Selank is a 7-amino-acid nasal peptide sold over the counter in Russia for anxiety, panic attacks and stress-related sleep problems.[1] In one small Russian trial it relieved anxiety about as well as the benzodiazepine medazepam,[6] and adding it to phenazepam reduced sedation and memory side effects.[8] It has no Western clinical trials, and a US review called it poorly studied.[5] It is not FDA-approved.[3]
What is Selank?
Selank (Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg-Pro-Gly-Pro) is a synthetic analog of the immune peptide tuftsin with a stabilizing Pro-Gly-Pro tail added.[1] Researchers at Moscow’s Institute of Molecular Genetics, the institute behind Semax, co-authored its clinical studies.[6][8]
How Selank works
- Enkephalins: Selank slows the breakdown of enkephalins, the body’s own calming opioid peptides.[10]
- GABA: it modulates GABA binding and changes the activity of GABA-related genes in rats.[4][11]
- BDNF: nasal Selank changed BDNF expression in the rat hippocampus.[12]
- Immune signals: in patients with anxiety, a 14-day course shifted immune cytokine levels.[9]
Selank for anxiety: what the research shows
| Study | Patients | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Selank vs medazepam | 62 with GAD or neurasthenia | Similar anxiety relief, plus anti-fatigue effects[6] |
| Selank vs phenazepam | 60 with anxiety disorders | Clear anxiety relief, lasting about a week after stopping[7] |
| Phenazepam with or without Selank | 70 with anxiety disorders | Faster response; less sedation, memory and sexual side effects[8] |
| Brain imaging | 52 healthy volunteers (Selank, Semax or placebo) | Changes in amygdala connectivity versus placebo[13] |
In rats, Selank strengthened diazepam’s anti-anxiety effect and eased signs of morphine withdrawal.[14][15]
Inside the Selank trials
- Medazepam comparison (2008): 30 people took Selank and 32 took medazepam, and doctors scored anxiety with standard rating scales. Both drugs eased anxiety to a similar degree, but Selank also reduced fatigue and had a mild stimulating effect. The team also found that people with anxiety broke down a calming brain chemical (leu-enkephalin) faster than expected, and this shifted during Selank treatment.[6]
- Phenazepam comparison (2014): 60 people with phobic, anxiety and body-symptom (somatoform) disorders. Selank had a clear anti-anxiety effect, a mild effect on thinking, and improved quality of life.[7]
- Add-on study (2015): 30 people took phenazepam alone and 40 took phenazepam plus Selank. With the add-on, phenazepam worked sooner. Problems with attention, memory, tiredness, daytime sleepiness, sex drive, emotional flatness and dizziness on standing were milder, both during treatment and after the benzodiazepine was stopped.[8]
A scientist from the institute that developed Selank is a co-author on all three trials.[6][7][8] We found no Selank trials registered on ClinicalTrials.gov, the main public registry of clinical trials.[22]
In the 2020 brain imaging study, healthy volunteers had brain scans before a dose and again 5 and 20 minutes after. Selank and Semax each changed how the right amygdala, a fear-processing area, linked up with nearby temporal brain regions.[13] This shows the drug reaches the brain. It does not show a lasting benefit.
Selank dosage
The Russian 0.15% drops contain 1.5 mg per mL. The instructions give 2 drops per nostril, 3 times a day, for 14 days, repeatable after 1 to 3 weeks; the official label says a doctor should set the dose individually.[1][2] For milligram-to-drop conversions, see our peptide calculator.
Manufacturer data report 92.8% absorption through the nose, with the drug appearing in the blood within 30 seconds and clearing within about 5 minutes.[1]
Selank vs phenibut and benzodiazepines
A 2021 US pharmacology review grouped Selank with phenibut, GHB and flunitrazepam as substances that act on GABA receptors. It noted that Selank is sold in the US as a supplement despite being poorly studied.[5]
| Selank | Benzodiazepines (e.g. phenazepam) | |
|---|---|---|
| Anxiety relief in Russian trials | Similar to medazepam[6] | Similar |
| Sedation and memory effects | Reduced when added to phenazepam[8] | Common |
| Evidence base | Small Russian trials | Decades of large trials |
In rats, Selank strengthened the anti-anxiety effect of diazepam, which suggests the two may interact.[14]
How fast does Selank work?
Selank appears in the blood within 30 seconds of a nasal dose.[1] Users on Russian review sites describe calmer mood within days,[18] and in one trial, anxiety relief lasted about a week after the course ended.[7]
Selank and the immune system
Selank is built on tuftsin, a natural immune peptide. In patients with anxiety, a 14-day course shifted immune signaling molecules,[9] and in animals it changed the activity of inflammation-related genes.[21] In lab tests, Selank switched off the gene for the inflammatory signal IL-6 in blood cells from patients with depression, but not in cells from healthy people.[9] None of this has been tested as a treatment for immune conditions.
Selank side effects
- Label: allergic reactions in people with intolerance, and an unpleasant taste when drops run into the throat.[1]
- Not for: pregnancy, breastfeeding or anyone under 18.[1]
- With benzodiazepines: when added to phenazepam, Selank reduced sedation, memory and sexual side effects in one Russian trial.[8]
- FDA: says important information on its safety in humans is lacking.[3]
Who should not use Selank
- People who are pregnant or breastfeeding, and anyone under 18: the Russian label rules these groups out.[1]
- People taking benzodiazepines or other sedatives: in rats, Selank strengthened diazepam’s effect,[14] so the two may add together. A 2021 US review warned that GABA-acting sedatives as a group can dangerously slow breathing when mixed with other sedatives. It did not report such cases with Selank.[5]
- Anyone buying unregulated products: FDA says important safety information is missing,[3] and products sold online are not the Russian medicine.
Questions to ask your clinician
- Is my anxiety being treated with options that have stronger evidence, such as therapy or approved medicines?
- Could Selank interact with anything I take, especially sleep aids or anti-anxiety drugs?
- How would we know whether it is helping, and when would we stop?
Selank vs Semax
| Selank | Semax | |
|---|---|---|
| Based on | Tuftsin (immune peptide) | ACTH fragment |
| Russian use | Anxiety (over the counter)[1] | Stroke and cognition (prescription) |
| Typical effect reported | Calming | Stimulating, focus |
Semax’s Russian label lists disorders with anxiety as a contraindication, which matters for people combining the two (see our Semax profile).
N-Acetyl Selank Amidate
This modified form is sold by research-chemical vendors. We found no published research on it. Belgian authorities have found Selank in seized products.[17]
Is Selank legal?
- Russia: over-the-counter medicine.[1]
- US: not FDA-approved; its compounding nomination was withdrawn.[3]
- Sports: not named on WADA’s 2026 list; because it is approved in Russia, it may not fall under the non-approved substances category, but athletes should check with their anti-doping organization.[16]
This is general information, not legal advice.
