety disorders and neurasthenia (comparative trial vs medazepam) (Zozulia AA, Neznamov GG, et al. Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova. 2008;108(4):38-48 (Russian). PMID: 18454096.)
- GABA, Selank, and Olanzapine Affect the Expression of Genes Involved in GABAergic Neurotransmission (mechanistic study) (PMC5328971.)
- Selank - overview and sequence (reference) (Wikipedia summary of developer (Institute of Molecular Genetics, RAS), sequence and Russian availability.)