Peptide comparison
Epitalon vs Pinealon
Epitalon and Pinealon are both short synthetic peptides from Vladimir Khavinson's research group in St Petersburg, which calls them peptide bioregulators. They are often mentioned together, but they differ in sequence, in what they have been studied for and in the evidence behind them.
Reviewed by the Helica Labs research team · Last updated October 10, 2026
| Epitalon | Pinealon | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Epitalon A synthetic tetrapeptide modelled on epithalamin, a peptide extract of bovine pineal gland. Also spelled Epithalon. | Pinealon A synthetic tripeptide from the same research group, studied mainly in models of brain ageing and nerve-cell stress. |
| Sequence and composition | Epitalon Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly (AEDG). | Pinealon Glu-Asp-Arg (EDR). |
| Structure and mass | Epitalon C14H22N4O9, about 390.4 g/mol. | Pinealon C15H26N6O8, about 418.4 g/mol. |
| Proposed mechanism | Epitalon Best known for inducing telomerase (hTERT) and telomere elongation in human cell cultures. A 2025 study from an independent lab reported telomere lengthening in normal cells in vitro, and lengthening through a telomerase-independent route (ALT) in cancer cell lines. Also studied for effects on melatonin rhythm. | Pinealon Proposed to enter the cell nucleus and interact with DNA and histone proteins to influence gene expression, based on docking and cell studies. In animal and cell models it reduced oxidative stress and markers of cell death. |
| Half-life | Epitalon Not measured. No pharmacokinetic study has been published in any species. | Pinealon Not measured. No human or animal pharmacokinetic study has been published. |
| Evidence in humans | Epitalon Small human studies, almost all from the developer's network. Much of the older human data concerns epithalamin, the pineal extract, not synthetic Epitalon. No independent clinical trials. | Pinealon Small Russian-language human studies from the developer's network, almost all with oral capsules and often combined with other peptides. No independent randomised trials. |
| Regulatory status | Epitalon Not approved as a medicine by the FDA or the EMA. In July 2026 an FDA advisory committee voted to recommend it for the US compounding list; FDA staff had advised against it, and the vote is not a final decision. | Pinealon Not approved as a medicine anywhere. In Russia it is registered only as a dietary supplement. |
Key differences
- Different sequences: Epitalon is a tetrapeptide (AEDG), Pinealon a tripeptide (EDR). They share a Glu-Asp pair but are different molecules.
- Epitalon research centres on telomerase and the pineal gland; Pinealon research on nerve cells and oxidative stress.
- Neither has a measured half-life, so half-life figures quoted online for either peptide are estimates.
- Epitalon is often confused with epithalamin, the bovine pineal extract behind most of the older human data, and with Cortagen (Ala-Glu-Asp-Pro), which differs in its last amino acid.
For research use only. Not for human consumption. Always verify against current literature.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the difference between Epitalon and Pinealon?
- Epitalon is the tetrapeptide Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly, studied mainly for telomerase activation and pineal function. Pinealon is the tripeptide Glu-Asp-Arg, studied mainly for protecting nerve cells against oxidative stress. Both come from Vladimir Khavinson's research group, and neither is an approved medicine.
- Are Epitalon and Epithalon the same?
- Yes. Epitalon and Epithalon are two spellings of the same synthetic peptide, Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly. Epithalamin is something else: the bovine pineal extract that Epitalon was modelled on.
- What is the half-life of Epitalon and Pinealon?
- Neither has been measured. No pharmacokinetic study of either peptide has been published, so any half-life quoted for them is an estimate, not data.
- Have Epitalon or Pinealon been tested in humans?
- Only in small studies, nearly all run by the developer's network in Russia. For Epitalon, most of the older human data are for the extract epithalamin. For Pinealon, almost all human data come from oral capsules. There are no independent randomised trials of either.
- Is Cortagen the same as Epitalon?
- No. Cortagen is Ala-Glu-Asp-Pro, while Epitalon is Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly. The two differ in their last amino acid and are sometimes confused in product listings.