What Is Epithalon? Research Guide
Definition
Epithalon, also transliterated Epitalon, is the synthetic tetrapeptide Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly (CAS 307297-39-8, C14H22N4O9, 390.3 Da). It was developed at the St Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology as a defined short-peptide counterpart to Epithalamin, a pineal gland extract, and it is studied in telomere and cellular-senescence research.
Key Takeaways
- →Epithalon, also transliterated Epitalon, is the synthetic tetrapeptide Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly (CAS 307297-39-8, C14H22N4O9, 390.3 Da). It was developed at the St Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology as a defined short-peptide counterpart to Epithalamin, a pineal gland extract, and it is studied in telomere and cellular-senescence research..
- →Available for in-vitro research at ≥99% HPLC-verified purity from Peptide.Express.
- →Certificate of Analysis included with every order. Same-day US shipping.
Epithalon Specifications
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Compound | Epithalon |
| CAS Number | 307297-39-8 |
| Molecular Formula | C14H22N4O9 |
| Molecular Weight | 390.3 Da |
| Sequence / Structure | Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly (tetrapeptide) |
| Mechanism Class | Synthetic tetrapeptide (telomerase-activation research) |
| Purity | ≥99% by HPLC, batch-specific CoA included |
Registry records for Epithalon: PubChem
Epithalon Mechanism of Action
At four residues and 390.3 Da, Epithalon is too small to present a conventional receptor-binding surface, and the mechanism proposed for it reflects that constraint. Khavinson and colleagues reported induction of telomerase activity and telomere elongation in human somatic cell culture (Bulletin of Experimental Biology and Medicine, 2003), and subsequent work from that group proposes direct interaction with DNA and modulation of transcription rather than receptor signaling. That is an unusual claim and it deserves to be weighed as one: most of the primary literature originates from a single research group, much of it in Russian-language journals, and independent replication outside that group is limited. Saying so plainly is more useful than presenting the telomerase finding as established.
Epithalon Research Applications
Telomerase activity assays in human somatic cell culture, the experiment on which the reputation of the compound rests and the one most worth attempting to replicate.
Pineal peptide research, alongside the Epithalamin extract from which the AEDG sequence was abstracted.
Cellular senescence models measuring population doubling limits in fibroblast culture.
Short-peptide/DNA interaction chemistry, testing the sequence-specific binding that would be required for a tetrapeptide to alter transcription at all.
Epithalon Storage Requirements
Store lyophilized Epithalon at -20°C (-4°F) and keep it dry; at 390.3 Da the powder is markedly hygroscopic and a small vial can absorb enough atmospheric water to distort a gravimetric measurement. Reconstituted, refrigerate at 2-8°C (36-46°F) and use within 30 days. The Asp-Gly pair at the C-terminus is a classic isomerization site, so aged solutions can carry an isoaspartate impurity that is isobaric with the parent peptide and invisible to mass alone.
Epithalon at Peptide.Express
All Epithalon sold by Peptide.Express is HPLC-verified at ≥99% purity with a Certificate of Analysis included. Same-day US shipping on orders before 2 PM EST. For in-vitro laboratory research use only.
View Epithalon Product DetailsFrequently Asked Questions
What is Epithalon?
Epithalon, also transliterated Epitalon, is the synthetic tetrapeptide Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly with CAS number 307297-39-8, molecular formula C14H22N4O9 and an average molecular weight of 390.3 Da. It was developed at the St Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology and is studied in telomere and cellular-senescence research.
What is the sequence of Epithalon?
Epithalon is Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly, abbreviated AEDG, a linear tetrapeptide with free N- and C-termini. Its molecular formula is C14H22N4O9, its average molecular weight is 390.3 Da and its CAS number is 307297-39-8. At four residues it is the smallest peptide in this library, roughly a quarter the mass of BPC-157.
What is the difference between Epithalon and Epithalamin?
Epithalamin is a peptide extract of bovine pineal gland — a mixture, not a defined chemical entity. Epithalon is a single synthetic tetrapeptide abstracted from that work, with its own CAS number, formula and molecular weight. Results reported for the extract do not transfer automatically to the tetrapeptide, and conflating the two is a common error in secondary sources.
What research has been published on Epithalon?
The core finding is induction of telomerase activity and telomere elongation in human somatic cell culture, reported by Khavinson and colleagues in the Bulletin of Experimental Biology and Medicine in 2003. The published record is narrower than the interest in the compound suggests: it comes predominantly from one research group, largely in Russian-language journals, with limited independent replication reported elsewhere.
Is Epithalon FDA approved?
No. Epithalon is not approved by the FDA or any comparable regulator, and no Epithalon drug product exists. Its evidence base is preclinical and concentrated in a single research programme. Peptide.Express supplies Epithalon for in-vitro laboratory research use only.
Where can I buy Epithalon for research?
Research-grade Epithalon is available from Peptide.Express at ≥99% HPLC-verified purity with a Certificate of Analysis included. Visit peptide.express/catalog/epithalon for full specifications.
References
- Khavinson VKh, Bondarev IE, Butyugov AA. "Epithalon Peptide Induces Telomerase Activity and Telomere Elongation in Human Somatic Cells." Bulletin of Experimental Biology and Medicine. 2003. Read the Khavinson 2003 Epithalon telomerase induction study
- Khavinson VKh, Bondarev IE, Butyugov AA, Smirnova TD. "Peptide Promotes Overcoming of the Division Limit in Human Somatic Cells." Bulletin of Experimental Biology and Medicine, 2004. Read the Khavinson 2004 replicative senescence delay study on PubMed
- Ivko OM, Linkova NS, Ilina AR, Sharova AA, Ryzhak GA. "AEDG Peptide Regulates Human Circadian Rhythm Genes Expression during Pineal Gland Accelerated Aging." Advances in Gerontology (Uspekhi Gerontologii). 2020. Read the Ivko 2020 AEDG peptide circadian gene expression study
- FDA drug approvals and databases: the authoritative record of approved drug products in the United States. Epithalon does not appear in it, which is the primary source behind the regulatory statement on this page. Search the FDA drug approval databases
Research Areas Using Epithalon
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How This Page Is Sourced
Molecular identity on this page — name, CAS number, molecular formula and molecular weight — is resolved from a single internal entity record and checked against primary registries (PubChem, CAS Common Chemistry) rather than retyped per page. A field with no verified value is left out instead of estimated. Literature is cited to a DOI, PMID or PMCID permalink so every reference resolves to the specific record it names.