Selank Side Effects: What the Research Reports
Cognitive & Nootropic Research
Clinical studies of Selank found an anti-anxiety effect similar to low-dose tranquilisers without the amnesia, withdrawal and dependence seen with benzodiazepines, as summarised in a 2016 paper from the institute that designed it (Volkova et al., Front Pharmacol, 2016). In 62 patients with generalised anxiety disorder or neurasthenia, its anti-anxiety effect matched the benzodiazepine medazepam’s, with added anti-fatigue and mildly stimulating effects (Zozulia et al., 2008). This page sets out what the human studies recorded about tolerability, including a 70-patient study that measured side effects on a standard scale. Selank is also supplied as a ready-mixed Selank Nasal Spray.
Findings
- Clinical studies summarised in a 2016 paper found Selank’s effect similar to tranquilisers at low doses without amnesia, withdrawal or dependence (Volkova et al., 2016).
- In 62 patients with anxiety disorders, Selank’s anxiolytic effect matched medazepam’s and it added anti-fatigue and mildly stimulating effects (Zozulia et al., Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr, 2008).
- In 60 patients, the anti-anxiety effect lasted a week after the last administration, with mild nootropic effects and better quality of life (Medvedev et al., 2014).
- Added to the benzodiazepine phenazepam in 40 patients, Selank reduced phenazepam’s side effects, including sedation and memory impairment, during treatment and after withdrawal (Medvedev et al., 2015).
View product →What is Selank?
Selank is a synthetic seven-amino-acid peptide designed at the Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Russian Academy of Sciences with the Zakusov Research Institute of Pharmacology. It is an analogue of tuftsin, a short fragment (Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg) of the heavy chain of human immunoglobulin G, extended with three amino acids (Pro-Gly-Pro) to improve its metabolic stability and lengthen its action (Volkova et al., Front Pharmacol, 2016). Its research covers anxiety and stress, with mechanism work pointing to the GABA system and enkephalins, the body’s own opioid-like peptides. More background is in What Is Selank? and Selank and Anxiety: The Research.
What do the human studies report?
The main published clinical studies come from Moscow research centres and enrolled 60 to 70 patients each. They measured anxiety outcomes and, in two cases, tolerability directly.
Generalised anxiety disorder, 2008
Sixty-two patients with generalised anxiety disorder or neurasthenia (a condition of chronic fatigue, weakness and irritability) received Selank (30 patients) or medazepam, a benzodiazepine. The anxiolytic effects of both were similar, but Selank also had anti-asthenic (anti-fatigue) and psychostimulant effects. Patients had low levels of a blood measure of enkephalin activity, which correlated with symptom severity, and this measure rose during Selank treatment, especially in those with generalised anxiety disorder (Zozulia et al., Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova, 2008).
Selank compared with phenazepam, 2014
A study of 60 patients with phobic-anxiety and somatoform disorders compared the anxiolytic effect and tolerability of Selank with phenazepam. Selank showed pronounced anxiolytic and mild nootropic (cognition-supporting) effects, the anxiolytic effect lasted for a week after the last administration, and it had a positive effect on quality of life (Medvedev et al., Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova, 2014).
Selank added to phenazepam, 2015
The follow-up study gave 40 patients Selank plus phenazepam and 30 patients phenazepam alone, and rated tolerability with the UKU scale, a standard checklist of medication side effects. Adding Selank brought on phenazepam’s benefit sooner and reduced its undesirable effects, namely attention and memory impairment, fatigue, sedation, longer sleep, sexual problems, emotional flatness and dizziness on standing, both during treatment and after the tranquiliser was withdrawn. The combination improved quality of life (Medvedev et al., Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova, 2015).
Effects on the immune system
Because Selank is built on tuftsin, an immune-related peptide, researchers have tracked immune markers. In patients with generalised anxiety disorder and neurasthenia who received Selank for 14 days, the balance of Th1 and Th2 cytokines (immune signalling proteins) in the blood shifted, and in cell studies Selank suppressed IL-6 gene expression in blood cells from patients with depression but not from healthy controls. The authors proposed Selank as a possible immunomodulator in anxiety-asthenic disorders (Uchakina et al., Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova, 2008).
Why is Selank not sedating?
Selank’s clinical effects resemble those of benzodiazepines, and laboratory work suggests one of its mechanisms is allosteric modulation of the GABA system, the brain’s main calming signal. In rats, Selank changed the expression of genes involved in GABA signalling in a pattern that correlated with GABA itself. The authors noted that the changes may explain Selank’s lack of the hypnotic and sedative action typical of classical benzodiazepines, with a shift in balance toward wakefulness (Volkova et al., 2016). That fits the stimulating, anti-fatigue profile seen in the 2008 clinical study.
How does Selank compare with other anxiety compounds?
The contrast with benzodiazepines and antidepressants is set out in Selank vs Xanax and Selank vs SSRIs. Selank is often studied alongside Semax, a sister peptide from the same research group aimed at cognition; see Semax vs Selank and Semax Side Effects.
Why research-grade quality and storage matter
Every Vistara Labs product is third-party tested, with certificates on the lab reports page. Selank is supplied as a lyophilised (freeze-dried) vial, as a ready-mixed metered nasal spray and combined with Semax in the Selank + Semax Nasal Spray. Storage before and after mixing is covered in How Long Does Selank Last? and the Selank reconstitution guide. Orders ship from within Canada by Canada Post Xpresspost.
Selank is supplied for laboratory research use only. The human studies above were clinical research carried out under medical supervision.
Frequently asked questions
What side effects have Selank studies reported?
A 2016 paper summarising the clinical research reported that studies found Selank’s effect similar to low-dose tranquilisers without the amnesia, withdrawal and dependence seen with benzodiazepines. Clinical studies of 60 to 70 patients reported anxiolytic effects with improved quality of life.
Is Selank sedating?
In a 2008 study of 62 patients, Selank matched medazepam’s anxiolytic effect and also had anti-fatigue and psychostimulant effects. Laboratory work suggests its effects on GABA-related genes may explain its lack of the sedative action typical of benzodiazepines.
What did research show when Selank was combined with phenazepam?
In a 2015 study, adding Selank to phenazepam in 40 patients brought on the benefit sooner and reduced phenazepam’s side effects, including memory impairment, sedation and fatigue, during treatment and after withdrawal.
How long did Selank’s effect last in the studies?
In a 2014 study of 60 patients, the anxiolytic effect lasted for a week after the last administration.
Where can I buy Selank in Canada?
Vistara Labs supplies Selank as a lyophilised vial, a ready-mixed nasal spray and a combined Selank + Semax spray, third-party tested and shipped from within Canada by Canada Post Xpresspost.
Product details from vistaralabs.ca, October 2026. Sources: Volkova A et al. Selank administration affects the expression of some genes involved in GABAergic neurotransmission. Front Pharmacol. 2016. PMID 26924987. Zozulia AA et al. Efficacy and possible mechanisms of action of a new peptide anxiolytic selank in the therapy of generalized anxiety disorders and neurasthenia. Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova. 2008. PMID 18454096. Medvedev VE et al. A comparison of the anxiolytic effect and tolerability of selank and phenazepam in the treatment of anxiety disorders. Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova. 2014. PMID 25176261. Medvedev VE et al. Optimization of the treatment of anxiety disorders with selank. Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova. 2015. PMID 26356395. Uchakina ON et al. Immunomodulatory effects of selank in patients with anxiety-asthenic disorders. Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova. 2008. PMID 18577961.
More on this: Buy Selank in Canada: A Researcher’s Guide.
All products supplied by Vistara Labs are intended for laboratory research use only. They are not drugs, are not approved for human or veterinary use, and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any condition. Nothing on this page constitutes medical advice or guidance for use in humans.
References
Selank has been evaluated in small human comparative studies of anxiety-related disorders, not in large multicentre placebo-controlled trials.
- [Efficacy and possible mechanisms of action of a new peptide anxiolytic selank in the therapy of generalized anxiety disorders and neurasthenia]Comparative clinical study; 30 patients on Selank versus 32 on medazepam.
- [A comparison of the anxiolytic effect and tolerability of selank and phenazepam in the treatment of anxiety disorders]Comparative clinical study; 60 patients with anxiety or somatoform disorders, Selank versus phenazepam.
Links open the study record on PubMed so the source can be checked directly. Listing a study is not a claim that its findings apply to any other use, product or route of administration. Research use only.
