Peplo · Reconstitution calculator
Selank
Russian-developed heptapeptide derived from tuftsin; studied for anxiolytic and nootropic effects.
cognitiveReconstitution calculator
The total peptide in the vial — the mg number on the label (e.g. 5 mg). This is your whole supply, not one dose.
The sterile water you add to dissolve the powder (this is called reconstituting). More water makes small doses easier to measure.
How much you take in one injection. 1 mg = 1000 mcg.
Draw to 24 units
0.24 mL on a U-100 insulin syringe
A starting reference, not medical advice — see how we source this.
- Half-life
- ~0.25 h
- Route
- Nasal
- Storage
- Refrigerated 2-8°C; use within ~30 days (~30 days)
- Citations
- 7 referenced
US regulatory status
Not approved by the FDA for human use; sold and used as a research compound.
What is Selank?
Selank is a Russian-developed heptapeptide derived from tuftsin, typically administered nasally. It has been studied for anxiolytic and nootropic effects and is proposed to modulate GABAergic tone and enkephalin metabolism.
How Selank works
Modulates GABAergic tone and enkephalin metabolism; produces anxiolytic effects without sedation or dependency.
What the research says
The cited literature examines Selank's influence on brain-derived neurotrophic factor and tyrosine hydroxylase expression in rat hippocampus, its effects on genes involved in GABAergic neurotransmission, and its interaction with diazepam under chronic stress in animal models. Clinical citations explore its use in generalized anxiety disorders and neurasthenia and compare its tolerability with phenazepam. Much of the mechanistic evidence comes from rodent studies, with a smaller set of human reports.
- 2001The inhibitory effect of Selank on enkephalin-degrading enzymes as a possible mechanism of its anxiolytic activity
- 2008Selank enhances the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and the tyrosine hydroxylase gene in the rat hippocampus
- 2008Efficacy and possible mechanisms of action of a new peptide anxiolytic selank in the therapy of generalized anxiety disorders and neurasthenia
- 2014A comparison of the anxiolytic effect and tolerability of selank and phenazepam in the treatment of anxiety disorders
- 2016Selank Administration Affects the Expression of Some Genes Involved in GABAergic Neurotransmission
- 2017Peptide Selank Enhances the Effect of Diazepam in Reducing Anxiety in Unpredictable Chronic Mild Stress Conditions in Rats
- 2019Selank, Peptide Analogue of Tuftsin, Protects Against Ethanol-Induced Memory Impairment by Regulating of BDNF Content in the Hippocampus and Prefrontal Cortex in Rats
Evidence limitations
The literature describes areas of investigation rather than confirming defined results.
Safety & use boundary
Selank is a research compound whose evidence base is largely preclinical, without extensive controlled human safety data. This information is for general education and is not medical advice.
Published protocols
Dosing figures reported in the cited research. Educational reference, not a recommendation.
- 2016 study
cognitive
250–500 mcg, twice daily
- 2016 study
sleep
250–500 mcg, once nightly
How to reconstitute Selank
New to this? Here's the whole process, start to finish. Educational only — not medical advice.
What you'll need
- The Selank vial — a small glass vial of white, freeze-dried powder
- Bacteriostatic water — the liquid you mix in (not plain sterile or tap water)
- U-100 insulin syringes — the small syringes marked in units
- Alcohol swabs to wipe the vial tops before you touch them with a needle
- A spot in the fridge to keep it once it's mixed
Step by step
Wipe everything down
Swab the rubber top of both the peptide vial and the bacteriostatic water with an alcohol wipe. Clean tops are what keep the mixed solution good for weeks instead of days.
Draw the water
Use the calculator above to see how much bacteriostatic water to add for your vial size. Pull exactly that amount out of the water vial with a syringe.
Add it slowly
Push the needle into the peptide vial and let the water run gently down the inside glass wall — don't blast it straight onto the powder.
Let it dissolve
Swirl the vial gently or just let it sit. The powder goes into solution on its own in a minute or two. Never shake it hard.
Read your draw
Enter your vial size, the water you added, and your dose in the calculator. It shows the exact units to pull into your syringe — you never do the math yourself.
Store it cold
Cap it and keep it in the fridge. Selank stays good for about 30 days once it's mixed.
Reading your dose
The calculator gives you a number like “Draw to 20 units.” Units are just the numbered marks on a U-100 insulin syringe (100 units fill 1 mL). “20 units” means pull the plunger back to the 20 mark. You don't convert milligrams to micrograms in your head — that's the whole point of the calculator. If you're brand new to injecting, learn proper technique and site rotation from a qualified clinician or nurse before your first dose; this page covers the mixing and measuring, not the injection itself.
Storing it
Before mixing: Refrigerated Once reconstituted: Refrigerated 2-8°C; use within ~30 days (about 30 days). Don't freeze a reconstituted vial.
What “cycling” means
Many peptides are used in “cycles” — a stretch of daily or weekly use (“on”), then a break (“off”), rather than continuously. Cycling gives the body a rest and is a common pattern in the research. Any specific on/off lengths for a compound live in its published protocols above, drawn from the cited studies — this site shows you what the research used, it doesn't recommend a schedule for you.
Which form do you have?
Selank is sold in more than one form — each is used differently.
- Injectable vial
- Ships as a freeze-dried powder you reconstitute with bacteriostatic water and draw on a U-100 insulin syringe — the reconstitution steps above walk through it.
- Nasal spray
- The powder is reconstituted and loaded into a nasal spray bottle rather than drawn into a syringe; each pump delivers a metered amount. Prime a new bottle with a few sprays before the first dose.
Common first-timer mistakes
Shaking the vial to mix it
Swirl it gently or just let it sit. Shaking can damage delicate peptides — you want the powder to dissolve, not foam.
Using tap water or plain sterile water
Use bacteriostatic water. Plain sterile water has no preservative, so a mixed vial spoils in a day or two instead of lasting weeks.
Leaving a mixed vial on the counter
Keep reconstituted vials in the fridge. Heat and light break the peptide down faster.
Eyeballing the dose instead of measuring
Use the calculator and draw to the exact unit mark on the syringe. Guessing a tiny volume is where most measuring errors happen.
Reusing needles
Use a fresh syringe each time. A used needle is duller, hurts more, and is no longer sterile.
Mixing up mg and mcg
1 mg = 1000 mcg. The calculator keeps them straight so you don't have to — just enter your dose in the unit it asks for.
Words you'll see
- Reconstitution
- Mixing a freeze-dried peptide powder with liquid (bacteriostatic water) so it can be drawn into a syringe.
- Bacteriostatic water
- Sterile water with a tiny amount of benzyl alcohol that stops bacteria growing, so a mixed vial keeps for weeks. Not the same as plain sterile water.
- U-100 insulin syringe
- A small syringe marked in “units,” where 100 units = 1 mL. Peptide draws are measured in these units.
- Subcutaneous (SubQ)
- An injection into the fatty layer just under the skin, rather than into muscle or a vein.
- mcg vs mg
- 1 mg = 1000 mcg. Doses are often written in micrograms (mcg); the calculator handles the conversion for you.
- Lyophilized
- Freeze-dried. The powder in the vial is the peptide with its water removed so it stays stable on the shelf.
- Half-life
- Roughly how long it takes your body to clear half of a dose — a rough sense of how long it stays active.
Common questions
What is Selank?
Russian-developed heptapeptide derived from tuftsin; studied for anxiolytic and nootropic effects. Modulates GABAergic tone and enkephalin metabolism; produces anxiolytic effects without sedation or dependency.
How is Selank reconstituted?
Selank ships as a lyophilised powder and is reconstituted with bacteriostatic water before use, then drawn on an insulin syringe. Use the calculator above to see the exact units to draw for your vial size and dose. This is a reference tool, not medical advice.
What is the half-life of Selank?
Research reports an approximate half-life of 15 minutes for Selank. Half-life informs how frequently a compound is studied; it is not a dosing instruction.
How should Selank be stored?
Refrigerated Once reconstituted: Refrigerated 2-8°C; use within ~30 days (about 30 days). This is general storage information, not medical advice.
Keep your protocol, doses, and vials in one place.
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