Peptides DB
Research-centric peptide and protocol reference hub

Semax record · updated 18h ago

Neuro & moodInflammation & immuneGrade A · human clinicalResearch use only
All 13 studiesJump to the evidenceCompare
What is Semax used for?

Semax is a synthetic peptide derived from the adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) that has been investigated for its potential neuroprotective and cognitive-enhancing effects. Research suggests that Semax may influence various biological pathways, including neuroinflammation and intracellular calcium dynamics.

How it works: ACTH(4–10) analog; neuroprotective / nootropic

Primarily researched for · Neuro & moodRoute · Intranasal (research use)

Development stage

where Semax sits between preclinical work and regulatory approval
  1. 1Cleared
    Preclinical
    Animal / in-vitro work
  2. 2Cleared
    Phase 1
    Safety in humans
  3. 3Cleared
    Phase 2
    Efficacy signal
  4. 4Current
    Phase 3
    Confirmatory trials
  5. 5Not reached
    Approved
    Cleared by a regulator

Stage is inferred from the highest trial phase in the indexed corpus and 76 registered trials. It describes the research record, not a recommendation.

Identity
NameSemax
Chain length7 amino acids
SequenceMEHFPGP
Molecular weight813.9 Da
FormulaC37H51N9O10S
Structure typePeptide
ClassCognitive
Research levelWell Studied
Discovered byAdded before provenance tracking · 2025

Mass and formula from PubChem CID 9811102. The chain length is only shown where the residues account for that mass, so a figure here has been checked against it rather than taken on trust.

Pharmacology
MechanismACTH(4–10) analog; neuroprotective / nootropic
RouteIntranasal (research use)
Half-life—
Time to peak—
Duration—
Extraction confidence0.50
Effect profile · 0–5
These seven scores are generated by the Librarian — an autonomous agent running GPT-4o over the indexed studies, trials and label data for this compound. No human assigns them and no community vote moves them. Last recomputed Aug 27, 2026. How this works →
Research stats
Total studies13
Human / animal / cellular7 / 3 / 0
Highest trial phasePhase 3
Years covered2010–2026
Latest study5d ago
Publication history
20102026
Research funding
—no NIH grants found
Safety signals
FAERS reports5
Serious AEs in animal work—
Community reports—
Positive —Neutral —Negative —
Records

Study register

13 rows · newest 12 shownOpen in the library →
StudyTypeYearSummary depth
Clinical Outcomes of Multi-Hole Covered Self-Expandable Metal Stents for Malignant Distal Biliary Obstruction: A Retrospective Comparative Study With an Exploratory Evaluation of 6-mm Devices.
FindingOverall cholecystitis was 1/34 versus 23/98 (p=0.008).
Human2023Full text read0.80
Long-term mortality and risk of chronic kidney disease in children following severe malaria complicated by acute kidney injury: a prospective observational study.
FindingAdjusted hazard ratio for mortality risk was 3.36 (95% CI 2.22-5.10) for AKI survivors.
Human2026Full text read0.90
8-year vaccine protection following a single dose of Vi-tetanus toxoid conjugate vaccine in children in Nepal (TyVOID): a prospective cohort follow-up study of the TyVAC Nepal randomised controlled trial.
FindingVaccine effectiveness was 77% (95% CI 46-90; p=0.0006) in the 2020-21 Vi-TT cohort.
Human2026Full text read0.90
Endoscopic Visualization of a Jejuno-Colonic Fistula in a Case of Monomorphic Epitheliotropic Intestinal T-Cell Lymphoma.
FindingNot reported in abstract.
Human2026Full text read0.80
Initial Experience With Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Gallbladder Drainage Using Lumen-apposing Metal Stents in Extremely Elderly and Frail Patients.
FindingClinical success achieved in 9 of 10 patients (90%)
Human2026Full text read0.80
Advances in development of tuberculosis vaccines and preventive drug therapies: current pipeline, evidence, and access.
Finding10·7 million people developed tuberculosis in 2024.
review2026Full text read0.70
Prevalence of vision and hearing impairment in Australia: a nationally representative survey of Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians aged 50 years and older.
FindingAge-standardised prevalence of any vision impairment was 11·1% (95% CI 8·4-14·5) among Indigenous participants.
Human2026Full text read0.80
Effect of ACTH4-10Pro8-Gly9-Pro10 on anti-inflammatory cytokine (IL-4, IL-10, IL-13) expression in acute spinal cord injury models (male Sprague Dawley rats)
FindingNot reported in abstract.
Animal2025Full text read0.70
Digitally Guided Hybrid Maxillary Expansion with Supragingival Mandibular Miniplates for Class III Correction in Late Adolescents: A Pilot Clinical Study.
FindingMean increase in SNA of +6.1°, p < 0.001.
Human2026Full text read0.80
Semantic Scholar search for Semax
TakeawayNot reported in abstract.
—2010Title only0.00
Modulation of neuropathological pathways by bioactive peptides and proteins/polypeptides: Targeting oxidative stress in neurodegenerative diseases.
TakeawayBioactive peptides like Semax may have potential neuroprotective roles in neurodegenerative diseases, but more clinical validation is needed.
review2025Partial text0.50
The Effect of Peptide Semax, an ACTH(4-10) Analogue, on Intracellular Calcium Dynamics in Rat Brain Neurons.
FindingNot reported in abstract.
Animal2025Full text read0.80

What people are saying

anecdotal · not evidence

Unverified first-hand accounts from public forums. These are not studies: nobody checked what was taken, whether it was what the label said, or what else was going on. They count for nothing in the evidence grade above and are shown because a reader searching Semax will meet them anyway, and meeting them next to a graded evidence base is better than meeting them alone.

Community collection has not run yet, so this is an empty shelf rather than a quiet one — nothing has been read, and no conclusion about how much Semax is discussed should be drawn from it.