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Peptide profile

Selank: FDA Status, Research and Uses

By Living+. Updated October 25, 2026.

Key takeaway

Selank is a 7-amino-acid synthetic analog of tuftsin, a natural immune peptide, developed in Russia. It is not FDA approved. Its US compounding nomination was withdrawn, and FDA says it lacks key information on safety in humans. Small Russian studies tested it for anxiety, and most other research is in rats and mice [1, 2, 3, 4].

At a glance

Where it stands

Checked

  • FDA approvedNoNo approved product
  • Pharmacy compounding (503A)WithdrawnFDA's safety risk page (updated Apr 22, 2026) lists selank acetate (TP-7) under nominated but withdrawn (previously in category 2). Not in any category on FDA's May 14, 2026 503A list.
  • Outsourcing facilities (503B)Not nominatedNot on FDA's 503B categories list (updated March 21, 2025).
  • WADA (sport)UnclearNot named on the 2026 or 2027 List. S0 (non-approved substances) may apply, since it covers substances no government has approved for human use. The 2027 List, in force January 1, 2027, adds peptides as an S0 example.
Same data as the Status Tracker. Checked against 7 sources

Key facts

Class
Synthetic tuftsin analog (heptapeptide) [2, 3]
Length
7 amino acids (Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg-Pro-Gly-Pro) [2]
Half-life
Not established in humans; designed for greater stability than tuftsin [3]
Route in studies
Intranasal or injection into the abdomen in animal studies; human routes not stated in English abstracts [3, 13]
First studied
Published studies by 2001 [8]

How it works

Selank is a lab-made peptide of seven amino acids. It is built from part of tuftsin, a small immune peptide the body makes, with a Pro-Gly-Pro tail added to improve stability and make its effects last longer [3]. It was developed at the Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Russian Academy of Sciences [3].

Researchers have proposed a few ways it may act on the brain. One early study found that Selank blocked enzymes in blood that break down enkephalins, the body's own calming and pain-relief peptides [8]. Later lab work found it changed GABA receptor binding in a way that suggests it acts as an allosteric modulator, the same broad system that many anti-anxiety drugs act on [2]. In rats, a single nasal dose changed the activity of genes involved in GABA signaling [3].

In rats under chronic stress, Selank reduced anxiety behavior, and combined with diazepam it brought anxiety measures back to pre-stress levels [7]. In alcohol-dependent rats, one dose reduced withdrawal anxiety [13].

Human data come from small Russian clinical studies. They compared Selank with the anti-anxiety drugs medazepam and phenazepam in people with anxiety disorders [4, 5]. A 2021 review called Selank a poorly studied Russian drug with GABA-related effects [9].

What the research shows

3 human trials3 animal studies1 lab study

  1. 2014Human trial

    Medvedev et al. 2014 (anxiety disorders)

    60 patients with anxiety and somatoform disorders Comparison with phenazepam [5]

    Authors reported an anti-anxiety effect that lasted a week after the last dose, and better quality of life [5].

    Read the study
  2. 2008Human trial

    Zozulia et al. 2008 (generalized anxiety and neurasthenia)

    Studied for anxiety

    62 patients (30 Selank, 32 medazepam) Comparison with medazepam using Hamilton, Zung and CGI scales [4]

    Authors reported anti-anxiety effects similar to medazepam [4].

    Read the study
  3. 2008Human trial

    Uchakina et al. 2008 (immune markers)

    Studied for immune effects

    Patients with generalized anxiety disorder and neurasthenia (number not stated) 14 days of Selank with blood cytokine tests, plus cell experiments [6]

    Authors reported shifts in the balance of blood cytokines [6].

    Read the study
  4. 2017Animal study

    Kasian et al. 2017 (chronic stress)

    Rats Controlled study with and without unpredictable chronic mild stress [7]

    Selank alone and with diazepam reduced anxiety measures in the elevated plus maze [7].

    Read the study
  5. 2016Animal study

    Volkova et al. 2016 (GABA genes)

    30 rats Single nasal dose compared with GABA and control [3]

    Selank changed the activity of genes involved in nerve signaling, including GABA pathways [3].

    Read the study
  6. 2014Animal study

    Kolik et al. 2014 (alcohol withdrawal)

    Alcohol-preferring rats Single dose during 48-hour alcohol withdrawal [13]

    One dose of 0.3 mg/kg removed withdrawal anxiety in behavior tests without changing alcohol intake [13].

    Read the study
  7. 2001Lab study

    Zozulya et al. 2001 (enkephalin breakdown)

    Blood samples from patients with anxiety disorders Lab study of blood enzymes [8]

    Selank blocked the breakdown of enkephalin in plasma in a dose-related way [8].

    Read the study

Doses used in studies

The English abstracts of the human studies do not report the Selank dose or route [4, 5]. One study gave Selank to patients for 14 days [6].

In animal studies, rats received a single nasal dose of 300 mcg/kg [3] or a single dose of 0.3 mg/kg injected into the abdomen [13].

Dosing is set by a licensed provider.

Side effects and safety

Selank is not FDA approved, so there is no FDA label or boxed warning. FDA says compounded selank acetate may carry a risk of immune reactions because of clumping and impurities, and that FDA lacks important information about its safety in humans [1].

An early study described Selank as not causing the side effects typical of most anti-anxiety drugs, but gave no safety data [8]. A comparison study against phenazepam looked at tolerability, but the English abstract gives no side effect details [5].

A 2021 review noted that Selank was being sold to US consumers as a dietary supplement and called for careful study of abuse potential for GABA-acting drugs before public access [9].

Common questions

Is Selank FDA approved?

No. FDA lists selank acetate only as a withdrawn compounding nomination and says it lacks key human safety information [1].

Is Selank legal to compound in the US?

Selank is not on the 503A bulks list and is not in any current 503A category. FDA lists it under nominations that were withdrawn [1, 12].

Is Selank approved in Russia?

Selank was developed at a Russian research institute [3]. A 2021 review calls it a poorly studied Russian drug, but we did not find a primary source that confirms its approval status there [9].

Is Selank banned by WADA?

It is not named on the 2026 WADA List, but the S0 class bans substances with no government approval for human use. Athletes should check with their anti-doping body [10].

What is Selank studied for?

Small Russian studies tested it for anxiety disorders [4, 5]. Animal studies tested it for stress, anxiety and alcohol withdrawal [7, 13].

How is Selank thought to act?

Studies suggest it blocks enzymes that break down enkephalins and modulates GABA receptors [2, 8].

What is the difference between Selank and Semax?

Selank is built from part of tuftsin, an immune peptide, with a Pro-Gly-Pro tail added [3]. Semax is a different peptide built from a fragment of the hormone ACTH, covered on its own page.

Is Selank safe?

Its human safety is not established. FDA says it lacks important safety information and flags a risk of immune reactions with compounded forms [1].

Sources

  1. FDA: Certain bulk drug substances for use in compounding that may present significant safety risks
  2. Vyunova et al. 2018, Protein Pept Lett (PubMed)
  3. Volkova et al. 2016, Front Pharmacol (PMC)
  4. Zozulia et al. 2008, Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova (PubMed)
  5. Medvedev et al. 2014, Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova (PubMed)
  6. Uchakina et al. 2008, Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova (PubMed)
  7. Kasian et al. 2017, Behav Neurol (PubMed)
  8. Zozulya et al. 2001, Bull Exp Biol Med (PubMed)
  9. Doyno and White 2021, J Clin Pharmacol (PubMed)
  10. WADA: 2026 Prohibited List (PDF), S0 non-approved substances
  11. WADA: Prohibited List resource page (2026 List in force)
  12. FDA: Bulk drug substances nominated for use in compounding under section 503A (updated May 14, 2026)
  13. Kolik et al. 2014, Bull Exp Biol Med (PubMed)

Updated October 25, 2026. Educational information, not medical advice.