Selank was first synthesized in the early 1980s by a team of scientists at the Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The lead scientist on the team, Dr. Irina Prudnikova, was interested in developing new drugs that could improve cognitive function and reduce stress.
Prudnikova and her team began by studying the natural peptide tuftsin. Tuftsin is a heptapeptide that is produced in the body and has immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory effects. Prudnikova hypothesized that a synthetic derivative of tuftsin could have similar effects, but with improved stability and potency.
After several years of research, Prudnikova and her team successfully synthesized selank. Selank is a heptapeptide with the sequence Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg-Pro-Gly-Pro (TKPRPGP). It is a synthetic analogue of human tuftsin, but it has a longer half-life and is more resistant to degradation.
Early studies in animals showed that selank was effective in improving cognitive function and reducing stress. Selank also showed promise in reducing inflammation and protecting against brain damage.
In the early 1990s, selank began to be tested in humans. Clinical trials showed that selank was effective in reducing anxiety and stress symptoms in people with generalized anxiety disorder and social anxiety disorder. Selank was also shown to improve cognitive function in older adults with mild cognitive impairment.
In recent years, selank has been investigated for the treatment of a variety of other conditions, including cognitive decline associated with aging and dementia, depression, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and multiple sclerosis (MS). The research on selank is still ongoing, but it is a promising new compound with the potential to treat a wide range of diseases and conditions.
Here is a more detailed timeline of the history of selank:
- 1983: Selank is first synthesized by a team of scientists at the Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
- 1985: Selank is shown to be effective in improving cognitive function and reducing stress in animals.
- 1990: Selank begins to be tested in humans.
- 1992: Selank is shown to be effective in reducing anxiety and stress symptoms in people with generalized anxiety disorder and social anxiety disorder.
- 1995: Selank is shown to improve cognitive function in older adults with mild cognitive impairment.
- 2000s: Selank begins to be investigated for the treatment of a variety of other conditions, including cognitive decline associated with aging and dementia, depression, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and multiple sclerosis (MS).
Selank is not yet approved by the FDA for the treatment of any medical condition. However, it is a promising new compound with the potential to treat a wide range of diseases and conditions.
