Side-by-side · Research reference

CardiogenvsDermorphin

Side-by-side comparison across mechanism, dosage, evidence, side effects, administration, and stack synergies. Citations on every claim where available.

AAnimal-MechanisticHUMAN-REVIEWED5/46 cited

BAnimal-StrongHUMAN-REVIEWED20/47 cited

Cardiogen

Bioregulator · Cardiac

CardiacTissue target

Gene regulationMechanism

AnimalEvidence level

SQ · Variable protocols

Dermorphin

Opioid Peptide · μ-Receptor Agonist · Research Only

~30×Morphine potency

μ-selectiveReceptor typeNegri 1992

D-Ala²Unique featureAmiche 1998

Research only · ICV / SC (animal models)

01Mechanism of Action

Parameter

Cardiogen

Dermorphin

Primary target

Cardiovascular cell gene expressionKhavinson 2022

μ-opioid receptors (central and peripheral)Negri 1992 Steel 2014

Pathway

Peptide bioregulation → modulation of SASP / inflammaging → cardiac tissue homeostasisKhavinson 2022

μ-receptor activation → G-protein coupling → adenylyl cyclase inhibition → neuronal hyperpolarization

Downstream effect

Suppression of senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP), reduction of age-related inflammatory markers, modulation of heat shock protein expression in cardiac tissue

Potent analgesia, reduced nociceptive signaling, opioid-mediated CNS and peripheral effects

Feedback intact?

Presumed — peptide bioregulators act via gene regulation, not receptor agonism

N/A — exogenous opioid agonist

Origin

Derived from cardiac tissue peptide extracts; synthetic analogue based on Khavinson bioregulator methodology

Phyllomedusa sauvagei and P. bicolor frog skin — gene-encoded with natural D-amino acid incorporationAmiche 1998 Mignogna 1992

Antibody development

—

Site-directed antibodies produced for detection and purificationCucumel 1996

02Dosage Protocols

Parameter

Cardiogen

Dermorphin

Standard dose

Variable — typically 10–20 mg per course

No standardised human protocol; animal-derived dosing.

—

Frequency

Intermittent courses — 10–20 days, repeated periodically

Khavinson-school bioregulators typically dosed as periodic interventions, not continuous.

—

Evidence basis

Animal models / mechanistic studies

No Phase 1+ human trials in PubMed.

Animal studies · In vitro assays

Route

Subcutaneous injection

—

Duration

10–20 day courses, repeated 2–4× per year

Russian geriatric protocols; unclear extrapolation to general populations.

—

Legal status

—

Controlled substance in many jurisdictions · Research only

Not approved for human use.

Animal research (ICV)

—

Low nanomolar to picomolar range

Intracerebroventricular administration in rodent models.

Detection limit (doping)

—

5 pg/mL in equine plasma/urineSteel 2014

High-throughput LC-MS/MS screen developed for racing industry.

Duration of action

—

10–120 minutes (dose-dependent, intrathecal)

Human toxicity

—

Kambô ritual (P. bicolor skin) — violent emesis, vasodilation, fluid shifts, ADH dysregulationTran 2025

04Side Effects & Safety

Parameter

Cardiogen

Dermorphin

Injection site reactions

Mild erythema, induration (presumed)

—

Systemic adverse events

No documented serious AEs in available literature

Very limited safety data; no rigorous pharmacovigilance.

—

Immunogenicity

Unknown — no antibody development studies published

—

Long-term safety

Unknown — no extended human trials indexed in PubMed

—

Opioid effects

—

Respiratory depression, sedation, euphoria, tolerance, dependence risk

CNS effects

—

Analgesia (high-affinity sites), catalepsy (low-affinity sites)Negri 1992

Kambô ritual toxicity

—

Violent emesis, vasodilation, profound fluid shifts, hyponatremia, ADH dysregulation, brain death (case report)Tran 2025

Peripheral effects

—

GI motility inhibition (ileum > vas deferens in vitro)Negri 1992

Receptor selectivity caveat

—

Two μ-receptor subtypes — differential behavioral effects (analgesia vs. catalepsy)Negri 1992

Proteolytic stability

—

Tyr³-Pro⁶ bond relatively unstable; endogenous enzymes may produce tetrapeptide fragmentsCucumel 1996

Absolute Contraindications

Cardiogen

·Active malignancy (theoretical peptide growth factor concern)
·Hypersensitivity to peptide components

Dermorphin

·Human use — not approved by any regulatory authority
·Controlled substance status — possession illegal in many jurisdictions
·Known opioid hypersensitivity or respiratory compromise

Relative Contraindications

Cardiogen

·Acute cardiac events (no safety data in acute MI, unstable angina)
·Pregnancy / lactation (no reproductive toxicity data)

Dermorphin

·Any context outside approved animal research protocols
·CNS depressant co-administration

05Administration Protocol

Parameter

Cardiogen

Dermorphin

1. Reconstitution

Add sterile water or saline per manufacturer instructions (typically 1–2 mL per lyophilised vial). Roll gently to dissolve.

Dermorphin is a controlled substance in many jurisdictions and is not approved for human use. Possession, synthesis, or distribution may be illegal. Use is restricted to licensed research settings under institutional review.

2. Injection site

Subcutaneous — abdomen or thigh. Rotate sites. Use sterile technique.

In rodent models, intracerebroventricular (ICV) or intrathecal injection is used at nanomolar to picomolar concentrations. Subcutaneous administration also documented. All protocols require IACUC approval.

3. Timing

Variable — often evening injection. No established circadian preference.

High-throughput LC-MS/MS screens developed for anti-doping programs detect dermorphin and 17 related peptides in equine and human urine/plasma at limits as low as 5 pg/mL.Steel 2014

4. Storage

Lyophilised: refrigerate 2–8 °C, protect from light. Reconstituted: use immediately or refrigerate, discard after 7–14 days per labeling.

Application of Phyllomedusa bicolor skin secretions to superficial burns. Not recommended — associated with severe toxicity including violent emesis, hyponatremia, and documented case of brain death.Tran 2025

5. Needle

27–30G insulin syringe, 45° angle for subcutaneous administration.

—

06Stack Synergy

Cardiogen

+ Thymalin

Moderate

View Thymalin →

Khavinson-school multi-organ bioregulator approach: thymalin (thymic peptide) addresses immune senescence while cardiogen targets cardiac tissue. Combined use in geriatric populations demonstrated normalisation of cardiovascular, endocrine, and immune parameters with reduced mortality over 6–8 years of observation.

Cardiogen: 10–20 mg SQ · 10–20 day course
Thymalin: 10–30 mg IM · concurrent or sequential courses
Frequency: 2–4 courses per year
Primary benefit: Multi-system aging mitigation, cardiovascular and immune homeostasis

Dermorphin

— no documented stacks