AEDG is one of those subjects where the details matter more than the headlines. This page pulls together the background, the mechanisms, and the practical points readers ask about most.
Updated 2026-02-14. Numbers and descriptions here follow the published literature rather than marketing material.
Chemically, the molecule consists of four amino acid residues joined by three peptide bonds, with a free N-terminal amino group and a free C-terminal carboxyl group. Its molecular formula is C14H22N4O9, and its monoisotopic mass is approximately 390 daltons. The acidic glutamate and aspartate side chains give the peptide a net negative charge near neutral pH, a property that shapes its chromatographic behaviour and solubility profile. No disulfide bridges or other post-translational modifications are present, so the primary sequence alone defines the structure.
Most experimental work has been carried out in cell culture and animal models. Several reports describe changes in telomerase activity and proliferation in cultured cells, while rodent studies have examined lifespan, melatonin rhythm and reproductive endpoints. Human data remain limited, and much of the published clinical material consists of small trials with incomplete reporting of methods and controls. Whether the cell and animal findings translate into measurable effects in people is an open question, and the mechanistic basis of the reported telomerase changes is not fully established.
Discussions in the literature often conflate three distinct entities: the pineal extract epithalamin, the isolated tetrapeptide AEDG, and commercial preparations sold under similar names. Reviews citing older Russian-language studies sometimes omit detail on purity, route of administration and control groups, which makes cross-study comparison difficult. Researchers working with the compound generally note the need for independent replication, standardized enzyme assays, and clearer reporting of peptide identity. These caveats are relevant when weighing claims that appear in secondary sources rather than in primary reports.
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.
| Property | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Chemical class | Linear tetrapeptide | Four residues joined by three peptide bonds |
| Sequence | Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly | Commonly abbreviated AEDG |
| Molecular formula | C14H22N4O9 | Free acid form |
| Monoisotopic mass | Approximately 390 Da | Matches values reported from mass spectrometry |
| Net charge near neutral pH | Negative | Contributed by glutamate and aspartate side chains |
Epitalon is a synthetic linear tetrapeptide with the sequence alanine–glutamate–aspartate–glycine, abbreviated AEDG. Its molecular formula is C14H22N4O9 and the calculated mass is approximately 390.35 g/mol. The compound is made by solid-phase peptide synthesis rather than extracted from tissue, although early work described it as a short fragment of a peptide fraction obtained from bovine pineal extract. In the research literature the spelling epitalon and the variant epithalone both appear, while AEDG is the standard code used in peptide nomenclature.
Several names circulate for the same molecule, including epitalon, epithalone, epithalamin tetrapeptide, and the sequence code AEDG. A CAS registry number, 307297-39-8, is commonly cited for it, though catalogue entries should be checked against supplier documentation because mislabelled records occur. In its usual form the peptide carries free amino and carboxyl termini and is neither glycosylated nor lipidated. Researchers distinguish the defined tetrapeptide from epithalamin itself, a crude pineal preparation containing many peptides that is not chemically characterised.
Material supplied for laboratory use is normally a lyophilised white to off-white powder that dissolves readily in water and in isotonic saline. Lyophilised cakes are hygroscopic and should be equilibrated to room temperature before opening to limit condensation on the solid. Solutions are typically prepared at milligram-per-millilitre concentrations and divided into single-use aliquots, because repeated freeze–thaw cycles degrade short peptides. Aqueous solutions are far less stable than the dry powder, and identity is usually verified by mass spectrometry alongside purity estimation from reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography.
Laboratory handling begins with dissolution of the lyophilized powder in water or a suitable aqueous buffer. The dry solid is the more stable form, so stock solutions are generally prepared only when required and kept cold afterwards. Repeated freezing and thawing of a solution is avoided because it encourages aggregation and gradual loss of the intact chain. Diluents and containers are selected to limit adsorption of a short peptide onto plastic surfaces and to reduce microbial growth in aqueous preparations.
Stability depends strongly on pH, temperature and the presence of oxygen and trace metals. Cleavage of the backbone proceeds faster under neutral to alkaline conditions, whereas acidic solutions tend to slow that reaction. The aspartate and glutamate side chains can undergo deamidation or imide formation over time, generating closely related impurities. Published stability data specific to epitalon are sparse, so the usable life of a given solution is best regarded as an open question that depends on buffer composition, concentration and storage temperature.
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.
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.
Identity confirmation uses mass spectrometry, usually electrospray ionisation in positive mode or matrix-assisted laser desorption. The protonated free peptide produces a signal near three hundred and ninety-one daltons, while salt adducts shift that value slightly. Tandem mass spectrometry or amino acid analysis supplies sequence-level confirmation, which a single mass measurement cannot. Peptides containing aspartate can cyclise into succinimide intermediates that hydrolyse to isoaspartate isomers of identical mass. Because those isomers are difficult to separate chromatographically, identity and purity results carry more weight when interpreted together.
Storage practice centres on limiting moisture, oxygen, and repeated temperature cycling. Freeze-dried powder is generally held desiccated at minus twenty degrees Celsius or colder and protected from light. Reconstituted solutions are markedly less stable, and the aspartate-glycine junction is prone to succinimide formation at neutral to mildly alkaline pH. Portioning material into single-use aliquots reduces degradation compared with repeated freeze-thaw cycles. Stability data specific to this tetrapeptide remain scarce, so most handling guidance is extrapolated from general peptide chemistry rather than measured directly.
===== Type 2B ===== This is a "gain of function" defect. The ability of the qualitatively defective VWF to bind to glycoprotein Ib (GPIb) receptor on the platelet membrane is abnormally enhanced, leading to its spontaneous binding to platelets and subsequent rapid clearance of the bound platelets and of the large VWF multimers. Thrombocytopenia may occur. Large VWF multimers are reduced or absent from the circulation. The ristocetin cofactor activity is low when the patient's platelet-poor plasma is assayed against formalin-fixed, normal donor platelets. However, when the assay is performed with the patient's own platelets (platelet-rich plasma), a lower-than-normal amount of ristocetin causes aggregation to occur. This is due to the large VWF multimers remaining bound to the patient's platelets. Patients with this subtype are unable to use desmopressin as a treatment for bleeding, because it can lead to unwanted platelet aggregation and aggravation of thrombocytopenia.
Actress Cherylee Houston has hypermobile EDS. She uses a wheelchair and was the first full-time disabled actress on Coronation Street. Drag queen Yvie Oddly, winner of the 11th season of RuPaul's Drag Race Eric the Actor, a regular caller to The Howard Stern Show Actress and activist Jameela Jamil Writer and actress Lena Dunham Australian singer Sia Singer Halsey YouTuber and disability rights activist Annie Elainey Miss America 2020 Camille Schrier Baroque flautist, musicologist, and broadcast classical music presenter Hannah French Deaf singer/songwriter Mandy Harvey YouTuber and disability rights activist Jessica Kellgren-Fozard Singer-songwriter, author and artist Martha Marlow Pornographic actor and writer Lorelei Lee Reality show contestant Trevor Jones, dead from the vascular form of the disorder Scrunchie creator Rommy Hunt Revson, dead from a ruptured aorta Japanese voice actress and singer Tomori Kusunoki Chaz Lucius, an American former professional ice hockey player
=== Bethlem myopathy === Bethlem myopathy is the mildest form of Collagen VI related myopathies. Related symptoms include ligamentous laxity, hypotonia in infancy, and difficulty breathing due to weakness in respiratory muscles. Bethlem myopathy affects approximately 1 in 200,000 people.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
== Side effects == The most common side effects include lymphadenopathy (swollen lymph nodes), itching, pain, oedema, and bleeding (for example in the form of bruises or ecchymoses). Allergic reactions are seen in less than 1% of patients. In Peyronie's disease, potential side effects include corporal rupture (penile fracture) or other serious penile injury.
=== Nerve anatomy === Each nerve is composed of a bundle of axons. Each axon is surrounded by the endoneurium connective tissue layer. These axons are bundled into fascicles surrounded by the perineurium connective tissue layer. Multiple fascicles are then surrounded by the epineurium, which is the outermost connective tissue layer of the nerve. The axons of myelinated nerves have a myelin sheath made up of Schwann cells that coat the axon.
Undulating periodization is an extension of block periodization to frequent changes in volume and intensity, usually daily or weekly. Because of the rapid changes, it is theorized that there will be more stress on the neuromuscular system and better training effects. Undulating periodization yields better strength improvements on 1RM than non-periodized training. For hypertrophy, it appears that daily undulating periodization has similar effect to more traditional models.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
This tunnel contains a set of tight binding pockets such that each side chain of the substrate peptide (P6 to P1') is bound in a complementary site (S6 to S1'). In particular, peptide side chain P6-Glu contacts a network of three hydrogen bonds; P5-Asn points into the solvent, making no specific interactions (hence the absence of substrate consensus at this position); P4-Leu is buried in a hydrophobic pocket; P3-Tyr is held in a hydrophobic pocket with a short hydrogen bond at the end; P2-Phe is also surrounded by hydrophobes including the face of the triad histidine; P1-Gln forms four hydrogen bonds; and P1'-Ser is only partly enclosed in a shallow hydrophobic groove.
Madison: University of Wisconsin Press. ISBN 978-0-299-07334-3. Montejo, Esteban (2016). Barnet, Miguel (ed.). Biography of a Runaway Slave: Fiftieth Anniversary Edition. Northwestern University Press. ISBN 978-0-8101-3342-6. Morgan, Kenneth (2007). Slavery and the British Empire: From Africa to America. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-156627-1. Postma, Johannes (2005). The Atlantic Slave Trade. University Press of Florida. ISBN 978-0-8130-2906-1. Reséndez, Andrés (2016). The Other Slavery: The Uncovered Story of Indian Enslavement in America. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. ISBN 978-0-547-64098-3. Rodriguez, Junius P. (2007). Encyclopedia of Slave Resistance and Rebellion. Vol. 2. Westport, Conn: Greenwood Press. ISBN 978-0-313-33273-9. Shell, Robert Carl-Heinz (1994). Children of Bondage: A Social History of the Slave Society at the Cape of Good Hope, 1652–1838. Hanover, NH: University Press of New England [for] Wesleyan University Press. ISBN 978-0-8195-5273-0. Westermann, William Linn (1955). The Slave Systems of Greek and Roman Antiquity. American Philosophical Society. ISBN 978-0-87169-040-1. {{cite book}}: ISBN / Date incompatibility (help) Williams, Eric (2021). Capitalism and Slavery, Third Edition. The University of North Carolina Press. ISBN 978-1469663678. Journal articles and reviews Bartlett, Will (May 1994). "Review: Property and Contract in Economics". Economic and Industrial Democracy. 15 (2): 296–298. doi:10.1177/0143831x94152010. S2CID 220850066. Burczak, Theodore (June 2001).
=== China === It is possible that black pepper was known in China in the second century BCE, if poetic reports regarding an explorer named Tang Meng (唐蒙) are correct. Sent by Emperor Wu to what is now south-west China, Tang Meng is said to have come across something called jujiang or "sauce-betel". He was told it came from the markets of Shu, an area in what is now the Sichuan province. The traditional view among historians is that "sauce-betel" is a sauce made from betel leaves, but arguments have been made that it actually refers to pepper, either long or black.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
It is a synthetic tetrapeptide with the sequence alanine-glutamate-aspartate-glycine, often abbreviated AEDG. The molecule is linear and contains no modified residues, so it is fully described by its sequence.
The compound came out of work on epithalamin, a peptide preparation derived from pineal tissue, conducted largely in Russian laboratories. Later studies in other countries examined it mainly in cell cultures and animal models.
The tetrapeptide sequence is a synthetic construct rather than a described circulating peptide. It was derived by analogy to peptide fractions obtained from tissue extracts, not isolated from blood or tissue as such.
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.