Semax / Selank vs Semax
Written by Aaron CuhaReviewed Sep 2026
The short answer
The combined spray against one of its parts. No study has tested the two together. The single products have small Russian trials where everyone knew what they got. And a combined bottle at 2.5 mg per mL of each flips the ratio the two are registered at in Russia.
- Semax / Selank people
- 172
- Semax / Selank nulls
- 0
- Semax people
- 354
- Semax nulls
- 0
Dose
No human dose established
Amounts that were given in studies sit in Human evidence on this page. None of them is a personal dose.
2 completed trials, 172 people given it
Dose
No human dose established
Amounts that circulate in forums and on vendor pages are not a human dose. Amounts that were given in studies sit in Human evidence on this page.
Commonly reported injected amounts, in mcg. The Russian approved product is an intranasal solution, so it gives no injectable amount.
Amounts commonly reported for injected Semax, recorded for this archive's reconstitution calculator, are 200, 300 and 600 mcg. They are self-reports rather than trial doses, and this archive does not recommend any of them. No US approval sets a dose for injected Semax, and Semax is approved in Russia and Ukraine, where its label carries one. These reported amounts are not that label's dose.
| Reported amount | Where the number comes from |
|---|---|
| 200 mcg | Commonly reported, no published human dosing trial |
| 300 mcg | Commonly reported, no published human dosing trial |
| 600 mcg | Commonly reported, no published human dosing trial |
First-hand reports are counted on each profile and never added together. This page sets two published records side by side. It does not pick a winner.
Column A
Semax / SelankSemax and Selank blend (Russian nootropic peptide pair)
Two Russian peptides sold as a pair, either as two nose sprays or one combined bottle. The pitch is that one sharpens and the other calms. No study has tested them together. Each has Russian data in people: 110 stroke patients for Semax, and 62 anxiety patients for Selank. Neither study compared the drug against a dummy. A combined spray at 2.5 mg per mL of each flips the split the two are registered at in Russia.
Column B
SemaxSemax (synthetic ACTH 4-10 analogue)
A lab-made peptide nose spray approved in Russia for stroke and memory problems. It is studied for raising BDNF, a protein that helps brain cells grow.
Side by side, on the facts we can check
| What we compare | Semax / Selank | Semax |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Nootropic & CNS | Nootropic & CNS |
| FDA status | Not approved as a blend or on their own. Both are registered medicines in Russia. Neither has FDA or European Medicines Agency approval, and no combination product is registered anywhere. | Not FDA-approved (approved in Russia and Ukraine). In July 2026 the FDA's Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee voted in favor of letting pharmacies make it. The FDA has not written the rule yet |
| Half-life | Not one number, and neither component has published nasal pharmacokinetics in the West. Both are described as clearing within minutes. | Short (minutes); intranasal use |
| Molecular weight | Mixture; Semax 813.9 Da, Selank 751.9 Da | 813.9 Da |
| How it works | Semax is a copy of ACTH 4-10 with extra pieces added to make it last. It raises BDNF and NGF, two growth factors for brain cells, and shifts dopamine and related brain signals. In rats, a single dose raised BDNF protein in the memory center of the brain and switched on its receptor, trkB. Selank, a tuftsin copy, shifts GABA, the brain's main calming signal, and mood chemicals like serotonin and dopamine. It also affects the breakdown of enkephalins, the body's own calming peptides, and the making of BDNF. It eases anxiety without the drowsiness of Valium-type drugs. The idea behind the pair is that both touch brain growth pathways, while pushing alertness in opposite directions. No study has measured what either does to the other. | It raises BDNF and NGF, two proteins that help brain cells grow and connect. It also works on the brain's melanocortin and dopamine systems. The idea is that this protects brain cells and helps them adapt. |
| Studies in people | 2 | 4 |
| Evidence | Moderate: 2 completed trials, 172 people given it | Moderate: 4 completed trials, 354 people given it |
| Legal status, US | Not approved; research use only | Not approved; research use only |
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Semax / Selank and Semax?
Semax / Selank: Two Russian peptides sold as a pair, either as two nose sprays or one combined bottle. The pitch is that one sharpens and the other calms. No study has tested them together. Each has Russian data in people: 110 stroke patients for Semax, and 62 anxiety patients for Selank. Neither study compared the drug against a dummy. A combined spray at 2.5 mg per mL of each flips the split the two are registered at in Russia. Semax: A lab-made peptide nose spray approved in Russia for stroke and memory problems. It is studied for raising BDNF, a protein that helps brain cells grow.
Which has stronger research evidence, Semax / Selank or Semax?
Each compound gets a band worked out from facts we counted, with the math shown. Semax / Selank is Moderate (2 completed trials, 172 people given it). Semax is Moderate (4 completed trials, 354 people given it). That counts how much has been done in people. It does not rate whether either one works, and neither one is called the winner.
Are Semax / Selank and Semax FDA-approved?
Semax / Selank: Not approved as a blend or on their own. Both are registered medicines in Russia. Neither has FDA or European Medicines Agency approval, and no combination product is registered anywhere.. Semax: Not FDA-approved (approved in Russia and Ukraine). In July 2026 the FDA's Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee voted in favor of letting pharmacies make it. The FDA has not written the rule yet.
Related posts
Blog articles that cover Semax / Selank or Semax, newest first.
- Research / Sep 27, 2026 / 9 minPeptides for Sleep: DSIP, Epitalon and Pinealon Against the Evidence
- Safety / Sep 27, 2026 / 9 minPeptide Side Effects by Class: What Is Documented, What Is Anecdotal
- Regulation / Sep 27, 2026 / 9 minFDA Peptide Status in 2026: The Category 2 Removals, the July Votes, and What Actually Changed
Reviewed Sep 2026. This page puts two published records side by side. It is for learning, and it is not medical advice. When this site shows a dose, it is the dose a trial or a clinic actually used, or what people say they did, with the source attached. None of it tells you what to take.