Mind & mood

Selank

Name: Selank: uses, evidence and safety
Creator: Cited Peptides Editorial

Anxiety and stress. Also developed in Russia.

By Cited Peptides Editorial Updated 2026-10-10 Medical review pending

This page has not yet been reviewed by a credentialed medical professional. It is educational and is not medical advice.

Selank: key facts

Evidence level Human trials
Approved as a medicineYes: Used in Russia; not authorized in the US or Canada
Randomized trials on PubMed2
Papers on PubMed68
Trials testing it (ClinicalTrials.gov)None found
In tested sportCheck the current WADA Prohibited List

In one sentence: Selank is an approved medicine in some form (used in Russia; not authorized in the US or Canada). Its strongest evidence is human trials, with 2 randomized trials on PubMed that mention it.

What the evidence says

Limited human studies, mostly from Russia. Not approved in the US or Canada.

Key studies

Randomized trials Listed on PubMed as randomized trials that mention it. Some only measure it rather than test it as a treatment.

Randomized Controlled Trial2015 [Optimization of the treatment of anxiety disorders with selank] Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova PMID 26356395 → Comparative Study, Randomized Controlled Trial2008 [Efficacy and possible mechanisms of action of a new peptide anxiolytic selank in the therapy of generalized anxiety disorders and neurasthenia] Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova PMID 18454096 →

Reviews Summaries of other studies.

Review2026 Therapeutic Peptides in Orthopaedics: Applications, Challenges, and Future Directions J Am Acad Orthop Surg Glob Res Rev PMID 41490200 → Review2017 Tuftsin - Properties and Analogs Curr Med Chem PMID 28745220 → Comparative Study, Review2006 [Comparison of anticoagulant effects of regulatory proline-containing oligopeptides. Specificity of glyprolines, semax, and selank and potential of their practical application] Izv Akad Nauk Ser Biol PMID 16634437 →

Other notable papers The most relevant other papers on PubMed.

2020 Functional Connectomic Approach to Studying Selank and Semax Effects Dokl Biol Sci PMID 32342318 → 2017 GABA, Selank, and Olanzapine Affect the Expression of Genes Involved in GABAergic Neurotransmission in IMR-32 Cells Front Pharmacol PMID 28293190 → 2022 Selank, a Peptide Analog of Tuftsin, Attenuates Aversive Signs of Morphine Withdrawal in Rats Bull Exp Biol Med PMID 36322304 → 2017 Peptide Selank Enhances the Effect of Diazepam in Reducing Anxiety in Unpredictable Chronic Mild Stress Conditions in Rats Behav Neurol PMID 28280289 →

See its full evidence profile and newest papers →

Clinical trials

No registered trials list Selank as a treatment.

That usually means it hasn't been properly tested in people.

Search all trials live →

Where it fits

GoalPeptides for brain & focus ComparisonSemax vs Selank

Common questions

Is Selank approved?

Used in Russia; not authorized in the US or Canada.

Has Selank been tested in people?

2 randomized trials on PubMed mention it. Limited human studies, mostly from Russia. Not approved in the US or Canada.

Is Selank allowed in sport?

Check the current WADA Prohibited List; unapproved substances can be banned under its catch-all category.

This is a short, data-driven profile. Study and trial lists come from PubMed and ClinicalTrials.gov and are refreshed periodically. "What people use it for" describes common claims, not recommendations. Educational only, not medical advice.