Pinealon Peptide: What the Research Shows (and Does Not)

The short answer

Pinealon is a synthetic tripeptide, Glu-Asp-Arg (EDR), from Russian bioregulator research and studied mainly in cells and rats for antioxidant and neuroprotective effects. The only human paper we found is a small uncontrolled study from the same group. It is not FDA approved, has no established dose and is sold for research use only.

By the Peptide Bureau editorial desk Category: Compound Guide Published 6 November 2026 Read time: 6 minutes

Pinealon is a synthetic tripeptide made of three amino acids, glutamic acid, aspartic acid and arginine (Glu-Asp-Arg, or EDR). It is one of the short "bioregulator" peptides from Vladimir Khavinson's group in St Petersburg, the same group behind epithalon. Search interest in it is high and the evidence is thin, so this page sets out exactly what has been published and what has not. It is a research reference, not medical advice, and pinealon is sold for laboratory research use only.

What the research shows

Level	What was done	What it reported	Source
Cells	Rat cerebellar granule cells, neutrophils and PC12 cells under oxidative stress	Dose-dependent restriction of reactive oxygen species build-up and less necrotic cell death; the authors also concluded it may interact with the cell genome	Rejuvenation Res 2011
Rats	18-month-old rats under acute hypobaric hypoxia and under mild hypothermia, compared with Cortexin	Changes in free radical processes, caspase-3 and brain neurotransmitters; Cortexin had the stronger effect on free radical processes and caspase-3 than pinealon	Adv Gerontol 2015
People	32 adults aged 41 to 83 with polymorbidity and organic brain syndrome in remission, given pinealon or vesugen	The authors reported an anabolic effect and a slower biological aging rate on their indicators; vesugen had the stronger effect. They also found pro-oxidant activity on chemiluminescence and a fall in CD34+ cell markers, read by them as inhibition of hematopoiesis	Adv Gerontol 2015

What the evidence cannot tell you

The only human paper we found on PubMed (search run 6 November 2026) is a 32-person study from the same research circle with no placebo group described in its abstract. We found no randomised, placebo-controlled trial of pinealon, no independent replication of the cell and rat findings, and no study that established a human dose, a safety profile or a clinical benefit. Rat and cell concentrations cannot be converted into a human dose, and the doses quoted on forums and vendor pages do not come from a controlled human trial.

The one human abstract reports two findings that point the other way from the headline: pro-oxidant activity and a fall in a marker of blood-forming stem cells. Those are the authors' own observations in a small uncontrolled group, and they are a reason to read the full paper before relying on the aging claim.

Regulatory status

Pinealon is not FDA approved: a search of Drugs@FDA through openFDA on 1 November 2026 returned no product. It is not on FDA's list of bulk substances that may present significant safety risks (content current as of 22 April 2026), and it is not one of the six peptides (BPC-157, epitalon, KPV, MOTS-c, semax and TB-500) in HHS's 30 October 2026 enforcement discretion policy, covered in our write-up. Research vendors sell it for laboratory use only. For the wider legal picture see the research peptides legal status guide.

If you handle a research vial: what to check

A certificate of analysis for pinealon should show the identity line C15H26N6O8, an average molecular weight of 418.40, and the sequence H-Glu-Asp-Arg-OH with a free acid end (PubChem 10273502), with HPLC purity and a mass spec result on the same lot as the vial. The peptide testing guide explains how to read one, and best place to buy pinealon lists the vendors we have reviewed. For reconstitution arithmetic, the general calculator works for any lyophilized peptide.

Reconstitution calculator for any peptide

Enter the vial strength and the bacteriostatic water you add and get the concentration and the syringe mark for a given amount. It does not tell you what amount to use: no tested dose exists for pinealon.

Open the reconstitution calculator peptulator.com, the Bureau's independent tool

Where pinealon fits among related compounds

If you are reading about it for cognition or aging, the context is in peptides for brain function and peptides for longevity, where compounds with human data sit alongside those without. Pinealon is in the second group.

Not sure which of these you actually need?

Answer five questions about your goal, experience and budget and the Stack Builder shows you a matched research protocol on screen, with the compounds, cycle shape and vendor picks from the six vendors we score.

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Frequently asked questions

What is pinealon?

Pinealon is a synthetic tripeptide of glutamic acid, aspartic acid and arginine (Glu-Asp-Arg, EDR), developed by Vladimir Khavinson's group in St Petersburg as one of several short bioregulator peptides.

Does pinealon work?

Cell and rat studies report antioxidant and neuroprotective effects, but we found no randomised, placebo-controlled human trial and no independent replication. One small uncontrolled human study reports mixed findings, including pro-oxidant activity. Whether it works in people is not established.

Is pinealon legal?

Pinealon is not an FDA-approved drug and is sold by research vendors for laboratory use only. It is not on FDA's bulk substances safety-risk list as of 22 April 2026 and is not one of the six peptides in HHS's October 2026 enforcement discretion policy.

What is the pinealon dose?

No dose has been established in a controlled human trial. Figures circulating on vendor pages and forums are not from such trials, and rat or cell concentrations cannot be converted into a human dose.

Sources (checked 6 November 2026)

Khavinson et al, Pinealon increases cell viability by suppression of free radical levels and activating proliferative processes, Rejuvenation Research, 2011. Checked 6 November 2026.
Mendzheritsky et al, Pinealon and Cortexin influence on behavior and neurochemical processes in 18-month aged rats within hypoxia and hypothermia, Advances in Gerontology, 2015. Checked 6 November 2026.
Meshchaninov et al, Effect of synthetic peptides on aging of patients with chronic polymorbidity and organic brain syndrome of the central nervous system in remission, Advances in Gerontology, 2015. Checked 6 November 2026.
PubChem compound 10273502 (Glu-Asp-Arg): formula, weights, synonyms. Checked 6 November 2026.
openFDA Drugs@FDA search for pinealon (no result). Checked 6 November 2026.
FDA, Certain bulk drug substances for use in compounding that may present significant safety risks (content current as of 22 April 2026). Checked 6 November 2026.
Peptide Bureau, HHS publishes its peptide enforcement discretion policy (30 October 2026). Checked 6 November 2026.

Pinealon is sold for laboratory research use only, not for human use. Labels and trial records change; the leaflet in your box and your prescriber come first. Educational content, not medical advice.