Everything below concerns ACTH(4-10). We keep the language plain, cite what the science says, and separate well-supported claims from open questions.
Last reviewed on 2026-01-27. Where a claim depends on a specific study, the study is described rather than over-claimed.
Development is attributed to researchers at the Institute of Molecular Genetics in Moscow during the early 1980s, building on earlier Soviet work with ACTH fragments. Russian regulatory approval followed for intranasal use, and the compound has remained commercially available there for decades. Most published human data originate from Russian and, later, some Eastern European clinical reports, which are not always accessible in English translation. Outside that region the material is generally handled as a research chemical rather than a licensed medicine.
Regulatory status differs sharply between jurisdictions. In Russia the peptide is registered as a prescription nasal preparation, while agencies such as the United States Food and Drug Administration have not approved it for any indication. Products sold elsewhere are typically labeled for laboratory research only, and such labels shift responsibility for safe handling to the purchaser. Because the same name covers pharmaceutical-grade nasal drops and bulk research powder, identity and purity documentation becomes the main practical concern when comparing sources.
Semax is a synthetic seven-amino-acid peptide whose sequence extends the ACTH(4-10) fragment with a C-terminal proline-glycine-proline tripeptide. The commonly cited sequence is Met-Glu-His-Phe-Pro-Gly-Pro, giving a molecular formula near C37H51N9O10S and a molecular weight close to 813.9 g/mol. It belongs to the broader class of synthetic ACTH fragments studied for central nervous system effects rather than for adrenal steroid stimulation. In practice the material appears as a lyophilized white powder for laboratory work or as a dilute saline solution in clinical settings.
Scientific literature on semax is unevenly distributed. A substantial share of published work originates from a small number of laboratories in Russia, while independent replication elsewhere is limited. Human data consist mostly of small trials with short follow-up, and several reported outcomes rely on subjective rating scales. Questions about how much intact peptide reaches the central nervous system after nasal administration, and how long it persists there, are still unresolved. The compound is best described as an active research subject rather than a settled pharmacological agent.
Semax is a synthetic heptapeptide with the sequence Met-Glu-His-Phe-Pro-Gly-Pro. It was derived from the ACTH(4-10) fragment, a short segment of adrenocorticotropic hormone that lacks the hormonal activity associated with the full-length peptide. Researchers at the Institute of Molecular Genetics in Moscow developed the compound during the 1980s. It has been registered as a pharmaceutical product in Russia and several neighbouring countries, where it is supplied as a nasal solution, and it is also sold internationally as a research chemical.
| Property | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Chemical class | Synthetic heptapeptide (ACTH fragment analog) | Not a steroid; does not belong to the melanocortin agonist drugs by marketing category |
| Molecular formula | C37H51N9O10S (commonly cited) | Reported values vary slightly with salt and counter-ion content |
| Appearance | White to off-white lyophilized powder | A single batch may appear as a loose cake or fluffy solid |
| Solubility | Freely soluble in water and aqueous buffer | Stock solutions are usually prepared in sterile water or saline |
| Typical storage | −20 °C or below, desiccated and protected from light | Seal opened vials promptly to limit moisture uptake |
The parent fragment ACTH(4-10) carries the sequence Met-Glu-His-Phe-Arg-Trp-Gly. Semax replaces the arginine and tryptophan positions with a proline-glycine-proline tail, giving Met-Glu-His-Phe-Pro-Gly-Pro. That change removes residues associated with adrenal stimulation, so the peptide does not drive cortisol release the way full ACTH does. This distinction shapes how the compound is grouped in the literature, where it sits with neuropeptides and peptide neuromodulators rather than with corticosteroids.
Regulatory status varies sharply by country. Semax is registered for medical use in Russia, where it appears in formularies as a nasal solution, and it also holds registration in a small number of neighbouring states. It has no approval from the United States Food and Drug Administration or the European Medicines Agency, and it is not a scheduled controlled substance in most jurisdictions. Elsewhere it circulates mainly as laboratory material, so purity documentation comes from suppliers rather than from a national pharmacopoeia.
Semax is a synthetic heptapeptide whose sequence is Met-Glu-His-Phe-Pro-Gly-Pro. It was developed as a fragment analog of adrenocorticotropic hormone, modeled specifically on the ACTH(4-10) region. The first four residues reproduce that fragment, while a Pro-Gly-Pro tripeptide is appended at the C-terminus. Work on the compound originated in Russia, where it entered clinical use as an intranasal preparation. Its sequence places it among short regulatory peptides studied for effects on the central nervous system rather than on the adrenal axis.
The C-terminal Pro-Gly-Pro extension is not incidental. Proline-rich tails are known to resist several common peptidases, and the published literature attributes the longer half-life of Semax, relative to unmodified ACTH fragments, to this feature. The modification also removes the melanocyte-stimulating and corticosteroidogenic activity that characterizes longer ACTH-derived sequences. Because the molecule is small and hydrophilic, it is typically formulated as an aqueous solution for intranasal or parenteral delivery. Acetylation or amidation at the termini appears in closely related research peptides and shifts the mass by a fixed increment.
The joint project with the GAVI alliance has shown that this is feasible with three quarters of the 1301 project counties reporting that 85% or more children received three doses of HepB vaccine. In hospitals designated as project hospitals, the percentage of newborns vaccinated within 24 hours of birth is now over 90%. However, the overall newborn vaccination rate in the region covered by the GAVI alliance/government joint project was 70%, lower than the 75% they hoped to achieve. Achieving long-term success will require "assuring no new financial barriers arise", said Julian Lob-Levyt, Executive Secretary of the GAVI Alliance. "This is one of the greatest challenges and the solution lies not just within China but with a global community mobilized to ensure access to vaccine financing for all developing nations." Home to a large population of ethnic minorities of low socioeconomic status, the Qinghai province is a remote, often neglected, rural region of China with a high prevalence of chronic hepatitis B. Since many children 5 years of age and older in Qinghai were not vaccinated against the hepatitis B virus at birth, a private-public partnership was formed between the Ping and Amy Chao Foundation, the ZeShan Foundation, the Asian Liver Center at Stanford University, the China Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the Chinese Foundation for Hepatitis Prevention and Control, and the Qinghai government.
=== Americas === Skin whitening practices have also been well documented in South America and the Caribbean. Sociologists such as Jack Menke noted that early skin-lightening practices among indigenous women were motivated by the attentions of conquistadores. Recovered journals from women in Suriname indicated that they used vegetable mixtures to lighten their skin, which produced painful side effects. Various studies have linked the prevalence of skin whitening in Latin American nations to their histories and legacies of colonization and slavery. Witness accounts in colonial Jamaica reported that women practiced "flaying" and "skinning" on themselves, using astringent lotions to appear lighter. Caribbean creole women were also observed to treat their skin with cashew nut oil, which burned the external layers of skin. Skin whitening practices grew in popularity, partly as a consequence of blanqueamiento in Latin America. The ideologies behind blanqueamiento promoted the idea of social hierarchy, based on Eurocentric features and skin tone.
== Treatment == Immunosuppressive treatment is the gold standard management in order to achieve remission of the blood vessel inflammation that occurs in active microscopic polyangiitis. The current immunosuppressive protocols consists of a combination of high dose of glucocorticoids in combination with either cyclophosphamide or Rituximab. In cases of life threatening disease treatment with plasmapheresis can also be applied. The immunosuppressive treatment is slowly tapered down under a period of several months but there is at the moment no consensus about the total duration of the therapy. Discontinuation of immunosuppression can be related to increased risk for disease flares.
=== Amphoterism === Imidazole is amphoteric, which is to say that it can function both as an acid and as a base. As an acid, the pKa of imidazole is 14.5, making it less acidic than carboxylic acids, phenols, and imides, but slightly more acidic than alcohols. The acidic proton is the one bound to nitrogen. Deprotonation gives the imidazolide anion, which is symmetrical. As a base, the pKa of the conjugate acid (cited as pKBH+ to avoid confusion between the two) is approximately 7, making imidazole approximately sixty times more basic than pyridine. The basic site is the nitrogen with the lone pair (and not bound to hydrogen). Protonation gives the imidazolium cation, which is symmetrical.
==== Pregnancy and breastfeeding ==== During pregnancy and breastfeeding, women must ingest enough nutrients for themselves and their child, so they need significantly more protein and calories during these periods, as well as more vitamins and minerals (especially iron, iodine, calcium, folic acid, and vitamins A, C, and K). In 2001 the FAO of the UN reported that iron deficiency affected 43 percent of women in developing countries and increased the risk of death during childbirth. A 2008 review of interventions estimated that universal supplementation with calcium, iron, and folic acid during pregnancy could prevent 105,000 maternal deaths (23.6 percent of all maternal deaths). Malnutrition has been found to affect three-quarters of UK women aged 16–49 indicated by them having less folic acid than the WHO recommended levels. Frequent pregnancies with short intervals between them and long periods of breastfeeding add an additional nutritional burden.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
=== EC 1.17.98 With other, known, physiological acceptors === EC 1.17.98.1: bile-acid 7α-dehydroxylase. Now known to be catalyzed by multiple enzymes. EC 1.17.98.2: bacteriochlorophyllide c C-71-hydroxylase EC 1.17.98.3: formate dehydrogenase (coenzyme F420) EC 1.17.98.4: formate dehydrogenase (hydrogenase)
On 7 August 2022, Petro was sworn in, becoming the country's first leftist president. Later that month, Colombia and Venezuela formally reestablished bilateral diplomatic relations. The 21 June 2026 election run-off vote ended in a win for right-wing candidate, Abelardo de la Espriella, taking 49.7% of the vote compared to 48.7% of left-wing Iván Cepeda. On 7 August 2026, Abelardo de la Espriella was sworn in as Colombia’s president.
=== November === 2 November – Kemi Badenoch wins the Conservative leadership election, defeating rival Robert Jenrick after securing the support of party members. 3 November – Police Scotland say they have received a fresh allegation concerning a non-recent sexual assault against former First Minister of Scotland Alex Salmond. 5 November – The Office for Budget Responsibility said that HM Treasury should have disclosed a £9.5bn overspend before the budget in March "by law". A Treasury spokesperson said it had acted "within the law". It is announced that Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O'Neill will become the first senior Sinn Féin figure to take part in an official Remembrance Sunday ceremony in Belfast, which is scheduled to take place on 10 November. 6 November – Following the freebies scandal, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announces a tightening of the rules regarding ministers' acceptance of gifts and hospitality. Starmer congratulates Donald Trump on his election as President of the United States, and says that a strong UK–US relationship is "crucial". John Swinney, the First Minister of Scotland, also offers Trump his congratulations. Kemi Badenoch attends her first Prime Minister's Questions as Leader of the Opposition. Welsh Labour MP Steve Witherden apologises after he was reprimanded for drinking from a carton of milk in the House of Commons. 7 November – Foreign Secretary David Lammy dismisses previous criticism of Donald Trump as "old news". He had described Trump as a "tyrant" and "a woman-hating, neo-Nazi-sympathising sociopath".
Vaginitis An infection of the vagina usually caused by a fungus. A woman with this condition may have itching or burning and may notice a discharge. Women who have diabetes may develop vaginitis more often than women who do not have diabetes. Vascular Relating to the body's blood vessels (arteries, veins, and capillaries). Vein Visceral neuropathy Vitrectomy Removing the gel from the center of the eyeball because it has blood and scar tissue in it that blocks sight. An eye surgeon replaces the clouded gel with a clear fluid. See also: Diabetic retinopathy. Vitreous humor The clear jelly (gel) that fills the center of the eye.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
C-5 sterol desaturase catalyzes an intermediate step in the synthesis of major sterols. The particular biosynthetic pathway varies across eukaryotes. In animals C5SD catalyzes the dehydration of lathosterol to 7-dehydrocholesterol, a step in the synthesis of cholesterol. Cholesterol serves multiple roles in the cell including modulating membrane fluidity serving as a precursor to steroid hormones. In fungi C5SD catalyzes the dehydration of episterol as a step in the synthesis of ergosterol, a sterol that regulates cell membrane fluidity and permeability. In plants such as Arabidopsis thaliana, C-5 sterol desaturase catalyzes the dehydrogenation of episterol and avenasterol in a pathway thought to lead to a variety of membrane components as well as a class of hormones called brassinosteroids.
ADAM17 has been shown to interact with: DLG1 MAD2L1, and MAPK1. iRhom2. Adam17 may facilitate entry of the SARS‑CoV‑2 virus, possibly by enabling fusion of virus particles with the cytoplasmic membrane. Adam17 has similar ACE2 cleavage activity as TMPRSS2, but by forming soluble ACE2, Adam17 may actually have the protective effect of blocking circulating SARS‑CoV‑2 virus particles. Adam17 sheddase activity may contribute to COVID-19 inflammation by cleavage of TNF-α and Interleukin-6 receptor. Recently, ADAM17 was discovered as a crucial mediator of resistance to radiotherapy. Radiotherapy can induce a dose-dependent increase of furin-mediated cleavage of the ADAM17 proform to active ADAM17, which results in enhanced ADAM17 activity in vitro and in vivo. It was also shown that radiotherapy activates ADAM17 in non-small cell lung cancer, which results in shedding of multiple survival factors, growth factor pathway activation, and radiotherapy-induced treatment resistance.
== Further reading == Nuclides and Isotopes – 14th Edition, GE Nuclear Energy, 1989. Fioni, Gabriele; Cribier, Michel & Marie, Frédéric. "Can the minor actinide, americium-241, be transmuted by thermal neutrons?". Commissariat à l'énergie atomique. Archived from the original on 11 November 2007. Stwertka, Albert (1999). A Guide to the Elements. Oxford University Press, USA. ISBN 978-0-19-508083-4.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
It is a short synthetic peptide built from seven amino acids: methionine, glutamic acid, histidine, phenylalanine and three prolines. The sequence derives from the 4-10 fragment of adrenocorticotropic hormone with an added proline-glycine-proline tail. No plant or animal extract is involved; the material is produced by solid-phase peptide synthesis.
It was developed in the Soviet Union during the early 1980s by groups at the Institute of Molecular Genetics in Moscow. Russian approval for intranasal use followed, and it has been marketed there since. Western laboratories encountered it mainly through translated literature and, later, through online research-chemical trade.
It holds a Russian registration as a prescription nasal product but has no approval from the European Medicines Agency or the United States Food and Drug Administration. Buyers outside Russia usually receive material sold strictly for laboratory research. That distinction matters because research-grade and pharmaceutical-grade products carry different documentation and testing expectations.
Semax is based on the ACTH(4-10) fragment, a seven-amino-acid segment of adrenocorticotropic hormone. The synthetic peptide retains the core sequence while removing regions associated with endocrine activity. This modification is intended to isolate effects on the nervous system.