Semax Results: What Studies Measured and When
What published studies measured for Semax, when those outcomes were measured, and what is still unproven.
What studies measured
Each outcome below comes from a published study, with its type and size, strongest design first. Animal and cell results are labelled as such and are not human results.
| Outcome | Result | Study type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plasma BDNF | Semax raised plasma BDNF levels, which stayed high through the study. | Human controlled trialn = 110 | Zhurnal 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 = 110 | Zhurnal nevrologii i psikhiatrii imeni S.S. Korsakova 2018, PMID 29798983 |
| Default mode network | Semax group showed a greater volume of the rostral default mode network subcomponent on fMRI than placebo; no behavioural outcome was reported. | Human controlled trialn = 24 | Bulletin of experimental biology and medicine 2018, PMID 30225715 |
| Ulcer healing at day 14 | Ulcer healing at day 14 occurred in 89.5% of patients on intranasal semax versus 30.8% of controls. | Human controlled trial | Bulletin of experimental biology and medicine 2002, PMID 12459874 |
| Glaucomatous optic neuropathy | A neuroprotective regimen including semax showed advantages over traditional neuroprotective treatment. | Human controlled trial | Vestnik oftalmologii 2001, PMID 11569188 |
| Visual function in optic nerve disease | Adding semax improved the rate and extent of recovery and visual function in optic nerve disease. | Human controlled trial | Vestnik oftalmologii 2000, PMID 10741256 |
| Memory disorders | Therapy was effective in patients with memory (mnestic) disorders. | Human uncontrolled trialn = 73 | Anesteziologiia i reanimatologiia 1999, PMID 10199046 |
| ADHD (hypothesis only) | The authors propose, without new data, that semax may help ADHD. | Review | Medical hypotheses 2007, PMID 16996699 |
| Anhedonia and hippocampal BDNF | Chronic 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 test | No 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 behaviour | Semax 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 stress | Chronic 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 route | Intranasal 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 sensitivity | Semax 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 memory | Six 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 dose | Two 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 |
| Degradation | Semax is degraded rapidly; Pro-Gly-Pro is the main fragment. | Animal · rat (not a human result) | Bioorganicheskaia khimiia 2006, PMID 16523722 |
| Behavioural disturbances after MPTP | Daily 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 |
- Semax evidence is mostly rodent work from Russian institutes; the human trials (stroke, optic neuropathy, encephalopathy, peptic ulcer) are small, from the 1990s-2018, published in Russian-language journals with English abstracts in PubMed, and their published summaries do not state randomization or blinding. The evidence is preliminary.
- The only human data on cognition-related measures are an fMRI network study in 24 healthy volunteers (no behavioural endpoint) and BDNF and Barthel scores in stroke patients. No human trial of ADHD, anxiety, depression, memory, focus or brain fog was found in PubMed as of 2 October 2026; the ADHD item is a hypothesis paper only.
- No half-life is stated; the only pharmacokinetic study reports rapid degradation and brain uptake after intranasal dosing in rats.
- Semax is not FDA-approved. It is approved in Russia, but no regulator label is available in DailyMed.
Typical timeline
When the studies above measured their outcomes. This is the study schedule, not a promise of when anyone will notice a change.
| When | What was measured | Study type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 min | brain radioactivity after intranasal dose | Animal · rat (not a human result) | Bioorganicheskaia khimiia 2006, PMID 16523722 |
Before-and-after photos
We don't publish before-and-after photos. They can't be verified, rarely show dose, diet or other drugs, and only the most dramatic results get posted.
Common questions
How long does Semax take to work?
The studies we summarise measured outcomes at set points, for example brain radioactivity after intranasal dose at 2 min. Timelines outside studies vary.
Do you show Semax before and after photos?
No. Photos can't be verified, rarely show dose, diet or other drugs, and only the most dramatic ones get posted. We summarize measured outcomes instead.
More on Semax
DosageDoses used in published studies, with the source for each.CalculatorVial, water and dose to syringe units.PricePrice per mg and per week from dated listings. No vendor links.Legal statusFDA, compounding and WADA status with dates.Half-lifeWhat is measured, by route, and what is not.StoragePowder and mixed vials: temperature and shelf life.
Sources
- 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
- 2Effects of Semax on the Default Mode Network of the Brain.Bulletin of experimental biology and medicine · 2018PMID 30225715Accessed 2 Oct 2026
- 3Therapy of peptic ulcer with semax peptide.Bulletin of experimental biology and medicine · 2002PMID 12459874Accessed 2 Oct 2026
- 4[Semax in the treatment of glaucomatous optic neuropathy in patients with normalized ophthalmic tone].Vestnik oftalmologii · 2001PMID 11569188Accessed 2 Oct 2026
- 5[Evaluation of therapeutic effect of new Russian drug semax in optic nerve disease].Vestnik oftalmologii · 2000PMID 10741256Accessed 2 Oct 2026
- 6[Use of semax at a follow-up of patients with posthypoxic encephalopathy].Anesteziologiia i reanimatologiia · 1999PMID 10199046Accessed 2 Oct 2026
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 10Correction of long-lasting negative effects of neonatal isolation in white rats using semax.Acta naturae · 2012PMID 22708068Accessed 2 Oct 2026
- 11[Nootropic and analgesic effects of Semax following different routes of administration].Rossiiskii fiziologicheskii zhurnal imeni I.M. Sechenova · 2010PMID 21268834Accessed 2 Oct 2026
- 12Comparative study of analgesic potency of ACTH4-10 fragment and its analog semax.Bulletin of experimental biology and medicine · 2007PMID 18018999Accessed 2 Oct 2026
- 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[Kinetics of Semax penetration into the brain and blood of rats after its intranasal administration].Bioorganicheskaia khimiia · 2006PMID 16523722Accessed 2 Oct 2026
- 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
Found an error? Report a correction.