lyophilized powder raises a handful of sensible questions. This page answers them in order, starting with the fundamentals and moving to applications.
This page was last updated on 2026-02-20 and is reviewed periodically as new material appears.
Semax 是一种人工合成的七肽，氨基酸序列为 Met-Glu-His-Phe-Pro-Gly-Pro，单字母缩写记作 MEHFPGP。它被归类为促肾上腺皮质激素片段 ACTH(4-10) 的结构类似物，但并不天然存在于生物体内。母体片段 ACTH(4-10) 的序列为 Met-Glu-His-Phe-Arg-Trp-Gly，Semax 替换了中间两个残基，并在羧基端延长了 Pro-Gly-Pro 三肽。这种延长被普遍认为能提升分子对肽酶的耐受性。
该化合物于二十世纪八十年代在俄罗斯被开发，相关工作由俄罗斯科学院分子遗传学研究所的研究团队主导。开发目标并非复制 ACTH 的完整激素活性，而是寻找保留其神经作用方向、同时去除促肾上腺皮质激素释放效应的短肽片段。研究记录显示，这一方向促成了多个相关短肽的合成与筛选，而 Semax 是其中被研究最广泛的一个。当地文献常以 Семакс 这一名称指代它。
Purity assessment relies mainly on reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography, which separates the target heptapeptide from truncated sequences, deletion analogues, and oxidised forms. Mass spectrometry, usually coupled to liquid chromatography, confirms identity through the expected molecular ion and reveals modifications such as methionine sulfoxide formation. Amino acid analysis can verify composition, and tandem mass spectrometry supports sequence confirmation. Ultraviolet detection near 254 to 280 nanometres is convenient because the phenylalanine and histidine residues absorb in that region. Nuclear magnetic resonance is rarely used for routine release testing.
Common degradation pathways include oxidation of the methionine side chain, hydrolysis of the peptide backbone, and aggregation under unfavourable pH or concentration. Stability studies typically monitor the main peak by chromatography and report total related substances as a percentage. Because no official monograph exists, acceptance criteria vary between laboratories, and reported purity values are not directly comparable across suppliers. Analysts therefore document the method, column, and detection wavelength alongside each result, and open questions remain about how much biological activity the oxidised forms retain.
Solid semax is typically supplied as a lyophilised powder that is hygroscopic and sensitive to moisture, light, and repeated temperature cycling. Long-term storage of the dry peptide is generally recommended at approximately -20 degrees Celsius, while shorter working periods may use refrigeration at 2 to 8 degrees Celsius. Vials should remain tightly closed and desiccated when brought to room temperature, because condensation can damage the material before it is weighed. Dividing a batch into aliquots is preferable to thawing one container repeatedly.
| Property | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 化学类别 | 合成七肽 | ACTH(4-10) 结构类似物 |
| 氨基酸序列 | Met-Glu-His-Phe-Pro-Gly-Pro | 单字母写作 MEHFPGP |
| 分子量 | 约 813.9 Da | 随确切形式和盐型略有变化 |
| 常见同义词 | ACTH(4-10) 类似物 | 俄语文献称 Семакс |
| 开发来源 | 俄罗斯 | 二十世纪八十年代 |
Semax is a synthetic heptapeptide whose sequence is Met-Glu-His-Phe-Pro-Gly-Pro. It was developed as a fragment analog of adrenocorticotropic hormone, modeled specifically on the ACTH(4-10) region. The first four residues reproduce that fragment, while a Pro-Gly-Pro tripeptide is appended at the C-terminus. Work on the compound originated in Russia, where it entered clinical use as an intranasal preparation. Its sequence places it among short regulatory peptides studied for effects on the central nervous system rather than on the adrenal axis.
The C-terminal Pro-Gly-Pro extension is not incidental. Proline-rich tails are known to resist several common peptidases, and the published literature attributes the longer half-life of Semax, relative to unmodified ACTH fragments, to this feature. The modification also removes the melanocyte-stimulating and corticosteroidogenic activity that characterizes longer ACTH-derived sequences. Because the molecule is small and hydrophilic, it is typically formulated as an aqueous solution for intranasal or parenteral delivery. Acetylation or amidation at the termini appears in closely related research peptides and shifts the mass by a fixed increment.
Stability depends heavily on physical state. Lyophilized powder held dry, cold and dark retains its content over long periods, whereas dissolved peptide begins to change within days at room temperature. The most cited degradation route is oxidation of the methionine residue, which converts the peptide to a sulfoxide form that elutes differently on chromatography. Hydrolysis of amide bonds and adsorption onto container walls contribute smaller losses. Buffers that exclude oxygen from the headspace slow the oxidation pathway, but no single condition prevents all change indefinitely.
Practical handling follows from those properties. Bulk material is best divided into single-use portions soon after receipt, because each thaw exposes the whole container to moisture and temperature cycling. Vials should be allowed to reach room temperature before opening to prevent condensation on the powder. Low-binding plasticware reduces loss of dilute solutions, and sterile filtration is used when a preparation must remain free of microbial growth. Records of batch number, reconstitution date and storage history are what allow a later analytical result to be interpreted meaningfully.
The compound is registered in Russia as a pharmaceutical product, most commonly formulated as a nasal solution, and has been used in that setting since the 1990s. Outside that jurisdiction it is generally handled as a research chemical rather than an approved medicine. Regulatory status therefore differs sharply between countries, and material sold internationally may not correspond to the Russian pharmaceutical formulation. Documentation with commercial samples is typically limited to a certificate of analysis covering purity and identity, not clinical status or local legal classification.
Semax is a synthetic heptapeptide with the sequence Met-Glu-His-Phe-Pro-Gly-Pro. It corresponds to the ACTH(4-7) fragment extended at the C-terminus by a Pro-Gly-Pro tripeptide, an addition intended to slow enzymatic breakdown. The molecular formula is C37H51N9O10S and the molecular mass is approximately 814 daltons. In the literature it is often described as an ACTH(4-10) analog, although that label reflects a naming convention as much as a precise structural relationship. The compound was developed in Russia and remains most closely associated with that research tradition.
Laboratory descriptions of the material are consistent across suppliers. It appears as a white to off-white lyophilized powder that dissolves readily in water and in polar organic solvents such as dimethyl sulfoxide. Aqueous solutions are clear and colorless at low concentrations. Because the peptide contains methionine, oxidation at the sulfur atom is a recognized degradation pathway, and handling notes usually call for protected, desiccated storage. Reported purity for research-grade lots is generally above 95 percent as measured by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography.
Identity and purity are commonly assessed by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography, with ultraviolet detection near 214 nanometers for the peptide backbone. Mass spectrometry, either electrospray or matrix-assisted laser desorption, confirms molecular mass and detects truncation or modification products. Amino acid analysis can verify composition. Because the sequence contains no strongly absorbing aromatic residue apart from phenylalanine, detection wavelengths are chosen carefully. Purity values above 95 percent are typical for research-grade material.
Quality documentation for research-grade peptide usually includes a certificate of analysis stating purity, identity, and residual counterion content. Batch-to-batch variation in purity and salt form is a recognized issue, and comparisons across suppliers require attention to the exact counterion, for example acetate versus trifluoroacetate. Sequence verification by tandem mass spectrometry provides stronger evidence than a single mass measurement. For any study reporting biological results, the analytical method and the measured purity should be stated explicitly. Independent verification of supplier claims is considered good practice.
=== Type III === A civilization with energy on the scale of its own galaxy, with an energy consumption of ≈4×1044 erg/s. Lemarchand defined civilizations of this type as having access to energy comparable to the luminosity of the entire Milky Way galaxy, about ≈4×1044 erg/s" (≈4×1037 watts). In accordance with the data available at the time, Kardashev did not go beyond a Type III civilization. However, new types (0, IV, V, and VI) have been proposed.
== Signs and symptoms == Symptoms of bone sarcomas typically include bone pain, especially at night, and swelling around the site of the tumor. Symptoms of soft-tissue sarcomas vary, but they often present as firm, oftentimes painless lumps or nodules. Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST, a subtype of soft-tissue sarcoma) often are asymptomatic, but can be associated with vague complaints of abdominal pain, bleeding into the intestines, a feeling of fullness, or other signs of intestinal obstruction.
Constant hunger Unexplained weight loss Weight gain Flu-like symptoms, including weakness and fatigue Blurred vision Slow healing of cuts or bruises Tingling or loss of feeling in hands or feet Recurring gum or skin infections Recurring vaginal or bladder infections Acetone odor during diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA)
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
=== Riboflavin kinase === Riboflavin kinase catalyzes the phosphorylation of riboflavin to create flavin mononucleotide(FMN). It has an ordered binding mechanism where riboflavin must bind to the kinase before it binds to the ATP molecule. Divalent cations help coordinate the nucleotide. The general mechanism is shown in the figure below. Riboflavin kinase plays an important role in cells, as FMN is an important cofactor. FMN also is a precursor to flavin adenine dinucleotide(FAD), a redox cofactor used by many enzymes, including many in metabolism. In fact, there are some enzymes that are capable of carrying out both the phosphorylation of riboflavin to FMN, as well as the FMN to FAD reaction. Riboflavin kinase may help prevent stroke, and could possibly be used as a treatment in the future. It is also implicated in infection, when studied in mice.
== External links == Overview of all the structural information available in the PDB for UniProt: P04278 (Sex hormone-binding globulin) at the PDBe-KB. Androgen-Binding+Protein at the U.S. National Library of Medicine Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) Ensembl Gene ref Protein ref
A/B tests are sensitive to variance; they require a large sample size in order to reduce standard error and produce a statistically significant result. In applications in which active users are abundant, such as with popular online social-media platforms, obtaining a large sample size is trivial. In other cases, large sample sizes are obtained by increasing the experiment enrollment period. However, using a technique coined by Microsoft as Controlled Experiment Using Pre-Experiment Data (CUPED), variance from before the experiment start can be taken into account so that fewer samples are required to produce a statistically significant result. Because of its nature as an experiment, running an A/B test introduces the risk of wasted time and resources if the test produces unwanted or unhelpful results. In December 2018, representatives with experience in large-scale A/B testing from 13 organizations (Airbnb, Amazon, Booking.com, Facebook, Google, LinkedIn, Lyft, Microsoft, Netflix, Twitter, Uber and Stanford University) summarized the top challenges in a paper. The challenges were grouped into four areas: analysis, engineering and culture, deviations from traditional A/B tests and data quality.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
== Foundation == Galway University Foundation (GUF) was established in 1998 with the intention of generating financial support for the university from private individuals and institutions. It nurtures relationships with donors for whom the university's approach to education appeals. The Foundation has many 'Priority Projects' in development.
=== Other examples === The reduction of nitrate to nitrogen in the presence of an acid (denitrification): 2 NO−3 + 10 e− + 12 H+ → N2 + 6 H2O The combustion of hydrocarbons, such as in an internal combustion engine, produces water, carbon dioxide, some partially oxidized forms such as carbon monoxide, and heat energy. Complete oxidation of materials containing carbon produces carbon dioxide. The stepwise oxidation of a hydrocarbon by oxygen, in organic chemistry, produces water and, successively: an alcohol, an aldehyde or a ketone, a carboxylic acid, and then a peroxide.
== Mechanism == Classified as a metalloexopeptidase, carboxypeptidase A consists of a single polypeptide chain bound to a zinc ion. This characteristic metal ion is located within the active site of the enzyme, along with five amino acid residues that are involved in substrate binding: Arg-71, Arg-127, Asn-144, Arg-145, Tyr-248, and Glu-270. X-ray crystallographic studies have revealed five subsites on the protein. These allosteric sites are involved in creating the ligand-enzyme specificity seen in most bioactive enzymes. One of these subsites induces a conformational change at Tyr-248 upon binding of a substrate molecule at the primary active site. The phenolic hydroxyl of tyrosine forms a hydrogen bond with the terminal carboxylate of the ligand. In addition, a second hydrogen bond is formed between the tyrosine and a peptide linkage of longer peptide substrates. These changes make the bond between the enzyme and ligand, whether it is substrate or inhibitor, much stronger. This property of carboxypeptidase A led to the first clause of Daniel E. Koshland, Jr.’s “induced fit” hypothesis. The S1 sub-site is where catalysis occurs in CPA, and the zinc ion is coordinated by Glu-72, His-69, and His-196 enzyme residues. A plane exists that bisects the active-site groove where residues Glu-270 and Arg-127 are on opposite sides of the zinc-water coupled complex. The zinc is electron rich due to glutamine ligands coordinating the zinc because before substrate binds, Glu-72 coordinates bidentate but shifts to monodentate after substrate binds.
== Applications == The main application of size-exclusion chromatography is the fractionation of proteins and other water-soluble polymers, while gel permeation chromatography is used to analyze the molecular weight distribution of organic-soluble polymers. Either technique should not be confused with gel electrophoresis, where an electric field is used to "pull" molecules through the gel depending on their electrical charges. The amount of time a solute remains within a pore is dependent on the size of the pore. Larger solutes will have access to a smaller volume and vice versa. Therefore, a smaller solute will remain within the pore for a longer period of time compared to a larger solute. Even though size exclusion chromatography is widely utilized to study natural organic material, there are limitations. One of these limitations include that there is no standard molecular weight marker; thus, there is nothing to compare the results back to. If precise molecular weight is required, other methods should be used.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
不是。Semax 是完全人工合成的七肽，自然界中没有对应的已知肽段。它的设计灵感来自促肾上腺皮质激素片段 ACTH(4-10)，但序列经过了替换和延长。
Semax 被描述为 ACTH(4-10) 的结构类似物，两者共享部分序列特征。它保留了该片段的部分神经相关活性方向，但去除了完整片段带来的激素释放效应。二者并非同一物质，也不能互相替代。
加入的 Pro-Gly-Pro 三肽被普遍认为能提升分子对蛋白水解酶的稳定性。这种设计让短肽在体内维持时间更长。具体延长的程度以及不同组织中是否一致，文献中仍存在不同报告。
Dry powder is usually kept at about -20 degrees Celsius for long-term storage and at 2 to 8 degrees Celsius for short working periods. Containers should stay sealed and protected from light and moisture to limit degradation.