Semax Nasal Spray

Structure and design rationale

Semax is the ACTH(4–10) sequence Met-Glu-His-Phe with a Pro-Gly-Pro tail. Native ACTH fragments are cleaved rapidly by aminopeptidases and carboxypeptidases; the proline-rich C-terminus resists that cleavage, and removing the residues responsible for adrenal stimulation separates the neuroactive properties of the fragment from its endocrine ones. This is a recurring strategy in Russian peptide chemistry and is shared with Selank, which applies the same tail to tuftsin.

Neurotrophic signalling

Behavioural and monoaminergic work

• Attention and learning-acquisition tasks in rodents, examining acquisition rate and retention.
• Dopaminergic and serotonergic turnover measurements in frontal and striatal tissue.
• Ischaemia and hypoxia models assessing neuronal survival and infarct-volume endpoints.
• Studies of enkephalin-degrading enzyme activity, an area shared with Selank research.

Intranasal delivery as a research variable

How to read the evidence

Store the bottle refrigerated at 2–8 °C, upright and away from light, and let it warm to ambient temperature before priming so the metering pump delivers an even mist. Peptides in aqueous solution are less stable than lyophilized powder, so keep the in-use window short, note the first-open date on the label alongside the lot number, and do not dilute or decant into secondary containers. Avoid shaking vigorously — foaming introduces air-liquid interface stress that degrades short peptides. Do not freeze the filled bottle. Handle with gloves, keep the applicator tip clean and uncontaminated, and dispose of residual solution under your institution's chemical waste procedure.