Semax
Also known as: Pro-Gly-Pro-ACTH(4-7) · Semax Acetate
Semax is a synthetic analog of an ACTH fragment (positions 4 to 7), developed at the Russian Academy of Sciences. Approved in Russia for stroke recovery and cognitive impairment. Used internationally as a nootropic. Most-studied of the Russian ACTH-family peptides.
Last reviewed · Panya.health editorial
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Not medical advice. Semax is not approved for human medical use in most jurisdictions. The data below is what users do; it is not what regulators have validated. You decide your risk profile.
What it does, and how
Semax modulates BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) expression, dopamine and serotonin turnover, and HPA-axis stress response. Russian clinical work has documented effects in ischemic stroke recovery (most-cited indication, with the drug on the Russian Vital and Essential Medicines List), optic nerve atrophy, and ADHD-like cognitive impairment. Mechanism is partly cholinergic and partly direct neurotrophic. The N-acetyl variant has longer plasma stability than parent ACTH(4-10). Most studies are Russian-language and have not been independently replicated in Western trials at scale, which is the major caveat for users outside that research tradition.
Typical practice
Community practice is intranasal: 100 to 600 mcg per day, divided into 1 to 3 sprays per nostril, in 1 to 2 week cycles. Reconstitution typically 30 mg vial in 5 mL bacteriostatic water yielding ~6 mg/mL; users dose 1 to 3 drops or sprays per nostril. N-acetyl-semax-amidate is the longer-acting variant some users prefer for once-daily dosing. Subcutaneous administration is uncommon. Cycles are kept short because the cognitive effect blunts with continuous use; on/off rhythms 5 days on / 2 days off or 14 days on / 14 days off are common.
The dosing above is community practice, not a regulator-validated protocol. Trial-validated dosing for Semax in humans does not exist for most use cases listed.
Risks and contraindications
Most-reported side effects: nasal irritation from the spray vehicle, occasional mild headache early in cycles. The Russian regulatory record is favourable. Semax has been on the market since 1996 for stroke recovery without major safety signals. But long-term cognitive-enhancement use in healthy adults has not been characterised in Western trials. Cancer history, pregnancy, breastfeeding: avoid by default. Stacking with stimulants (caffeine, modafinil, racetams) appears tolerated but the cognitive ceiling is not predictable.
Where this stands legally
Not FDA-approved. Sold as research chemical. The Russian-language clinical record is real but doesn't translate to FDA approval.
Not licensed by MHRA. Research-chemical category.
Not on EMA's approved list.
Not formally scheduled. Sold by Bangkok nootropic-focused vendors and through some longevity clinics.
Where users say they source it
Names below are sourced from community discussion. None are currently scored against the Panya 11-signal rubric. Panya does not earn commission on any of these. You can search them yourself; treat the list as a starting point for your own diligence, not an endorsement.
- Pure RawzPending Panya 11-signal audit
- Limitless LifePending Panya 11-signal audit
- Amino AsylumPending Panya 11-signal audit
- Russian nootropic-focused suppliers (cogniternaltive)Pending Panya 11-signal audit
Full vendor scorecards for Semax land in a follow-up sprint after lawyer review and payment processor selection. We will not route users to any vendor that scores below 70 on the rubric.
Papers worth reading directly
- Dolotov et al. — Semax, an analog of ACTH(4-10), regulates expression of immediate-early genes in the rat brain. J Neurochem, 2006 →
- Gusev et al. — Semax in prevention of disease progress and development of exacerbations in patients with cerebrovascular insufficiency. Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova, 2005 →
- Medvedeva et al. — Semax and its impact on neurogenesis and behavior. Bull Exp Biol Med, 2014 →
Adjacent reading
Track Semax in your peptide journal.
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