Research
Epitalon Capsules Product Information
Molecular formula: | C14H22N4O9 |
Molecular weight: |
390.35ย g/mol
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PubChem CID: | 219042 |
Synonyms |
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Research Applications: |
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What is Epitalon (Epithalon) Peptide?
Epitalon, also known as Epithalon or Epithalone, is a synthetic version of a naturally occurring polypeptide called Epithalamine, which is produced in the pineal gland. This tetrapeptide, consisting of four amino acids bound together, plays a significant role in the body’s ability to combat aging and promote rejuvenation.
Discovered by Russian scientists Vladimir Khavinson and Vladimir Anisimov, Epitalon has been the subject of numerous studies, primarily focusing on its potential to extend lifespan and improve health by stimulating the production of telomerase, an enzyme that aids in the maintenance and repair of telomeres.
Epitalon and Telomere Length
Epitalon is a synthetic peptide known for its potential to influence the aging process by affecting telomeres, the protective caps at the ends of chromosomes. Research has shown that Epitalon can stimulate the production of telomerase, an enzyme that plays a key role in maintaining and extending telomeres. This process is crucial because as cells divide, telomeres naturally shorten, leading to aging and eventual cell death. By promoting telomerase activity, Epitalon may help to extend the lifespan of cells, potentially offering a way to slow down the aging process.
A study published in 2003 by Khavinson et al. demonstrated that adding Epitalon to cultures of human somatic cells, which do not normally produce telomerase, resulted in the activation of telomerase and a significant elongation of telomeres [R]. This suggests that Epitalon could reactivate the telomerase gene in somatic cells, offering a glimpse into its potential to extend cellular life and, by extension, positively impact overall organismal longevity.
Epitalon and Anti-Aging and Longevity
Epitalon hasย been a subjectย of interest inย longevity researchย for its potentialย anti-aging effects. A study publishedย in 2003 exploredย the impact ofย Epitalon on femaleย Swiss-derived SHRย mice, revealingย that while theย peptide did notย affect food consumption, body weight, or mean lifespan, it did slowย down age-related estrous function declineย and reduced chromosomeย aberrations inย bone marrow cells. Notably, Epitalon increasedย the lifespanย of the lastย 10% of survivorsย by 13.3% andย the maximum lifespanย by 12.3% comparedย to the controlย group. It alsoย inhibited theย development ofย leukemia, suggestingย a geroprotective activityย and the safetyย of its long-term administration in mice [R].
Another study highlighted Epitalon’s role in gene expression and protein synthesis during neurogenesis, suggesting an epigenetic mechanism. The peptide was shown to stimulate neuronal cell differentiation in retinal and human periodontal ligament stem cells, indicating its potential in neuroprotective strategies [R].
Epitalon’s anti-aging properties are linked to its ability to activate telomerase, an enzyme that elongates telomeres, the protective caps at the ends of chromosomes that shorten with age. By maintaining telomere length, Epitalon could theoretically slow the aging process at the cellular level, offering a promising avenue for research into extending human healthspan.
Epitalon and Neurological Health
A study by Khavinson et al. in 2020 revealed that Epitalon can stimulate gene expression and protein synthesis during neurogenesis, suggesting a possible epigenetic mechanism. This research indicates that Epitalon may play a role in the differentiation and development of neurons [R].
Further exploration into the neuroepigenetic mechanisms of ultrashort peptides like Epitalon has shown that they can interact with components of the gene expression machinery within the brain, potentially influencing higher-order cognitive functions [R]. These findings are significant as they offer a glimpse into how Epitalon could be used to understand and perhaps influence the complex processes of learning, memory, and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s.
Epitalon and Cancer Risk
In a study byย Anisimov et al. (2003), Epitalon wasย administeredย to female Swiss-derived SHR mice, revealing thatย while it didย not affect theirย average lifespan, it did slowย down age-related changesย and reduced theย frequency ofย chromosome aberrations in boneย marrow cells. Notably, Epitalon did notย alter the overallย incidence ofย spontaneous tumorsย but significantlyย inhibited theย development ofย leukemia by sixfold comparedย to the control group [R].
In the contextย of mammary tumors, a study publishedย in 2002 demonstrated that Epitalon had an inhibitory effect on the development of spontaneous mammary tumors in HER-2/neu transgenic mice. The peptide reduced both the number and size of tumors, suggesting a potential protective role against certain types of cancer [R].