A practical reference on Tetrapeptide: what it is, how it behaves, what the literature reports, and where the honest uncertainties sit.
This page was last updated on 2026-03-11 and is reviewed periodically as new material appears.
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.
In its supplied form epitalon is a white to off-white powder, usually lyophilized and often hygroscopic. It dissolves readily in water and in aqueous buffers, and it is commonly handled as the acetate or trifluoroacetate salt to improve stability during purification and drying. The amide backbone is labile in aqueous media, so solutions are less durable than the dry solid. Handling notes in the chemical literature therefore emphasize keeping the powder dry, cool and shielded from light until it is dissolved.
Epitalon is a synthetic tetrapeptide whose sequence is alanine-glutamate-aspartate-glycine, written in single-letter code as AEDG. The four residues are joined by three peptide bonds, giving a linear backbone with no branching and no disulfide bridges. Its calculated molecular mass for the free form is approximately 390.3 daltons, a figure that rises when the compound is supplied as an acetate or trifluoroacetate salt. Because the chain is short, the molecule is defined entirely by its residue order rather than by any folded three-dimensional structure.
| Property | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Peptide sequence | Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly | Often abbreviated AEDG in research literature |
| Common synonyms | Epithalon, epitalon, AEDG | Spelling variants refer to the same tetrapeptide |
| Molecular formula | C14H22N4O9 | Theoretical monoisotopic mass near 390.35 Da |
| Appearance | White to off-white powder | Typically supplied as a lyophilised solid |
| Solubility class | Freely soluble in water | Hydrophilic peptide; dissolves in aqueous buffer |
Adult men: 180–1250 ng/dL Adult women: 130–980 ng/dL Pregnant women: 135–810 ng/dL Prepubertal children (<1 year): 26–585 ng/dL Prepubertal children (1–5 years): 9–68 ng/dL Prepubertal children (6–12 years): 11–186 ng/dL Adolescent boys (Tanner II–III): 25–300 ng/dL Adolescent girls (Tanner II–III): 69–605 ng/dL Adolescent boys (Tanner IV–V): 100–400 ng/dL Adolescent girls (Tanner IV–V): 165–690 ng/dL
===== Translation/antisense ===== Genomics has not only helped find targets for many antivirals, it has provided the basis for an entirely new type of drug, based on "antisense" molecules. These are segments of DNA or RNA that are designed as complementary molecules to critical sections of viral genomes, and the binding of these antisense segments to these target sections blocks the operation of those genomes. A phosphorothioate antisense drug named fomivirsen has been introduced, used to treat opportunistic eye infections in AIDS patients caused by cytomegalovirus, and other antisense antivirals are in development. An antisense structural type that has proven especially valuable in research is morpholino antisense. Morpholino oligos have been used to experimentally suppress many viral types:
=== McLafferty rearrangement === The McLafferty rearrangement can occur in a molecule containing a keto-group and involves β-cleavage, with the gain of the γ-hydrogen atom. Ion-neutral complex formation involves bond homolysis or bond heterolysis, in which the fragments do not have enough kinetic energy to separate and, instead, reaction with one another like an ion-molecule reaction.
=== Exposure-response === Exposure-Response models establish the relationship between drug exposure and clinical response. They play a crucial role in determining the optimal therapeutic range and predicting the likelihood of efficacy or adverse events. These models not only guide dose individualization based on desired clinical outcomes but also provide information on population exposure-response relationships for effects and adverse effects.
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Sources: en.wikipedia.org
=== Dual-flow === Dual-flow, also known as dual, countercurrent chromatography occurs when both phases are flowing in opposite directions inside the column. Instruments are available for dual-flow operation for both Hydrodynamic and hydrostatic CCC. Dual-flow countercurrent chromatography was first described by Yoichiro Ito in 1985 for foam CCC where gas-liquid separations were performed. Liquid–liquid separations soon followed. The countercurrent chromatography instrument must be modified so that both ends of the column have both inlet and outlet capabilities. This mode may accommodate continuous or sequential separations with the sample being introduced in the middle of the column or between two bobbins in a hydrodynamic instrument. A technique called intermittent countercurrent extraction (ICcE) is a quasi-continuous method where the flow of the phases is alternated "intermittently" between normal and reversed-phase elution so that the stationary phase also alternates.
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=== Morphology === "Candidatus Magnetoglobus multicellularis" is an obligately multicellular bacteria without a unicellular stage in its lifecycle. It typically consists of 10–40 bacterial cells in an organised spherical structure surrounding an acellular compartment. The entire organism has a diameter of approximately 3 to 12 micrometres. Individual cells are elongated into a pyramidal shape, with the narrow apex facing the acellular compartment in the centre. The outward-facing surface of each cell houses numerous flagella. The cells are all tightly joined by highly specialised intercellular junctions, similar to those found in eukaryotic multicellular organisms. The exterior of the organism features a cellulose matrix that plays a role in cell adhesion and structural integrity.
=== Mail and other parcel services === The government-owned South African Post Office (SAPO) is the primary provider of letter delivery. However, as in other countries, this means of delivering information has declined as digital communications have become preferred by many. In 2025, SAPO processed 142.7 million pieces of mail. PostNet South Africa operates the local master franchise of American company PostNet. As of 2026, there are over 500 owner-operated PostNet locations across South Africa. These outlets offer services including mailboxes, and both local and international parcel delivery. Courier partners include DHL and Aramex. Various companies operate automated parcel locker facilities and/or staffed pickup points inside retail outlets, in South Africa's major cities. These include Pargo, Bob Box, and PUDO (which is owned by The Courier Guy).
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
Epitalon is a synthetic four-amino-acid peptide with the sequence alanine–glutamate–aspartate–glycine, also written AEDG. It was developed in Russian gerontology research and is studied for proposed effects on telomerase, melatonin regulation, and neuroendocrine function. It is not an approved pharmaceutical in the United States or the European Union.
No. Epithalamin is a peptide-rich extract prepared from bovine pineal glands, while epitalon is a short synthetic peptide designed as a defined analogue of it. The synthetic version was intended to provide a reproducible molecule with some of the same proposed biological activity.
Telomere elongation and telomerase activation have been reported in cultured human somatic cells, but evidence from living human subjects is limited and has not been independently confirmed at scale. Reported findings come largely from small studies with differing designs, so the question remains open rather than settled.
The peptide contains four residues in the order alanine, glutamate, aspartate and glycine, abbreviated AEDG. The chain is linear and held together by three peptide bonds. Its calculated mass for the uncharged free form is about 390.3 daltons.