Selank
Wellness
In plain English
Selank is a lab-made peptide (based on a natural immune peptide) developed in Russia as an anti-anxiety nasal spray. In Russian studies it reduced anxiety about as well as a benzodiazepine, but without the sedation or dependence, and with some added "anti-fatigue" effect. The evidence is almost entirely from Russian research; it is not FDA-approved and has not been tested in large Western trials.
The science
Selank is a synthetic analog of the immunomodulatory peptide tuftsin. Its anxiolytic action is linked to stabilization of endogenous enkephalins (slowed degradation) and effects on the GABAergic system. In a randomized comparison in generalized anxiety disorder and neurasthenia (Zozulya et al., 2008; n=62), intranasal Selank produced anxiolysis comparable to the benzodiazepine medazepam, with additional antiasthenic/psychostimulant effects and no dependence signal. The clinical evidence base is small, largely single-consortium, and Russian-language; it is approved in Russia but is not FDA-approved and lacks large Western randomized trials. Human clinical evidence is limited.