Comparison
Citicoline vs Selank
Side-by-side of Citicoline and Selank. Every row below is pulled from the compound schema and will update as our data grows. For deeper reads, follow through to each compound page.
Citicoline
Citicoline supplement profile: CDP-choline as a phosphatidylcholine precursor, Cognizin dosing 250-2000 mg, cognition trials, stroke recovery evidence.
Selank
Selank peptide benefits: tuftsin analog heptapeptide, intranasal anxiolytic and nootropic. Russian clinical data, dosing, half-life, safety.
Effects at a glance
Citicoline
- •Choline donor and phosphatidylcholine precursor; oral bioavailability roughly 99%
- •Standard prescription medication for stroke recovery and vascular cognitive impairment in much of the world
- •Healthy-adult cognitive trials (Cognizin) report small gains in attention and working memory at 250 to 500 mg/day
- •ICTUS trial (n=2,298) was negative on stroke recovery in the modern thrombolysis era
- •Lower per-gram choline content than alpha-GPC (~18% vs ~40%), meaning smaller TMAO load at equivalent dose
- •Long uridine half-life (~56 hours) supports once or twice daily dosing
Selank
- •Synthetic heptapeptide analog of tuftsin developed in Russia in the 1990s
- •Approved in Russia for generalized anxiety disorder and asthenic conditions
- •Russian RCTs report anxiolytic effects comparable to medazepam without sedation or dependence
- •Modulates GABAergic and serotonergic signaling and BDNF expression in preclinical models
- •Most commonly administered intranasally; subcutaneous use is anecdotal
- •No Western-validated trials; not FDA approved; research-use-only outside Russia
Side-by-side
| Attribute | Citicoline | Selank |
|---|---|---|
| Category | supplement | peptide |
| Also known as | CDP-choline, cytidine 5'-diphosphocholine, Cognizin | TP-7, Tuftsin analog |
| Half-life (hr) ↗ | 56 | 0.5 |
| Typical dose (mg) ↗ | 500 | 0.4 |
| Dosing frequency | 1 to 2 times daily | 2-3x daily (intranasal) |
| Routes | oral, intravenous | intranasal, subcutaneous |
| Onset (hr) | 1 | 0.25 |
| Peak (hr) | 2 | 1 |
| Molecular weight | 488.32 | 751.85 |
| Molecular formula | C14H26N4O11P2 | C33H57N11O9 |
| Mechanism | Hydrolyzed to cytidine and choline after absorption; both cross the blood-brain barrier and are recombined intracellularly to reform CDP-choline, supporting phosphatidylcholine synthesis and acetylcholine production. | Modulates GABAergic, serotonergic, and dopaminergic signaling. Increases BDNF expression in hippocampal neurons in preclinical models. Modulates enkephalin levels and immune cytokine signaling via tuftsin-like activity. |
| Legal status | Dietary supplement (US, Cognizin GRAS); prescription medication in most of the world | Approved as a prescription anxiolytic in Russia; not FDA approved; research-use-only grey market in most other jurisdictions |
| WADA status | allowed | unknown |
| DEA / Rx | OTC supplement (US); Rx in most of the world | Not FDA approved; not scheduled; research-chemical status outside Russia |
| Pregnancy | Insufficient data for routine use | Not recommended; insufficient data |
| CAS | 987-78-0 | 129954-34-3 |
| PubChem CID | 13804 | 11765600 |
| Wikidata | Q411470 | Q4416793 |
Safety profile
Citicoline
Common side effects
- mild GI upset
- headache
- restlessness
- occasional insomnia with evening dosing
Contraindications
- concurrent strong anticholinergic therapy
- established cardiovascular disease (TMAO concern, smaller than alpha-GPC)
Interactions
- anticholinergic medications: partial mutual antagonism(minor)
- cholinesterase inhibitors: additive cholinergic effect(minor)
- antimetabolite chemotherapy (5-FU): theoretical cytidine pathway interaction(minor)
Selank
Common side effects
- mild nasal irritation (intranasal)
- transient drowsiness (uncommon)
- mild headache
Contraindications
- pregnancy
- lactation
- severe psychiatric disorder (insufficient data)
Interactions
- benzodiazepines: additive anxiolytic effect; potential for over-sedation when stacked(moderate)
- SSRIs: no documented adverse interaction; co-administration described in Russian protocols(minor)
Which Should You Take?
Citicoline comes out ahead for most readers on the criteria we weight: 3 catalogued goals, OTC dietary supplement, oral dosing, with a Tier-B outcome catalogued. Selank is the right call when one of the conditionals below applies.
- → If your priority is stroke recovery, pick Citicoline.
- → If your priority is choline supply, pick Citicoline.
- → If your priority is anxiety reduction, pick Selank.
- → If your priority is mood, pick Selank.
Edge case: If you want to avoid research-only / gray-market sourcing, Citicoline is the more accessible choice.
Default choice: Citicoline. Lower friction to source, and broader goal coverage. Reach for Selank only if your priority sits squarely in the goals it owns above.
This verdict is generated from each compound's schema (goals, legal status, evidence outcomes, dosing route). It updates automatically as our compound data evolves; the deeper read sits on each individual compound page.
Common questions
What is the difference between Citicoline and Selank?
Citicoline and Selank differ in category (supplement vs peptide), mechanism, and typical dosing. See the side-by-side table for full details.
Which has a longer half-life, Citicoline or Selank?
Citicoline half-life is 56 hours; Selank half-life is 0.5 hours.
Can you stack Citicoline with Selank?
Stack compatibility depends on mechanism overlap, legal status, and individual response. Check each compound page for specific interactions and contraindications before combining.
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