Comparison
Clomiphene vs Selank
Side-by-side of Clomiphene 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.
Clomiphene
Clomiphene citrate raises LH/FSH and endogenous testosterone in men. SERM TRT alternative, 25 to 50 mg, fertility preserved, visual side effects flagged.
Selank
Selank peptide benefits: tuftsin analog heptapeptide, intranasal anxiolytic and nootropic. Russian clinical data, dosing, half-life, safety.
Effects at a glance
Clomiphene
- •SERM that blocks estrogen-receptor negative feedback at the hypothalamus, raising LH and FSH
- •FDA approved 1967 for ovulation induction in anovulatory women at 50 to 100 mg cycle days 5 to 9
- •Off-label in men at 12.5 to 25 mg daily raises endogenous testosterone while preserving fertility
- •Enclomiphene (trans-isomer) is preferred for male use; cleaner PK and less estrogenic side effect burden
- •Visual disturbances occur in ~1 to 2% of users; persistent symptoms warrant immediate cessation
- •Letrozole has displaced clomiphene as first-line ovulation induction in PCOS (Legro 2014)
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 | Clomiphene | Selank |
|---|---|---|
| Category | pharmaceutical | peptide |
| Also known as | Clomid, clomiphene citrate, Serophene, enclomiphene | TP-7, Tuftsin analog |
| Half-life (hr) ↗ | 168 | 0.5 |
| Typical dose (mg) ↗ | 25 | 0.4 |
| Dosing frequency | 5-day pulse cycle days 5 to 9 (women); daily or every other day (men, off-label) | 2-3x daily (intranasal) |
| Routes | oral | intranasal, subcutaneous |
| Onset (hr) | 6 | 0.25 |
| Peak (hr) | 7 | 1 |
| Molecular weight | 405.96 | 751.85 |
| Molecular formula | C26H28ClNO | C33H57N11O9 |
| Mechanism | Selective estrogen receptor modulator that antagonizes estrogen at the hypothalamus and pituitary, increasing GnRH and gonadotropin output, which drives gonadal steroidogenesis. | 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 | Prescription only (FDA approved for ovulation induction; off-label in men) | Approved as a prescription anxiolytic in Russia; not FDA approved; research-use-only grey market in most other jurisdictions |
| WADA status | banned | unknown |
| DEA / Rx | Rx only (not a controlled substance) | Not FDA approved; not scheduled; research-chemical status outside Russia |
| Pregnancy | Category X; contraindicated in pregnancy | Not recommended; insufficient data |
| CAS | 911-45-5 | 129954-34-3 |
| PubChem CID | 1548953 | 11765600 |
| Wikidata | Q416785 | Q4416793 |
Safety profile
Clomiphene
Common side effects
- hot flushes
- mood changes
- abdominal discomfort
- breast tenderness
- visual disturbances (rare)
- headache
Contraindications
- pregnancy
- active liver disease
- ovarian cysts (not PCOS-related)
- uncontrolled thyroid or adrenal disorder
- abnormal uterine bleeding of undetermined origin
- hormone-sensitive cancer
Interactions
- tamoxifen: competing SERM activity; not used together(moderate)
- ospemifene: competing SERM activity(moderate)
- anastrozole: additive estrogen reduction; sometimes combined in male protocols(minor)
- TRT (exogenous testosterone): TRT suppresses HPT axis that clomiphene targets; do not combine(moderate)
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?
Clomiphene comes out ahead for most readers on the criteria we weight: 2 catalogued goals, prescription-only, oral dosing, with a Tier-A outcome catalogued. Selank is the right call when one of the conditionals below applies.
- → If your priority is hormonal optimization, pick Clomiphene.
- → If your priority is fertility, pick Clomiphene.
- → If your priority is focus or working memory, pick Selank.
- → If your priority is anxiety reduction, pick Selank.
Edge case: If you cannot self-administer injections, Clomiphene is the only oral option in this pair.
Default choice: Clomiphene. Wider use case, a Tier-A evidence outcome catalogued, 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 Clomiphene and Selank?
Clomiphene and Selank differ in category (pharmaceutical vs peptide), mechanism, and typical dosing. See the side-by-side table for full details.
Which has a longer half-life, Clomiphene or Selank?
Clomiphene half-life is 168 hours; Selank half-life is 0.5 hours.
Can you stack Clomiphene 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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