Selank

Fights Anxiety

There’s a good deal of evidence that supports the potent anti-anxiety effects of Selank:

1. In patients suffering from pre-existing anxiety disorders, the group treated with Selank had fewer anxiety symptoms. [1]
2. In patients with phobic-anxiety- and somatoform disorders, Selank demonstrated an anti-anxiety effect that lasted for a week and improved the quality of life of the patients. [2]
3. The administration of Selank along with the anti-anxiety drug phenazepam was associated with a decreased level of undesirable side effects and had a positive impact on the quality of life of the patients. [3-4]
4. Selank administration was found to be more effective in alleviating symptoms in mice with severe anxiety. [5-7]
5. In patients with generalized anxiety disorder and neurasthenia (emotional disturbance), Selank administration for 14 days had a positive effect on anxiety symptoms. [8]
6. In rats, administration of Selank eliminated the anxious response in the elevated plus maze test after 48 hours and increased exploratory behavior. [9]
7. In rats with unpredictable chronic mild stress conditions, Selank enhanced the effect of diazepam in reducing anxiety. [10]
8. In patients with various forms of anxiety, Selank administration decreased symptoms by inhibiting the enzyme enkephalinase. [11-12]

Improves Cognitive Function

The ability of Selank to reduce anxiety and boost the levels of neurotransmitters may play an integral part in improving learning ability and memory according to studies:

1. Selank administration (300 micrograms/kg) significantly activated the learning process in rats with initially poor learning ability compared to piracetam. [13]
2. In rats with Parkinson’s disease, Selank improved performance in the elevated cross- shaped maze test. [14]
3. A study found that Selank may help improve learning ability by stabilizing the levels of enkephalins, which are natural peptides in the body that reduce stress. [15-19]
4. In adult Wistar rats with brain damage, Selank administration at 300 micrograms/kg restored cognitive processes. [17]
5. In adult rats, injection of Selank (300 µg/kg) improved sensory attention levels, learning process, and the level of investigative activity. [20]
6. Selank administration in rats for 30 days stabilized memory traces (storage). [21-22]
7. In monkeys, Selank exhibited anti-amnesia effects. [23]
8. In rats, a single intranasal administration of Selank can potentially improve cognitive function by increasing brain-derived neurotrophic factor gene (BDNF) and nerve growth factor gene (NGF). [24]
9. A rat study also found that Selank can improve learning and memory by affecting genes involved in neurotransmission (transmission of electric signals between nerve cells). [25]

Boosts Immune Function

Selank also exerts its immune-boosting properties by affecting the production of certain cells and substances in the body:

1. In patients suffering from depression, administration of Selank resulted in an increase in IL-6, an inflammatory protein that destroys infection-causing microorganisms. [26-27]
2. A cell-based study found that Selank has the ability to stimulate the release of the anti-viral molecules known as interferons. [28]
3. In another cell-based study, Selank completely suppressed the reproduction of the influenza virus. [29]
4. Selank also has the ability to boost the production of T helper type 1 (Th1) cells, which help fight against viral and bacterial pathogens. [30]
5. In mice, Selank altered the genes involved in the process of inflammation (chemokines, cytokines, and its receptors). [31]

Treats Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms

This powerful anti-anxiety drug also has beneficial effects on symptoms of alcohol withdrawal:

1. In rats, Selank decreased alcohol-withdrawal-related anxiety in just 48 hours. [32]
2. Administration of Selank in rats was associated with longer alcohol abstinence. [33]

Improves Liver Health

There’s also strong scientific evidence suggesting that Selank may help benefit the liver:

1. Selank in doses of 100 and 300 μg/kg decreased the levels of free radicals in the liver of rats, suggesting that it has potent antioxidant activity. [34]
2. Administration of Selank in doses of 300 and 1000 μg/kg in rats restored the structures of the liver cells (hepatocytes). [35]