Summary

Pinealon is a synthetic tripeptide (Glu-Asp-Arg) developed by the Khavinson group in Russia. It belongs to a class of peptide bioregulators proposed to modulate gene expression in the pineal gland, influencing circadian rhythm, cognitive function, and ageing. The evidence base is extremely limited, consisting primarily of Russian-language studies from a single research group with minimal independent replication. Pinealon is not licensed as a medicine by the MHRA in the UK.

Mechanism

Pinealon is proposed to act through direct interaction with DNA, modulating the expression of genes involved in circadian rhythm regulation (PER1, CRY1) and neuronal function. Unlike most peptides that act via cell-surface receptor binding, the Khavinson group proposes that short peptide bioregulators like Pinealon can cross cellular and nuclear membranes and directly interact with promoter regions of specific genes. This mechanism is unconventional and remains to be independently validated. The peptide is also proposed to upregulate BDNF expression, which may underlie its reported cognitive effects in animal models.

Protocols

In published studies and community discussion, Pinealon is typically administered at 1-5 mg/day subcutaneously for 10-20 day cycles, sometimes repeated 2-3 times per year. An oral capsule formulation at 20 mg/day for 30 days has been described in Khavinson-group literature, though oral bioavailability of short peptides is questionable. These figures are from published literature and community discussion only; Pinealon is not licensed in the UK.

Pinealon is not licensed by the MHRA in the UK. It is not a controlled substance. Sold as a research peptide, it is legal to purchase for legitimate laboratory research but not for human consumption. The evidence base is primarily from Russian-language sources and has not been independently validated by Western regulatory agencies.

Vendor notes

Pinealon is stocked by some UK research peptide suppliers as a lyophilised powder. Given the limited independent evidence base, researchers should be particularly diligent about verifying vendor COAs, peptide sequence, and purity.

References

  1. Khavinson VKh, Lin'kova NS, Trofimova SV, et al. Peptide Pinealon modulates expression of circadian clock genes in ageing neurons. Bull Exp Biol Med. 2017;163(4):462-465. doi:10.1007/s10517-017-3807-0
  2. Khavinson VKh, Lin'kova NS, Gutop OP, et al. Peptide regulation of gene expression: A systematic review. Bull Exp Biol Med. 2020;169(4):427-434. doi:10.1007/s10517-020-04915-z
  3. Khavinson VKh, Kopylov AT, Vaskovsky BV, et al. Identification of peptides from the pineal gland having a neuroprotective effect. Bull Exp Biol Med. 2015;159(2):259-262. doi:10.1007/s10517-015-2935-3
  4. Khavinson VKh, Solovyov AY. Peptide bioregulators in ageing and age-related pathology. Adv Gerontol. 2017;30(1):13-18. doi:10.1134/S2079057017010068
  5. Anisimov VN, Khavinson VKh. Peptide bioregulation of ageing: results and prospects. Biogerontology. 2010;11(2):139-149. doi:10.1007/s10522-009-9252-4