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Semax Benefits: Claims vs What Studies Show

Benefits people claim for Semax, set against what published studies measured, and where no study exists.

Medical review pendingACTH(4-10) analogUpdated
Strongest evidence
Human RCT
Human / animal studies
6 / 8
in our evidence file (PubMed search, 11 Oct 2026)
FDA status
Not approved
Off Category 2, 15 Apr 2026

Claimed benefits and what studies show

Each row is an area where people claim a benefit, with the strongest study we summarise behind it. Animal and cell results are labelled and are not human results. User reports are not counted as evidence here.

Semax claimed benefits and the studies behind them
ClaimBest evidenceStudies (human / animal)What was measuredPage
Brain healthHuman RCT evidence, 4 of 43 / 5Plasma BDNF; Functional recovery (Barthel index); Default mode networkEvidence for brain health
Eyes and visionHuman RCT evidence, 4 of 42 / 0Glaucomatous optic neuropathy; Visual function in optic nerve diseaseEvidence for eyes and vision
Gut healthHuman RCT evidence, 4 of 41 / 0Ulcer healing at day 14Evidence for gut health
ADHDReview only0 / 0ADHD (hypothesis only)Evidence for adhd
DepressionAnimal evidence, 2 of 40 / 1Anhedonia and hippocampal BDNF; Forced swim testEvidence for depression
AnxietyAnimal evidence, 2 of 40 / 1Behavioural disturbances after MPTPEvidence for anxiety

Strongest study per claim: Brain health, Zhurnal nevrologii i psikhiatrii imeni S.S. Korsakova 2018, PMID 29798983; Eyes and vision, Vestnik oftalmologii 2001, PMID 11569188; Gut health, Bulletin of experimental biology and medicine 2002, PMID 12459874.

What the studies measured

Semax outcomes in published studies
OutcomeResultStudy typeSource
Plasma BDNFSemax raised plasma BDNF levels, which stayed high through the study.Human controlled trialn = 110Zhurnal nevrologii i psikhiatrii imeni S.S. Korsakova 2018, PMID 29798983
Functional recovery (Barthel index)Semax and high BDNF were associated with faster improvement and a better final Barthel score.Human controlled trialn = 110Zhurnal nevrologii i psikhiatrii imeni S.S. Korsakova 2018, PMID 29798983
Default mode networkSemax group showed a greater volume of the rostral default mode network subcomponent on fMRI than placebo; no behavioural outcome was reported.Human controlled trialn = 24Bulletin of experimental biology and medicine 2018, PMID 30225715
Ulcer healing at day 14Ulcer healing at day 14 occurred in 89.5% of patients on intranasal semax versus 30.8% of controls.Human controlled trialBulletin of experimental biology and medicine 2002, PMID 12459874
Glaucomatous optic neuropathyA neuroprotective regimen including semax showed advantages over traditional neuroprotective treatment.Human controlled trialVestnik oftalmologii 2001, PMID 11569188
Visual function in optic nerve diseaseAdding semax improved the rate and extent of recovery and visual function in optic nerve disease.Human controlled trialVestnik oftalmologii 2000, PMID 10741256
Memory disordersTherapy was effective in patients with memory (mnestic) disorders.Human uncontrolled trialn = 73Anesteziologiia i reanimatologiia 1999, PMID 10199046
ADHD (hypothesis only)The authors propose, without new data, that semax may help ADHD.ReviewMedical hypotheses 2007, PMID 16996699
Anhedonia and hippocampal BDNFChronic semax reversed or attenuated stress-induced anhedonia and the fall in hippocampal BDNF in rats.Animal · rat (not a human result)European journal of pharmacology 2024, PMID 39442746
Forced swim testNo effect was seen on immobility in the forced swim test.Animal · rat (not a human result)European journal of pharmacology 2024, PMID 39442746
Motor activity and behaviourSemax did not change motor activity or passive defensive behaviour in this model.Animal · rat (not a human result)Doklady biological sciences 2017, PMID 28702721
Long-term effects of early-life stressChronic intranasal semax reduced the long-lasting negative effects of neonatal isolation stress.Animal · rat (not a human result)Acta naturae 2012, PMID 22708068
Learning by routeIntranasal semax improved learning more potently than intraperitoneal dosing in rats.Animal · rat (not a human result)Rossiiskii fiziologicheskii zhurnal imeni I.M. Sechenova 2010, PMID 21268834
Pain sensitivitySemax at 0.015-0.500 mg/kg reduced pain sensitivity in all animal models tested.Animal · rat and mouse (not a human result)Bulletin of experimental biology and medicine 2007, PMID 18018999
Infarct volume and memorySix days of intranasal semax reduced cortical infarct volume and improved avoidance retention.Animal · rat (not a human result)Bulletin of experimental biology and medicine 2006, PMID 17603664
Brain penetration after intranasal doseTwo minutes after an intranasal dose, 0.093% of the radioactivity per gram was found in rat brain and 80% of it was intact semax.Animal · rat (not a human result)Bioorganicheskaia khimiia 2006, PMID 16523722
DegradationSemax is degraded rapidly; Pro-Gly-Pro is the main fragment.Animal · rat (not a human result)Bioorganicheskaia khimiia 2006, PMID 16523722
Behavioural disturbances after MPTPDaily intranasal semax (0.2 mg/kg) lessened MPTP-induced behavioural disturbances, which included reduced movement and increased anxiety.Animal · rat (not a human result)Neuroscience and behavioral physiology 2004, PMID 15341218
Not shown in any study we cite. Searches behind this page: PubMed search on 2 Oct 2026 for “semax[tiab]”: 208 results. PubMed search on 2 Oct 2026 for “semax[tiab] AND (half-life[tiab] OR pharmacokinetic*[tiab])”: 4 results. PubMed search on 2 Oct 2026 for “(selank[tiab] OR semax[tiab]) AND (randomized[tiab] OR patients[tiab] OR clinical[tiab])”: 48 results. PubMed search on 11 Oct 2026 for “semax[tiab] AND (adverse[tiab] OR "side effect*"[tiab] OR safety[tiab] OR tolerab*[tiab] OR toxicity[tiab] OR "case report"[pt])”: 17 results.

The claim areas people ask about

A review says semax has been found to stimulate memory and attention in rodents and humans after intranasal application, and proposes ADHD as a possible use; it is a hypothesis paper.[7]

Eyes and gut: what studies show

Adding semax to the therapy of optic-nerve disease was reported to improve the intensity and rate of recovery and visual functions; the study was a patient series with groups and no stated blinding.[5]

In glaucoma patients with normalized eye pressure, a complex that included semax showed advantages over traditional neuroprotective treatment on electrophysiological testing.[4]

In refractory peptic ulcers, semax combined with usual drugs significantly promoted ulcer healing, and the authors say studies of semax in different combinations are needed.[3]

Brain recovery and cognition

After ischemic stroke, semax and higher BDNF levels were reported to accelerate improvement and improve the final Barthel score index.[1]

In rats with induced prefrontal cortex ischemia, semax had a pronounced neuroprotective and antiamnesic effect; this is animal data.[13]

Mood, anxiety and ADHD

In stressed rats, chronic semax reversed or attenuated anhedonia and other stress effects; no human depression trial is cached.[8]

No cached study measures semax on anxiety as a benefit; the only anxiety material is 5 forum reports of anxiety or agitation as an effect, counted among 12 effect categories.

Calculated from anxiety outcome studies 0; anxiety effect reports 5; effect categories 12. Formula: counts from the cached abstracts and web/src/data/user-reports/semax.json

For ADHD the cached source is 1 hypothesis review and 0 clinical trials.

Calculated from hypothesis reviews 1; trials 0; pmid 16996699. Formula: counts from the cached sources

More on Semax

DosageSide effectsResultsHow it works

Common questions

Is Semax proven to work?

The strongest study we summarise for Semax is human rct evidence, among 15 studies. A trial result is not an approval; see the legal status.

What is semax peptide used for?

The human papers cached here used semax added to standard care for optic-nerve disease, glaucoma, peptic ulcer, stroke recovery and encephalopathy.[5]

What does semax do?

After stroke, semax raised plasma BDNF levels in a trial of ischemic stroke patients; that is a biomarker result.[1]

More on Semax

DosageDoses used in published studies, with the source for each.CalculatorVial, water and dose to syringe units.Side effectsWhat labels and studies report, and what is unknown.ResultsStudy outcomes and when they were measured.How it worksTarget, mechanism and how long it acts, from the label or studies.Nasal sprayStudies that gave Semax as nasal spray, and what is approved.

Sources

  1. 1[The efficacy of semax in the tretament of patients at different stages of ischemic stroke].Zhurnal nevrologii i psikhiatrii imeni S.S. Korsakova · 2018PMID 29798983Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  2. 2Effects of Semax on the Default Mode Network of the Brain.Bulletin of experimental biology and medicine · 2018PMID 30225715Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  3. 3Therapy of peptic ulcer with semax peptide.Bulletin of experimental biology and medicine · 2002PMID 12459874Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  4. 4[Semax in the treatment of glaucomatous optic neuropathy in patients with normalized ophthalmic tone].Vestnik oftalmologii · 2001PMID 11569188Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  5. 5[Evaluation of therapeutic effect of new Russian drug semax in optic nerve disease].Vestnik oftalmologii · 2000PMID 10741256Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  6. 6[Use of semax at a follow-up of patients with posthypoxic encephalopathy].Anesteziologiia i reanimatologiia · 1999PMID 10199046Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  7. 7Semax, an analogue of adrenocorticotropin (4-10), is a potential agent for the treatment of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and Rett syndrome.Medical hypotheses · 2007PMID 16996699Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  8. 8Antidepressant-like and antistress effects of the ACTH(4-10) synthetic analogs Semax and Melanotan II on male rats in a model of chronic unpredictable stress.European journal of pharmacology · 2024PMID 39442746Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  9. 9Peptides semax and selank affect the behavior of rats with 6-OHDA induced PD-like parkinsonism.Doklady biological sciences : proceedings of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR, Biological sciences sections · 2017PMID 28702721Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  10. 10Correction of long-lasting negative effects of neonatal isolation in white rats using semax.Acta naturae · 2012PMID 22708068Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  11. 11[Nootropic and analgesic effects of Semax following different routes of administration].Rossiiskii fiziologicheskii zhurnal imeni I.M. Sechenova · 2010PMID 21268834Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  12. 12Comparative study of analgesic potency of ACTH4-10 fragment and its analog semax.Bulletin of experimental biology and medicine · 2007PMID 18018999Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  13. 13Neuroprotective and antiamnesic effects of Semax during experimental ischemic infarction of the cerebral cortex.Bulletin of experimental biology and medicine · 2006PMID 17603664Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  14. 14[Kinetics of Semax penetration into the brain and blood of rats after its intranasal administration].Bioorganicheskaia khimiia · 2006PMID 16523722Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  15. 15The neuroprotective effects of Semax in conditions of MPTP-induced lesions of the brain dopaminergic system.Neuroscience and behavioral physiology · 2004PMID 15341218Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  16. 16PubMed search: semax[tiab] (208 results)PubMed · 2026pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
  17. 17PubMed search: semax[tiab] AND (half-life[tiab] OR pharmacokinetic*[tiab]) (4 results)PubMed · 2026pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
  18. 18PubMed search: (selank[tiab] OR semax[tiab]) AND (randomized[tiab] OR patients[tiab] OR clinical[tiab]) (48 results)PubMed · 2026pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
  19. 19PubMed search: semax[tiab] AND (adverse[tiab] OR "side effect*"[tiab] OR safety[tiab] OR tolerab*[tiab] OR toxicity[tiab] OR "case report"[pt]) (17 results)PubMed · 2026pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govAccessed 11 Oct 2026

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