At a glance
- Type
- Synthetic heptapeptide (tuftsin-related)
- Human evidence
- Very limited human data Only small or early human studies exist.
- FDA status
- Not FDA-approved; registered in Russia; no FDA scientific review found (as of April 22, 2026)
- How it is given
- Nasal drops (as studied)
Selank is a lab-made peptide sold in Russia as nose drops for anxiety. U.S. clinics and websites promote it for calm and focus. This page explains what its small studies show and why the evidence is weak. It is general information, not advice for your situation.
What it is and how it works
Selank is a chain of seven amino acids (Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg-Pro-Gly-Pro). It was developed at the Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Russian Academy of Sciences in Moscow. Its developers describe it as having long-lasting anti-anxiety and memory-related effects.1
How it might work is unclear. Lab work by the developers suggests it may affect GABA, the brain’s main calming signal.1 Another study suggested it may slow the breakdown of enkephalins, the body’s natural opioid-like peptides.2 Neither has been shown to explain any effect in patients.
What the research shows (and where evidence is weak)
Only a few small clinical studies were found, all from Russia:
- Selank vs. medazepam. In 62 people with generalized anxiety disorder or neurasthenia (a condition of fatigue and nervous strain), selank (30 people) was compared with the benzodiazepine sedative medazepam (32 people). The authors reported similar anti-anxiety effects.2
- Selank vs. phenazepam. In 60 people with anxiety-related disorders, the authors reported a “pronounced” anti-anxiety effect compared with phenazepam, another benzodiazepine. The summary gives no numbers.3
- Selank added to phenazepam. In 70 people, adding selank to phenazepam was reported to speed response and reduce sedative side effects.4
Why this evidence is weak:
- No placebo. None of these studies compared selank with a placebo. Without a placebo group, it is hard to know how much improvement came from the drug.
- Developer involvement. One of selank’s developers is a co-author on every trial found.234
- Limited access. The studies are in Russian, and only short summaries are available in English. How patients were assigned, whether the studies were blinded and what side effects occurred could not be checked.
- Different products. The studies used nose drops. U.S. clinics also sell selank alone or mixed with semax, as injections or sprays.5 The injectable form was not used in these studies.
FDA and regulatory status
Selank is registered in Russia as 0.15% nose drops for anxiety. A Russian drug reference lists it as an anti-anxiety medicine sold without a prescription there (registration dated July 15, 2025). Listed uses include anxiety, nervous exhaustion, sleep problems and stress-related disorders.6 Approval in Russia does not mean it has met U.S. standards of proof.
In the U.S., selank is not FDA-approved. It was once on FDA’s “Category 2” list of compounding ingredients with possible significant safety risks. By April 22, 2026, the nominations had been withdrawn; FDA still lists its safety concerns, including possible immune reactions, impurities and limited human safety data.7
Selank was not among the seven peptides FDA’s advisory committee reviewed in July 2026,8 and no FDA scientific review of selank was found. According to law-firm summaries, selank is also not among the six peptides named in HHS’s October 2026 draft compounding policy.9
Athletes should check selank’s status with their anti-doping organization or on WADA’s Prohibited List.10
See our guides to compounded vs. FDA-approved peptides and research chemical peptide risks.
Common side effects and safety
- Russian label. It lists allergic reactions in people sensitive to it and an unpleasant taste when drops reach the throat. It says not to use it in pregnancy, while breastfeeding, or under age 18.6
- No U.S. safety review. No Western safety review or data on how the body handles selank were found.
- Dependence unknown. Claims that it calms without sedation or addiction have not been tested in placebo-controlled or independent trials, and no study of dependence or withdrawal was found.
- Product concerns. FDA’s general concerns about these peptides apply: impurities, immune reactions and little human safety data.7
Typical cost range
There is no FDA-approved product and no official U.S. price. This research found no reliable price data. Ask any provider for a written price breakdown before you start.
Questions to ask a provider
- What evidence supports selank for my anxiety or sleep, given that no placebo-controlled trial exists?
- Have we considered FDA-approved treatments and therapy first?
- Which form are you offering, and has that form been studied in people?
- Where does the product come from, and how is its quality checked?
Our guide on how to vet a peptide clinic and the sleep goal page have more.
Footnotes
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Vyunova TV, Andreeva L, Shevchenko K, Myasoedov N. Peptide-based anxiolytics: the molecular aspects of heptapeptide selank biological activity. Protein Pept Lett. 2018;25(10):914-923. https://doi.org/10.2174/0929866525666180925144642 ↩ ↩2
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Zozulia AA, Neznamov GG, Siuniakov TS, et al. Efficacy and possible mechanisms of action of a new peptide anxiolytic selank in the therapy of generalized anxiety disorders and neurasthenia [in Russian]. Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova. 2008;108(4):38-48. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18454096/ ↩ ↩2 ↩3
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Medvedev VE, Tereshchenko ON, Israelian AIu, et al. A comparison of the anxiolytic effect and tolerability of selank and phenazepam in the treatment of anxiety disorders [in Russian]. Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova. 2014;114(7):17-22. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25176261/ ↩ ↩2
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Medvedev VE, Tereshchenko ON, Kost NV, et al. Optimization of the treatment of anxiety disorders with selank [in Russian]. Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova. 2015;115(6):33-40. https://doi.org/10.17116/jnevro20151156133-40 ↩ ↩2
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U.S. Food and Drug Administration. FDA evaluation of semax-related bulk drug substances (semax (free base) and semax acetate). Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee briefing document. May 11, 2026. Accessed November 2026. https://www.fda.gov/media/193348/download ↩
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Vidal. Selank 0.15% nasal drops (product record, in Russian). Registration dated July 15, 2025. Accessed November 2026. https://www.vidal.ru/drugs/selank__21568 ↩ ↩2
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U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Certain bulk drug substances for use in compounding that may present significant safety risks. Content current as of April 22, 2026. Accessed November 2026. https://www.fda.gov/drugs/human-drug-compounding/certain-bulk-drug-substances-use-compounding-may-present-significant-safety-risks ↩ ↩2
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U.S. Food and Drug Administration. July 23-24, 2026: Meeting of the Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee. Content current as of August 6, 2026. Accessed November 13, 2026. https://www.fda.gov/advisory-committees/advisory-committee-calendar/july-23-24-2026-meeting-pharmacy-compounding-advisory-committee-07232026 ↩
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Sklamberg H, Kumar D, Trentacost E. HHS announces draft enforcement discretion policy paving way for pharmacies. Arnold & Porter. November 2, 2026. Accessed November 2026. https://www.arnoldporter.com/en/perspectives/advisories/2026/11/hhs-announces-draft-enforcement-discretion-policy-paving-way-for-pharmacies ↩
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World Anti-Doping Agency. The Prohibited List (2026). Accessed November 2026. https://www.wada-ama.org/en/prohibited-list ↩
Frequently asked questions
Is selank FDA-approved?
No. Selank is registered in Russia as nose drops for anxiety, but it is not FDA-approved in the U.S., and FDA has not published a scientific review of it.
Does selank work for anxiety?
The evidence is weak. A few small Russian studies compared it with older sedative drugs and reported similar calming effects, but none compared it with a placebo, and the developer co-authored all of them.
Is selank non-addictive and non-sedating?
That has not been shown. No study found for this page tested dependence or withdrawal, and there are no placebo-controlled or independent trials.
What side effects are listed?
The Russian label lists allergic reactions and an unpleasant taste. It says not to use it in pregnancy, while breastfeeding, or under age 18.
Questions? Talk to a licensed provider
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