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Peptide Identity And Research Origin — Deep Dive

By Editorial Desk · published 2025-10-14 · last reviewed 2025-11-23 · Topic

Epitalon comes up often in conversation and rarely with the context attached. Here we lay out the basics in order, then work through the practical considerations.

Last reviewed on 2025-11-23. Where a claim depends on a specific study, the study is described rather than over-claimed.

Peptide Identity and Research Origin

The published literature is dominated by a small number of research groups, much of it in Russian-language journals, and independent replication outside those groups is limited. Studies are typically small, use cultured cells or rodent models, and report endpoints that differ between papers, which makes comparison difficult. Large randomised human trials have not appeared in the indexed literature. Questions about absorption, distribution and clearance are therefore still treated as open in reviews that mention the compound.

Epitalon is a synthetic tetrapeptide with the sequence alanine–glutamate–aspartate–glycine, commonly abbreviated AEDG. Its design traces to epithalamin, a peptide fraction prepared from bovine pineal gland extracts that researchers in Saint Petersburg began investigating in the 1970s. The compound has a molecular formula of C14H22N4O9 and a nominal molecular mass near 390 daltons. It holds no approved drug status in the United States or the European Union, and material sold under this name is generally offered as a research chemical rather than a finished pharmaceutical product.

Chemical Identity and Research Background

The compound is described in the literature as a derivative of epithalamin, a preparation obtained from bovine pineal tissue. Work on this peptide family was carried out mainly by a research group in Saint Petersburg beginning in the 1980s, and the substance was later registered for clinical use in Russia under the name Epitalon. Outside that region it is generally treated as a research chemical rather than an approved medicine. Statements about its biological activity rest on a relatively small number of studies, and independent replication remains limited.

In its supplied form epitalon is a white to off-white powder, usually lyophilized and often hygroscopic. It dissolves readily in water and in aqueous buffers, and it is commonly handled as the acetate or trifluoroacetate salt to improve stability during purification and drying. The amide backbone is labile in aqueous media, so solutions are less durable than the dry solid. Handling notes in the chemical literature therefore emphasize keeping the powder dry, cool and shielded from light until it is dissolved.

Epitalon is a synthetic tetrapeptide whose sequence is alanine-glutamate-aspartate-glycine, written in single-letter code as AEDG. The four residues are joined by three peptide bonds, giving a linear backbone with no branching and no disulfide bridges. Its calculated molecular mass for the free form is approximately 390.3 daltons, a figure that rises when the compound is supplied as an acetate or trifluoroacetate salt. Because the chain is short, the molecule is defined entirely by its residue order rather than by any folded three-dimensional structure.

Epitalon at a glance

PropertyValueNotes
Molecular formulaC14H22N4O9Synthetic tetrapeptide, four residues
Nominal massApproximately 390 DaFree peptide; salt forms differ
AppearanceWhite to off-white powderCommonly supplied lyophilised
Solubility classFreely soluble in waterAlso dissolves in aqueous buffer
Typical storage−20 °C, desiccatedCold packs used during transport

Epitalon Background and Discovery

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.

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Epitalon Background and Nomenclature

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.

Structure, Naming and Discovery

The compound is generally described as a synthetic analogue of a fragment isolated from a pineal gland extract. Researchers associated with the Saint Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology introduced it during the 1980s and 1990s while studying short peptides from animal tissue. The original extract, called epithalamin, is a heterogeneous mixture, whereas epitalon is a single defined sequence. That distinction matters because findings reported for the extract are not automatically findings about the pure tetrapeptide, and claims about broader biological effects remain a separate question from the chemical identity described here.

Residue composition is the property that most cleanly separates verified material from mislabelled samples. Alanine, glutamate, aspartate and glycine appear in that order from the N-terminus, and the two acidic residues sit in the middle of the chain. Because the peptide is short, it can be produced by solid-phase synthesis and characterised by mass spectrometry without ambiguity. Any reported sample whose measured mass departs substantially from 390 daltons is a different compound or a degraded mixture rather than epitalon.

Epitalon is a synthetic tetrapeptide whose four residues are alanine, glutamate, aspartate and glycine, commonly abbreviated AEDG. Its molecular formula is C14H22N4O9 and its monoisotopic mass is near 390.35 daltons. The peptide carries two acidic side chains, so it is neutral to negatively charged in most aqueous buffers. Published reference summaries usually list it under both spellings, epitalon and epithalon, and treat the two names as the same material.

Supporting material

According to Vandewalle, Gaddafi "dominated [Libya's] political life" during his period in power. The sociologist Raymond A. Hinnebusch described the Libyan as "perhaps the most exemplary contemporary case of the politics of charismatic leadership", displaying all of the traits of charismatic authority outlined by the sociologist Max Weber. According to Hinnebusch, the foundations of Gaddafi's "personal charismatic authority" in Libya stemmed from the blessing he had received from Nasser coupled with "nationalist achievements" such as the expulsion of foreign military bases, the extraction of higher prices for Libyan oil, and his vocal support for the Palestinian and anti-imperialist causes. A cult of personality devoted to Gaddafi existed in Libya through most of his rule. His biographer Alison Pargeter noted that "he filled every space, moulding the entire country around himself." Depictions of his face could be found throughout the country, including on postage stamps, watches, and school satchels. Quotations from The Green Book appeared on a wide variety of places, from street walls to airports and pens, and were put to pop music for public release. In private, Gaddafi often complained that he disliked this personality cult surrounding him, but that he tolerated it because the people of Libya adored him. The cult served a political purpose, with Gaddafi helping to provide a central identity for the Libyan state. Several biographers and observers characterized Gaddafi as a populist. He enjoyed attending lengthy, often televised, public sessions where he was questioned.

== Host systems == Genes are subjected to heterologous expression often to study specific protein interactions. E. coli, yeast (S. cerevisiae, P. pastoris), immortalized mammalian cells, and amphibian oocytes (i.e. unfertilized eggs) are commonly for studies that require heterologous expression. In choosing a particular system, economic and qualitative aspects have to be considered. Prokaryotic expression is widely used in recombinant DNA technology to form easily manipulated proteins by well-known genetic methods with a low costing medium. Some limitations include intracellular accumulation of heterologous proteins, improper folding of the peptide, lack of post-transcriptional modifications, the potential for product degradation due to traces of protease impurities, and production of endotoxin. Prokaryotic and eukaryotic systems, most commonly bacteria, yeast, insects, and mammalian cells, and occasionally amphibians, fungi, and protists are used for studies that require heterologous expression. Bacteria, especially E. coli, yeast (S. cerevisiae, P. pastoris), insects, and amphibian (oocyte) cells have been used as effective hosts for expressing foreign proteins. Generally, prokaryotes are easier to work with and better understood and are often the preferable host system. It is widely used in recombinant DNA technology to form easily manipulated proteins by well-known genetic methods with a low costing medium. For membrane proteins though, researchers have observed that mammalian cells are more effective.

β-Carbolines and harmala alkaloids like harmine and harmaline contain DMT's close analogue NMT embedded in their structures. Triptans like sumatriptan, rizatriptan, eletriptan, almotriptan, frovatriptan, and zolmitriptan, which are antimigraine agents, all contain DMT in their structures. Similarly, the pertine antipsychotics including alpertine, milipertine, oxypertine, and solypertine are DMT derivatives. Bioisosteres of DMT in which the indole ring system has been replaced with a different ring system include isoDMT (an isoindole or isotryptamine), 2ZEDMA (an indolizine), and C-DMT (an indene), among others. The homologues of DMT in which the alkyl side chain has been shortened or lengthened by one carbon atom are gramine and dimethylhomotryptamine (DMHT), respectively. Further-extended homologues are also known. Deuterated isotopologues of DMT include deudimethyltryptamine (DMT-d10) or CYB004 (HLP004), SPL028 (D2-DMT; α,α-dideutero-DMT), and DMT-d4 (α,α,β,β-tetradeutero-DMT). Prodrugs of DMT such as 1-benzoyl-DMT and N-phosphonooxymethyl-DMT (N-POM-DMT) have also been described. Many of DMT's analogues and derivatives are serotonin receptor modulators and/or serotonergic psychedelics similarly to DMT itself.

Narrated by Eva Pope, produced by David Frank, directed by Paul Sapin; made by RDF Media and the Discovery Channel 15 September The Secret Life of the Dog, with David Paxton of the University of Papua New Guinea; Jonica Newby wrote The Pact for Survival; 75% of all dogs came from one female dog 100,000 years ago, from mitochondrial genetic evidence; British zoologist John Bradshaw; anthropologist Colin Groves of Australian National University; the domestication of dogs has been modelled by Russian zoologist Lyudmila Trut and experiments from 1952 on the domesticated silver fox, whereby only individual silver foxes that didn't bite humans could breed, at the Institute of Cytology and Genetics in Novosibirsk - by 1972, silver foxes from the silver fox Laska had become so suddenly similar to dogs, in their temperament, and would respond to their name being called; Russian zoologist Larissa Kolesnikova.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Notes from published material

=== Sepsis === People in sepsis may have micronutrient deficiencies, including low levels of vitamin C. An intravenous intake of doses much higher than the RDA, such as 3 g/d or more, appears to be needed to maintain normal plasma concentrations in people with sepsis, as the body's demand for vitamin C may increase significantly due to the heightened inflammatory response and oxidative stress. Sepsis mortality may be reduced with administration of intravenous vitamin C.

The petition seeks to have the risk of serious sexual side effects persisting after discontinuation mentioned in the product labels of SSRIs and SNRIs. The lawsuit was dismissed by the United States District Court for the District of Columbia on March 25, 2025, due to the plaintiff lacking legal standing, as the court found no specific informational or physical injury. The FDA has not mandated comprehensive PSSD warnings across all SSRI and SNRI labels, though fluoxetine (Prozac) has included a warning about persistent sexual side effects since 2011. Most other SSRI and SNRI labels address sexual dysfunction during use but not explicitly after discontinuation.

== January 22, 1982 (Friday) == In the U.S. state of Washington, the board of directors of the state's Public Power Supply System voted to halt further construction of two nuclear power plants, bringing the number of construction permit revocations to 30 in the U.S. since the beginning of 1979. The first convictions in the U.S., on criminal charges of slavery resulting in death, were issued by a federal jury in North Carolina for Dennis Warren, a migrant labor crew leader, and along with his brother Richard Warren, and his assistant John Lester Harris. Died: Eduardo Frei, 71, President of Chile from 1964 to 1970 and a critic of the regime of President Augusto Pinochet, died after having surgery at a hospital in Santiago for a hiatal hernia, reported initially as death from sepsis. More than 35 years later, allegations would be made that Frei had been poisoned by members of Pinochet's secret police organization, the CNI and although six defendants would be found guilty of homicide in 2019, the convictions would be overturned on appeal and a Chilean court would conclude that Frei was not a victim of homicide. Hans Fidesser, 90, Austrian opera tenor Ragini Devi (stage name for Esther Sherman), 88, American performer of Indian classical dance Edward Farber, 67, American photographer and inventor of the portable strobe light.

Singapore has a highly developed market economy, based historically on extended entrepôt trade. Along with Hong Kong, South Korea, and Taiwan, Singapore is one of the Four Asian Tigers, and has surpassed its peers in terms of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita. Between 1965 and 1995, growth rates averaged around 6 per cent per annum, transforming the living standards of the population. The Singaporean economy is regarded as free, innovative, dynamic and business-friendly. For several years, Singapore has been one of the few countries with a AAA credit rating from the big three, and the only Asian country to achieve this rating. Singapore attracts a large amount of foreign investment as a result of its location, skilled workforce, low tax rates, advanced infrastructure and zero-tolerance against corruption. It was the world's 4th most competitive economy in 2023, according to the International Institute for Management Development's World Competitiveness Ranking of 64 countries, with the highest GDP (PPP) per capita. Roughly 44 per cent of the Singaporean workforce is made up of non-Singaporeans. Despite market freedom, Singapore's government operations have a significant stake in the economy, contributing 22% of the GDP. The city is a popular location for conferences and events.

Baeckeoffe, a potato stew from Alsace Beef bourguignon, a French dish of beef stewed in red burgundy wine Bigos, a traditional stew in Polish cuisine Birria, a traditional stew from Mexico Bo kho (Vietnamese: bò kho), a beef stew in rich seasonings, served with bread, noodle or plain rice from Vietnam Bollito misto, consisting of beef, veal, and pork simmered in an aromatic vegetable broth from Italy Booyah, an American meat stew Bosnian pot, a stew with beef or lamb which is a national dish in Bosnia and Herzegovina Bouillabaisse, a fish stew from Provence Brongkos, a spicy Javanese meat with beans stew from Indonesia, made of Pangium edule, coconut milk, and various spices Brunswick stew, from Virginia and the Carolinas Burgoo, a Kentuckian stew Brudet, fish stew from Dalmatia regions, known in Greece as bourdeto Caldeirada, a fish stew from Portugal Carbonade flamande (stoofvlees), a traditional Belgian beef and onion stew made with Belgian beer Cawl, a Welsh stew Chakapuli, a Georgian stew made with lamb chops, coriander and tarragon leaves, and white wine Chanakhi, a Georgian lamb stew with tomatoes, aubergines, potatoes, greens, and garlic Charquicán, a Chilean dish Chicken mull, whole chicken and seasonings Chicken paprikash, chicken stew with paprika Chili con carne, a meat and chili pepper stew originating in Texas Chilorio, a pork stew from Sinaloa, Mexico Cincinnati chili, developed by Macedonian immigrants from Greece immigrants in the Cincinnati area Cholent, a slow-cooked Jewish dish Chorba (also spelt "shorba"), a stew like soup dish found in various North African, Middle Eastern, Central Asian, South Asian, and European cuisines Cochinita pibil, an orange color pork stew from Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico Cocido, a traditional Spanish and Portuguese strew with many variants (madrileño, montañés, à portuguesa, etc.) Cotriade, a fish stew from Brittany Cream stew, a yōshoku Japanese white stew Crow stew, a sour cream-based stew made with crow meat, popular in the United States during the Great Depression Daal, the Indian legume stew that has many varieties, a staple food throughout Asia Dalma, a traditional dish of Odisha, India; contains pulses with vegetables Daube, a French stew made with cubed beef braised in wine, vegetables, garlic, and herbs Dinuguan, pork blood stew from the Philippines Eintopf, ('one pot') the German word for a stew: many different regional specialty recipes for Eintopf are known in Germany. For example, the Kassel area has a type called Lumben un Fleeh in the local dialect (Standard German: Lumpen und Flöhe – 'rags and fleas'), which is quite similar to Irish stew. There are thicker German stews such as Hasenpfeffer or Labskaus; these would not usually be considered an Eintopf, though the technical difference is minor (longer cooking times and fewer vegetables) Estofadong baboy, pork stew from the Philippines Ewedu, vegetable stew from Nigeria Fabada asturiana, an Asturian bean and meat stew Feijoada, Brazilian or Portuguese bean stew Fårikål, traditional Norwegian stew with lamb or mutton and white cabbage Főzelék, a thick Hungarian vegetable dish Gaisburger Marsch, a German dish of stewed beef served with Spätzle and potatoes Gheimeh, an Iranian stew with cubed lamb and yellow split peas Ghormeh sabzi, an Iranian stew with green herbs, dried limes, beans, and sheep meat Goulash, a Hungarian meat stew with paprika Gumbo, a Louisiana creole dish Hachee, a Dutch type of stew with wine or vinegar Haleem, an Indian-Pakistani lentil and beef stew Hasenpfeffer, a sour, marinated rabbit stew from Germany Hayashi rice, a Japanese dish of beef, onions and mushrooms in red wine and demi-glace sauce, served with rice Irish stew, made with lamb or mutton, potato, onion, and parsley Ishtu, a curry in Kerala, India made from chicken or mutton, potato, and coconut milk Istrian stew or yota, or jota, a dish popular in Croatian and Slovenian Istra and NE Italy I-tal stew, a Rastafarian vegan dish of mostly Caribbean root vegetables and spices Jjigae, a diverse range of Korean stews Kaldereta, a goat meat stew from the Philippines Kalops, a traditional Swedish beef stew, with onions and carrots, served with potatoes and pickled beets Kare-kare, stewed beef or oxtail and vegetables in peanut sauce from the Philippines Karelian hot pot, from the region of Karelia in eastern Finland Kharcho is a traditional Georgian soup containing beef, rice, cherry plum purée, and chopped walnuts Khash, a traditional Armenian/Azerbaijani dish of pig's or cow's feet Khoresht, a variety of Persian stews, often prepared with saffron Kokkinisto, Greek stew with red meat, in a tomato passata with shallots, cinnamon, and other spices Kuurdak, a type of stew from Central Asia Kuzhambu, (also called Pulusu or Saaru, depending on region) a range of stews from southern India based on tamarind broth and vegetables, meat or fish Lobscouse, a Norwegian stew with beef, potato, onion, and carrot Lancashire hotpot, an English stew Lecsó, a summertime favourite in Hungary, vegetable stew with bell pepper and tomato as main ingredients Linseneintopf ("lentil stew") Lobby, a stew from Staffordshire, England Locro, a stew (mainly in the Andes region) Machanka, a Belarus and Ukraine pork stew Matelote, a French fish stew made with freshwater fish, fish stock, and wine Mechado, a Philippine beef stew Moppelkotze Moqueca, a Brazilian stew with fish (or shrimp, crab, or other seafood) as its main ingredient Mućkalica, a Serbian stew Nihari, an Indian meat stew, usually made with goat, chicken, lamb and less commonly beef. It is made overnight and served for breakfast. Nikujaga, a Japanese beef and potato stew Oil down, national dish of Grenada, made of breadfruit, salted meat, chicken, dumplings, callaloo, coconut milk, and spices Olla podrida, a Spanish red bean stew Pašticada, a Croatian stew from the region of Dalmatia Peperonata, an Italian stew made with peppers Pepposo, a Tuscan beef stew Pescado blanco, a white fish stew from Pátzcuaro, Michoacán, Mexico Pichelsteiner a traditional German stew Pörkölt, a Hungarian meat stew resembling goulash, flavoured with paprika Potjiekos, a South African stew Pot-au-feu, a simple French beef stew Pozole, a Mexican stew or soup Puchero, a stew from Andalusia, Spain, also common in South America and the Philippines Ratatouille, a French vegetable stew Rendang, an Indonesian spicy beef stew Ragoût, a French stew Sāmbār, a lentil-based spiced vegetable stew, cooked with pigeon pea and tamarind broth in South Indian cuisine Sancocho, a stew from the Caribbean Scouse, a stew commonly eaten by sailors throughout Northern Europe, popular in seaports such as Liverpool Semur, a typical Indonesian stew with beef or chicken, potatoes, carrots, various spices, and kecap manis (sweet soy sauce) Stufato, an Italian stew Steckrübeneintopf (based on rutabaga) Slumgullion, a watery stew of meat and vegetables Tagine, a Moroccan stew, named after the conical pot in which it is traditionally cooked or served Tocană, a Romanian stew prepared with tomato, garlic, and sweet paprika Tharid, a traditional Arab stew of bread in broth Wat, an Ethiopian and Eritrean stew Waterzooi, a Belgian stew Yahni, a Greek (γιαχνί), Turkish, and Persian stew

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Frequently asked questions

Is epitalon the same as epithalamin?

No. Epithalamin is a heterogeneous peptide fraction obtained from pineal gland extract and contains many components. Epitalon is a single synthetic tetrapeptide with the sequence Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly. Researchers synthesised the shorter peptide while attempting to identify active sequences within the extract.

Does epitalon occur naturally in the human body?

No endogenous peptide with this exact sequence has been described as a circulating hormone or signalling molecule. The tetrapeptide was designed as a synthetic analogue based on fragments observed in pineal preparations. Any activity discussed in the literature therefore refers to administered material rather than to a natural pool of the compound.

What regulatory category does epitalon fall into?

It is not an approved medicine in major jurisdictions and does not appear in the major pharmacopoeias. Material is usually distributed as a research chemical or laboratory reagent. Such labelling places handling responsibility on the purchaser and does not indicate that a regulatory body has reviewed the substance.

Which amino acids make up epitalon?

The peptide contains four residues in the order alanine, glutamate, aspartate and glycine, abbreviated AEDG. The chain is linear and held together by three peptide bonds. Its calculated mass for the uncharged free form is about 390.3 daltons.

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