Pinealon Pen
3 mL of the tripeptide Glu-Asp-Arg (EDR) in bacteriostatic water at 2 mg/mL, 6 mg per pen. Filled from a peptide lot tested in the manufacturer’s own laboratory.
| Compound | Pinealon (Glu-Asp-Arg (EDR)) |
|---|---|
| CAS number | 175175-23-2 |
| Molecular formula | C15H26N6O8 |
| Contents | Pinealon: 6 mg per 3 mL pen (0.2% w/v) |
| Form | Sterile aqueous solution in bacteriostatic water (0.9% benzyl alcohol), supplied in a 3 mL glass cartridge inside a preloaded autoinjector pen fitted with a needle |
| Storage, sealed | Store at 2–8 °C in the original carton, protected from light |
| Format | Solution in a 3 mL pre-filled pen |
Sizes and lots
- 6 mg · 1 pen — $58.99
- 6 mg · Kit of 10 — $524.42
Pinealon is the trade name of EDR, the tripeptide Glu-Asp-Arg from Vladimir Khavinson's peptide bioregulator programme. This listing is a preloaded pen with 3 mL of ready-made solution at 2 mg/mL, 6 mg of peptide in total, so no powder has to be dissolved. Research on the peptide deals with oxidative stress, serotonin and gene-expression markers in cultured brain cells, and almost all of it comes from the developers' group.
What is in the pen
Each pen contains a 3 mL glass cartridge of sterile aqueous solution. According to the safety data sheet the peptide is present at 0.2% w/v, which is 2 mg/mL or 6 mg per pen, in bacteriostatic water with 0.9% benzyl alcohol as a preservative. Glu-Asp-Arg is not classified as hazardous; benzyl alcohol is harmful if swallowed or inhaled, irritates the eyes and can cause skin sensitisation.
Store the pen at 2 to 8 °C in its carton, protected from light, and keep it capped once in use. Do not freeze it, and discard it if the solution freezes, discolours or turns cloudy. Dilute peptide solutions can also lose material to container surfaces, a loss that varied widely between glass and plastic in one study of endocrine peptides1. The freeze-dried Pinealon 20 mg vial holds the same peptide, and peptide pen vs vial compares the two formats.
What the research covers
The cell work on Pinealon comes mostly from one 2011 study. In cerebellar granule cells, neutrophils and PC12 cells under oxidative stress, the peptide limited the accumulation of reactive oxygen species and reduced necrotic cell death, alongside delayed ERK1/2 activation and changes to the cell cycle2. From the different concentration ranges of those effects, the authors argued that it acts directly on the genome as well as against oxidants2. Serotonin expression rose in ageing cortex cell cultures exposed to EDR, which the group linked through a docking model to the gene for tryptophan hydroxylase3. A 2020 review from the developers built these results into a model in which EDR enters cells, binds histones or RNA and shifts the expression of genes linked to apoptosis, antioxidant defence and Alzheimer's disease pathology4. Neurons cultured from Alzheimer's and Huntington's model mice kept more of their dendritic spines with EDR present, according to the same review4.
Frequently asked questions
How does the pen differ from the Pinealon vials?
The vials hold freeze-dried Glu-Asp-Arg in 5, 10 or 20 mg fills, kept cold and dry until the laboratory dissolves it. The pen holds 6 mg already in solution at 2 mg/mL and is stored at 2 to 8 °C, never frozen. The vial keeps the peptide dry for longer; the pen gives a fixed, ready concentration.
What does testing cover for the pen?
Testing is done on the peptide lot used to fill the pen, not on the finished solution in the cartridge. The testing section on this page describes the methods and where published certificates can be checked.
Is Pinealon the same as Epitalon?
No. Pinealon is Glu-Asp-Arg, a tripeptide its developers linked to brain cortex extracts. Epitalon is Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly, modelled on a pineal extract. Both come from the same programme, but the telomerase and lifespan reports belong to Epitalon and have not been tested with EDR.
References
- Goebel-Stengel M, Stengel A, Taché Y, et al. The importance of using the optimal plasticware and glassware in studies involving peptides. Anal Biochem. 2011;414(1):38-46. DOI · PubMed
- Khavinson V, Ribakova Y, Kulebiakin K, et al. Pinealon increases cell viability by suppression of free radical levels and activating proliferative processes. Rejuvenation Res. 2011;14(5):535-41. DOI · PubMed
- Khavinson VKh, Lin'kova NS, Tarnovskaya SI, et al. Short peptides stimulate serotonin expression in cells of brain cortex. Bull Exp Biol Med. 2014;157(1):77-80. DOI · PubMed
- Khavinson V, Linkova N, Kozhevnikova E, et al. EDR Peptide: Possible Mechanism of Gene Expression and Protein Synthesis Regulation Involved in the Pathogenesis of Alzheimer's Disease. Molecules. 2020;26(1). DOI · PubMed
For laboratory research use only. Not for human or veterinary consumption. Products have not been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.