Study summary · research use only
The inhibitory effect of Selank on enkephalin-degrading enzymes as a possible mechanism of its anxiolytic activity
Plain-language summary
Paraphrased from the published abstract below — not a verdict on whether anything works.
This human study examined patients with anxiety and phobic disorders diagnosed by DSM-4 criteria, finding shortened enkephalin half-life and reduced enkephalinase activity in blood during generalized anxiety, but not panic disorder or agoraphobia. The authors also tested the heptapeptide Selank (Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg-Pro-Gly-Pro) in vitro, reporting it inhibited enzymatic breakdown of plasma enkephalin in a dose-dependent manner (IC50 15 microM) and was more potent than the peptidase inhibitors bacitracin and puromycin at this. The authors state Selank attenuates behavioral anxiety reactions without the side effects typical of most anxiolytics, and propose enkephalin-hydrolysis inhibition as a possible mechanism. Species: human (clinical observations) plus in vitro enzyme assays.
Abstract
Examination of patients with various forms of anxiety and phobic disorders (according to DSM-4 criteria) demonstrated a considerable shortening of enkephalin half-life and reduced total enkephalinase activity in the blood during generalized anxiety, but not during panic disorders and agoraphobia. This was probably related to low blood concentration of endogenous inhibitors of enkephalin-degrading enzymes in patients with generalized anxiety disorders. Heptapeptide Selank (Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg-Pro-Gly-Pro), which attenuates behavioral anxiety reactions and does not cause side effects typical of most anxiolytics, dose-dependently inhibited enzymatic hydrolysis of plasma enkephalin (IC50 15 microM). Selank was more potent than peptidase inhibitors bacitracin and puromycin in inhibiting enkephalinases. These results suggest that high efficiency of Selank in the therapy of anxiety and phobic disorders, including generalized anxiety, is due to its ability to inhibit enkephalin hydrolysis.
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