An independent research digest on Selank — the anxiolytic heptapeptide, its GABAergic and enkephalinase mechanisms, and what the literature actually established.
Selank Rx

The literature

Selank references and sources

Every numbered citation used across this site, with DOIs and PubMed links.

Back to the researchRead the effects page

About these sources

The references below are the published studies cited throughout this Selank digest. The majority originate from Russian research groups — notably the Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Zakusov Institute of Pharmacology — and several appear in Russian-language journals with English abstracts. This concentration is itself part of an honest reading of the evidence. Where a DOI is available it is given; otherwise the PubMed (PMID) link is provided. Full citation entries with identifiers are listed in the references section below.

  1. Vyunova TV, Andreeva L, Shevchenko K, Myasoedov N. Peptide-based Anxiolytics: The Molecular Aspects of Heptapeptide Selank Biological Activity. Protein Pept Lett. 2018;25(10):914-923. ↗
  2. Zozulya AA, Kost NV, Sokolov OYu, et al. The inhibitory effect of Selank on enkephalin-degrading enzymes as a possible mechanism of its anxiolytic activity. Bull Exp Biol Med. 2001;131(4):315-317. ↗
  3. Inozemtseva LS, Karpenko EA, Dolotov OV, et al. Intranasal administration of the peptide Selank regulates BDNF expression in the rat hippocampus in vivo. Dokl Biol Sci. 2008;421:241-243. ↗
  4. Volkova A, Shadrina M, Kolomin T, et al. Selank Administration Affects the Expression of Some Genes Involved in GABAergic Neurotransmission. Front Pharmacol. 2016;7:31. ↗
  5. Zozulia AA, Neznamov GG, Siuniakov TS, et al. Efficacy and possible mechanisms of action of a new peptide anxiolytic medication (selank) in the therapy of generalized anxiety disorders and neurasthenia. Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova. 2008;108(4):38-48. ↗
  6. Uchakina ON, Uchakin PN, Miasoedov NF, et al. Immunomodulatory effects of selank in patients with anxiety-asthenic disorders. Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova. 2008;108(5):71-75. ↗
  7. Kasian A, Kolomin T, Andreeva L, et al. Peptide Selank Enhances the Effect of Diazepam in Reducing Anxiety in Unpredictable Chronic Mild Stress Conditions in Rats. Behav Neurol. 2017;2017:5091027. ↗
  8. Kost NV, Sokolov OIu, Gabaeva MV, et al. Semax and selank inhibit the enkephalin-degrading enzymes from human serum. Russ J Bioorg Chem. 2001;27(3):180-183. ↗
  9. Meshavkin VK, Kost NV, Sokolov OY, et al. Naloxone-blocked depriming effect of anxiolytic selank on apomorphine-induced behavior. Bull Exp Biol Med. 2006;142(5):598-600. ↗
  10. Kozlovskii II, Andreeva LA, Kozlovskaia MM, et al. The role of opioid system in peculiarities of anti-anxiety effect of peptide anxiolytic selank. Eksp Klin Farmakol. 2012;75(2):10-13. ↗
  11. Filatova E, Kasian A, Kolomin T, et al. GABA, Selank, and Olanzapine Affect the Expression of Genes Involved in GABAergic Neurotransmission in IMR-32 Cells. Front Pharmacol. 2017;8:89. ↗
  12. Semenova TP, Kozlovskaya MM, Zuikov AV, et al. Use of Selank to correct measures of integrative brain activity and the level of biogenic amines. Neurosci Behav Physiol. 2008;38(2):203-207. ↗
  13. Pavlov TS, Samonina GE, Bakaeva ZV, et al. Selank and its metabolites maintain homeostasis in the gastric mucosa. Bull Exp Biol Med. 2007;143(1):51-53. ↗
  14. Pavlov TS, Sanzhieva LTs, Samonina GE, et al. Effect of new synthetic anxiolytic selank on gastric wall blood flow and protective properties of gastric mucosa. Ross Fiziol Zh Im I M Sechenova. 2005;91(2):178-183. ↗
  15. Medvedev VE, Tereshchenko ON, Kost NV, et al. Optimization of the treatment of anxiety disorders with selank. Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova. 2015;115(6):33-40. ↗
  16. Fomenko EV, Bobyntsev II, Kryukov AA, et al. Effect of Selank on Functional State of Rat Hepatocytes under Conditions of Immobilization Stress. Bull Exp Biol Med. 2017;163(4):415-418. ↗
  17. Narkevich VB, Kudrin VS, Klodt PM, et al. Effects of heptapeptide selank on the content of monoamines and their metabolites in the brain of BALB/c and C57Bl/6 mice. Eksp Klin Farmakol. 2008;71(5):8-12. ↗
  18. Leonidovna YA, Aleksandrovna SM, Aleksandrovna TA, et al. The Influence of Selank on the Level of Cytokines Under the Conditions of Stressogenic Effect. Curr Rev Clin Exp Pharmacol. 2021;16(2):162-167. ↗
  19. Ershov FI, Uchakin PN, Uchakina ON, et al. Antiviral activity of immunomodulator Selank in experimental influenza infection. Vopr Virusol. 2009;54(5):19-24. ↗
  20. Sokolov OY, Meshavkin VK, Kost NV, et al. Effects of Selank on behavioral reactions and activities of plasma enkephalin-degrading enzymes in mice with different phenotypes of emotional stress reaction. Bull Exp Biol Med. 2002;133(2):133-135. ↗