Side-by-side · Research reference

CortagenvsProstamax

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

AAnimal-MechanisticHUMAN-REVIEWED11/35 cited

BAnimal-MechanisticHUMAN-REVIEWED11/38 cited

Cortagen

Bioregulatory Tetrapeptide · Khavinson-School

TetrapeptideStructure

↓ LPO productsAntioxidant effectKozina 2007

AnimalEvidence level

Injectable · Animal models

Prostamax

Khavinson Bioregulator · Tissue-Specific Peptide

0.05 ng/mLActive concentrationZakutskiĭ 2006

2.5×SCE frequency increaseDzhokhadze 2012

4 AAPeptide length

SQ · Protocol per Khavinson tradition

01Mechanism of Action

Parameter

Cortagen

Prostamax

Primary target

Cerebral cortex tissue — molecular targets under investigation

Chromatin in prostatic cells — pericentromeric heterochromatin regions

Pathway

Antioxidant pathway modulation — suppression of LPO cascade, reduction of protein oxidative modificationKozina 2007

Epigenetic modulation → heterochromatin decondensation → transcriptional derepressionDzhokhadze 2012

Downstream effect

Decreased lipid peroxidation products, reduced oxidative protein damage, altered gene expression in cardiac tissueKozina 2007 Anisimov 2004

Increased sister chromatid exchange, Ag-NOR activation, reduced C-heterochromatin condensation; tissue-specific regenerative stimulation in prostate organotypic culturesDzhokhadze 2012 Zakutskiĭ 2006

Feedback intact?

—

Origin

Synthetic tetrapeptide derived from amino acid analysis of natural brain cortex peptide preparation CortexinAnisimov 2004

Synthetic tetrapeptide modeled on naturally occurring protein-derived bioregulators isolated between lysine-arginine motifs in long-lived speciesKhavinson 2017

Antibody development

—

02Dosage Protocols

Parameter

Cortagen

Prostamax

Animal model dose (rat)

Injection protocol (dose not specified in abstracts)

Multiple injections over study period.

—

Avian model dose (chicken)

40-day injection courseKuznik 2008

Compared to epithalon in hypophysectomized and aged birds.

—

Human peripheral nerve study

Therapeutic course (protocol details not provided)

Posttraumatic recovery context — reference cited but not detailed.

—

Evidence basis

Animal mechanistic studies

Animal / organotypic cultureZakutskiĭ 2006 Dzhokhadze 2012

No randomized controlled trials in humans.

Route

Injectable (inferred from animal protocols)

—

Effective concentration (in vitro)

—

0.05 ng/mLZakutskiĭ 2006

Organotypic culture model; demonstrated tissue-specific stimulation.

Human clinical dose

—

Not established

No published human trials; dosing extrapolated from Russian clinical tradition (not peer-reviewed).

Age groups studied

—

Young (3-week) and aged (18-month) rats; elderly humans (75–86 years) in vitroZakutskiĭ 2006 Dzhokhadze 2012

Duration

—

Not specified

Khavinson protocols typically 10–20 days per cycle; no long-term safety data.

04Side Effects & Safety

Parameter

Cortagen

Prostamax

Antioxidant suppression

Suppression of antioxidant activity noted alongside LPO reductionKozina 2007

Mechanism unclear — possible homeostatic adaptation.

—

Immune/hemostasis effects

No effect on immunity or hemostasis parameters in avian hypophysectomy model (unlike epithalon)Kuznik 2008

Epithalon reversed deficits; cortagen did not.

—

Human safety data

No adverse events reported in peripheral nerve recovery context

Limited detail in available abstracts.

Absent — no published Phase 1/2/3 trials

Published adverse events

—

None reported in available literature

Genotoxicity signals

—

Increased sister chromatid exchange (SCE) — marker of DNA recombination/repair; unclear long-term implications

Metal ion interactions

—

Modulates Cu(II) and Cd(II) chromatin effects; unknown clinical relevance

Absolute Contraindications

Cortagen

—

Prostamax

·Active prostate malignancy — epigenetic modulation effects unknown in cancer

Relative Contraindications

Cortagen

—

Prostamax

·History of prostate cancer — theoretical concern re: transcriptional activation
·Undiagnosed prostatic nodules or elevated PSA

05Administration Protocol

Parameter

Cortagen

Prostamax

1. Preparation

Reconstitute lyophilised peptide with bacteriostatic water per supplier protocol. Exact volumes depend on concentration supplied.

Subcutaneous or intramuscular — per Khavinson bioregulator tradition. No published human pharmacokinetic data.

2. Injection site

Subcutaneous injection typical for bioregulatory peptides — abdomen or thigh. Rotate sites.

If lyophilised: reconstitute with sterile water per manufacturer protocol (not standardized in literature).

3. Timing

Animal protocols used repeated dosing over weeks. Human timing not established — evening administration common in Khavinson tradition.

Typically daily or every-other-day in Russian clinical tradition; duration 10–20 days per cycle.

4. Storage

Lyophilised: refrigerate or freeze per supplier. Reconstituted: refrigerate 2–8 °C, use within guideline window.

No established biomarkers. Theoretical: PSA, prostate imaging, symptom scores (IPSS for BPH).

5. Note

—

All protocols derived from non-peer-reviewed Russian clinical practice; Western regulatory approval absent.