Epitalon
Also known as: Epithalon, Epithalamin analog, AEDG, Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly
Epitalon (also called Epithalon or Epithalamin analog) is a pineal tetrapeptide in the Telomerase Activator class. Epitalon is Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly, a synthetic tetrapeptide derived from epithalamin, a pineal extract studied in Soviet gerontology. Two mechanisms are reported. The first is induction of telomerase reverse transcriptase expression, with somatic cell studies describing telomere elongation and extended proliferative capacity — the basis of most interest in the compound.
For research use only.
Key Facts
- CAS
- 307297-39-8
- Molecular Weight (MW)
- 390.35 g/mol
- Half-life
- Short (~10 min)
- FDA status
- Not Approved
- Evidence level
- Insufficient Evidence
- Human dose established
- No
- Administration Route
- Not established in humans
- Frequency
- Not established in humans
- Last updated
- Sep 26, 2026
- Reviewed
- Aug 30, 2026
- Targets
- Telomerase (proposed)Pineal / circadian axis
Vendor price snapshot
Each vendor counts once, at the median price per mg of its own listings; the typical range is the middle half of vendors. From public vendor listings collected between Dec 2025 and Sep 2026, so confirm the live price on the vendor site. Peptide Library does not sell peptides.
- Vendors listing this peptide
- 33
- Listed offers
- 43
- Median price per mg
- $3.50/mg
- Typical $2.80–$5.00/mg
Research summary
Synthetic pineal tetrapeptide (AEDG) from Khavinson’s work on epithalamin. Studied for telomerase and circadian research; not FDA-approved.
Peptide Library's Epitalon profile summarises 5 cited studies listed in the Science section, the compound's regulatory status, and research-protocol parameters reported for it. It is a research reference, not medical advice.
Epitalon dosage: no established human dose
Epitalon has no established human dosage. No trial of it is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov, and a single human publication is indexed in PubMed — a 2002 report on retinal condition in retinitis pigmentosa, from the Russian group that developed the compound. The longevity and telomerase claims it is sold on have no registered trial and no independent human replication.
No established human dosage.
Human clinical evidence: None identified.
Preclinical research: Epitalon is a synthetic tetrapeptide (Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly) derived from the pineal extract epithalamin, developed at the St Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology. The supporting literature is dominated by that institute's own rodent lifespan and pineal-function work. Independent replication is scarce, no trial is registered internationally, and a single indexed human publication reports no dose. Nothing here establishes a human dose, route or interval.
Animal dosing is not converted into a human dose anywhere on this page. Where research figures appear below, they are reported as studied, not recommended.
| Human dosing established | No |
|---|---|
| Route | Not established in humans |
| Evidence level | Insufficient Evidence |
| Last reviewed | 2026-09-05 |
Human research reported
Doses as studied, one row per regimen. Different trials used different regimens; they are listed separately rather than averaged.
| Study / context | Population | Dose | Route | Frequency | Duration | Outcome studied | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retinitis pigmentosa report (2002)Clinical trial · Clinical report from the originating research group | Patients with retinitis pigmentosa | Not stated in the indexed record | Not stated in the indexed record | — | — | Eye retina condition | Pineal-regulating tetrapeptide epitalon improves eye retina condition in retinitis pigmentosa. Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2002. |
Where sources disagree
- Protocols of 5–10 mg daily for 10–20 day courses are widely published for epitalon. No registered trial and no indexed human study reports any dose, and no primary source for those figures could be identified.
- Epitalon is frequently described as a telomerase activator that extends lifespan. Those claims originate in rodent studies and cell work from the group that developed the compound; there is no human outcome trial testing them.
- Epithalamin, the pineal extract, and epitalon, the synthetic tetrapeptide, are distinct and are often conflated in secondary sources. Evidence generated with the extract is not dosing evidence for the peptide.
Reconstitution
Common research vial sizes: 10 mg, 50 mg.
| Vial | Bacteriostatic water | Concentration | Per 0.01 mL |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 mg | 2 mL | 5 mg/mL | 50 mcg per 0.01 mL |
| 50 mg | 5 mL | 10 mg/mL | 100 mcg per 0.01 mL |
These figures are arithmetic only — they convert a vial and a volume into a concentration. They are not a recommendation to take any dose.
Calculate reconstitution & dose →Handling & administration
- Reconstitution Guide
- 2 mL BAC for 50 mg vial
- Injection Sites
- Abdomen
- Concentration Example
- 50 mg / 2 mL = 25 mg/mL
- Timing Notes
- Evening
- Expected Onset
- Days for sleep, months for telomere
How to reconstitute Epitalon
- Check the vial size and diluent volume. The profile example for Epitalon is: 2 mL BAC for 50 mg vial.
- Swab both vial stoppers and draw the bacteriostatic water into a sterile syringe.
- Add the water slowly down the inside wall of the peptide vial so it does not jet onto the powder, then swirl gently until the solution is clear. Do not shake.
- Record the resulting concentration: 50 mg / 2 mL = 25 mg/mL.
- Label the vial with the date and concentration, refrigerate it (see Storage & stability below), and use the calculator preset to convert a dose in mcg into syringe units.
Sequence & molecular data
| Amino acid sequence | Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly |
|---|---|
| Molecular formula | C14H22N4O9 |
| Molecular weight | 390.35 g/mol |
| CAS number | 307297-39-8 |
| Half-life | Short (~10 min) |
| Appearance | White lyophilized powder |
| Formulation | Lyophilized Powder |
| PubChem CID | 219042 |
| FDA UNII | O65P17785G |
Identifiers link to the public PubChem, FDA Substance Registration (UNII), ChEMBL and DrugBank records for the same entity.
Science
Mechanism of Action
Epitalon is Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly, a synthetic tetrapeptide derived from epithalamin, a pineal extract studied in Soviet gerontology. Two mechanisms are reported. The first is induction of telomerase reverse transcriptase expression, with somatic cell studies describing telomere elongation and extended proliferative capacity — the basis of most interest in the compound. The second is normalisation of the melatonin secretion rhythm, consistent with its pineal origin. Rodent studies from the originating group report increased lifespan and reduced tumour incidence. The findings have not been replicated in independent Western laboratories or confirmed in controlled human trials, and induction of telomerase is not an unambiguously desirable effect given its role in tumour cell immortalisation.
Origin
Synthetic Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly.
Targets
Studies
- Overview of Epitalon-Highly Bioactive Pineal Tetrapeptide with Promising Properties
- Epitalon increases telomere length in human cell lines through telomerase upregulation or ALT activity
- The Antioxidant Tetrapeptide Epitalon Enhances Delayed Wound Healing in an in Vitro Model of Diabetic Retinopathy
- Epitalon-activated telomerase enhance bovine oocyte maturation rate and post-thawed embryo development
- Epitalon protects against post-ovulatory aging-related damage of mouse oocytes in vitro
Regulatory & research status
Epitalon is not an FDA-approved product. It is sold for laboratory research and has no approved medical use.
| FDA status | Not Approved |
|---|---|
| Availability | Research-Only |
| WADA (sport) | Unknown / Not Listed |
| Library classification | Research-Only |
Benefits
Epitalon side effects
Epitalon has no controlled human safety data. The effects below are reported, not established, and absence from the list is not evidence of safety.
Side Effects
- Mild injection reactions
Contraindications
- Cancer history
Stacking
Common stacking partners
Combinations that include Epitalon, with the proposed rationale, an evidence grade and what is not established, are catalogued in the peptide stacks directory.
Storage & stability
Lyophilized (freeze-dried) peptide powder is far more stable than the reconstituted solution. Keep sealed vials cold, dry and away from light; long-term storage is typically frozen, with short-term refrigeration for vials in use.
Once reconstituted in bacteriostatic water, keep the solution refrigerated, avoid repeated freeze–thaw cycles and agitation, and label the vial with the reconstitution date and concentration. Discard any solution that turns cloudy or shows particulates.
Degradation rates differ by sequence: peptides containing methionine, cysteine, asparagine or glutamine are more prone to oxidation and deamidation, so shelf life after reconstitution is compound-specific rather than universal.
Read the full guide: how to store peptides before and after reconstitution →
Source: Manning MC, Chou DK, Murphy BM, Payne RW, Katayama DS. Stability of protein pharmaceuticals: an update. Pharm Res. 2010;27(4):544–575. (PMID 20143256). General guidance for research handling; not product-specific instructions.
Epitalon: frequently asked questions
What is Epitalon?
Synthetic pineal tetrapeptide (AEDG) from Khavinson’s work on epithalamin. Studied for telomerase and circadian research; not FDA-approved. Epitalon is Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly, a synthetic tetrapeptide derived from epithalamin, a pineal extract studied in Soviet gerontology. Two mechanisms are reported. The first is induction of telomerase reverse transcriptase expression, with somatic cell studies describing telomere elongation and extended proliferative capacity — the basis of most interest in the compound.
What are the side effects of Epitalon?
Epitalon has no controlled human safety data, so its side-effect profile is not well established. Effects recorded on this profile include mild injection reactions. Cautions recorded on this profile: cancer history. This is reference information, not medical advice.
How does Epitalon work?
Epitalon is Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly, a synthetic tetrapeptide derived from epithalamin, a pineal extract studied in Soviet gerontology. Two mechanisms are reported.
Is Epitalon FDA approved?
No. Epitalon is not approved by the FDA for any indication and is categorised as research-only. It has not been reviewed for safety or efficacy as a medicine, and published research should be read as investigation rather than established use.
What is the half-life of Epitalon?
Reported half-life for Epitalon is Short (~10 min). Half-life describes how long the compound persists in circulation, not how long any effect lasts, and published figures vary with route of administration, formulation and the population studied.
What is the amino acid sequence of Epitalon?
Epitalon has the sequence Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly, giving a chain of 4 amino acids. Its molecular formula is C14H22N4O9.
What peptides are similar to Epitalon?
Compounds most often compared with Epitalon include Pinealon, Klotho, FOXO4-DRI and NAD+ (Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide). They are grouped by shared mechanism or research area rather than by equivalence, and their regulatory status and evidence base differ.
How long does Epitalon take to show effects in research protocols?
The research protocol on this profile lists an expected onset of days for sleep, months for telomere. This is a protocol note describing when studies and researchers report observing changes, not a measured clinical outcome, and it varies with the model, dose and endpoint studied.
Where is Epitalon administered in research protocols?
Research protocols on this profile use subcutaneous administration, with recorded sites including abdomen. Site rotation and sterile technique are standard practice in the research literature; this describes protocol conditions and is not guidance for use.
Does epitalon lengthen telomeres in humans?
Not on current evidence. Cell-culture work reports increased telomerase activity and animal studies report lifespan effects, but no adequately powered, independently replicated human trial shows telomere lengthening. The human evidence is observational, from elderly cohorts, and comes largely from a single Russian research tradition published mostly in Russian-language journals.
Is epitalon the same as epithalamin?
Related, not identical. Epithalamin is the original peptide extract from the pineal gland; epitalon (Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly) is the synthetic four-amino-acid peptide developed from work on it.
Is activating telomerase a good thing?
Not self-evidently. Most body cells suppress telomerase, and cancer cells typically reactivate it to keep dividing, so that suppression is generally seen as a tumour-suppressing mechanism. No evidence shows epitalon causes cancer, but a compound claiming telomerase activation warrants more scrutiny rather than less, which is why cancer history is listed as a caution on this profile.
References
- Overview of Epitalon-Highly Bioactive Pineal Tetrapeptide with Promising Properties — Int J Mol Sci, 2025External reference
- Epitalon increases telomere length in human cell lines through telomerase upregulation or ALT activity — Biogerontology, 2025External reference
- The Antioxidant Tetrapeptide Epitalon Enhances Delayed Wound Healing in an in Vitro Model of Diabetic Retinopathy — Stem Cell Rev Rep, 2025External reference
- Epitalon-activated telomerase enhance bovine oocyte maturation rate and post-thawed embryo development — Life Sci, 2025External reference
- Epitalon protects against post-ovulatory aging-related damage of mouse oocytes in vitro — Aging (Albany NY), 2022External reference
Related research, comparisons & guides
- Vesugen: A Three-Amino-Acid Peptide With a Very Specific Claim
- Peptides for Sleep: Three Candidates, Very Little Evidence
- Longevity peptidesCategory
- Peptide stacks: combinations by research goalStacks
- Peptide dosage chart: dose, route and frequencyCategory
- Peptide calculator with the Epitalon preset
- How to store peptides before and after reconstitution
Related peptides
Compiled by Peptide Library Editorial · Reviewed Aug 30, 2026 · Updated Sep 26, 2026 · Version 6
This Epitalon profile is compiled from published literature (5 cited studies linked above), public regulatory records and chemical registries. It describes what research reports; it is not medical advice, and nothing here is a dosing recommendation for humans. Peptide Library does not sell peptides. Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled · Report an error
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