Epitalon is a synthetic tetrapeptide (Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly) studied in preclinical aging models for telomerase activation, telomere elongation, neoplasm suppression, and lifespan extension by Khavinson's group.
Product definition
What is Epitalon?
Epitalon is a synthetic tetrapeptide (Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly) studied in preclinical aging models for telomerase activation, telomere elongation, neoplasm suppression, and lifespan extension by Khavinson's group.
Epitalon (Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly; CAS 307297-39-8) is a tetrapeptide synthesized by Vladimir Khavinson's group at the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology as a functional analog of epithalamin, the natural polypeptide extract of the pineal gland with reported aging properties in Soviet-era research.
The compound's primary mechanistic interest is telomerase activation. In published cell culture studies, Epitalon treatment produced telomerase enzyme activation in human somatic cells and increased telomere length compared to untreated controls — an unusual property for a non-stem cell pharmacological agent, since somatic cells normally lack significant telomerase activity. This finding has made Epitalon a reference compound for telomerase pharmacology research.
Khavinson's group has published over 100 papers on Epitalon and related peptides across 40+ years, covering mechanisms (telomere biology, gene expression, antioxidant activity), animal models (rodent lifespan, neoplasm suppression), and limited human observations (longevity registries, immune parameters in elderly subjects). The depth of this single-group publication record is unique in the research peptide landscape.
Research context
How is Epitalon described in the research literature?
Epitalon activates telomerase in somatic cell culture models, promoting telomere elongation in cells that would otherwise exhibit age-associated telomere attrition. In rodent aging studies, it has been associated with lifespan extension, melatonin rhythm normalization, cancer suppression, and antioxidant activity. Derived from pineal epithalamin — the natural peptide whose aging-biology role Epitalon is designed to study.
Compound profile
Key facts about Epitalon
- Class
- Synthetic tetrapeptide / peptide bioregulator
- Sequence
- Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly (AEDG)
- Molecular weight
- ~390 Da
- CAS
- 307297-39-8
- Origin
- Synthetic analog of pineal epithalamin
- Primary mechanism
- Telomerase activation in somatic cells
- Research category
- Aging biology, telomere science, longevity, pineal biology
- Storage
- Lyophilized: −20°C. Reconstituted: 2–8°C, use within 30 days
Research areas
What research areas is Epitalon associated with?
- Telomerase activation documented in somatic cell culture — unique property among short synthetic peptides
- Rodent lifespan extension data (mean and maximum lifespan) from Khavinson group's controlled studies
- Neoplasm suppression studied in cancer-prone mouse strains across multiple published experiments
- Pineal-derived mechanism — melatonin rhythm normalization in aged animals studied in parallel with longevity endpoints
- 40+ year continuous publication record from the originating research group — longest single-compound aging peptide literature
- Reference compound for telomere biology and telomerase pharmacology in aging research protocols
Research audience
Who researches Epitalon?
Epitalon is used by researchers in aging biology, telomere science, longevity pharmacology, pineal gland biology, and aging mechanism investigation. It is the foundational compound for any research examining synthetic peptide intervention in the telomerase/telomere aging axis.
Preclinical research overview
What does the preclinical literature say about Epitalon?
The St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology, under Khavinson's leadership, developed the 'peptide bioregulator' concept — the hypothesis that short oligopeptides derived from organ-specific proteins can restore age-altered gene expression in the tissue of origin. Epitalon is the most studied of these peptide bioregulators, derived from the pineal gland on the basis of earlier work demonstrating that pineal peptide extracts (epithalamin) extended lifespan in aged rodents.
The telomere/telomerase mechanism emerged from investigations into how Epitalon produces its biological effects. The finding that it activates telomerase in human fetal and adult somatic cells — normally telomerase-silent — provided a mechanistic anchor for the lifespan effects seen in animal models.
For Western researchers, the Khavinson literature requires careful interpretation: most published studies originate from a single research group, the Soviet/Russian research environment had different peer review conventions than Western journals, and some endpoints (longevity registry observations in human subjects) are not controlled clinical trials. That said, the cell culture telomerase data and rodent model data constitute a substantial and mechanistically grounded research base that drives ongoing interest in the compound.
Common questions
Frequently asked about Epitalon
Is Epitalon's telomerase activation evidence robust?
The telomerase activation data is from cell culture studies published by Khavinson's group in peer-reviewed journals. The findings document telomerase enzyme activation in human fetal retinal cells and other somatic cell lines following Epitalon treatment. These are reproducible in vitro endpoints. Translating cell culture telomerase activation to organismal longevity effects requires additional assumptions, and independent replication of these specific findings by other research groups is limited — a consideration for researchers interpreting the literature.
What is the evidence for lifespan extension?
The lifespan data comes from Khavinson group rodent studies using both normal aging mice and cancer-prone strains. The controlled experiments document statistically significant increases in mean and maximum lifespan in Epitalon-treated versus control groups, alongside reduced neoplasm incidence. These findings have not been independently replicated by other research groups at the published scale — which is a limitation in the overall evidence assessment that researchers should be aware of.
Is Epitalon the same as Epithalon?
Yes — Epitalon and Epithalon are two transliterations of the same Russian compound name (Эпиталон). Both refer to the same Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly tetrapeptide with CAS 307297-39-8. The variation appears across different English-language publications and commercial sources depending on the transliteration convention used.
Research Use Only
Sold for laboratory and research purposes only. Not approved for, nor intended for, human or veterinary consumption, diagnostic use, or therapeutic application. These products have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Keep out of reach of children. For use by qualified researchers only.
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