Potential Anti-Aging Compound Epitalon (Epithalamin)

Epitalon (Epithalamin) is a peptide that has been investigated and used for its anti-aging properties. It has been demonstrated to be a powerful antioxidant, comparable to melatonin, and may help with longevity. Continue reading to learn more about Epitalon and its health implications.

What Exactly Is Epitalon?

Epitalon is indeed a synthetic peptide consisting four amino acids (alanine, glutamic acid, glycine & aspartic acid) based on epithalamin, a natural peptide isolated from the pineal gland. Vladimir Khavinson, a Russian researcher & gerontologist who research centred on the creation of peptide preparations used to restore role in various organs in order to avoid and reverse the ageing process, created it. He is the Director of the Saint Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology at the moment [1].

Khavinson originally isolated Epithalamin from calves’ pineal glands. However, due to the inherent constraints in production, he created Epithalon, a synthetic version of the peptide.

What Is the Purpose of Epitalon?

Because peptides are broken down in the digestive tract and thus unable to enter the bloodstream, where they can exert their effects, epitalon is typically delivered intravenously, intramuscularly, or transdermally (via the skin).

Although some preliminary findings are encouraging, the majority of the study has been undertaken in animals and cells, leaving the potential health benefits and safety profile of Epithalon still unexplored. Epitalon is still considered a research peptide.

Epitalon Research 

Below are a number of key areas of research for Epithalon:

1) Pigmentosa Retinitis

Retinitis pigmentosa is a genetic, degenerative eye disease that causes the rods in the retina to degenerate. Rods are one of two types of receptors in the eye (the other is cones) that turn light into chemical signals that the brain can process.

In a clinical experiment, Epitalon reduced degenerative retinal degeneration caused by this disorder in 90% of the participants [2].

Epitalon increases retinal cell activity in rats by keeping their structure and preventing degeneration.

A single human and rat study cannot be regarded as sufficient data to justify this prospective Epitalon use. More clinical trials are needed to corroborate these early findings.

2) Circadian Rhythm Correction

Our circadian rhythms become disrupted and less apparent as we age, which coincides with decreasing melatonin output and altered sleep cycles.

Epithalamin boosted melatonin synthesis and altered its cycle and peak concentrations in a short trial of 14 elderly adults.

In one trial, Epithalon enhanced evening melatonin secretion and repaired the circadian rhythm, which is associated with cortisol release, in elderly monkeys [3].

Again, just a modest human trial and an animal study have been conducted to investigate this potential health benefit. Clinical trials that are larger and more rigorous are necessary.

Lack of Evidence in Animal and Cell Research:

Epitalon has no clinical evidence to support its usage for any of the conditions described in this section. The following is a summary of present animal and cell-based research, which should guide future research efforts. The research provided, however, should not be construed as proof of any health advantage.

Increasing Life Expectancy

When the peptide was given to fruit flies as larvae, it improved their average lifetime by 11-16 percent.

In a study of rats subjected to equal quantities of light and darkness, varied quantities of light and darkness, or constant light illumination, Epitalon extended maximal longevity by 68 days, 95 days, and 24 days, respectively, when compared to controls [4]

Injections of Epithalon did not change the average longevity of mice with high blood pressure, but did extend the maximal longevity by 12.3 percent.

Epitalon has been shown in cell research to boost telomerase activity. This enzyme increases the number of nucleotides in the protective sequences at the ends of chromosomes (telomeres), allowing cells to divide and expand for a longer period of time.

Enhancing Enzyme Activity

It has been demonstrated that old people have a reduction in pancreatic enzymes.

Epitalon boosted the activity of enzymes that digest protein and sugar in both young and old rats, with the effect being more pronounced in the older rats [5].

In another investigation, the peptide was found to boost enzyme activity in the small intestine of old rats.

Cancer

Clinical studies are still in the animal stage, and more trials are needed to evaluate whether this peptide is effective in cancer therapy. Under no circumstances should Epitalon be used to replace traditional cancer treatment.

When rats with colon cancer were given Epitalon, the peptide boosted lymph flow (which contains white blood cells) and apoptosis (programmed cell death), while slowing cancer growth.

In compared to control mice, Epitalon dramatically reduced the frequency of mice with multiple tumours and the maximum size of tumours in mice with mammary tumours. The peptide also lowered the expression of particular genes that, when over-activated, play a vital role in the development of breast cancer in both mice and humans, according to the researchers.

Another rodent study discovered that Epitalon treatment decreased the number of mice having malignant tumours (cancerous tumours) or prevented cancer from metastasizing (transfer to another region in the body) in all of the treated animals. In contrast, metastases were identified in three of the nine mice that did not receive Epithalon therapy [6].

Status of Antioxidants

Oxidative stress, which arises when the body lacks antioxidants to counteract the effects of free radicals (damaging molecules that lack electrons), is a causative factor in many diseases, including heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and even neurodegenerative illnesses like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

Melatonin is one of the most powerful antioxidants produced by the human body (endogenous antioxidants).

The antioxidant benefits of epithalon are likely to be attributable in part to its capacity to induce melatonin production as well as mechanisms other than melatonin action.

Epithalamin boosted overall antioxidant capacity in male rats by 36% and superoxide dismutase (SOD, a potent endogenous antioxidant) by 19% [7].

When epithalamin was incubated with blood from breast cancer patients, it boosted antioxidant enzyme activity and antioxidative vitamin levels.

In conclusion

While some preclinical studies on Epitalon promise, much more research in healthy and diseased persons is required. The FDA has not approved Epitalon, yet it is available in supplements. Direct Peptides supplies Epithalon (Epitalon) for research purposes only.

References:

[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/ pmc/articles/PMC7037223/

[2] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12195242/

[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/ pmc/articles/PMC7037223/

[4] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/ article/abs/pii/S0047637498000347

[5] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/ articles/PMC8999041/

[6] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14501183/

[7] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/ pmc/articles/PMC9037278/