Pinealon: A Peptide Bioregulator for Neuroprotection
Pinealon is a short synthetic tripeptide (sequence Glu-Asp-Arg, abbreviated EDR), one of the "peptide bioregulators" developed by Vladimir Khavinson's group in Russia. Research interest centers on its possible neuroprotective role: protection against oxidative stress, support of cognition, and resistance to hypoxia in preclinical models. The evidence is largely preliminary; here we present it with the appropriate context.
What Pinealon is
Pinealon is a very short synthetic peptide: a tripeptide made of three amino acids in the sequence glutamic acid–aspartic acid–arginine (Glu-Asp-Arg, or EDR for short). It belongs to the family of peptide bioregulators investigated by Vladimir Khavinson's group at the Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology in St. Petersburg, Russia.
It is an investigational compound: it is not approved by the FDA or other regulatory agencies for human use. Almost all of the published literature comes from Khavinson's own group and is based on preliminary studies in cell and animal models — an important nuance when interpreting the findings.
How it acts: a short peptide and gene-expression regulation
The central hypothesis behind Khavinson's bioregulators is that these short peptides are small enough that they have been reported to penetrate the cell membrane and even the nuclear membrane. Once inside, they are proposed to interact with regions of DNA and modulate gene expression, rather than acting like a classic drug on a surface receptor.
Within this framework, Pinealon doesn't "supply" a function directly; instead — according to preliminary studies — it would help regulate which genes are expressed in neuronal cells, favoring survival and repair programs. It's worth emphasizing that this gene-level mechanism is a proposal from the research group and is still considered to be under characterization.
Neuroprotection and oxidative stress
Pinealon's most-studied effect is neuroprotection against oxidative stress. In cell models of neurons, the tripeptide has been reported to reduce markers of oxidative damage and improve cell viability when cells are exposed to stress conditions (for example, an excess of reactive oxygen species).
The interpretation offered by these preliminary studies is that Pinealon would modulate the expression of genes involved in the neuron's antioxidant defenses, thereby attenuating the damage cascade. It is the axis where the preclinical evidence is most consistent, although it remains in vitro and animal evidence.
Cognition and hypoxia (preclinical models)
A second line of research explores support for cognition and memory. In animal models, Pinealon administration has been reported to be associated with better performance on learning and memory tasks, and with some protection of cognitive function against insults such as hypoxia (lack of oxygen) and ischemia (reduced blood flow).
Possible effects on circadian rhythms and brain-aging processes have also been described, in line with the "pineal" origin of this whole peptide family. All of these results are preclinical: there are no robust clinical trials confirming these effects in humans, so they should be read as research hypotheses, not as established benefits.
Pinealon and Epitalon: the Khavinson family
Pinealon shares a family with Epitalon, another short bioregulator from the same group. Although both are short peptides with the same proposed mechanistic framework (action at the gene-expression level), their research focus differs:
| Peptide | Sequence | Research focus |
|---|---|---|
| Pinealon | Glu-Asp-Arg (EDR, tripeptide) | Cerebral / cognitive: neuroprotection, oxidative stress, hypoxia |
| Epitalon | Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly (AEDG, tetrapeptide) | Pineal gland / telomeres, melatonin and aging |
In practice, Pinealon is often described as the "cerebral / cognitive" member of the family and Epitalon as the "pineal / telomeres" member. We go deeper into the latter in our Epitalon: Telomeres and the Pineal Gland guide, and we cover other nootropic peptides in Semax and Selank: Nootropic Peptides.
Reconstitution
Pinealon is supplied as a lyophilized powder in a 20 mg vial, reconstituted with bacteriostatic water at the concentration you define for your research protocol.
Calculation example (20 mg vial + 2 mL = 10 mg/mL): to research 5 mg → 0.5 mL → 50 units on a U100 syringe. If you reconstitute in 4 mL you get 5 mg/mL, and the same 5 mg would take up 1 mL (100 units).
Refrigerate (2–8 °C) after reconstitution and protect from light. For custom calculations use the reconstitution calculator or see the complete reconstitution guide.
Pinealon at Renova
Pinealon is available as a lyophilized powder:
- 20 mg — $225
Our material is manufactured in a cGMP-compliant US lab that we work with directly, with a Certificate of Analysis (COA) by HPLC and mass spectrometry.
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⚠ For research use only. Not medical advice. Pinealon is an investigational compound, not approved for human use. The available evidence is largely preliminary and preclinical. This information describes published findings for educational and scientific research purposes.