Everything below concerns ACTH analog. We keep the language plain, cite what the science says, and separate well-supported claims from open questions.
Last reviewed on 2026-08-01. Where a claim depends on a specific study, the study is described rather than over-claimed.
The compound is registered in Russia as a pharmaceutical product, most commonly formulated as a nasal solution, and has been used in that setting since the 1990s. Outside that jurisdiction it is generally handled as a research chemical rather than an approved medicine. Regulatory status therefore differs sharply between countries, and material sold internationally may not correspond to the Russian pharmaceutical formulation. Documentation with commercial samples is typically limited to a certificate of analysis covering purity and identity, not clinical status or local legal classification.
Semax is a synthetic heptapeptide with the sequence Met-Glu-His-Phe-Pro-Gly-Pro. It corresponds to the ACTH(4-7) fragment extended at the C-terminus by a Pro-Gly-Pro tripeptide, an addition intended to slow enzymatic breakdown. The molecular formula is C37H51N9O10S and the molecular mass is approximately 814 daltons. In the literature it is often described as an ACTH(4-10) analog, although that label reflects a naming convention as much as a precise structural relationship. The compound was developed in Russia and remains most closely associated with that research tradition.
The parent fragment ACTH(4-10) carries the sequence Met-Glu-His-Phe-Arg-Trp-Gly. Semax replaces the arginine and tryptophan positions with a proline-glycine-proline tail, giving Met-Glu-His-Phe-Pro-Gly-Pro. That change removes residues associated with adrenal stimulation, so the peptide does not drive cortisol release the way full ACTH does. This distinction shapes how the compound is grouped in the literature, where it sits with neuropeptides and peptide neuromodulators rather than with corticosteroids.
Regulatory status varies sharply by country. Semax is registered for medical use in Russia, where it appears in formularies as a nasal solution, and it also holds registration in a small number of neighbouring states. It has no approval from the United States Food and Drug Administration or the European Medicines Agency, and it is not a scheduled controlled substance in most jurisdictions. Elsewhere it circulates mainly as laboratory material, so purity documentation comes from suppliers rather than from a national pharmacopoeia.
| Property | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Molecular formula | C37H51N9O10S | Contains one methionine sulfur atom |
| Molecular mass | Approximately 814 Da | Consistent with a seven-residue peptide |
| Appearance | White to off-white powder | Typical lyophilized form |
| Solubility | Freely soluble in water | Also soluble in dimethyl sulfoxide |
| Typical storage | -20 °C, desiccated | Limits methionine oxidation |
Later generations of the molecule include an N-acetylated form and an amidated form, both marketed online alongside the parent peptide. These variants differ in terminal chemistry and stability, and they are frequently discussed in the same breath even though they have not been compared in controlled trials. Supply outside formal healthcare systems comes largely from laboratories that synthesize peptides to order. Purity and identity of these materials vary widely, and no single body oversees the international trade.
Semax is a synthetic heptapeptide developed in the Soviet Union during the 1980s by researchers at the Institute of Molecular Genetics in Moscow. It was designed as a truncated analog of adrenocorticotropic hormone, retaining only the fragment spanning residues four through ten. Investigators sought a peptide that would preserve the cognitive effects associated with ACTH while eliminating the hormonal stimulation of the adrenal cortex. The compound entered clinical use in Russia during the following decade.
The same equations can be applied to the dual of current in an inductor. Furthermore, the particular case of a capacitor or inductor changing through several parallel resistors makes an interesting example of multiple decay processes, with each resistor representing a separate process. In fact, the expression for the equivalent resistance of two resistors in parallel mirrors the equation for the half-life with two decay processes. Geophysics: Atmospheric pressure decreases approximately exponentially with increasing height above sea level, at a rate of about 12% per 1000m. Heat transfer: If an object at one temperature is exposed to a medium of another temperature, the temperature difference between the object and the medium follows exponential decay (in the limit of slow processes; equivalent to "good" heat conduction inside the object, so that its temperature remains relatively uniform through its volume). See also Newton's law of cooling. Luminescence: After excitation, the emission intensity – which is proportional to the number of excited atoms or molecules – of a luminescent material decays exponentially. Depending on the number of mechanisms involved, the decay can be mono- or multi-exponential. Pharmacology and toxicology: It is found that many administered substances are distributed and metabolized (see clearance) according to exponential decay patterns. The biological half-lives "alpha half-life" and "beta half-life" of a substance measure how quickly a substance is distributed and eliminated.
The isotopic compositions of ice cores from continental ice sheets and alpine glaciers have been developed as temperature proxies since the 1950s. Samuel Epstein was one of the first to show the applicability of this proxy by measuring oxygen isotopes in Antarctic snow, and also pointed out complications in the stable isotope-temperature correlation caused by the history of the air masses from which the snow formed. Ice cores in Greenland and Antarctica can be thousands of meters thick and record snow isotopic composition of the past few glacial-interglacial cycles. Ice cores can be dated by layer counting on the top and ice flow modeling at depth, with additional age constraints from volcanic ash. Cores from Greenland and Antarctica can be aligned in age at high-resolution by comparing globally well-mixed trace gas (e.g. CH4) concentrations in the air bubbles trapped in the cores. Some of the first ice core records from Greenland and Antarctica with age estimates go back to the last 105 years, and showed a depletion in δD and δ18O in the last ice age. The ice core record has since been extended to the last 800,000 years in Antarctica, and at least 250,000 years in Greenland. One of the best δD-based ice core temperature records is from the Vostok ice core in Antarctica, which goes back to 420,000 years. The δD-temperature (of the inversion layer where snow forms) conversion in east Antarctica based on modern spatial gradient of δD (9‰/°C) is ΔTI=(ΔδDice-8Δδ18Osw)/9, which takes into account variations in seawater isotopic composition caused by global ice volume changes.
An urgent issue that had to be addressed was the economic crisis that began in 1974. Minister of Economy Fuentes Quintana proposed the signing of a great "social pact" that would "compensate" the harsh adjustment measures that had to be taken through social improvements and some juridical-political reforms. This led to the Moncloa Pacts signed on October 27, 1977, which succeeded in stabilizing the economy and controlling inflation ─ from 26.4% in 1977 to 16.5 the following year ─ and social spending was increased in return ─ unemployment benefits, pensions, education and health spending ─ thanks to the tax reform implemented by Minister Francisco Fernández Ordóñez. Another pressing matter was the "regional question", since the demands for self-government on the part of Catalonia and the Basque Country did not admit any further delay. In the case of Catalonia, the restoration of the Statute of Autonomy approved by the Republic was demanded, but Suárez opted to approve a decree-law of September 29, 1977, which "provisionally" restored the Generalitat although without reference to the 1932 Statute which allowed the return from exile of the "president" Josep Tarradellas. For the Basque Country, the Basque General Council was constituted in December 1977 under the presidency of the socialist Ramón Rubial, but as in the case of Catalonia, the Statute of Autonomy approved by the Republic was not reestablished either.
=== Risk assessment === Before turning and repositioning a person, a risk assessment tool is suggested to determine what is the best approach for preventing pressure ulcers in that person. Some of the most common risk assessment tools are the Braden Scale, Norton, or Waterlow tools. The type of risk assessment tool that is used, will depend on which hospital the patient is admitted to and the location. After the risk assessment tool is used, a plan will be developed for the patient individually to prevent Hospital-Acquired Pressure Injuries. This plan will consist of different turning and repositioning strategies. These risk assessment tools provide the nursing staff with a baseline for each patient regarding their individual risk for acquiring a pressure injury. Factors that contribute to these risk assessment tools are moisture, activity, and mobility. These factors are considered and scored using the scale being used, whether it be the Braden, Norton, or Waterlow scale. The numbers are then added up and based on that final number, a score will be given and appropriate measures will be taken to ensure that the patient is being properly repositioned. However, this is not always completed in hospitals like it should be. Efforts in the United States and South Korea have sought to automate risk assessment and classification by training machine learning models on electronic health records.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
16 August – Documents relating to the Andrew Malkinson case show that another man's DNA was identified by investigators in 2007, raising questions as to why he was not granted a review by the Criminal Cases Review Commission much Allier than occurred. A member of staff at the British Museum has been dismissed and a police investigation launched over "missing, stolen or damaged" artefacts. 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup: England secure a place in their first World Cup Final after beating Australia 3–1. 20 August – 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup Final: England are defeated 1–0 by Spain. 22 August – Following trial and conviction at Wood Green Crown Court, former Metropolitan Police officer Adam Provan is sentenced to 16 years in prison for the rape of a fellow police officer and a teenage girl. He is also required to serve a further eight years on extended licence. Raymond Parry, a former Transport for London worker awarded an MBE as recognition for his heroism during the 7 July London bombings, has been stripped of the honour after he admitted sexually abusing a child. 24 August – Justice Secretary Alex Chalk announced the launch of a non-statutory inquiry to investigate the wrongful conviction of Andrew Malkinson, which will examine the role of the Crown Prosecution Service, Greater Manchester Police and the Criminal Cases Review Commission over their handling of the case. A court in Pakistan rules that police cannot detain relatives of the father of Sara Sharif, found dead at her family home in Woking on 10 August, in an attempt to locate him.
=== Pirkle-type CSP === Pirkle and co-workers pioneered the development of a variety of CSPs based on charge-transfer complexation and simultaneous hydrogen bonding. These phases are also referred to as Brush-type CSPs. The Pirkle phases are based on aromatic π-acid (3,5-dinitrobenzoyI ring) and π- basic (naphthalene) derivative. In addition to π-π interaction sites, they have hydrogen-bonding and dipole-dipole interaction sites provided by an amide, urea or ester functionality. Strong three-point interaction, according to Dalgleish's model, enables enantioseparation. These phases are classified into π-electron-acceptor, π-electron-donor or π-electron acceptor-donor phase. A number of Pirkle-type CSPs are commercially available. They are used most often in the normal phase mode. The ionic form of the DNPBG (3,5-dinitrobenzoyl-phenylglycine) CSP has been successfully employed to achieve separation of racemic propranolol in biological fluid. Many compounds of pharmaceutical interest including enantiomers of naproxen and metoprolol has been separated using Pirkle CSP.
== Epidemiology == A study from the Netherlands has shown an incidence of 1 in 20 million births. According to the Progeria Research Foundation, as of September 2020, there are 179 known cases in the world, in 53 countries; 18 of the cases were identified in the United States. Hundreds of cases have been reported in medical history since 1886. However, the Progeria Research Foundation believes there may be as many as 150 undiagnosed cases worldwide. There have been only two cases in which a healthy person was known to carry the LMNA mutation that causes progeria. One family from India had four of six children with progeria.
Ultraviolet light detectors, fixed or variable wavelength, which includes diode array detectors. The ultraviolet light absorption of the effluent is continuously measured at single or multiple wavelengths. These are by far most popular detectors for liquid chromatography. Fluorescence detector. Irradiates the effluent with a light of set wavelength and measure the fluorescence of the effluent at a single or multiple wavelength. Refractive index detector. Continuously measures the refractive index of the effluent. The lowest sensitivity of all detectors. Often used in size exclusion chromatography for polymer analysis. Radio flow detector. Measures radioactivity of the effluent. This detector can be destructive if a scintillation cocktail is continuously added to the effluent. Chiral detector continuously measures the optical angle of rotation of the effluent. It is used only when chiral compounds are being analyzed. Conductivity monitor. Continuously measures the conductivity of the effluent. Used only when conductive eluents (water or alcohols) are used. Non-destructive detectors in gas chromatography:
As such, EMP therapy results in considerably stronger androgen deprivation than orchiectomy. Metabolites of EMP, including estramustine, estromustine, estradiol, and estrone, have been found to act as weak antagonists of the androgen receptor (EC50Tooltip half-maximal effective concentration = 0.5–3.1 μM), although the clinical significance of this is unknown. Extremely high levels of estradiol and estrone occur during EMP therapy. The estrogenic metabolites of EMP are responsible for its most common adverse effects and its cardiovascular toxicity. EMP has been described as having relatively weak estrogenic effects in some publications. However, it has shown essentially the same rates and degrees of estrogenic effects, such as breast tenderness, gynecomastia, cardiovascular toxicity, changes in liver protein synthesis, and testosterone suppression, as high-dose diethylstilbestrol and ethinylestradiol in clinical studies. The notion that EMP has relatively weak estrogen activity may have been based on animal research, which found that EMP had 100-fold lower uterotrophic effects than estradiol in rats, and may also not have taken into account the very high doses of EMP used clinically in humans. The mechanism of action of the cytostatic effects of EMP is complex and only partially understood. EMP is considered to mainly be a mitotic inhibitor, inhibiting mechanisms involved in the mitosis phase of the cell cycle.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
It is registered as a pharmaceutical product in Russia, where it is typically supplied as a nasal solution. In most other countries it is not an approved drug and is traded as a research chemical instead. Approval status depends entirely on the jurisdiction involved.
Most published work uses intranasal administration, matching the route of the registered Russian formulation. Some animal experiments use intravenous or intraperitoneal injection. The route matters because the intact peptide is cleared rapidly from blood, so exposure differs between methods.
A purity value describes the share of the powder accounted for by the target peptide, usually by high-performance liquid chromatography. It does not confirm that the sequence is correct, which requires mass spectrometry or amino acid analysis. Purity and identity are separate checks.
Registered medical products are most often 0.1% nasal drops. Research suppliers ship lyophilized powder, usually in milligram quantities, which is dissolved before use. The active peptide is the same in both cases; presentation and excipients differ.