Epitalon is one of those subjects where the details matter more than the headlines. This page pulls together the background, the mechanisms, and the practical points readers ask about most.
Last reviewed on 2025-12-07. Where a claim depends on a specific study, the study is described rather than over-claimed.
Epitalon is a synthetic tetrapeptide with the sequence alanine–glutamate–aspartate–glycine, commonly abbreviated AEDG. Its design traces to epithalamin, a peptide fraction prepared from bovine pineal gland extracts that researchers in Saint Petersburg began investigating in the 1970s. The compound has a molecular formula of C14H22N4O9 and a nominal molecular mass near 390 daltons. It holds no approved drug status in the United States or the European Union, and material sold under this name is generally offered as a research chemical rather than a finished pharmaceutical product.
Proposed mechanisms centre on cell-culture observations rather than a defined receptor interaction. Several reports describe increased expression of the telomerase catalytic subunit after exposure of cultured human cells, and the authors attributed the effect to short peptide fragments entering the nucleus and influencing gene transcription. No receptor for the tetrapeptide has been identified, and the free peptide is expected to be degraded rapidly by plasma peptidases. Whether any measurable fraction reaches intact tissues after administration remains an unresolved question rather than an established finding.
Solubility is high in water, phosphate-buffered saline and normal saline, a pattern that follows from the two acidic residues in the chain. The peptide dissolves poorly in non-polar solvents such as hexane or chloroform. Stock solutions are often prepared in water first and then diluted into the buffer of interest. Because the molecule is small and hydrophilic, filtration through a low-protein-binding membrane is usually straightforward, and visible particulates are uncommon in freshly made solutions.
Identity and purity are established with reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. The chromatogram shows the main peak and any truncated or oxidised by-products, while the mass spectrum confirms the expected 390 dalton mass. Amino acid analysis can corroborate composition when a sample's origin is uncertain. Counterion content, particularly residual trifluoroacetate from purification, is frequently reported alongside purity because it shifts the net mass of the solid.
| Property | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Molecular formula | C14H22N4O9 | Synthetic tetrapeptide, four residues |
| Nominal mass | Approximately 390 Da | Free peptide; salt forms differ |
| Appearance | White to off-white powder | Commonly supplied lyophilised |
| Solubility class | Freely soluble in water | Also dissolves in aqueous buffer |
| Typical storage | −20 °C, desiccated | Cold packs used during transport |
Published work on this compound consists mainly of in vitro experiments, animal studies, and small clinical investigations, a substantial share of which appeared in Russian-language journals. Sample sizes are generally small, control conditions differ between studies, and several endpoints rely on markers whose clinical meaning is itself debated. Reviews of the longevity field treat the peptide as an early example of telomerase-directed research rather than an established intervention. Regulatory treatment varies by country: some jurisdictions place it under prescription controls, others treat it as a laboratory material, and importation may be restricted regardless of local status.
Epitalon is a synthetic tetrapeptide whose sequence is alanine–glutamate–aspartate–glycine, commonly abbreviated AEDG. It was developed in Russia during the 1980s and 1990s by investigators associated with the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology, who studied short peptides as regulators of gene expression and tissue function. The alternative spelling epithalon appears interchangeably in the literature, and the two names refer to the same molecule. Outside Russia it is encountered chiefly as a research chemical rather than a licensed medicine, and it holds no approval from the United States Food and Drug Administration or the European Medicines Agency.
The peptide is a synthetic analogue of epithalamin, a preparation extracted from bovine pineal glands. Investigators sought a short, chemically defined molecule that would reproduce some of the endocrine and gerontological observations attributed to the glandular extract. Proposed mechanisms centre on induction of telomerase activity, an effect reported in cultured human somatic cells in the early 2000s, together with influences on melatonin secretion and neuroendocrine regulation. Those mechanisms remain incompletely characterised, and the reported telomerase response has not been consistently reproduced by independent groups working in comparable systems.
Epitalon appears in the literature primarily through a small number of research groups, most of them associated with the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology. Publications describe cell culture experiments, animal studies, and a limited number of small human studies. Independent replication outside this network is sparse. As a result, reviews of the topic usually separate descriptive reports of observed effects from the question of whether those effects generalize, and they note the difficulty of comparing studies that use different preparations and endpoints.
Analytical characterization of epitalon relies on standard peptide methods. Reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography is used to assess purity, and mass spectrometry confirms identity by checking the observed mass against the expected value near 390 daltons. Amino acid analysis can verify composition. Because the peptide is short and hydrophilic, it elutes early on many reverse-phase columns, so method development often requires ion-pairing reagents to achieve adequate retention and resolution from related impurities.
In 1970, the focus of Freeman's research became protein crystallography and he turned his attention to the blue copper proteins (cupredoxins) and particularly the electron transport protein plastocyanin. The intensely blue colour of plastocyanin and its unusual redox properties had frustrated all attempts to synthesise a small molecule mimic. It was not until 1977 that his group finally determined the structure of plastocyanin crystallised from the poplar tree (see diagram at right); this was the first protein crystal structure determined in the Southern Hemisphere. Together with subsequent work in collaboration with Ed Solomon, this work led to understanding of the unusual geometry of the copper metal site (see diagram at left) as well as the spectroscopic and electrochemical properties characteristic of blue copper proteins. Later in his career, Freeman developed an interest in the applications of EXAFS spectroscopy to metalloprotein structure, collaborating with both James Penner-Hahn and Keith Hodgson. Working together, the Freeman and Hodgson groups were, in 1988, the first to determine a new crystal structure of a protein using the multiple wavelength anomalous dispersion (MAD) method. Throughout his career, Freeman was concerned about the influence of the tyranny of distance on the development of Australian science. For this reason, in 1972 Freeman and Alexander Boden AO, FAA, founded the Foundation for Inorganic Chemistry at the university to bring international scholars to the department to deliver a course for graduate students and give seminars for faculty.
=== Ecuador's expulsion of Cuban ambassador === On 4 March 2026, Ecuador expelled Cuban Ambassador Basilio Gutierrez and his staff, declaring them persona non grata. No reason was provided for the expulsion.
== Use == The Weimaraner is a versatile hunting dog, and may be used to track, point to, flush or retrieve birds or other game. Registration is subject to successful completion of a working trial. In Germany it is not considered to be suitable for keeping as a companion dog. According to the breed club, it "... basically belongs in the hands of hunters due to its development and its characteristics ... It is not a companion dog, but a hunting dog through and through. As such, it needs work in practical hunting in order to preserve its balanced nature"; whelps are placed mainly with hunters.
== Promotional sponsorship == Major League Soccer team Real Salt Lake announced on October 29, 2013, that it had partnered with LifeVantage for a long-term, multimillion-dollar jersey-front sponsorship. The partnership was set to formally go into effect on January 1, 2014, with the LifeVantage logo appearing on the Real Salt Lake jersey starting in the next season. In July 2015, Real Salt Lake owner Dell Loy Hansen was reported by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to have bought a 5.1 percent ownership stake in LifeVantage.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
=== Estimates on how much is needed === The amount of YAN needed will depend on what the winemaker's goals are for fermentation, particularly whether or not wild fermentation is desired or if the wine will be fully fermented to dryness. The state of the grapes and the conditions of fermentation will influence the amount of nitrogen needed. Fruit that is damaged, moldy or botrytis infected will usually be more depleted of nitrogen (as well as other vitamin resources) when they come in from the vineyard than clean, intact grapes. This depletion can be further exacerbated by over clarification of the must and high sugar content. Wines fermented at higher temperatures tend to progress at a faster rate, requiring more nitrogen than longer, cooler fermentation. Also the amount of oxygen exposure will influence the rate of nitrogen uptake by the yeast with wine fermented in complete anaerobic conditions (such as many white wines in stainless steel tanks) requiring less nitrogen than wines fermented in barrels or open top fermentors. The suggested range given by enologists varies from 150 mg/L YAN to 400 mg of nitrogen per liter. Some studies have shown that maximum fermentation rates can be achieved with YAN in the 400 to 500 mg N/L range. However, not all winemakers will want to have a fermentation going at maximum rate (in terms of yeast biomass, temperature and speed) due to the impact that it can have on other sensory aspects of the wine such as aroma development and fruit retention.
== Examples == Water, air, alcohol, glycerol, and thin motor oil are all examples of Newtonian fluids over the range of shear stresses and shear rates encountered in everyday life. Single-phase fluids made up of small molecules are generally (although not exclusively) Newtonian.
=== Nutrition === Appropriate nutrition may not always be provided to farmed insects. For instance, adult black soldier flies are generally not fed during rearing due to a common misconception that they cannot eat (which is true for some insects, such as adult silkworm moths). In reality, adult black soldier flies have functional mouthparts and a functional digestive system, can break down both carbohydrates and proteins, will gravitate towards and consume food when provided, have food preferences, and have a prolonged lifespan when fed. Insects may be fasted prior to slaughter (with unknown welfare impacts); this is generally to improve taste/quality of the resulting product or to reduce the likelihood of microbial contamination of the product due to the feed. More evidence is needed to know if fasting periods are necessary for product safety, as some research suggests they may not reduce microbial loads. Farmed insects may be provided with homogenous feeds that lack macronutrient profiles self-selected by the animals; this may play a role in promoting cannibalism in species like the yellow mealworm. Nutritional enrichments, such as dietary diversity, can support brain development in crickets but may not be provided depending on the farm's available feedstock. Poor hydration for some animals may result from an effort to control disease outbreaks/fungal growth in the feed.
However, the evidence for each of these complications is not equally strong; in the Hyperglycemia and Adverse Pregnancy Outcome (HAPO) study for example, there was an increased risk for babies to be large but not small for gestational age in women with uncontrolled GDM. In a recent birth cohort study of 5150 deliveries, a research group active at the University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Finland demonstrated that the mother's GDM is an independent factor that increases the risk of fetal hypoxia, during labour. The study was published in the Acta Diabetologica in June 2021. Another finding was that GDM increased the susceptibility of the fetus to intrapartum hypoxia, regardless of the size of the fetus. The risk of hypoxia and the resulting risk of poor condition in newborn infants was nearly 7-fold in the fetuses of mothers with GDM compared to the fetuses of non-diabetic mothers. Furthermore, according to the findings, the risk of needing to perform resuscitation on the newborn after birth was 10-fold. Research into complications for GDM is difficult because of the many confounding factors (such as obesity). Labelling a woman as having GDM may in itself increase the risk of having an unnecessary caesarean section. Neonates born to women with consistently high blood sugar levels are also at an increased risk of low blood glucose (hypoglycemia), jaundice, high red blood cell mass (polycythemia), and low blood calcium (hypocalcemia) and magnesium (hypomagnesemia).
=== Zinc(I) compounds === Zinc(I) compounds are very rare. The [Zn2]2+ ion is implicated by the formation of a yellow diamagnetic glass by dissolving metallic zinc in molten ZnCl2. The [Zn2]2+ core would be analogous to the [Hg2]2+ cation present in mercury(I) compounds. The diamagnetic nature of the ion confirms its dimeric structure. The first zinc(I) compound containing the Zn–Zn bond, (η5-C5Me5)2Zn2 has been reported in 2004.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
No. Epithalamin is a heterogeneous peptide fraction obtained from pineal gland extract and contains many components. Epitalon is a single synthetic tetrapeptide with the sequence Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly. Researchers synthesised the shorter peptide while attempting to identify active sequences within the extract.
No endogenous peptide with this exact sequence has been described as a circulating hormone or signalling molecule. The tetrapeptide was designed as a synthetic analogue based on fragments observed in pineal preparations. Any activity discussed in the literature therefore refers to administered material rather than to a natural pool of the compound.
It is not an approved medicine in major jurisdictions and does not appear in the major pharmacopoeias. Material is usually distributed as a research chemical or laboratory reagent. Such labelling places handling responsibility on the purchaser and does not indicate that a regulatory body has reviewed the substance.
Sealed lyophilised powder is normally kept at minus twenty degrees Celsius or below, away from light and moisture. Vials are allowed to reach room temperature before opening to limit condensation. Repeated warming and cooling of the same vial is discouraged.