Carl read the papersWhat it actually is
Semax is a synthetic analog of a piece of the ACTH hormone: ACTH amino acids 4 to 7 (Met-Glu-His-Phe) plus a stabilising Pro-Gly-Pro tail, with none of the hormone’s own activity. It’s used in Russia in clinical neurology, including stroke recovery.
In the nootropic world it’s valued for focus, mental clarity and neuroprotection, and like Selank is typically taken as a nasal spray.
How it’s thought to work
- BDNF upregulation — reported to raise brain-derived neurotrophic factor.
- Dopamine/serotonin — modulates focus- and mood-related neurotransmitters.
- Neuroprotection — studied in stroke and ischemia settings.
- Non-stimulant focus — clarity without classic stimulant jitter.
What the research says
Has Russian clinical use (including approved neurological indications there); independent Western trials are limited.
- Focus, attention and memory (reported).
- Neuroprotection / stroke recovery research.
- Mood and mental-fatigue studies.
Watch: Semax explained
Video by Quinn Stillson MD on YouTube. Not affiliated with Peptide Carl and not an endorsement — included because a second explanation of the same mechanism is often what makes it click.
Reported protocols
These are the doses the peptide community actually reports running (Reddit & forums), alongside published research — logged for education, not as a recommendation to use.
| Parameter | Commonly reported range |
|---|---|
| Community dose | 300–600 mcg per dose; N-Acetyl Semax variant used at lower doses |
| Frequency | 1–3× daily |
| Route | Intranasal (most popular); subQ |
| Cycle | 1–2 week courses |
| Community tip | Nasal spray is standard; the N-acetyl/amidate version is more potent |
Common use cases
| Goal | Community protocol notes |
|---|---|
| Focus & clarity | 300–600 mcg intranasal, 1–3×/day |
| Neuroprotection | studied in stroke / ischemia |
| With Selank | the calm-&-sharp pair |
Mixing it (reconstitution)
Freeze-dried peptides must be reconstituted with bacteriostatic water before they can be measured. Carl’s calculator turns “mg in the vial + ml of water + target dose” into “units on the syringe” — and tells you how long the vial lasts.
→ Open the Reconstitution Calculator
Injection & handling
Intranasal spray is standard (subQ also), 300–600 mcg, 1–3×/day; the N-acetyl/amidate version is said to work at lower doses, but we found no published studies on it. 1–2 week courses. Refrigerate.
Stacks it appears in
- Calm & Sharp — Selank + Semax — calm plus focus, the classic nootropic duo.
Sources
- Vidal.ru: Semax 0.1% nasal drops, Russian label (reg. ЛП-№(009449)-(РГ-RU))
- Vidal.ru: Semax 1% nasal drops, Russian label (reg. ЛП-№(010596)-(РГ-RU))
- Filippenkov IB et al. ACTH(4-7)PGP (Semax) after cerebral ischaemia in rats, Genes 2020 (PMID 32580520)
- Dolotov OV et al. Semax regulates BDNF and trkB in rat hippocampus, Brain Res 2006 (PMID 16996037)
- Eremin KO et al. Semax activates dopaminergic and serotoninergic systems in rodents, Neurochem Res 2005 (PMID 16362768)
- Dmitrieva VG et al. Semax and Pro-Gly-Pro activate neurotrophin genes after cerebral ischemia, Cell Mol Neurobiol 2010 (PMID 19633950)
- Gusev EI et al. Semax at different stages of ischemic stroke, Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr 2018 (PMID 29798983)
- ClinicalTrials.gov intervention search: Semax (0 studies, 16 Oct 2026)
