Pinealon

Also known as: EDR peptide, Glu-Asp-Arg, Cortagen-related short peptide

Wellness

In plain English

Pinealon is a synthetic three-amino-acid peptide (Glu-Asp-Arg) from the Russian family of "short peptide bioregulators" promoted for brain protection and healthy aging. Laboratory studies suggest it can enter cells, interact with DNA, and influence gene expression tied to cell survival. The research comes almost entirely from one Russian group and is mechanistic/preclinical; there are no rigorous human trials, and it is not FDA-approved.

The science

Pinealon is the tripeptide Glu-Asp-Arg (EDR), one of the Khavinson short peptides. In vitro work reports that EDR penetrates cells and the nucleus, binds specific DNA sequences, and modulates expression of genes involved in neuronal survival, antioxidant defense, and apoptosis regulation (Khavinson et al., 2020), with biophysical studies characterizing its peptide-DNA interaction (Silant'eva et al., 2019). The body of evidence originates largely from a single St. Petersburg research program, is preclinical/mechanistic, and has not been confirmed in independent large human trials; it is not FDA-approved.

References

• Khavinson V et al., Molecules 2020 (EDR peptide: gene expression/protein synthesis)
• Silant'eva IA et al., J Phys Chem B 2019 (Glu-Asp-Arg-DNA interaction)