Comparison
Noopept vs Selank
Side-by-side of Noopept 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.
Noopept
Noopept cognitive enhancer profile: 10 to 30 mg dosage, dipeptide nootropic mechanism, memory effects, and how it compares to piracetam.
Selank
Selank peptide benefits: tuftsin analog heptapeptide, intranasal anxiolytic and nootropic. Russian clinical data, dosing, half-life, safety.
Effects at a glance
Noopept
- •Russian dipeptide nootropic developed in the 1990s, registered in Russia 2002 for cognitive impairment
- •Roughly 1,000-fold higher per-mg potency than piracetam; therapeutic dose 10 to 30 mg/day
- •Active metabolite cycloprolylglycine modulates AMPA receptors and increases NGF and BDNF in rodent hippocampus
- •Russian RCTs in stroke recovery and vascular cognitive impairment show modest improvements over 4 to 8 weeks
- •Western evidence base is essentially absent; healthy-adult enhancement trials have not been published
- •Unscheduled in the US but not approved for human consumption; UK is prescription-only since 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 | Noopept | Selank |
|---|---|---|
| Category | nootropic | peptide |
| Also known as | GVS-111, N-phenylacetyl-L-prolylglycine ethyl ester, Omberacetam | TP-7, Tuftsin analog |
| Half-life (hr) ↗ | 0.7 | 0.5 |
| Typical dose (mg) ↗ | 20 | 0.4 |
| Dosing frequency | 2 to 3 times daily, last dose before mid-afternoon | 2-3x daily (intranasal) |
| Routes | oral, sublingual | intranasal, subcutaneous |
| Onset (hr) | 0.5 | 0.25 |
| Peak (hr) | 1 | 1 |
| Molecular weight | 318.37 | 751.85 |
| Molecular formula | C17H22N2O4 | C33H57N11O9 |
| Mechanism | Hydrolyzed to active metabolite cycloprolylglycine; AMPA receptor modulation, BDNF and NGF upregulation, antioxidant and antiexcitotoxic effects. | 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 | Approved in Russia and CIS states; prescription-only in UK; unscheduled and unapproved in US, EU varies | Approved as a prescription anxiolytic in Russia; not FDA approved; research-use-only grey market in most other jurisdictions |
| WADA status | unknown | unknown |
| DEA / Rx | Not scheduled in the US | Not FDA approved; not scheduled; research-chemical status outside Russia |
| Pregnancy | Not recommended | Not recommended; insufficient data |
| CAS | 157115-85-0 | 129954-34-3 |
| PubChem CID | 183503 | 11765600 |
| Wikidata | Q4321022 | Q4416793 |
Safety profile
Noopept
Common side effects
- headache
- irritability
- sleep disturbance with late-day dosing
- occasional blood pressure elevation
Contraindications
- pregnancy
- lactation
- pediatric use
- severe hepatic impairment
- severe renal impairment
Interactions
- memantine and other glutamatergic agents: theoretical AMPA-pathway interaction(minor)
- antidepressants: theoretical effect via BDNF axis, undocumented(minor)
- antihypertensives: occasional blood pressure elevation may require monitoring(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?
Noopept comes out ahead for most readers on the criteria we weight: 3 catalogued goals, controlled substance, oral dosing, with a Tier-B outcome catalogued. Selank is the right call when one of the conditionals below applies.
- → If your priority is memory, pick Noopept.
- → If your priority is stress and HPA-axis regulation, pick Noopept.
- → If your priority is anxiety reduction, pick Selank.
- → If your priority is mood, pick Selank.
Edge case: If you cannot self-administer injections, Noopept is the only oral option in this pair.
Default choice: Noopept. Wider use case, 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 Noopept and Selank?
Noopept and Selank differ in category (nootropic vs peptide), mechanism, and typical dosing. See the side-by-side table for full details.
Which has a longer half-life, Noopept or Selank?
Noopept half-life is 0.7 hours; Selank half-life is 0.5 hours.
Can you stack Noopept 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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