Semax is a synthetic ACTH-derived heptapeptide. It is licensed in Russia as a nasal drop, but this entry covers the evidence limits for injectable Semax, not a validated human dosing protocol. Published injection research cited below involved intraperitoneal administration in rats, not subcutaneous administration in people. Human studies primarily used intranasal preparations; their doses cannot be converted into injection doses.
- The vial contains 10 mg of Semax.
- Semax is a licensed medicine in Russia, sold there as 0.1% and 1% nasal drops in 3 mL bottles. No injectable form is licensed.
- The Russian label doses are nasal drops for the pharmacy product, not for a 10 mg research vial.
- No established human subcutaneous injection dose is provided.
- The cited injection study used intraperitoneal administration in rats.
- Intranasal human study doses are not interchangeable with injection doses.
Reconstitution
Vial strength
10 mg
Bacteriostatic water
3 mL
Concentration
3.333 mg/mL
Mathematical reference only: 10 mg in an assumed final volume of 3 mL equals approximately 3.333 mg/mL. This does not establish a safe dose, a compatible diluent, or suitability for injection.
Protocol detail
| Licensed route | Intranasal only. Every dose on the Russian label is drops into each nostril of a preserved pharmacy bottle. There is no licensed injectable route for Semax. |
|---|---|
| Label dose examples (intranasal drops) | Memory problems: 3 drops per nostril twice daily for 10 days, usually 2 courses a year. Chronic cerebral ischaemia or astheno-neurotic states: 3 drops per nostril daily for 16 days. Stroke recovery: 4 drops per nostril six times daily for 16 days. Memory and attention problems after anaesthesia: 3 drops per nostril three times daily for 6 days. Children with minimal brain dysfunction or ADHD: 2 drops per nostril three times daily for 20 days. |
| Drop size arithmetic | The 0.1% drops are 1 mg/mL. If 1 mL delivers about 20 drops, one drop carries roughly 50 mcg of Semax. The label does not state a drop volume, so treat this as an estimate from the concentration, not a manufacturer figure. |
| Human volunteer study dose | A 1996 study of healthy volunteers gave 0.25-1.0 mg intranasally (about 4-16 mcg per kg of body weight) and reported better work efficiency for 20-24 hours. That is nasal administration and cannot be read as an injection dose. |
| Injectable dose | Not established for humans. No starting dose, titration, syringe-unit schedule or cycle is recommended. |
| Route conversion | Do not convert intranasal label or study doses into subcutaneous or other injection doses. |
Overview at a glance
| Vial strength | 10 mg (10,000 mcg) |
|---|---|
| Concentration reference | 10 mg / 3 mL final volume = approximately 3.333 mg/mL; arithmetic only, not preparation instructions. |
| Calculation example (not a recommended dose) | At this concentration, 0.5 mg (500 mcg) corresponds to 0.150 mL, or 15 units on a U-100 syringe. This is a measurement example, not a starting dose or injection recommendation. |
| Amounts per vial (theoretical) | 10 mg / 0.5 mg = 20 equal amounts, before any preparation or handling losses. This does not establish a treatment duration. |
| Licensed form | In Russia, Semax is registered as nasal drops in 0.1% and 1% strengths, supplied in 3 mL bottles with a dropper (registration LS-002553, made by INPC Peprogen, Moscow). No injectable presentation is licensed there or elsewhere. |
| What the licensed drops contain | The 0.1% drops contain 1 g of Semax per litre, so 1 mg/mL and 3 mg in a 3 mL bottle. The 1% drops contain 10 mg/mL, so 30 mg per 3 mL bottle. Both also contain methylparaben preservative. A 10 mg research vial is a different product from either bottle. |
| Uses on the Russian label | Memory and thinking problems caused by vascular brain disease, recovery after head injury, neurosurgery or anaesthesia, dyscirculatory encephalopathy, transient ischaemic attacks, stroke recovery, optic nerve atrophy, and minimal brain dysfunction including ADHD in children from 7 years. |
| Absorption and duration (nasal label data) | The manufacturer states 60-70% of the active substance is absorbed through the nasal mucosa, that nasal drops reach the brain within about 4 minutes, and that a single dose's effect lasts 20-24 hours. These figures describe the nasal product, not an injection. |
| Licensed product storage | Keep the drops protected from light at or below 10 degrees Celsius and do not freeze. Shelf life is 2 years, or 30 days after opening if kept at or below 25 degrees Celsius. These rules apply to the sealed nasal bottle, not to a reconstituted research vial. |
| Human injectable evidence | No validated human subcutaneous dosing protocol identified in the sources reviewed. |
| Animal injection evidence | Intraperitoneal administration in rats; not a human injection protocol. |
How it works
Semax is the heptapeptide Met-Glu-His-Phe-Pro-Gly-Pro, a fragment of ACTH(4-10) modified so that it resists breakdown and carries no hormonal activity. The Russian manufacturer's leaflet describes a neurometabolic action that appears even at very small doses, with antioxidant, antihypoxia, angioprotective and neurotrophic effects at higher doses, and a stimulating action on forebrain cholinergic neurons accompanied by increased acetylcholinesterase activity in specific brain structures. Animal studies also report effects on neurotrophic signalling including BDNF. Findings from animal experiments and intranasal human studies do not establish the effectiveness, bioavailability or safety of subcutaneous Semax in humans, and no injectable presentation of Semax is licensed in the sources reviewed.
Reported side effects
- The human injectable safety profile is not established.
- Injection can introduce contamination, infection and local tissue injury; research-vial labelling does not establish sterility or suitability for human use.
Storage
Lyophilised (unmixed)
Follow the product-specific manufacturer instructions.
After reconstitution
No validated storage period or sterility assurance for this research-vial preparation is established here. Follow a qualified pharmacy or laboratory protocol.
Important notes
- This is an injectable research reference, not an instruction to inject a research product.
- The 3 mL figure is a concentration calculation only; it does not validate bacteriostatic water compatibility or the finished preparation.
- The licensed Russian product is a preserved nasal drop in a 3 mL bottle, not a sterile injectable solution. Nothing on this page converts it into an injection preparation.
- The 0.1% drops contain methylparaben as a preservative. A reconstituted research vial has no such preservative and no sterility assurance.
- A qualified clinician and pharmacist must assess any proposed human treatment.
- Evidence source: Manchenko et al., different routes of Semax administration in rats (2010), PubMed PMID 21268834: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21268834/
- Regulatory evidence review: FDA Semax briefing document (2026): https://www.fda.gov/media/193348/download
- Russian registration record for Semax nasal drops (LS-002553), covering strengths, bottle size and storage limits: http://grls.rosminzdrav.ru/Grls_View_v2.aspx?routingGuid=801d8b5d-8f9f-4c44-a6b3-ba4fcd81a581&t=
- Manufacturer leaflet for Semax 0.1% nasal drops (composition, absorption and indications): https://semax.ru/upload/iblock/867/867fc8166acadfb577dc956d855999a3.pdf
- Label dose schedule by condition, showing intranasal courses: https://pharmznanie.ru/drugs/semaks-kapli-nazalnye-01-3-ml/rezim-dozirovaniya
- Human volunteer intranasal study: Kaplan et al., Neuroscience Research Communications (1996): http://brain.bio.msu.ru/papers/Kaplan_Kochetova_Nezavibathko_Rjasina_Ashmarin_1999_NeurosciResCommun_NootropicSemaxInHumans.pdf
Frequently asked questions
Is Semax approved as a medicine anywhere?
Yes, in Russia, where it is registered as 0.1% and 1% nasal drops in 3 mL bottles (registration LS-002553, made by INPC Peprogen in Moscow). There is no FDA-approved Semax product, and no injectable presentation is licensed in the sources reviewed.
How is Semax normally given?
Intranasally, as drops into each nostril, on a course of roughly 6 to 20 days depending on the condition being treated. The licensed leaflet describes repeated courses through the year rather than continuous daily use.
How quickly does Semax work and how long does it last?
The manufacturer states that nasal drops reach the brain within about 4 minutes and that a single dose's effect lasts 20 to 24 hours. A 1996 study of healthy volunteers reported better work efficiency for 20 to 24 hours after 0.25 to 1.0 mg given intranasally.
Does the Russian label say anything about injecting Semax?
No. Every dose on the label is a nasal-drop dose for a preserved pharmacy bottle. A 10 mg research vial is a different product with no licensed dosing, and the nasal figures do not transfer to it.
How should the licensed drops be stored?
Protected from light at or below 10 degrees Celsius, without freezing. Shelf life is 2 years, or 30 days after opening if kept at or below 25 degrees Celsius. These are the nasal bottle's rules and do not describe a reconstituted research vial.
Is there a validated human injectable Semax protocol?
No established human injectable dosing protocol was identified in the reviewed sources. The page therefore does not provide a dose or injection schedule.
Can the intranasal protocol be used for injections?
No. Changing the route changes exposure and risk. Intranasal doses must not be treated as equivalent injection doses.
What does the 3 mL concentration mean?
If 10 mg is present in an exact final volume of 3 mL, the mathematical concentration is approximately 3.333 mg/mL. A 0.5 mg calculation example corresponds to 0.150 mL, or 15 U-100 units, with 20 theoretical equal amounts per vial. This calculation alone does not establish compatibility, sterility, stability or a safe injection dose.
Educational reference only. These figures summarise how Semax is commonly described in research literature and supplier documentation, including the Semax listing at peptidesuk4u.co.uk. They are not a prescription, not medical advice, and not a recommendation to self-administer anything.
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