Side-by-side · Research reference
SelankvsTB-500
Side-by-side comparison across mechanism, dosage, evidence, side effects, administration, and stack synergies. Citations on every claim where available.
AHuman-MechanisticDraft11/40 cited
BPhase 2Reviewed8/46 cited
Selank
Anxiolytic + Cognitive · Russian Pharma
Intranasal · 2–3×/day during stress / cognitive demand
TB-500
Thymosin β4 fragment · Healing
SQ or IM · Multiple sites · 2–3×/week
01Mechanism of Action
Parameter
Selank
TB-500
Primary target
Monoamine system (serotonin / GABA modulation) + immunomodulation via tuftsin domainZaderej 2014
G-actin (sequestering) + cell-surface integrinsGoldstein 2012
Pathway
Tuftsin-derived immune signaling + CNS monoamine modulation → reduced anxiety + improved mood / cognitionMedvedev 2007
Actin remodelling → cell migration; integrin-linked signaling → angiogenesis; anti-inflammatory cytokine modulationGoldstein 2012Malinda 1999
Downstream effect
Anxiolytic + cognitive enhancement; immunomodulation via increased IL-6 + IFN-γMedvedev 2007Zaderej 2014
Accelerated wound healing, endothelial migration, hair follicle regeneration, cardiac repair (preclinical)Goldstein 2012
Feedback intact?
No GABA-receptor binding; no dependence reportedMedvedev 2007
Endogenous protein at baseline; supplementation amplifies
Origin
Synthetic 7-AA peptide derived from human tuftsin (immune-system tetrapeptide)Zaderej 2014
17-AA active fragment of endogenous 43-AA thymosin β4 (TMSB4X gene)Goldstein 2012
Antibody development
—
—
02Dosage Protocols
Parameter
Selank
TB-500
Standard dose
150–300 mcg / dose intranasalZaderej 2014
2 mg per injectionGoldstein 2012
Anecdotal community range; clinical Phase 2 trials used 70–840 mcg/kg IV.
Frequency
2–3× per day during stress
2× per week (loading); then 1× per week (maintenance)
Lower / starter dose
75 mcg / dose
1 mg per injection
Evidence basis
Human-mechanistic + Russian clinical trialsMedvedev 2007
Animal-strong + Phase 2 dermal/ocular trialsGoldstein 2012
Duration
10–14 day cycles, repeated as needed
4–8 weeks loading; longer maintenance for chronic injury
Reconstitution
Pre-formulated nasal spray (commercial); research vial: bacteriostatic water
Bacteriostatic water, 1–2 mL per 5 mg vial
Timing
Morning + early afternoon preferred
Evening or pre-rest preferred (anecdotal)
Half-life
Short (minutes plasma); CNS effect lasts ~3 hr
~2 hours (estimated; tissue uptake longer)
04Side Effects & Safety
Parameter
Selank
TB-500
Nasal irritation
Mild burning or congestion (transient)
—
Cognitive impairment
None — opposite effect (enhancement)
—
Allergic reaction
Rare hypersensitivity
—
Long-term safety
Limited Western RCT data
Unknown beyond Phase 2
Pregnancy / OB
Avoid — insufficient data
Avoid
Injection site reaction
—
Mild erythema, transient pain
GI symptoms
—
Rare nausea (anecdotal)
Cancer risk
—
Theoretical via angiogenesis pathway
Lethargy / fatigue
—
Reported anecdotally during loading phase
Antibody formation
—
No data (no long-term human trials)
Absolute Contraindications
Selank
- ·Pregnancy / breastfeeding
- ·Hypersensitivity to peptide
TB-500
- ·Active malignancy (theoretical angiogenesis concern)
- ·Pregnancy / breastfeeding
Relative Contraindications
Selank
- ·Active autoimmune disease (theoretical via immunomodulation)
TB-500
- ·Cancer history
- ·Concurrent VEGF inhibitor therapy
05Administration Protocol
Parameter
Selank
TB-500
1. Form
Pre-formulated nasal spray (commercial) or research vial reconstituted with bacteriostatic water.
Add 1–2 mL bacteriostatic water to 5 mg vial → 2.5–5 mg/mL. Roll gently.
2. Administration
Intranasal — 1–3 sprays per nostril per dose. Tilt head slightly back.
SQ near injury site (preferred), or systemic SQ (abdomen). Rotate sites.
3. Timing
Morning + early afternoon for cognitive demand; PRN for acute anxiety.
Evening or pre-sleep is most common anecdotal timing.
4. Storage
Refrigerate after reconstitution; ≤30 days. Light-protected.
Lyophilised: room temp, light-protected. Reconstituted: refrigerate, ≤30 days.
5. Caveat
Avoid co-administration with strong sedatives or other anxiolytics initially.
27–31G, 4–8 mm insulin syringe.
06Stack Synergy
Selank
— no documented stacks
TB-500
+ BPC-157
StrongTB-500 and BPC-157 cover complementary halves of tissue repair: BPC-157 upregulates VEGFR2-driven angiogenesis and fibroblast outgrowth; TB-500 sequesters G-actin to enable endothelial / epithelial migration. The anecdotal canonical "healing stack" — pairs especially well for tendon and ligament injuries.
- TB-500
- 2 mg SQ · 2× per week
- BPC-157
- 250–500 mcg SQ · daily
- Primary benefit
- Combined angiogenesis + cell migration for tendon/ligament/muscle repair