Published studies have examined Selank and Semax across biochemical, cellular, animal, and human research. The studies use different experimental designs and investigate the peptides under different conditions. This article examines what those studies actually tested and what their findings show about the Semax and Selank combination.
What Research Has Actually Examined Both Selank and Semax?
2001 Enzyme Study: Semax and Selank were tested against enkephalin-degrading enzymes from human serum.
2017 Animal Study: The study evaluated both peptides in rats with 6-hydroxydopamine-induced PD-like parkinsonism.
2017 Cell Study: Semax and Selank were included with other peptide compounds in experiments using mouse embryonic stem cells and their derivatives.
2020 Human Imaging Study: In 52 healthy participants, the study compared Semax, Selank, and placebo using resting-state fMRI.
Together, these studies provide examples of research in which Semax and Selank were examined within related experimental settings.
Functional Connectivity Research on Selank and Semax
The 2020 study included 52 healthy participants and used resting-state fMRI to examine functional connectivity associated with Semax and Selank. The study used the amygdala and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex as predefined regions of interest. Participants underwent imaging before and 5 and 20 minutes after receiving either Semax, Selank, or placebo.
The study found between-group and between-condition differences in functional connectivity between the right amygdala and a region involving the right fusiform, inferior and middle temporal, and parahippocampal gyri. Post hoc analysis identified both general and specific effects of Semax and Selank on functional connectivity between the right amygdala and right temporal cortex.
Biochemical Research Involving Both Peptides
The 2001 study tested the synthetic heptapeptides Semax and Selank against enkephalin-degrading enzymes from human serum. Both peptides produced dose dependent inhibition, with an IC50 of 10 μM for Semax and 20 μM for Selank.
The researchers also tested peptide fragments. The pentapeptide fragments showed inhibitory activity, while the tri-, tetra-, and hexapeptide fragments did not show the same effect.
Evidence From an Animal Model
The 2017 study investigated Semax and Selank in rats with 6-hydroxydopamine-induced PD like parkinsonism. The researchers assessed motor activity in an elevated cross-shaped maze and passive defensive behavior.
Neither peptide affected motor activity or passive defensive behavior in the reported tests. Selank decreased the level of anxiety in the elevated cross-shaped maze in rats with toxic damage to dopaminergic neurons.
Evidence From Cell-Based Research
The 2017 study examined Semax, Selank, and other peptide compounds using mouse embryonic stem cells and their derivatives. The researchers evaluated cell proliferation and survival and examined the formation of neuronal precursors and differentiation into mature neurons.
Semax at 10 and 0.1 μM significantly increased the survival rate of mouse embryonic stem cells under serum deprivation. The tested peptides had little effect on the formation of neuronal precursors.
Selank produced an insignificant effect on the differentiation of the cells into mature neurons. At 100 μM, Selank decreased the ratio of GABA+ neurons by 61% compared with the control.
Direct Combination Evidence vs. Comparative Evidence
The studies use different designs, so they provide different types of evidence.
Comparative evidence: The 2020 fMRI study tested Semax, Selank, and placebo in separate participant groups. It therefore provides a direct comparison between the two peptides rather than evidence from their combined administration.
Shared-system evidence: The 2001 enzyme study tested Semax and Selank against the same enkephalin-degrading enzymes from human serum. The study reported the inhibitory effects of each peptide separately.
Same-model evidence: The 2017 animal and cell studies included both peptides within the same research models, but the reported findings concern the individual peptide conditions rather than a combined Semax and Selank condition.
These designs provide evidence about Semax and Selank within related experimental settings, but they do not provide the same evidence as a study that directly tests the two peptides together.
What the Existing Studies Can and Cannot Establish
The published studies provide findings for specific experimental models and endpoints. The 2020 study reports functional-connectivity changes in healthy participants, the 2001 study reports inhibition of enkephalin-degrading enzymes and the 2017 studies report behavioral and cell-based findings.
These findings remain limited to the models, conditions and endpoints used in each study. They do not establish an optimal combination, combination-specific safety, or a validated combination protocol.
Research Gaps in the Selank and Semax Combination
The published studies do not provide an experimental design that directly compares Semax alone, Selank alone, and the two peptides administered together.
The existing studies also examine different endpoints, including enzyme inhibition, functional connectivity, animal behavior, cell survival and neuronal differentiation. A study focused specifically on the combination would need to evaluate the individual and combined conditions within the same experimental framework.
Current Research Perspective
The published findings remain tied to the experimental conditions used in each study. Results from the biochemical, cellular, animal, and human studies should therefore remain specific to the models and endpoints reported in those papers.
The existing literature provides comparative and shared-system findings for Semax and Selank, but it does not provide a result from a dedicated combination experiment.
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References
- Kost NV, Sokolov OIu, Gabaeva MV, Grivennikov IA, Andreeva LA, Miasoedov NF, Zozulia AA. Ingibiruiushchee deĭstvie semaksa i selanka na énkefalindegradiruiushchie fermenty syvorotki krovi cheloveka [Semax and selank inhibit the enkephalin-degrading enzymes from human serum]]. Bioorg Khim. 2001 May-Jun;27(3):180-3. Russian. PubMed ↗
- Slominsky PA, Shadrina MI, Kolomin TA, Stavrovskaya AV, Filatova EV, Andreeva LA, Illarioshkin SN, Myasoedov NF. Peptides semax and selank affect the behavior of rats with 6-OHDA induced PD-like parkinsonism. Dokl Biol Sci. 2017 May;474(1):106-109. PubMed ↗
- Kobylyanskii AG, Zolotarev YA, Andreeva LA, Grivennikov IA, Myasoedov NF. Studying the Toxic Effects of Some Biologically Active Peptides on the Model of Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells. Bull Exp Biol Med. 2017 Oct;163(6):731-736. PubMed ↗
- Panikratova YR, Lebedeva IS, Sokolov OY, Rumshiskaya AD, Kupriyanov DA, Kost NV, Myasoedov NF. Functional Connectomic Approach to Studying Selank and Semax Effects. Dokl Biol Sci. 2020 Jan;490(1):9-11. PubMed ↗
- Liapina LA, Pastorova VE, Obergan TIu, Samonina GE, Ashmarin IP, Miasoedov NF. [Comparison of anticoagulant effects of regulatory proline-containing oligopeptides. Specificity of glyprolines, semax, and selank and potential of their practical application]. Izv Akad Nauk Ser Biol. 2006 Mar-Apr;(2):193-203. Russian. PubMed ↗
