COMPOUND

Compounds / Bioregulators

Epithalon

Epithalon (AEDG Tetrapeptide: Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly)

Bioregulators SubQ · Sublingual · Nasal · Oral Not FDA approved

Khavinson family bioregulator developed at the Saint Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology under Vladimir Khavinson. Synthetic tetrapeptide derived from the active fraction of bovine pineal extract (Epithalamin). The most well-known Khavinson peptide; widely cited in biohacker / longevity communities for claimed telomerase activation and lifespan extension. Most efficacy data is from Khavinson's own lab. Independent Western replication is essentially absent, and the telomerase-activation claim has not been reproduced in mainstream literature.

At a glance

Routes
SubQ · Sublingual · Nasal · Oral
Vial sizes
10 mg · 20 mg · 50 mg
Evidence base
4 studies 1 human · 3 preclinical

Mechanism

Per the Khavinson 'short-peptide bioregulator' hypothesis, AEDG is proposed to enter the cell nucleus and bind specific gene-promoter regions in pineal-axis tissue, modulating expression of melatonin-synthesis enzymes and (claimed) telomerase. AEDG reportedly induced telomerase activity and elongated telomeres in human somatic cell culture. Inhibitory effect on spontaneous mammary tumor development and reduced metastasis in HER-2/neu transgenic mice. Long-term observational data in elderly patients reported 2.0-2.1x mortality reduction in pineal-peptide treated group. Pineal peptide treatment increased mean survival 5.3% (P<0.05) in female CBA mice. Mechanism is contested in mainstream pharmacology because tetrapeptides are normally degraded in serum within minutes; Khavinson's response is that local cellular uptake precedes degradation. The telomerase claim specifically has not been replicated outside the Khavinson group.

Dosing

Any amounts shown here are reported from published studies only. 1 of 4 catalogued studies involved human subjects. COMPOUND does not publish its own dosing guidance.

Published evidence

  1. Human observational 2003

    Peptides of pineal gland and thymus prolong human life

    Khavinson VK, Morozov VG Neuro Endocrinol Lett

    Long-term observational study in elderly patients reported 2.0-2.1x mortality reduction in pineal-peptide (Epithalamin/Epithalon parent) treated group; combined with thymic peptide reduced mortality 4.1x vs control. Single-lab observational data; no Western replication.

    PMID 14523363

  2. Animal in vivo 2002

    Inhibitory effect of peptide Epitalon on the development of spontaneous mammary tumors in HER-2/neu transgenic mice

    Anisimov VN, Khavinson VK, Popovich IG, et al. Int J Cancer

    Chronic Epithalon administration delayed mammary tumor development in HER-2/neu transgenic mice and reduced metastasis incidence.

    PMID 11920620

  3. Animal in vivo 2001

    Effect of synthetic thymic and pineal peptides on biomarkers of ageing, survival and spontaneous tumour incidence in female CBA mice

    Anisimov VN, Khavinson VK, Mikhalski AI, Yashin AI Mech Ageing Dev

    Pineal peptide treatment increased mean survival 5.3% (P<0.05) in female CBA mice. Foundational lifespan-extension finding from Khavinson's lab.

    PMID 11163623

  4. In vitro 2003

    Epithalon peptide induces telomerase activity and telomere elongation in human somatic cells

    Khavinson VK, Bondarev IE, Butyugov AA Bull Exp Biol Med

    AEDG peptide reportedly induced telomerase activity and elongated telomeres in human somatic cell culture. Foundational telomerase-activation claim; not independently replicated outside Khavinson's lab.

    PMID 12937682

Reported side effects

Injection site reaction
Rare Mild · Minor local reactions reported anecdotally with SubQ; no peer-reviewed AE profile.
Long-term safety unverified outside Russia
Unknown Mild · Khavinson group reports a clean AE profile across decades of clinical observation, but this has not been independently replicated in Western trials. The telomerase-activation claim, if accurate, would carry theoretical oncogenic risk that has not been formally evaluated.

Interactions

  • Vilon Synergy

    Khavinson 'pineal-thymus pair' protocol: pineal peptide (Epithalon) + thymic peptide (Vilon or Thymalin) targets immune + circadian axes.

  • Thymalin / Thymogen Synergy

    Pineal-thymus pair with the polypeptide thymic complex. Same Khavinson combination protocol as Epithalon + Vilon.

  • DSIP Synergy

    Both target sleep / circadian axis via different mechanisms (Epithalon claimed pineal-axis modulation; DSIP claimed SWS promotion). Frequently stacked in biohacker sleep protocols.

  • Pinealon Synergy

    Companion Khavinson peptides: Epithalon (pineal/circadian) + Pinealon (cognitive/neuroprotective). Frequently cycled together.

Reconstitution and storage

Lyophilized vials commonly 10-50 mg. For a 50 mg vial + 2 mL bacteriostatic water = 25 mg/mL → 0.2 mL = 5 mg dose. Gentle swirl, do not shake.

Lyophilized: refrigerate or freezer for long-term. Reconstituted: refrigerate 2-8°C, use within 30 days. Sublingual spray: per manufacturer instructions.

Open the reconstitution calculator for Epithalon