The short version of Khavinson fits in a sentence. The long version — which is the one that helps — is below.
Reviewed 2026-07-10. Anything still debated is marked as such rather than presented as settled.
Epitalon emerged from research conducted in Saint Petersburg by Vladimir Khavinson and colleagues, who studied short peptides as potential regulators of aging. The work built on epithalamin, a pineal gland extract reported to influence neuroendocrine function. Epitalon was designed as a synthetic counterpart with a defined sequence, allowing reproducible experiments that extracts could not support. Early publications described effects on melatonin rhythms and lifespan in animal models. These findings circulated mainly in Russian-language journals during the 1990s, which limited their visibility among English-speaking researchers.
The most widely cited claim is that epitalon activates telomerase and thereby extends telomere length. Supporting evidence comes largely from cultured human cells, where treatment was associated with increased telomerase activity and delayed replicative senescence. Telomerase activation is a biologically consequential effect, since the enzyme is largely silenced in most somatic cells. However, the route by which a short peptide would reach and act on the enzyme's regulatory machinery has not been established. Independent replication in human trials is scarce, so the link between cell-culture observations and whole-body aging remains an open question.
Human data are limited to small studies, often without the randomization, blinding, or control groups expected in contemporary clinical research. Reported outcomes have included changes in melatonin levels, immune markers, and subjective measures, but sample sizes were generally too small to support firm conclusions. Some reviews treat the peptide as promising while noting methodological weaknesses; others question whether the observed effects are specific. The compound is frequently discussed in longevity-focused communities, where enthusiasm often outpaces the published evidence. Separating established findings from speculation is therefore important when reading summaries of this research.
The peptide emerged from research carried out in Saint Petersburg from the late 1980s onward, where investigators searched for shorter active fragments of a pineal preparation known as epithalamin. The name epitalon was chosen to reflect that parent extract. Early reports described effects on neuroendocrine markers and on the lifespan of laboratory animals. Much of that work appeared in Russian-language journals, with English translations following later, which affects how readily the original protocols can be assessed by outside groups.
Published studies on epitalon are dominated by a small number of research groups, and independent replication in other laboratories remains limited. Proposed mechanisms include activation of telomerase and modulation of melatonin rhythms, but the evidence for either rests mainly on cell cultures and animal models. Whether the peptide produces comparable effects in humans is an open question, and the absence of large controlled trials means the literature is best read as exploratory rather than settled.
Epitalon is a synthetic four-amino-acid peptide with the sequence alanine-glutamate-aspartate-glycine, commonly abbreviated AEDG. Its molecular formula is C14H22N4O9, and its calculated molar mass is approximately 390.35 grams per mole. The compound is a short fragment related to a peptide fraction isolated from bovine pineal gland extracts, and it is normally supplied as a lyophilised powder intended for laboratory research. It is not a registered pharmaceutical product in most countries.
| Property | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Peptide sequence | Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly | Single-letter form AEDG |
| Compound class | Synthetic tetrapeptide | Not a natural free peptide |
| Research origin | Russian gerontology institutes | Developed during the 1990s |
| Main research claim | Telomerase activation | Evidence mainly from cultured cells |
| Regulatory status | Not an approved drug | Handled as a research material |
Freeze-dried epitalon is normally kept at minus twenty degrees Celsius in a sealed, desiccated container, protected from light. Short excursions at ambient temperature during shipping are generally tolerated, but repeated warming and cooling cycles encourage moisture uptake, which shortens shelf life. Once dissolved, the peptide is far less stable than the solid: aqueous solutions are subject to hydrolysis and to deamidation at the aspartate and glutamate residues. Working solutions are therefore held refrigerated and used within days, and repeated freezing and thawing of the same vial is best avoided.
Identity and purity are checked by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography, usually with ultraviolet detection near 214 nanometres, where the peptide bond absorbs. Mass spectrometry confirms the expected mass and reveals whether truncation products or adducts are present. Acid hydrolysis followed by amino acid analysis gives the residue ratio, which should approximate one alanine, one glutamate, one aspartate and one glycine. Counter-ions such as acetate or trifluoroacetate remain in the dried product and lower net peptide content, so a stated purity figure on a label does not by itself describe how much peptide a vial holds.
Regulatory treatment differs by country. No formulation of epitalon holds a marketing authorisation as a medicine in the United States or the European Union, where material sold for laboratory use is handled as a research chemical and is not intended for human consumption. In Russia, several short peptide preparations from the same institute's peptide series are registered medicinal products, and epitalon appears in that national context. Elsewhere it is frequently offered as a cosmetic ingredient, a category with lighter requirements. Advertising claims about longevity or disease prevention are restricted in most jurisdictions, which limits how sellers describe the compound.
The compound is generally presented as a synthetic fragment of epithalamin, a pineal gland extract investigated in the former Soviet Union from the 1970s onward. Vladimir Khavinson and colleagues in Saint Petersburg developed short peptides modelled on such extracts, and epitalon became the most widely cited of those sequences. Most primary reports appeared in Russian-language journals or in proceedings with limited international circulation. Independent replication in laboratories outside that network remains sparse, and much repeated secondary material traces back to a small number of originating groups.
Laboratory work has examined effects on telomerase activity in cultured cells, on melatonin rhythms in animals, and on markers of oxidative stress. Some experiments report measurable changes while others show none, and the reported findings rest largely on small studies. The absence of large independent trials means the generality of these results is unresolved rather than settled. Review articles occasionally apply the label geroprotector, a term that reflects a research hypothesis about ageing rather than an established clinical finding.
Epitalon is the common name for a synthetic tetrapeptide with the sequence alanine-glutamate-aspartate-glycine, usually abbreviated AEDG. All four residues are proteinogenic amino acids, and the free peptide has a calculated mass near 390 grams per mole. Because the chain is short and carries no modifications, it is assembled readily by solid-phase synthesis and is distributed mainly as a freeze-dried solid for laboratory work. Catalogue listings use the spellings epitalon, epithalone, and simply AEDG, and the three refer to the same sequence.
=== In humans === By the age of 4, all notochord residue is replaced by a population of chondrocyte-like cells of unclear origin. Persistence of notochordal cells within the vertebra may cause a pathologic condition: persistent notochordal canal. If the notochord and the nasopharynx do not separate properly during embryonic development, a depression (Tornwaldt bursa) or Tornwaldt cyst may form. The cells are the likely precursors to a rare cancer called chordoma.
Hemoglobin H disease, also called α-thalassemia intermedia, is a disease affecting hemoglobin, the oxygen carrying molecule within red blood cells. It is a form of α-thalassemia which most commonly occurs due to deletion of 3 out of 4 of the α-globin genes.
== External links == "The Cheminformatics and QSAR Society". Retrieved 2009-05-11. "The 3D QSAR Server". Retrieved 2011-06-18. Verma, Rajeshwar P.; Hansch, Corwin (2007). "Nature Protocols: Development of QSAR models using C-QSAR program". Protocol Exchange. doi:10.1038/nprot.2007.125. Archived from the original on 2007-05-01. Retrieved 2009-05-11. A regression program that has dual databases of over 21,000 QSAR models "QSAR World". Archived from the original on 2009-04-25. Retrieved 2009-05-11. A comprehensive web resource for QSAR modelers Chemoinformatics Tools Archived 2017-07-04 at the Wayback Machine, Drug Theoretics and Cheminformatics Laboratory Multiscale Conceptual Model Figures for QSARs in Biological and Environmental Science
=== 1 January === The Joint Darfur Force (JDF) said it had killed 462 Rapid Support Forces (RSF) fighters including six commanders in a failed attack on Al-Malha, North Darfur. In addition, three vehicles were destroyed. The remaining unit under Ali Rizqallah Al-Safana retreated. The JDF also called on the RSF to surrender to the JDF or the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF).
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
=== Psychoactive ingredients === According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), "the amount of THC present in a cannabis sample is generally used as a measure of cannabis potency." The three main forms of cannabis products are the flower/fruit, resin (hashish), and oil (hash oil). The UNODC states that cannabis often contains 5% THC content, resin "can contain up to 20% THC content", and that "Cannabis oil may contain more than 60% THC content." Studies have found that the potency of illicit cannabis has greatly increased since the 1970s, with THC levels rising and CBD levels dropping. It is unclear, however, whether the increase in THC content has caused people to consume more THC or if users adjust based on the potency of the cannabis. It is likely that the higher THC content allows people to ingest less tar. At the same time, CBD levels in seized samples have lowered, in part because of the desire to produce higher THC levels and because more illegal growers cultivate indoors using artificial lights. This helps avoid detection but reduces the CBD production of the plant. Australia's National Cannabis Prevention and Information Centre (NCPIC) states that the buds (infructescences) of the female Cannabis plant contain the highest concentration of THC, followed by the leaves. The stalks and seeds have "much lower THC levels". The UN states that the leaves can contain ten times less THC than the buds, and the stalks 100 times less THC. After revisions to cannabis scheduling in the UK, the government moved cannabis back from a class C to a class B drug.
Ronke Mojoyinola Olabisi (born 26 June 1976) is an associate professor of biomedical engineering at University of California, Irvine. She works on speciality of bone and human tissue. She is working with Mae Jemison on 100 Year Starship, an interdisciplinary initiative that is exploring the possibility of human interstellar travel.
After entering the body, aflatoxins may be metabolized by the liver to a reactive epoxide intermediate or hydroxylated to become the less harmful aflatoxin M1. Aflatoxin poisoning most commonly results from ingestion, but the most toxic aflatoxin compound, B1, can permeate through the skin. The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) action levels for aflatoxin present in food or feed is 20 to 300 ppb. The FDA has had occasion to declare both human and pet food recalls as a precautionary measure to prevent exposure. The term "aflatoxin" is derived from the name of the species Aspergillus flavus, in which some of the compounds were first discovered. A new disease was identified with unknown characteristics in England during the 1950s and 1960s, which increased turkey mortality. Later, aflatoxin was recognized in 1960 in England as a causative agent of the mysterious Turkey X disease that causes excessive mortality in turkey poults. Aflatoxins form one of the major groupings of mycotoxins.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
Vladimir Khavinson and colleagues at research institutes in Saint Petersburg developed and studied the peptide. Their program examined short peptides as regulators of aging and neuroendocrine function. Epitalon was one of several compounds produced by that group.
That question is not settled. Cell culture studies have reported increased telomerase activity after treatment, but comparable evidence from controlled human trials is lacking. Any claim about telomere lengthening in people should be treated as unproven.
It has not completed the large, controlled trials required for drug approval in major jurisdictions. Most human reports involve small samples and limited follow-up. As a result, it is sold as a research chemical rather than a licensed pharmaceutical product.
It is a synthetic tetrapeptide built from alanine, glutamate, aspartate and glycine. The four residues are joined by standard peptide bonds, giving a linear chain rather than a branched structure.