If you have been reading about AEDG and want a single page that covers the useful parts, this is it: definitions, context, how it is studied, and the questions that come up repeatedly.
Last reviewed on 2026-02-28. Where a claim depends on a specific study, the study is described rather than over-claimed.
Literature searches for this compound must account for several spelling variants. Indexing databases contain epitalon, epithalon, epithalone, and AEDG, and relevant records are scattered across Russian-language and English-language journals that do not consistently cross-cite. Early publications describe the parent extract as a mixture of many peptides, whereas later work addresses the single synthetic tetrapeptide. That shift in nomenclature complicates comparison between studies, because extract data and tetrapeptide data are sometimes cited interchangeably. A search strategy omitting the alternate spellings will return an incomplete set of references.
Reported biological findings come mainly from cell culture and rodent experiments. Those studies describe changes in telomerase catalytic subunit expression, melatonin rhythm amplitude, and antioxidant enzyme activity after peptide exposure. Human data are sparse and consist of small trials with limited blinding and inconsistent endpoints. The proposed mechanisms remain hypotheses rather than established facts, and there is no consensus on whether effects observed in animals carry over to people. Independent replication outside the original research groups is limited, which is a recognised gap in the published literature.
Identity and purity are checked by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography, usually with ultraviolet detection near 214 nanometres, where the peptide bond absorbs. Mass spectrometry confirms the expected mass and reveals whether truncation products or adducts are present. Acid hydrolysis followed by amino acid analysis gives the residue ratio, which should approximate one alanine, one glutamate, one aspartate and one glycine. Counter-ions such as acetate or trifluoroacetate remain in the dried product and lower net peptide content, so a stated purity figure on a label does not by itself describe how much peptide a vial holds.
Regulatory treatment differs by country. No formulation of epitalon holds a marketing authorisation as a medicine in the United States or the European Union, where material sold for laboratory use is handled as a research chemical and is not intended for human consumption. In Russia, several short peptide preparations from the same institute's peptide series are registered medicinal products, and epitalon appears in that national context. Elsewhere it is frequently offered as a cosmetic ingredient, a category with lighter requirements. Advertising claims about longevity or disease prevention are restricted in most jurisdictions, which limits how sellers describe the compound.
| Property | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Chemical class | Synthetic tetrapeptide | Four amino acid residues |
| Residue sequence | Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly | Abbreviated AEDG |
| Approximate mass | 390.35 Da | Monoisotopic, free base form |
| Parent preparation | Epithalamin extract | Derived from pineal tissue |
| Common spelling variants | Epithalon, epithalone, AEDG | Affects literature retrieval |
Interest in epitalon is usually discussed within the broader field of short peptide bioregulators, a category that includes other synthetic di-, tri-, and tetrapeptides studied by the same research group. These compounds share a common rationale: that small fragments of tissue-derived proteins can retain biological activity and can be produced reproducibly. The category as a whole remains outside mainstream pharmacological consensus, and epitalon specifically has a limited presence in independent, non-Russian research literature, which shapes how its evidence base is described.
Epitalon is a synthetic tetrapeptide with the amino acid sequence alanine-glutamate-aspartate-glycine, abbreviated Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly or AEDG. It was developed by the Russian researcher Vladimir Khavinson and colleagues during work on peptide bioregulators derived from the pineal gland. The compound is short enough to be produced by standard solid-phase peptide synthesis and is typically handled as a lyophilized white powder. Its small size distinguishes it from larger pineal peptides such as epithalamin, a complex extract from which the tetrapeptide was conceptually derived.
The four residues give epitalon a molecular formula of C14H22N4O9 and a molecular weight near 390.35 daltons. The presence of two acidic residues, glutamate and aspartate, makes the free peptide strongly acidic, while the alanine and glycine ends provide neutral, nonpolar character. This combination produces a molecule with substantial water solubility. Because there are no cysteine, methionine, or tryptophan residues, the peptide lacks the most common oxidation-sensitive side chains, which simplifies handling compared with many longer peptides.
Verification of research-grade material involves comparing a supplier chromatogram against an in-house reference, checking the observed mass against the calculated value, and where possible confirming residue order by tandem mass spectrometry or enzymatic peptide mapping. Purity claims should be read alongside the method used to obtain them, because detection wavelength and integration settings alter the result. Batch-specific data, rather than a generic grade statement, is the informative part of a certificate.
Identity and purity of epitalon samples are normally established by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection near 214 nanometres, combined with mass spectrometry. The mass spectrum confirms the expected molecular ion and can reveal truncated or oxidised by-products. Amino acid analysis after acid hydrolysis verifies that the four residues are present in the expected ratio. Certificates typically report a purity figure taken from chromatographic peak area, expressed as a percentage of total integrated signal.
=== Electrode layers and electrolyte === On the macrostructral level (length scale 0.1–5 mm) almost all commercial lithium-ion batteries comprise foil current collectors (aluminium for cathode and copper for anode). Copper is selected for the anode, because lithium does not alloy with it. Aluminum is used for the cathode, because it passivates in LiPF6 electrolytes.
still holds, the surface energy (γ) predicted by Griffith's theory is usually unrealistically high. A group working under G. R. Irwin at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) during World War II realized that plasticity must play a significant role in the fracture of ductile materials. In ductile materials (and even in materials that appear to be brittle), a plastic zone develops at the tip of the crack. As the applied load increases, the plastic zone increases in size until the crack grows and the elastically strained material behind the crack tip unloads. The plastic loading and unloading cycle near the crack tip leads to the dissipation of energy as heat. Hence, a dissipative term has to be added to the energy balance relation devised by Griffith for brittle materials. In physical terms, additional energy is needed for crack growth in ductile materials as compared to brittle materials. Irwin's strategy was to partition the energy into two parts:
Lactic acid bacteria are fastidious organisms that cannot synthesize on their own all of their complex nutritional requirements. For LAB to grow and complete malolactic fermentation, the constitution of the wine medium must provide for their nutritional needs. Like wine yeast, LAB require a carbon source for energy metabolism (usually sugar and malic acid), nitrogen source (such as amino acids and purines) for protein synthesis, and various vitamins (such as niacin, riboflavin, and thiamine) and minerals to assist in the synthesis of enzymes and other cellular components. The source for these nutrients is often found in the grape must itself, though MLF inoculations that run concurrent with alcoholic fermentation risk the yeast outcompeting the bacteria for these nutrients. Towards the end of fermentation, while most of the original grape must resources have been consumed, the lysis of dead yeast cells (the "lees") can be a source for some nutrients, particularly amino acids. Plus, even "dry" wines that have been fermented to dryness still have unfermentable pentose sugars (such as arabinose, ribose and xylose) left behind that can be used by both positive and spoilage bacteria. As with wine yeast, manufacturers of cultured LAB inoculum usually offer specially prepared nutritional additives that be used as a supplement. However, unlike wine yeast, lactic acid bacteria can not use the supplement diammonium phosphate as a nitrogen source.
=== Parasitic CK1s hijack mammalian CK1 pathways === Increasing evidence suggests that CK1 can be associated with infectious diseases by the manipulation of the CK1-related signaling pathways of the host cell by intracellular parasites, exporting their CK1 into the host cell. For Leishmania and Plasmodium, excreted CK1 contributes to reprogramming of the respective host cells. Possessing host functions parasitic CK1s are able to replace mammalian CK1s, thereby ensuring similar functions. Parasitic CK1s display a high level of identity towards human CK1δ TV1, suggesting that this human paralogue might be the preferred target for parasitic hijacking. The protein organization of parasitic CK1s is very similar to that of human CK1δ. All residues involved in ATP binding, the gatekeeper residue, as well as the DFG, KHD, and SIN motifs are generally conserved in parasitic CK1 sequences. This finding suggests, that they are crucial for CK1 function. However, the functions of these kinases in the parasites and more importantly their functions in the host cell are mainly unknown and remain to be investigated. CK1s from Plasmodium and Leishmania are most studied:
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
On 1 July 1972 at Villamanrique de la Condesa, near Seville, Spain, he married Princess Maria da Gloria of Orléans-Braganza (b. 1946) from the Brazilian imperial family, at the parish church of St. Mary Magdalene. They are double 4th cousins once removed as both are descendants of Prince Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (1785–1851) and Princess Maria Antonia von Koháry (1797–1862), as well as of Pedro I, Emperor of Brazil and Archduchess Maria Leopoldina of Austria. They have three sons: Peter (born 5 February 1980), and fraternal twins: Philip and Alexander (both born 15 January 1982). Alexander and Maria da Gloria divorced on 19 February 1985. Both of them married for the second time. Maria da Gloria married Ignacio de Medina, Duke of Segorbe (b. 1947), while Crown Prince Alexander married Katherine Clairy Batis, daughter of Robert Batis and Anna Dosti, civilly on 20 September 1985, and religiously the following day, at St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church, Notting Hill, London. Since their marriage, she is known as Crown Princess Katherine, as per the royal family's website. On 16 December 2017, Alexander attended with his wife the state funeral of his first cousin once removed, King Michael of Romania in Bucharest, along with other heads of European royal families and invited guests. On 19 September 2022, Crown Prince Alexander and his wife Katherine attended the state funeral of his godmother Queen Elizabeth II.
=== Physical methods === Heat treatment − Treating food with heat, such as blanching or roasting, de-naturates enzymes and destroys the reactants responsible for browning. Blanching is used, for example, in winemaking, tea processing, storing nuts and bacon, and preparing vegetables for freezing preservation. Meat is often partially browned under high heat before being incorporated into a larger preparation to be cooked at a lower temperature which produces less browning. Cold treatment − Refrigeration and freezing are the most common ways of storing food, preventing decay. The activity of browning enzymes, i.e., rate of reaction, drops in low temperatures. Thus, refrigeration helps to keep the initial look, color, and flavour of fresh vegetables and fruits. Refrigeration is also used during distribution and retailing of fruits and vegetables. Oxygen elimination − Presence of oxygen is crucial for enzymatic browning, therefore eliminating oxygen from the environment helps to slow down the browning reaction. Withdrawing air or replacing it with other gases (e.g., N2 or CO2) during preservation, such as in vacuum-packaging or modified atmosphere packaging, wine or juice bottling, using impermeable films or edible coatings, dipping into salt or sugar solutions, keeps the food away from direct contact with oxygen. Impermeable films made of plastic or other materials prevent food being exposed to oxygen in the air and avoid moisture loss.
Levamisole is one of the most common cutting agents used to lace illicit cocaine, with studies showing that between 2009 and 2016, 50–70% of all cocaine specimens worldwide contained levamisole, reflecting similar high rates of contamination across North America and Europe. Before trafficking to the United States, the cocaine is frequently adulterated with levamisole. By October 2017, this figure had risen further, with the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) reporting that 87% of seized and analyzed cocaine bricks in the United States contained levamisole, making it the most common adulterant in cocaine at that time. In the body, levamisole is converted into aminorex, a substance with amphetamine-like stimulant effects and a long duration of action. Levamisole-adulterated cocaine is associated with cocaine/levamisole-associated autoimmune syndrome (CLAAS) and cocaine- and levamisole-induced vasculitis (CLIV). Reagent testing kits can be used to detect the presence of cocaine and levamisole.
=== Biomedical imaging === There are many applications for iron-oxide based nanoparticles in concert with magnetic resonance imaging. Magnetic CoPt nanoparticles are being used as an MRI contrast agent for transplanted neural stem cell detection.
=== Pain === Similarly to μ-opioid receptor (MOR), KOR activation produces antinociceptive effects. KOR agonists are potently analgesic and have been employed clinically for pain management, but they produce characteristic adverse effects which both limit their abuse potential and, unfortunately, their therapeutic utility. The receptor mediates acute thermal and mechanical pain processing. The analgesic actions of KOR occur at both spinal and supraspinal sites. In the spinal cord, presynaptic activation suppresses nociceptive transmission through inhibition of calcium influx and reduction of neurotransmitter release from primary sensory neurons. Neuropathic pain following peripheral nerve injury is accompanied by sustained elevation of dynorphin levels in the spinal dorsal horn, resulting in tonic KOR activation that contributes to pain inhibition. The prodynorphin-derived opioid system within the spinal cord exhibits both pronociceptive and antinociceptive functions. Acute KOR activation produces pain reversal and chronic stimulation leads to receptor tolerance and hyperalgesia with allodynia. Mechanisms such as activation of NMDA receptors on spinal interneurons, and increasing glutamate and substance P release from primary afferent terminals might play a role. KOR also mediates the affective-motivational dimensions of pain. At the supraspinal level, KOR activation in the ventral tegmental area, periaqueductal gray, and other pain-modulatory nuclei influences both pain perception and pain-related motivated behavior.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
== Simulators == Simcyp Simulator and GastroPlus (from Simulations Plus) are simulators that take account for individual variabilities. PharmaCalc v02 and PharmaCalcCL allow to simulate individual plasma-concentration time curves based on (published) pharmacokinetic parameters such as half-life, volume of distribution etc.
24 January The discovery of 85 exoplanet candidates based on data from the TESS observatory is reported. All have orbital periods of between 20 and 700 days, with temperatures similar to those of Solar System planets. A global analysis of groundwater levels reports rapid declines of over 0.5 meters per year are widespread and that declines have accelerated over the past four decades in 30% of the world's regional aquifers. The study also shows cases in which depletion trends have reversed following interventions such as policy changes. 25 January – The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) is given the go-ahead by the European Space Agency (ESA). It will launch in 2035. 26 January – Astronomers report the detection of water vapor in the atmosphere of GJ 9827 d, an exoplanet about twice the size of Earth. 29 January Elon Musk's startup Neuralink implants their first microchip into a human brain. A robotic sensor able to read braille with 87.5% accuracy and at twice the speed of a human is demonstrated. 31 January – NASA reports the discovery of a super-Earth called TOI-715 b, located in the habitable zone of a red dwarf star about 137 light-years away. Promising innovations relating to global challenges are reported: a self-powered solar panel cleaning system using an electrodynamic screen, removing contaminants through high-voltage electric fields, is demonstrated (4 Jan), an atmospheric water generator (WaterCube) for humidity levels above 40% is released (9 Jan).
Dichloroacetylene (DCA) is an organochlorine compound with the formula C2Cl2. It is a colorless, pyrophoric, explosive liquid that has a sweet and "disagreeable" odor. Dichloroacetylene is neurotoxic, hepatotoxic, nephrotoxic and possibly carcinogenic.
==== Oral activity and hepatotoxicity ==== Non-17α-alkylated testosterone derivatives such as testosterone itself, DHT, and nandrolone all have poor oral bioavailability due to extensive first-pass hepatic metabolism and hence are not orally active. A notable exception to this are AAS that are androgen precursors or prohormones, including dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), androstenediol, androstenedione, boldione (androstadienedione), bolandiol (norandrostenediol), bolandione (norandrostenedione), dienedione, mentabolan (MENT dione, trestione), and methoxydienone (methoxygonadiene) (although these are relatively weak AAS). AAS that are not orally active are used almost exclusively in the form of esters administered by intramuscular injection, which act as depots and are long-acting prodrugs. Examples include testosterone, as testosterone cypionate, testosterone enanthate, and testosterone propionate, and nandrolone, as nandrolone phenylpropionate and nandrolone decanoate, among many others (see here for a full list of testosterone and nandrolone esters). An exception is the long-chain ester testosterone undecanoate, which is orally active, albeit with only low oral bioavailability (approximately 3%). In contrast to most other AAS, 17α-alkylated testosterone derivatives show resistance to metabolism due to steric hindrance and are orally active, though they may be esterified and administered via intramuscular injection as well.
Metallopeptides (also called metal-peptides or metal peptide complexes) are peptides that contain one or more metal ions in their structure. This specific type of peptide are, just like metalloproteins, metallofoldamers. And very similar to metalloproteins, metallopeptide's functionality is attributed through the contained metal ion cofactor. These short structured peptides are often employed to develop mimics of metalloproteins and systems similar to artificial metalloenzymes. A multitude of naturally occurring peptides display biological and chemical activities when bound to various metal ions. Where different metal ion cofactor can lead to different reactivity and even different folding and physical characteristics (e.g. solubility or stability) of the structure. Synthetic equivalents of such peptides are engineered to bind metal ions and display a variety of physical, chemical, and biological reactivity and characteristics.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
It is based on epithalamin, a peptide-rich preparation obtained from pineal gland tissue and studied in the former Soviet Union. Researchers later identified the tetrapeptide AEDG as a constituent fragment of that material. Modern supplies are produced by chemical synthesis rather than tissue extraction.
No. Epithalamin is a heterogeneous extract containing many peptides, while epitalon is a single synthesised tetrapeptide. Publications sometimes treat findings from the two as equivalent, which is a common source of confusion. Their compositions differ and they are not interchangeable in analytical terms.
Most published work uses cell cultures or rodents because those models are faster and less costly to run. The few human trials that have been reported are small, and several lack control groups or blinding. This restricts what can reasonably be concluded about effects in people.
The solid is kept cold, dry and dark, typically at minus twenty degrees Celsius, in a sealed container with desiccant. Dissolved material is kept refrigerated and used promptly. Freezing and thawing a solution repeatedly is avoided because it accelerates degradation.