Cortagen is a synthetic tetrapeptide (Ala-Glu-Asp-Pro) from the Khavinson “bioregulator” program at the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology. It was obtained by directed synthesis based on amino-acid analysis of the brain-cortex peptide preparation Cortexin1. Published evidence is limited and comes largely from a small number of Russian-group studies in rodents and cell systems12; the originating group also referenced effects on human peripheral-nerve recovery, but no peer-reviewed, controlled Western clinical trials are indexed1. It is offered as a research chemical and is not an approved drug.
Sequence & identity
Ala-Glu-Asp-Pro · C₁₇H₂₆N₄O₉ · 430.4 g/mol
Structure corresponds to the free-acid tetrapeptide L-alanyl-L-α-glutamyl-L-α-aspartyl-L-proline, PubChem CID 18439621, InChIKey PLTRIMAUDDQYRV-NAKRPEOUSA-N3.
Mechanisms studied
A defined mechanism is not established. In a cDNA-microarray study, researchers reported that a 5-day course of Cortagen altered cardiac expression of 110 known genes in mice (234 of 15,247 clones), with up- and down-regulation ranging roughly +5.4 to −2.9, suggesting the peptide may act on tissue gene-expression patterns rather than a single receptor1. In a chronic cerebral-ischemia rat model, investigators observed reduced lipid peroxidation and partial restoration of antioxidant activity in brain tissue2. These are model-system observations and should not be read as a proven mode of action in humans.
Dosing in the research literature
The figures below summarise regimens as reported in published research — they are not recommendations or directions for use.
| Source / model | Regimen reported | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Anisimov et al. 2004 (mouse heart, microarray) | Intraperitoneal injections of Cortagen on 5 consecutive days in female CBA mice (dose level not specified in the abstract) | Animal study; transcriptome endpoint, not a dosing recommendation. |
| Zarubina & Shabanov 2011 (rat chronic ischemia) | Administered to rats with experimental brain ischemia; specific dose and route not stated in the abstract | Animal study; behavioral and biochemical (lipid peroxidation / antioxidant) endpoints. |
Effects observed in research
As reported in studies, observed effects are confined to animal and in-vitro systems: changes in heart gene-expression profiles in mice1 and, in a rat chronic-ischemia model, faster recovery of disturbed behavior alongside reduced lipid peroxidation and restored antioxidant activity in brain tissue2. No controlled human outcome data are available to support cognitive, neuroprotective, or anti-aging effects in people.
Strength of evidence
Evidence is graded C: the published record is small and dominated by animal and in-vitro work from the originating Russian research groups12. Claims of human peripheral-nerve benefit appear in the introduction of a primary paper but are not backed by an indexed controlled trial1. Chemical identity is well defined via PubChem3, but pharmacokinetic data (including a measured half-life) are not established in the peer-reviewed literature.
Reconstitution & storage
Reconstitute with bacteriostatic water for laboratory handling. Store lyophilised material frozen and reconstituted material refrigerated. Use Peptigo’s reconstitution calculator and storage cheat sheet for working figures.
References
- Anisimov SV, Khavinson VKh, Anisimov VN. Elucidation of the effect of brain cortex tetrapeptide Cortagen on gene expression in mouse heart by microarray. Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2004;25(1-2):87-94. PMID 15159690.
- Zarubina IV, Shabanov PD. Cortexin and cortagen as correcting agents in functional and metabolic disorders in the brain in chronic ischemia. Eksp Klin Farmakol. 2011;74(2):8-15. PMID 21476278.
- National Center for Biotechnology Information. PubChem Compound Summary for CID 18439621, Ala-Glu-Asp-Pro (Cortagen). InChIKey PLTRIMAUDDQYRV-NAKRPEOUSA-N. Accessed 2026.