selank

Selank - an intriguing remedy against depression?

Anxiety disorders and depressive states afflict an increasing number of people of all ages. While everyone has been afraid of something at some point and everyone is familiar with the feeling of sadness, it's hard for healthy people to imagine how difficult life can be when such conditions are chronic.

According to estimates, up to 20 percent of the population suffers from anxiety disorders, while 3.8 percent struggle with depression. For many years, therefore, scientists have been trying to arm us with various forms of coping with these diseases, of which selank, a peptide with unique effects, is a prime example.

What is selank?

Selank is a heptapeptide, an analogue of a naturally occurring peptide in the human body called tuftsin, or more precisely, it is a 3 amino acid extended version of it.

This peptide was invented at the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences in cooperation with the Institute of Molecular Genetics there, and has been successfully used in the treatment of anxiety disorders in Russia, recognized, by the way, as a full-fledged drug there.

Antianxiety and antidepressant effects

The peptide has a pronounced effect on serotonin levels and metabolism, which has applications including in the treatment of addiction. Its use on alcohol-dependent rats for research purposes has been shown to prevent excessive increases in serotonin - a phenomenon with implications for reducing anxiety associated with withdrawal from the stimulant.

Using selank, the effects can also be seen in depressed individuals, and this is due to its immunomodulatory effect - the peptide is able to inhibit the secretion of the inflammation-initiating interleukin IL-6. An interesting phenomenon is that in healthy people, the agent does not affect the levels of these cytokines. An important antidepressant effect is also an increase in the concentration of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in the hippocampus, which translates into the formation of new synaptic connections. This process greatly assists in improving mood and emotional stability, which is invaluable for mental health.

Doping for the brain

A phenomenon among antidepressant therapies is that - due to raising BDNF concentrations in the hippocampus - selank results in improved long-term memory. This action distinguishes the peptide from popular substances such as, for example, benzodiazepines, which show highly negative effects on the brain's cognitive functions and, in addition, lead to addiction that is difficult to treat. The agent's neuroprotective and antioxidant factor means that selank will also find its use in anti-aging treatments or as a supportive treatment for people with Alzheimer's disease.

How to use selank?

Treatment with selank can be started without worrying about side effects, as the only thing that can be experienced is a slight discomfort when using the intranasal preparation (and even this is only observed in people with extremely sensitive nasal mucosa).

Selank spray does not react negatively with psychoactive drugs, but it can enhance their effects, making it worthwhile to consult a doctor to change their dosage. Most often it is recommended to use the drug 3 times a day, cyclically and over 14 days. Such a long time is recommended with the standard form of selank spray, while the N-acetyl version extends the half-life of the drug, so it can be used less frequently.

For people with extremely sensitive nasal mucous membranes, our selank supply store has also prepared a range of injectable solutions. Selank injections are ampoules of powder that simply need to be mixed carefully with water for injection, and then the solution can be administered subcutaneously in the umbilical area. This form of selank is also available in our store in N-acetylene form, and in standard form, with a shorter duration of action.