Head to head
Semax against Bromantane
A peptide and a small molecule from the same research tradition, sold for overlapping purposes. The clinical literature for both is Russian language, small, and traces largely to single research groups.
Column A
SemaxSemax (synthetic ACTH 4-10 analogue)
A synthetic heptapeptide approved in Russia for stroke and cognitive disorders, studied for BDNF-driven neuroprotection.
Column B
BromantaneN-(2-adamantyl)-N-(para-bromophenyl)amine
The only compound in this batch with randomised placebo-controlled human trials, and every one of them measured fatigue and anxiety rating scales in neurasthenia, not cognition. The entire clinical literature is Russian language, small, and traces to one Moscow research group. It is on the 2026 WADA Prohibited List as a non-specified stimulant, prohibited in-competition.
Side by side, on the facts we can check
| Attribute | Semax | Bromantane |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Nootropic & CNS | Nootropic & CNS |
| FDA status | Not FDA-approved (approved in Russia and Ukraine). PCAC voted to recommend for compounding (July 2026); awaiting FDA rulemaking | Not approved by the FDA for any indication, and no FDA label exists. It is registered and marketed in Russia for asthenia under the name Ladasten. Sold in the United States and elsewhere as a research chemical or an unapproved nootropic supplement. |
| Half-life | Short (minutes); intranasal use | No published human pharmacokinetic study was located in this pass. Claims of a long duration of action circulate widely and none of them traces to a measured human plasma curve. |
| Molecular weight | 813.9 Da | 306.2 Da (C16H20BrN). An adamantane derivative, not a peptide. |
| Mechanism | Increases BDNF and NGF expression and modulates the melanocortin and dopaminergic systems, supporting neuroprotection and synaptic plasticity. | Demonstrated in rats, proposed in humans. It is an adamantane derivative, not a peptide, and it is classed in Russian pharmacology as an actoprotector rather than a stimulant. In rats, a single oral dose differentially regulated tyrosine hydroxylase messenger RNA and protein along with dopamine and L-DOPA content across the ventral tegmental area, nucleus accumbens, hypothalamus, striatum and hippocampus, and in rat hippocampal slices it converted short-term potentiation into a long-lasting form, an effect blocked by the protein synthesis inhibitor anisomycin and attenuated by the D1 and D5 antagonist SCH23390. The proposed human mechanism, that it raises dopamine synthesis capacity rather than forcing release the way amphetamines do, rests entirely on that rat work. Nobody has measured dopamine synthesis or receptor occupancy in a human given bromantane. |
| Human studies cited | 1 | 3 |
| Legal status, US | Not approved; research use only | Not approved; research use only |
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Semax and Bromantane?
Semax: A synthetic heptapeptide approved in Russia for stroke and cognitive disorders, studied for BDNF-driven neuroprotection. Bromantane: The only compound in this batch with randomised placebo-controlled human trials, and every one of them measured fatigue and anxiety rating scales in neurasthenia, not cognition. The entire clinical literature is Russian language, small, and traces to one Moscow research group. It is on the 2026 WADA Prohibited List as a non-specified stimulant, prohibited in-competition.
Which has stronger research evidence, Semax or Bromantane?
This database does not grade compounds. It counts what was run in people: 1 of the 4 studies cited on the Semax profile were human work, against 3 of 6 for Bromantane. Those counts are of our own citation lists and understate any larger literature, and neither is a recommendation.
Are Semax and Bromantane FDA-approved?
Semax: Not FDA-approved (approved in Russia and Ukraine). PCAC voted to recommend for compounding (July 2026); awaiting FDA rulemaking. Bromantane: Not approved by the FDA for any indication, and no FDA label exists. It is registered and marketed in Russia for asthenia under the name Ladasten. Sold in the United States and elsewhere as a research chemical or an unapproved nootropic supplement..
Related posts
Blog articles that cover Semax or Bromantane, newest first.
- Research / Sep 8, 2026 / 9 minPeptides for Sleep: DSIP, Epitalon and Pinealon Against the Evidence
- Safety / Sep 8, 2026 / 9 minPeptide Side Effects by Class: What Is Documented, What Is Anecdotal
- Regulation / Sep 8, 2026 / 9 minFDA Peptide Status in 2026: The Category 2 Removals, the July Votes, and What Actually Changed
Reviewed Sep 2026. This page sets two published records side by side. It is educational, it is not medical advice, and it contains no dosing protocols or recommendations for personal use.