Semax Guide

Semax (sequence: Met-Glu-His-Phe-Pro-Gly-Pro) was developed by the Institute of Molecular Genetics in Moscow in the 1980s as a stable, bioavailable fragment of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). Unlike ACTH itself, Semax has no hormonal (steroidogenic) activity — it acts purely through neuropeptide receptor pathways in the brain.

It holds official drug approval in Russia for ischemic stroke recovery, traumatic brain injury, optic nerve disease, and cognitive decline. Outside Russia it is an unscheduled research compound used by the nootropic community for cognitive enhancement.

Key administration fact: Semax must be administered intranasally to cross the blood-brain barrier effectively. Oral dosing is destroyed by digestive enzymes; subcutaneous injection reaches the periphery but has very poor CNS bioavailability compared to nasal delivery.

The most popular Semax stack is combining it with Selank, creating the "Russian peptide stack." The two peptides are complementary: Semax provides stimulation, focus, and dopaminergic drive, while Selank provides GABAergic calming and anxiety relief — preventing the edge or anxiety that some users experience on Semax alone.

300-600mcg intranasally in the morning for cognitive activation and focus during work sessions.

250-500mcg intranasally in the afternoon/evening or when anxiety arises to balance stimulating effects.