NO. 023 · LONGEVITY
EPITALON
Telomerase Activator · Khavinson
ALIASES
Epitalon, Epithalon, Epithalamin analog, AEDG
CLASS
Synthetic Khavinson tetrapeptide · pineal-axis research
FORMULA
C₁₄H₂₂N₄O₉
SEQUENCE
Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly
HALF-LIFE
Very short (minutes) plasma; tissue-localized longer
ROUTES
Subcutaneous (Russian research protocol) · Intranasal (some sources)
MECHANISM OF ACTION
Four-amino-acid synthetic peptide (Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly) with telomerase-activating activity in human somatic cells. Developed at the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology. Russian clinical use spans 30+ years; mainstream Western RCT-grade evidence is limited.
EVIDENCE GRADES
Khavinson 2003 reported telomerase upregulation in human peripheral blood lymphocytes; replication outside Khavinson network is limited.
12-year Russian observational study of 266 patients · not a randomized double-blind design; treat as preliminary.
MECHANISM CATEGORIES
SAFETY
Side effects
- Very limited Western safety data
- No serious adverse events reported in Russian literature at standard doses
Drug interactions
- Largely unstudied in Western literature
Contraindications
- Active malignancy (theoretical · telomerase activation may interact with cancer biology · NOT validated)
REGULATORY STATUS
FDA · Not FDA-approved. Research-use only in the United States.
WADA · Not currently listed on the WADA Prohibited List.
STORAGE
Lyophilized · -20 °C 24 months
Reconstituted · 2-8 °C, 14-21 days
PEER-REVIEWED EVIDENCE
- Khavinson VKh. Peptides and Ageing. Neuro Endocrinol Lett 2002. PMID 12624353. link →
- Khavinson V, et al.. Effects of pineal peptide preparation Epithalamin on free-radical processes in humans and animals. Neuro Endocrinol Lett 2003. PMID 14523389. link →
FAQ · 7 QUESTIONS
▶ What is Epitalon?
Epitalon is a synthetic tetrapeptide (Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly, AEDG) developed by Vladimir Khavinson at the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology in Russia. It is the synthetic analog of the pineal extract epithalamin.
▶ Is Epitalon the same as epithalamin?
Epithalamin is the natural pineal-extract preparation; Epitalon (also called epithalon) is the synthetic tetrapeptide AEDG that captures the active short-peptide component.
▶ Is Epitalon FDA-approved?
No. Epitalon is research-use only in the United States. It is registered as a clinical-research compound within the Russian Federation by the Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology.
▶ How does Epitalon work?
Proposed mechanisms include telomerase activation in somatic cells (Khavinson 2003, PMID 14523389), modulation of melatonin secretion via pineal gland action, and influence on circadian clock-gene expression. Replication outside the Khavinson network is limited.
▶ Is the evidence base reliable?
Most published research comes from the Khavinson group in Russia and is in Russian-language journals. The 12-year mortality study is observational, not randomized double-blind. Treat the evidence base as preliminary.
▶ What dose is used in research?
Russian-protocol literature uses subcutaneous 5-10 mg/day in 10-20 day cycles, 1-2 times per year. This wiki does not recommend any human dose.
▶ Side effects?
Very limited Western safety data. No serious adverse events reported in Russian literature at standard doses; appropriate caution warranted given the limited Western RCT base.
SIGNATURE MOVES
Rebuild telomere ends. Khavinson 30-year clinical work.
Russian gerontology classic. Pineal regulation.
SOURCED FROM GIGACOMPOUNDS
Reference compounds documented on this page are available as research-grade material at GigaCompounds · ≥99% purity · per-batch Certificate of Analysis. For laboratory research use only. No human dose is recommended by this wiki.
▶ LAST UPDATED · 2026-05-19