Epithalamin comes up often in conversation and rarely with the context attached. Here we lay out the basics in order, then work through the practical considerations.
Last reviewed on 2026-02-20. Where a claim depends on a specific study, the study is described rather than over-claimed.
Material supplied for laboratory use is normally a lyophilised white to off-white powder that dissolves readily in water and in isotonic saline. Lyophilised cakes are hygroscopic and should be equilibrated to room temperature before opening to limit condensation on the solid. Solutions are typically prepared at milligram-per-millilitre concentrations and divided into single-use aliquots, because repeated freeze–thaw cycles degrade short peptides. Aqueous solutions are far less stable than the dry powder, and identity is usually verified by mass spectrometry alongside purity estimation from reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography.
Epitalon is a synthetic linear tetrapeptide with the sequence alanine–glutamate–aspartate–glycine, abbreviated AEDG. Its molecular formula is C14H22N4O9 and the calculated mass is approximately 390.35 g/mol. The compound is made by solid-phase peptide synthesis rather than extracted from tissue, although early work described it as a short fragment of a peptide fraction obtained from bovine pineal extract. In the research literature the spelling epitalon and the variant epithalone both appear, while AEDG is the standard code used in peptide nomenclature.
Several names circulate for the same molecule, including epitalon, epithalone, epithalamin tetrapeptide, and the sequence code AEDG. A CAS registry number, 307297-39-8, is commonly cited for it, though catalogue entries should be checked against supplier documentation because mislabelled records occur. In its usual form the peptide carries free amino and carboxyl termini and is neither glycosylated nor lipidated. Researchers distinguish the defined tetrapeptide from epithalamin itself, a crude pineal preparation containing many peptides that is not chemically characterised.
No national medicines regulator has approved epitalon as a therapeutic product. It is generally distributed as a research chemical, and in some jurisdictions selling peptides for human consumption without approval is restricted or prohibited. Certificates of analysis accompanying commercial material vary in which tests are performed, and independent verification of identity and purity is uncommon. Statements about anti-ageing or disease-prevention benefits on vendor pages are marketing claims rather than regulatory findings, a distinction that shapes how the compound is discussed in scientific and popular sources alike.
The most frequently cited laboratory finding is that AEDG increased telomerase activity and extended telomere length in cultured human somatic cells. That work used fetal fibroblast strains and reported changes in enzyme activity alongside altered division counts. Replication by unrelated groups has been limited, and the published record is largely a single-laboratory series rather than a multi-centre programme. The result supports a hypothesis about peptide influence on gene expression in cell culture; it does not by itself establish an effect on telomere length in living animals or in people.
| Property | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Amino acid sequence | Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly | Linear tetrapeptide, also written AEDG |
| Molecular mass | About 390.35 g/mol | Value calculated from the sequence |
| Appearance | White to off-white powder | Lyophilised material forms a loose cake |
| Solubility | Freely soluble in water | Also dissolves in isotonic saline |
| Storage | -20 °C, desiccated | Aliquot solutions to avoid freeze–thaw cycling |
The most frequently cited proposed action is induction of telomerase, the enzyme that adds repeat sequences to chromosome ends. Cell-culture work from the originating group reported higher telomerase reverse transcriptase expression and measurable telomere elongation in human somatic cells after exposure. How a four-residue peptide would reach nuclear gene regulation is not established, and no cell-surface receptor or uptake route has been identified. Additional reports describe changes in melatonin secretion, antioxidant enzyme activity and lipid peroxidation in aged animals, but these findings remain mechanistically unconnected to the telomerase observation.
Published evidence comes mainly from Russian-language journals and from a single research group, with small sample sizes and limited independent replication. A few laboratories outside that group have examined related peptides and reported weaker or absent telomerase effects, so the central claim is best described as contested rather than settled. Rodent studies report modest changes in some ageing markers and in survival, but designs vary and control conditions are often sparse. No large randomised trial in humans has been published, and long-term safety data in healthy populations are correspondingly thin.
Epitalon is a synthetic tetrapeptide with the sequence alanine-glutamate-aspartate-glycine, commonly abbreviated AEDG. It was designed at the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology as a short, chemically defined analogue of epithalamin, a fraction obtained from bovine pineal tissue. Small peptide bioregulators of this type formed a long-running line of work there from the 1980s onward. Because the molecule is produced by solid-phase synthesis rather than extraction, its composition is exact and its purity can be measured directly.
Freeze-dried epitalon is normally kept at minus twenty degrees Celsius in a sealed, desiccated container, protected from light. Short excursions at ambient temperature during shipping are generally tolerated, but repeated warming and cooling cycles encourage moisture uptake, which shortens shelf life. Once dissolved, the peptide is far less stable than the solid: aqueous solutions are subject to hydrolysis and to deamidation at the aspartate and glutamate residues. Working solutions are therefore held refrigerated and used within days, and repeated freezing and thawing of the same vial is best avoided.
Identity and purity are checked by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography, usually with ultraviolet detection near 214 nanometres, where the peptide bond absorbs. Mass spectrometry confirms the expected mass and reveals whether truncation products or adducts are present. Acid hydrolysis followed by amino acid analysis gives the residue ratio, which should approximate one alanine, one glutamate, one aspartate and one glycine. Counter-ions such as acetate or trifluoroacetate remain in the dried product and lower net peptide content, so a stated purity figure on a label does not by itself describe how much peptide a vial holds.
Andros Darryl Townsend (born 16 July 1991) is an English professional footballer who plays as a right winger for Thai League 1 club PT Prachuap. A graduate of the Tottenham Hotspur academy, Townsend was initially loaned out to several League One and then Championship clubs alongside limited Tottenham first-team appearances, before making his Premier League debut in September 2012. After further limited appearances and then a half-season loan to Premier League club Queens Park Rangers, Townsend established himself as a Tottenham player between 2013 and 2015. He subsequently fell out of favour at Tottenham, and following a short spell at Newcastle United in the 2015–16 season, he transferred to fellow English side Crystal Palace in the summer of 2016. After five years at Palace, he departed for Everton in 2021, though his time at the club was hampered by a long-term injury sustained in 2022. Upon his release from Everton, in July 2023, he joined Luton Town. Townsend earned his first England cap on 11 October 2013, and made 13 appearances in his senior international career, scoring three goals.
== Pharmacology == Dihydrocodeine exerts its analgesic action through affinity to predominantly μ-opioid receptor and to lesser extent to κ-opioid receptor and δ-opioid receptor. A 1956 source states that 30 mg of subcutaneous dihydrocodeine is equianalgesic to 10 mg of morphine. Another source states that dihydrocodeine is twice as strong as codeine and the metabolite dihydromorphine is likewise twice as strong as morphine. Dihydrocodeine (DHC) is O-demethylated into dihydromorphine (DHM) by CYP2D6 and N-demethylated into nordihydrocodeine (NDHC) by CYP3A4, summarily yielding nordihydromorphine (NDHM). Dihydrocodeine and its metabolites form 3- and 6-glucuronides. Due to the multidirectional metabolism, as opposed to tramadol and codeine, CYP2D6 activity probably does not influence DHC analgesia. The analgesia is likely achieved by the action of DHC itself, as well as DHC-6-G. DHC appears not to differ between poor and extensive metabolizers in terms of its pain threshold and pupillary reaction effect in spite of major variation in DHM blood levels. DHC-6-G is half as potent as DHC. DHM and DHM-6-G display the highest affinity to μ-opioid receptors, being 70 times as potent as DHC, whereas other metabolites display lesser affinity. DHM-6-G has similar potency as DHM, while DHM-3-G is considerably weaker. Action on δ-opioid receptor is 5-50 weaker compared to μ with the exception of DHC-6-G being twice as strong as DHC. 6-glucuronides possess lesser affinity towards κ-opioid receptors, albeit the affinity of DHC is comparable to codeine, DHM and morphine.
=== Legal status === Treosulfan was authorized for medical use in the European Union in June 2019, and approved for medical use in the United States in January 2025. The US Food and Drug Administration granted orphan drug designation to treosulfan in 1994, for the treatment of ovarian cancer; and in 2015, for conditioning treatment prior to hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in malignant and non-malignant diseases in adults and pediatric patients. In February 2004, orphan designation (EU/3/04/186) was granted by the European Commission to medac Gesellschaft fuer klinische Spezialpräparate mbH, Germany, for treosulfan for the conditioning treatment prior to haematopoietic progenitor cell transplantation.
Miso: A fermented soybean paste that is a cornerstone of Japanese cuisine. Its production involves combining koji (usually rice-based) with cooked soybeans and salt, followed by fermentation for weeks or even years. Enzymes in the koji break down complex proteins and carbohydrates in the soybeans, creating miso's rich and nuanced flavor. The fermentation time, type of koji, and additional ingredients all contribute to a wide variety of miso types, from sweet white miso to robust red miso. Miso adds depth and complexity to dishes such as soups, stews, marinades, and sauces. Sake: In sake production, koji converts rice starch into fermentable sugars. Unlike beer brewing, where saccharification and fermentation occur sequentially, sake brewing integrates these stages in a parallel fermentation environment. This dynamic interplay contributes to sake's unique flavor profile. Koji not only facilitates starch conversion but also develops nuanced aromas and flavors in the final product. Soy Sauce: A fermented condiment derived from soybeans and wheat, with koji initiating enzymatic breakdown. Koji is cultivated on roasted wheat and soybeans and then mixed with salt water to create a brine called moromi, which ferments for months. Koji enzymes break down proteins and starches, contributing to soy sauce's umami flavor. After fermentation, the moromi is pressed, pasteurized, filtered, and bottled.
== History == Hypoglycemia was first discovered by James Collip when he was working with Frederick Banting on purifying insulin in 1922. Collip was asked to develop an assay to measure the activity of insulin. He first injected insulin into a rabbit, and then measured the reduction in blood-glucose levels. Measuring blood glucose was a time-consuming step. Collip observed that if he injected rabbits with a too large a dose of insulin, the rabbits began convulsing, went into a coma, and then died. This observation simplified his assay. He defined one unit of insulin as the amount necessary to induce this convulsing hypoglycemic reaction in a rabbit. Collip later found he could save money, and rabbits, by injecting them with glucose once they were convulsing.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
For the second consecutive year, the AFL's opening round was spread across two weekends. Due to concern over one-sided matches, each of the top four teams from 2012 (Sydney, Hawthorn, Adelaide and Collingwood) played each of the bottom four teams (the Western Bulldogs, Melbourne, Gold Coast and Greater Western Sydney) only once each – except that Sydney played local rival Greater Western Sydney twice, and that the Western Bulldogs played Adelaide twice. None of the bottom five teams from 2012 (Western Bulldogs, Port Adelaide, Melbourne, Gold Coast and Greater Western Sydney) featured in a Friday night match during the home-and-away season. This is due to the AFL's policy of awarding Friday night matches only to teams that perform consistently throughout the season. This season was the last in which AFL football was played at AAMI Stadium, with both Adelaide and Port Adelaide moving to a redeveloped Adelaide Oval from the 2014 season. Match starting times are local.
==== Analysis of bound ligands ==== The final step requires bioanalytical separation of bound ligands from their targets, and subsequent identification of ligands using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. AS-MS offers means for identifying small molecule-protein interactions either directly - through top-down proteomic detection of intact complexes - or indirectly - through denaturation of small molecule-protein complexes followed by identification of small molecules using mass spectrometry. The top-down approach requires direct infusion of the complex into an electrospray ionization mass spectrometry source under conditions gentle enough to preserve the interaction and maintain its integrity in the transition from liquid to gas. While this was shown to be possible by Ganem and Henion in 1991, it is not suitable for high throughput. Interestingly, electron capture dissociation, which is typically used in structure elucidation of peptides, has been used to identify ligand binding sites during top-down analysis. A simpler method for analysis of bound ligands uses a protein precipitation extraction to denature proteins and release ligands into the precipitation solution, which can then be diluted and identified on an LC-MS system.
=== Urea cycle disorders === Disorders of the distal urea cycle, such as citrullinemia, argininosuccinic aciduria and argininemia are included in newborn screening programs in many jurisdictions that using tandem mass spectrometry to identify key amino acids. Proximal urea cycle defects, such as ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency and carbamoyl phosphate synthetase deficiency are not included in newborn screening panels because they are not reliably detected using current technology, and also because severely affected infants will present with clinical symptoms before newborn screening results are available. Some regions claim to screen for HHH syndrome (hyperammonemia, hyperornithinemia, homocitrullinuria) based on the detection of elevated ornithine levels in the newborn screening dried blood spot, but other sources have shown that affected individuals do not have elevated ornithine at birth.
=== Finnish === Examples of long words that have been in everyday use in the Finnish language are kolmivaihekilowattituntimittari which means "three-phase kilowatt hour meter" (31 letters), liikekannallepanotarkastuskierros ("mobilization inspection round", 33 letters), peruspalveluliikelaitoskuntayhtymä ("a public utility of a municipal federation for provision of basic services", 34 letters), and lentokonesuihkuturbiinimoottoriapumekaanikkoaliupseerioppilas "airplane jet turbine engine auxiliary mechanic non-commissioned officer student" (61 letters), an actual military term, although one which has been deprecated. The longest military term in current use is vastatykistömaalinosoitustutkakalustojärjestelmäinsinöörierikoisupseeri "counter-artillery targeting radar systems engineer specialist officer" with 71 characters, with 2 more if grammatically incorrect extra hyphens added for readability are counted. If conjugated forms are allowed, even longer real words can be made. Allowing derivatives and clitics allows the already lengthy word to grow even longer, although the usability of the word starts to degrade. Because Finnish uses free forming of composite words, new words can even be formed during a conversation. One can add nouns after each other without breaking grammar rules. If one allows artificial constructs as well as using clitics and conjugated forms, one can create even longer words: such as kumarreksituteskenteleentuvaisehkollaismaisekkuudellisennesk- enteluttelemattomammuuksissansakaankopahan (102 letters), which was created by Artturi Kannisto.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
It is a synthetic tetrapeptide. Its sequence was derived from research on peptide fractions of bovine pineal extract, and the intact AEDG sequence has not been demonstrated as an abundant free peptide in human tissue.
AEDG is the one-letter code for the four amino acids alanine, glutamate, aspartate and glycine in that order. The same molecule is written in three-letter form as Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly.
Identity is normally confirmed by mass spectrometry against the calculated mass of roughly 390.35 g/mol. Purity is then estimated by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection.
Small studies with human participants have been reported, chiefly in Russian-language journals, but they are limited in size and design. No large randomised controlled trial with published results is available.