---
title: "What Is Selank Studied For? Anxiety Research"
url: https://www.primaralabs.com/answers/what-is-selank-studied-for
source: Primara Labs, markdown mirror of the HTML page
---

# What is selank studied for?

Selank is a synthetic seven-amino-acid peptide studied in Russia for generalised anxiety and related conditions. As of 23 September 2026, its human studies compared it with a benzodiazepine or added it to one, without a placebo arm, and its proposed mechanisms come from laboratory work that human studies have not confirmed.

Primara Labs sells some of the compounds covered here. Every figure on this page links to its source and the date it was checked.

Updated 23 September 2026

01

## What it is

Selank is a synthetic seven-amino-acid peptide (Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg-Pro-Gly-Pro). Laboratory and rat studies propose two mechanisms, allosteric modulation of GABA receptors and inhibition of the enzymes that break down enkephalins. Neither has been confirmed in human pharmacology studies.

02

## Human studies

In a Russian comparative study of 62 patients with generalised anxiety disorder or neurasthenia, selank and medazepam had similar effects on anxiety rating scales; there was no placebo arm and the abstract does not state how patients were allocated.

In a Russian study of 70 patients with anxiety-spectrum disorders, adding selank to phenazepam was reported to reduce phenazepam side effects compared with phenazepam alone; there was no placebo arm.

03

## Laboratory work and safety data

In receptor binding assays on brain cell membranes, selank acted as a positive allosteric modulator of GABA binding.

In human plasma in the test tube, selank inhibited the breakdown of enkephalins in a dose-dependent way.

No human adverse event data are published in the English-language abstracts searched on 23 September 2026; the US FDA says it lacks important safety information on selank acetate given to people.

04

## The papers behind it

Small Russian human studies without a placebo arm, and laboratory work.

Protein Pept Lett 2018: In receptor binding work, selank acted as a positive allosteric modulator of GABA binding.

Front Pharmacol 2016: In rat frontal cortex, selank changed the expression of 45 of 84 neurotransmission genes within an hour.

Bull Exp Biol Med 2001: In human plasma in the test tube, selank inhibited the enzymes that break down enkephalins.

Sources

## Where every figure comes from

1.  [Europe PMC 18454096](https://europepmc.org/article/MED/18454096) · checked 23 September 2026
2.  [Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr 2015](https://doi.org/10.17116/jnevro20151156133-40) · checked 23 September 2026
3.  [Protein Pept Lett 2018](https://doi.org/10.2174/0929866525666180925144642) · checked 23 September 2026
4.  [Europe PMC search, selank](https://www.ebi.ac.uk/europepmc/webservices/rest/search?query=%28TITLE_ABS%3A%22selank%22%29&resultType=core&format=json&pageSize=50) · checked 23 September 2026

Last reviewed 23 September 2026

Read next

## Related pages

-   [Selank 10mg](https://www.primaralabs.com/marketplace/selank-10mg)
-   [Evidence Map: selank](https://www.primaralabs.com/research/evidence#selank)

-   [What is semax studied for?](https://www.primaralabs.com/answers/what-is-semax-studied-for)
-   [What is DSIP studied for?](https://www.primaralabs.com/answers/what-is-dsip-studied-for)