No. 039 · Longevity & Immune · Longevity Peptide
Cortagen
Also known as: AEDPAla-Glu-Asp-Pro
- Not FDA approved
- WADA ✗ S0
- Nonpolar 2
- Negative charge 2
Each dot is a residue placed around the ring from N- to C-terminus; its distance from the centre reflects its chemistry.
Evidence
- D In vitro
- C Animal
- B Human pilot
- A RCT
- S Approved
TIER C — Evidence comes mostly from animal studies.
Published evidence is limited to rat and cell studies, mostly from Russian bioregulator research groups. No human clinical trials were found.
Tiers rate the strength of published evidence — not effectiveness, safety, or a recommendation.
At a glance
- Residues
- 4 amino acids, N→C
- Molecular weight
- 430.4 Da
- Formula
- C17H26N4O9
- Routes studied
- Subcutaneous, Intramuscular Routes used in published research
- FDA
- Not approved
- WADA
- Prohibited · S0 Non-approved substances
Sequence
Overview
A short bioregulatory peptide (Ala-Glu-Asp-Pro) from the Khavinson school that targets CNS gene expression. It is used in anti-aging protocols to support brain function during senescence.
Research status Published cell culture and animal studies; used clinically in Russian bioregulator protocols
Mechanism
Cortagen (Ala-Glu-Asp-Pro) is a bioregulatory tetrapeptide proposed to enter cells and interact with DNA promoter regions to modulate gene expression in cortical neurons. It is reported to upregulate neuroprotective genes and antioxidant defenses in brain tissue, though precise receptor-level mechanisms remain under investigation.
Effects reported in research
Reported outcomes, not promises. These come mostly from preclinical (cell or animal) research and have not been confirmed in human trials.
- CNS gene expression regulation
- Supported cortical neuron viability
- Neuroprotective during aging
- Improved cognitive resilience
Safety & unknowns
Limited safety data outside Khavinson group publications. Reported to be well-tolerated in short cycles. No independent Western clinical trials. Not FDA-approved. Used primarily within Russian bioregulator medicine protocols.
Unknowns. No randomized controlled trials in humans have been published, so human safety has not been established in controlled studies.
Informational only — not medical advice. peptidemeta publishes no dosing, protocols, or sourcing. Talk to a qualified clinician about any treatment decision.
Studies [1]
- Preclinical 2011
[Cortexin and cortagen as correcting agents in functional and metabolic disorders in the brain in chronic ischemia]
Rat study (in Russian) reporting that cortexin and cortagen sped behavioral recovery and limited lipid peroxidation in the brain after chronic ischemia.
Status sources
Sources behind the tier, regulatory status, sequence and dates on this page.
- Zarubina & Shabanov 2011 — cortagen in rats with chronic brain ischemia pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Delayed effect of cortagen on nerve-function recovery (Dokl Biol Sci 2002) pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- PubChem CID 18439621 (cortagen) pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- WADA 2026 Prohibited List — S0 non-approved substances wada-ama.org
Cite this entry
peptidemeta. (2026). Cortagen. In peptidemeta: The peptide library, ranked by evidence. Retrieved November 8, 2026, from https://peptidemeta.com/p/cortagen/
@misc{peptidemeta-cortagen,
title = {Cortagen},
author = {{peptidemeta}},
year = {2026},
howpublished = {\url{https://peptidemeta.com/p/cortagen/}},
note = {Accessed 2026-11-08}
} Accessed date reflects when you opened this page. Cite primary studies for scientific claims.