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Epitalon Background And Identification — Complete Guide

By Editorial Desk · published 2026-04-12 · last reviewed 2026-05-06 · Blog

Lyophilized powder is one of those subjects where the details matter more than the headlines. This page pulls together the background, the mechanisms, and the practical points readers ask about most.

Updated 2026-05-06. Numbers and descriptions here follow the published literature rather than marketing material.

Epitalon Background And Identification

Epitalon is a synthetic tetrapeptide with the residue sequence alanine-glutamate-aspartate-glycine, commonly abbreviated AEDG. Its monoisotopic mass is approximately 390.35 daltons, and it is usually supplied as a lyophilised trifluoroacetate or acetate salt. The compound was derived from a pineal gland extract called epithalamin, a heterogeneous preparation investigated in the former Soviet Union. Researchers associated with the Saint Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology described the tetrapeptide as a constituent fragment of that extract. Commercial material is offered as a laboratory reagent rather than as a finished pharmaceutical product.

Literature searches for this compound must account for several spelling variants. Indexing databases contain epitalon, epithalon, epithalone, and AEDG, and relevant records are scattered across Russian-language and English-language journals that do not consistently cross-cite. Early publications describe the parent extract as a mixture of many peptides, whereas later work addresses the single synthetic tetrapeptide. That shift in nomenclature complicates comparison between studies, because extract data and tetrapeptide data are sometimes cited interchangeably. A search strategy omitting the alternate spellings will return an incomplete set of references.

Chemical Identity and Research Background

The compound is described in the literature as a derivative of epithalamin, a preparation obtained from bovine pineal tissue. Work on this peptide family was carried out mainly by a research group in Saint Petersburg beginning in the 1980s, and the substance was later registered for clinical use in Russia under the name Epitalon. Outside that region it is generally treated as a research chemical rather than an approved medicine. Statements about its biological activity rest on a relatively small number of studies, and independent replication remains limited.

In its supplied form epitalon is a white to off-white powder, usually lyophilized and often hygroscopic. It dissolves readily in water and in aqueous buffers, and it is commonly handled as the acetate or trifluoroacetate salt to improve stability during purification and drying. The amide backbone is labile in aqueous media, so solutions are less durable than the dry solid. Handling notes in the chemical literature therefore emphasize keeping the powder dry, cool and shielded from light until it is dissolved.

Epitalon is a synthetic tetrapeptide whose sequence is alanine-glutamate-aspartate-glycine, written in single-letter code as AEDG. The four residues are joined by three peptide bonds, giving a linear backbone with no branching and no disulfide bridges. Its calculated molecular mass for the free form is approximately 390.3 daltons, a figure that rises when the compound is supplied as an acetate or trifluoroacetate salt. Because the chain is short, the molecule is defined entirely by its residue order rather than by any folded three-dimensional structure.

Epitalon at a glance

PropertyValueNotes
Chemical classSynthetic tetrapeptideFour amino acid residues
Residue sequenceAla-Glu-Asp-GlyAbbreviated AEDG
Approximate mass390.35 DaMonoisotopic, free base form
Parent preparationEpithalamin extractDerived from pineal tissue
Common spelling variantsEpithalon, epithalone, AEDGAffects literature retrieval

Peptide Identity and Laboratory Handling

Storage recommendations center on limiting moisture, heat, and light. The dry powder is generally kept at minus 20 degrees Celsius, and some suppliers recommend minus 80 degrees for long-term archival. Once dissolved, solutions are usually aliquoted and frozen to avoid repeated freeze-thaw cycles, which can promote aggregation or degradation. Aqueous stability depends on pH and concentration, and buffered saline is often preferred over plain water for biological work. Stability data specific to epitalon remain limited, so general peptide-handling practices are applied by analogy rather than from product-specific validation.

Epitalon is a synthetic tetrapeptide with the sequence alanine-glutamate-aspartate-glycine, abbreviated AEDG. Its molecular formula is C14H22N4O9 and its calculated monoisotopic mass is approximately 390.35 daltons. The compound does not occur naturally as a free peptide; it is produced by solid-phase peptide synthesis. Because it contains two acidic residues and no basic residues, the neutral form carries a net negative charge at physiological pH. This charge profile influences how the peptide behaves in solution and during chromatographic analysis.

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Epitalon Background and Nomenclature

Laboratory work has examined effects on telomerase activity in cultured cells, on melatonin rhythms in animals, and on markers of oxidative stress. Some experiments report measurable changes while others show none, and the reported findings rest largely on small studies. The absence of large independent trials means the generality of these results is unresolved rather than settled. Review articles occasionally apply the label geroprotector, a term that reflects a research hypothesis about ageing rather than an established clinical finding.

Epitalon is the common name for a synthetic tetrapeptide with the sequence alanine-glutamate-aspartate-glycine, usually abbreviated AEDG. All four residues are proteinogenic amino acids, and the free peptide has a calculated mass near 390 grams per mole. Because the chain is short and carries no modifications, it is assembled readily by solid-phase synthesis and is distributed mainly as a freeze-dried solid for laboratory work. Catalogue listings use the spellings epitalon, epithalone, and simply AEDG, and the three refer to the same sequence.

Background and Chemical Identity

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.

Supporting material

=== Trials of procedures === Similarly to drugs, medical or surgical procedures may be subjected to clinical trials, such as comparing different surgical approaches in treatment of fibroids for subfertility. However, when clinical trials are unethical or logistically impossible in the surgical setting, case-controlled studies will be replaced.

== Personal life == Fischer married Agnes Gerlach in 1888. She died seven years later, leaving him a widower with three sons. The younger two died during their military service in World War I, but the oldest, Hermann, became an organic chemist. Fischer died in Berlin on 15 July 1919 at the age of 66. He was Protestant

== Medical uses == Gabapentinoids are approved for the treatment of epilepsy, postherpetic neuralgia, neuropathic pain associated with diabetic neuropathy, fibromyalgia, generalized anxiety disorder, and restless legs syndrome. Some off-label uses of gabapentinoids include the treatment of insomnia, migraine, social phobia, panic disorder, mania, bipolar disorder, and alcohol withdrawal. Existing evidence on the use of gabapentinoids in chronic lower back pain is limited, and demonstrates significant risk of adverse effects, without any demonstrated benefit. The main side-effects include: a feeling of sleepiness and tiredness, decreased blood pressure, nausea, vomiting and also glaucomatous visual hallucinations. In a systematic review analysing data from 5 cohort studies having 10,85,488 patients, use of gabapentinoids (pregabalin and gabapentin) was associated with an increased risks of thrombotic events (deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary thrombo-embolism) as early as three months of use, and with increased risk of cardiovascular events on prolonged use of more than a year duration. Heart failure was not increased with the use of gabapentinoids.

Responses lasted for at least six months in 78% of responders. Because the clinical trial was fairly small, Merck is obligated to conduct further post-marketing studies to ensure that the results are valid. Pembrolizumab was granted orphan drug designation for small-cell lung cancer in October 2017. In June 2018, the US FDA approved pembrolizumab for use in both advanced cervical cancer for PD-L1 positive patients and for the treatment of adult and pediatric patients with refractory primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma (PMBCL), or who have relapsed after two or more prior lines of therapy. In August 2018, the US FDA updated the prescribing information for pembrolizumab to require the use of an FDA-approved companion diagnostic test to determine PD-L1 levels in tumor tissue from patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial cancer who are cisplatin-ineligible. On 16 August 2018, the FDA approved the Dako PD-L1 IHC 22C3 PharmDx Assay (Dako North America, Inc.) as a companion diagnostic to select patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma who are cisplatin-ineligible for treatment with pembrolizumab. The 22C3 assay determines PD-L1 expression by using a combined positive score (CPS) assessing PD-L1 staining in tumor and immune cells.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Supporting material

Ezrin, Calvin; Moloney, Peter J. (1959). "Resistance to Insulin Due to Neutralizing Antibodies". The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. 19 (9): 1055–1068. doi:10.1210/jcem-19-9-1055. PMID 13821166. Moloney, P. J.; Aprile, M. A. (1959). "On the Antigenicity of Insulin: Flocculation of Insulin-Antiinsulin". Canadian Journal of Biochemistry and Physiology. 37 (6): 793–800. doi:10.1139/o59-086. PMID 13651981. Wardlaw, A. C.; Moloney, P. J. (1961). "The Assay of Insulin with Anti-Insulin and Mouse Diaphragm". Canadian Journal of Biochemistry and Physiology. 39 (4): 695–712. doi:10.1139/o61-071. PMID 13783129.

Beta hairpin Extremely common. Two antiparallel beta strands connected by a tight turn of a few amino acids between them. Greek key Four beta strands, three connected by hairpins, the fourth folded over the top. Omega loop A loop in which the residues that make up the beginning and end of the loop are very close together. Helix-loop-helix Consists of alpha helices bound by a looping stretch of amino acids. This motif is seen in transcription factors. Zinc finger Two beta strands with an alpha helix end folded over to bind a zinc ion. Important in DNA binding proteins. Helix-turn-helix Two α helices joined by a short strand of amino acids and found in many proteins that regulate gene expression. Nest Extremely common. Three consecutive amino acid residues form an anion-binding concavity. Niche Extremely common. Three or four consecutive amino acid residues form a cation-binding feature.

The drug testing policy hampered the quality of the 1992 championship, while attempts to increase interest by hiring WCW wrestler Lex Luger as a figurehead (hosting a WBF television program on USA Network, and planning to make a guest pose during the 1992 championship before being injured in a motorcycle accident) and attempting to sign Lou Ferrigno (who left the organization shortly after the drug testing policy was announced) did not come to fruition. The second PPV received a minuscule audience, and the WBF dissolved only one month later in July 1992.

They said that roads leading to Kamdesh and Bargi Matal through Nari had been blocked, possibly to hide the withdrawal from border positions. Local sources said that Pakistani and Taliban posts were located close to each other. It was unclear why the Taliban had withdrawn or whether heavy Pakistani shelling had forced the evacuation. Some elders said that the Taliban lacked the logistical capacity to maintain their forces and had withdrawn out of fear of Pakistani attacks. Others accused the group of misleading the public and the media by using helicopters to visit district centres in order to create the impression that it still controlled the border areas and that the roads remained open. Militants killed a policeman in Peshawar. On 12 April, a soldier was killed and four wounded in an IED attack in Bannu District. A civilian was injured in a mortar strike in Bajaur District. Two TTP militants were killed in a drone strike in Lakki Marwat District. On 13 April, local Afghan sources reported that Pakistani border guards fired artillery rounds in parts of Khas Kunar and Nari districts of Kunar province, causing material damage but no casualties. Taliban authorities did not comment on reports regarding artillery shelling in parts of Kunar province. On the same day, local elders in Nuristan said that residents of Kamdesh and Bargi Matal districts were facing severe food shortages because of prolonged road closures. They warned of a possible humanitarian crisis if food was not delivered by air and said that the Taliban had neglected the situation.

Desloratadine exhibits only peripheral activity since it does not readily cross the blood–brain barrier; hence, it does not normally cause drowsiness because it does not readily enter the central nervous system. Desloratadine does not have a strong effect on a number of tested enzymes in the cytochrome P450 system. It was found to weakly inhibit CYP2B6, CYP2D6, and CYP3A4/CYP3A5, and not to inhibit CYP1A2, CYP2C8, CYP2C9, or CYP2C19. Desloratadine was found to be a potent and relatively selective inhibitor of UGT2B10, a weak to moderate inhibitor of UGT2B17, UGT1A10, and UGT2B4, and not to inhibit UGT1A1, UGT1A3, UGT1A4, UGT1A6, UGT1A9, UGT2B7, UGT2B15, UGT1A7, and UGT1A8.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Frequently asked questions

What is epitalon derived from?

It is based on epithalamin, a peptide-rich preparation obtained from pineal gland tissue and studied in the former Soviet Union. Researchers later identified the tetrapeptide AEDG as a constituent fragment of that material. Modern supplies are produced by chemical synthesis rather than tissue extraction.

Is epitalon identical to epithalamin?

No. Epithalamin is a heterogeneous extract containing many peptides, while epitalon is a single synthesised tetrapeptide. Publications sometimes treat findings from the two as equivalent, which is a common source of confusion. Their compositions differ and they are not interchangeable in analytical terms.

Why are human studies so limited?

Most published work uses cell cultures or rodents because those models are faster and less costly to run. The few human trials that have been reported are small, and several lack control groups or blinding. This restricts what can reasonably be concluded about effects in people.

Which amino acids make up epitalon?

The peptide contains four residues in the order alanine, glutamate, aspartate and glycine, abbreviated AEDG. The chain is linear and held together by three peptide bonds. Its calculated mass for the uncharged free form is about 390.3 daltons.

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