Comparison
Epitalon vs Modafinil
Side-by-side of Epitalon and Modafinil. 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.
Epitalon
Epitalon peptide (Epithalon, tetrapeptide AEDG): telomerase activation, lifespan extension data, anti-aging trials, dosage, half-life, and safety.
Modafinil
Modafinil cognitive enhancement profile: wakefulness-promoting agent, 100-200 mg dosing, 12-15 hour half-life, off-label nootropic use, Schedule IV status.
Effects at a glance
Epitalon
- •Synthetic tetrapeptide (Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly) developed at the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation
- •Russian clinical literature reports mortality reduction in elderly cohorts and improved melatonin output
- •Reported telomerase activation in human somatic cell culture and lifespan extension in mice and Drosophila
- •Independent Western replication is essentially absent; no FDA-standard RCTs
- •Anecdotal protocols use 5 to 10 mg subcutaneously daily for 10 to 20 day cycles, 2 to 4 times yearly
- •Not currently on the WADA Prohibited List
Modafinil
- •FDA approved in 1998 for narcolepsy, with later additions for shift-work sleep disorder and OSA residual sleepiness
- •Schedule IV controlled substance in the US; prescription-only in EU, UK, Australia
- •Increases wakefulness via weak dopamine reuptake inhibition plus histaminergic, noradrenergic, and orexinergic activation
- •Long half-life of 12 to 15 hours requires morning dosing to avoid sleep disruption
- •Modest cognitive enhancement signal in non-sleep-deprived adults at 100 to 200 mg (Battleday meta-review 2015)
- •Substantial CYP3A4 induction reduces hormonal contraceptive efficacy; barrier methods recommended
Side-by-side
| Attribute | Epitalon | Modafinil |
|---|---|---|
| Category | peptide | pharmaceutical |
| Also known as | Epithalon, Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly, AEDG, Epithalamin (precursor extract) | Provigil, Modalert, Modvigil, diphenylmethylsulfinyl-acetamide |
| Half-life (hr) ↗ | 0.5 | 13 |
| Typical dose (mg) ↗ | 5 | 200 |
| Dosing frequency | daily during cycle | daily, morning |
| Routes | subcutaneous, intramuscular, intranasal | oral |
| Onset (hr) | 24 | 1 |
| Peak (hr) | 168 | 3 |
| Molecular weight | 390.35 | 273.35 |
| Molecular formula | C14H22N4O9 | C15H15NO2S |
| Mechanism | Synthetic tetrapeptide proposed to interact directly with DNA and chromatin to modulate tissue-specific gene expression. Reported effects include telomerase activation, increased melatonin output from pineal cells, and circadian normalization. | Weak dopamine reuptake inhibition plus downstream activation of histaminergic, noradrenergic, and orexinergic wake-promoting systems. |
| Legal status | Not FDA approved; registered in Russia under domestic pharmaceutical framework; research-use-only grey market in US/EU | Schedule IV (US); prescription-only globally; not a supplement |
| WADA status | unknown | banned |
| DEA / Rx | Not scheduled (research chemical) | Schedule IV |
| Pregnancy | Insufficient data; not recommended | Not recommended |
| CAS | 307297-39-8 | 68693-11-8 |
| PubChem CID | 219042 | 4236 |
| Wikidata | Q5384126 | Q422968 |
Safety profile
Epitalon
Common side effects
- injection-site reactions
- occasional mild headache (rare)
Contraindications
- pregnancy
- lactation
- active malignancy (theoretical telomerase concern)
- concurrent immunosuppression
Interactions
- melatonin: potential additive effect on circadian and pineal output; no controlled data(minor)
Modafinil
Common side effects
- headache
- nausea
- anxiety
- insomnia (with late-day dosing)
- dry mouth
- mild blood pressure elevation
Contraindications
- recent myocardial infarction
- unstable angina
- left ventricular hypertrophy
- significant arrhythmia
- history of Stevens-Johnson syndrome
- psychotic disorders
- pregnancy
- concurrent MAOI use
Interactions
- hormonal contraceptives: CYP3A4 induction reduces contraceptive efficacy; use barrier method(major)
- cyclosporine: reduced cyclosporine levels via CYP3A4 induction(major)
- warfarin: CYP2C9 inhibition raises INR(moderate)
- phenytoin: CYP2C19 inhibition raises phenytoin levels(moderate)
- MAOIs: potential hypertensive reaction(major)
- classical stimulants (amphetamine, methylphenidate): additive cardiovascular and sleep-disruption effects(moderate)
Which Should You Take?
Modafinil comes out ahead for most readers on the criteria we weight: 3 catalogued goals, controlled substance, oral dosing, with a Tier-A outcome catalogued. Epitalon is the right call when one of the conditionals below applies.
- → If your priority is healthspan extension, pick Epitalon.
- → If your priority is sleep onset or sleep quality, pick Epitalon.
- → If your priority is wakefulness, pick Modafinil.
- → If your priority is focus or working memory, pick Modafinil.
Edge case: If you cannot self-administer injections, Modafinil is the only oral option in this pair.
Default choice: Modafinil. Wider use case, a Tier-A evidence outcome catalogued, and broader goal coverage. Reach for Epitalon 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 Epitalon and Modafinil?
Epitalon and Modafinil differ in category (peptide vs pharmaceutical), mechanism, and typical dosing. See the side-by-side table for full details.
Which has a longer half-life, Epitalon or Modafinil?
Epitalon half-life is 0.5 hours; Modafinil half-life is 13 hours.
Can you stack Epitalon with Modafinil?
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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