Comparison
Selank vs Tirzepatide
Side-by-side of Selank and Tirzepatide. 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.
Selank
Selank peptide benefits: tuftsin analog heptapeptide, intranasal anxiolytic and nootropic. Russian clinical data, dosing, half-life, safety.
Tirzepatide
Tirzepatide for weight loss: dual GIP/GLP-1 agonist sold as Mounjaro and Zepbound. SURMOUNT-1 showed 22.5% mean body-weight loss at 15 mg over 72 weeks.
Effects at a glance
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
Tirzepatide
- •Dual GIP plus GLP-1 receptor agonist with a ~5-day half-life supporting once-weekly subcutaneous dosing
- •SURMOUNT-1 reported ~22.5% mean body-weight loss at 15 mg over 72 weeks versus 2.4% on placebo
- •Lowers HbA1c by ~1.9 to 2.6 percentage points in type 2 diabetes across SURPASS trials
- •Outperformed semaglutide 1.0 mg head-to-head on weight loss and HbA1c in SURPASS-2
- •GI effects (nausea, diarrhea, vomiting) drive most discontinuations and ease with slow titration
- •Lean-mass loss observed in body-composition substudies; resistance training and protein intake mitigate this
Side-by-side
| Attribute | Selank | Tirzepatide |
|---|---|---|
| Category | peptide | pharmaceutical |
| Also known as | TP-7, Tuftsin analog | Mounjaro, Zepbound, LY3298176 |
| Half-life (hr) ↗ | 0.5 | 120 |
| Typical dose (mg) ↗ | 0.4 | 10 |
| Dosing frequency | 2-3x daily (intranasal) | weekly |
| Routes | intranasal, subcutaneous | subcutaneous |
| Onset (hr) | 0.25 | 24 |
| Peak (hr) | 1 | 72 |
| Molecular weight | 751.85 | 4813.45 |
| Molecular formula | C33H57N11O9 | C225H348N48O68 |
| Mechanism | 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. | Synthetic 39-amino-acid peptide that activates both GIP and GLP-1 receptors. Potentiates glucose-dependent insulin secretion, suppresses glucagon, slows gastric emptying, and acts on hypothalamic and brainstem satiety circuits. |
| Legal status | Approved as a prescription anxiolytic in Russia; not FDA approved; research-use-only grey market in most other jurisdictions | Prescription only; FDA-approved 2022 (T2DM, Mounjaro) and 2023 (chronic weight management, Zepbound) |
| WADA status | unknown | allowed |
| DEA / Rx | Not FDA approved; not scheduled; research-chemical status outside Russia | Rx only (not a controlled substance) |
| Pregnancy | Not recommended; insufficient data | Not recommended; discontinue 2 months before planned pregnancy |
| CAS | 129954-34-3 | 2023788-19-2 |
| PubChem CID | 11765600 | 156588324 |
| Wikidata | Q4416793 | Q105099794 |
Safety profile
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)
Tirzepatide
Common side effects
- nausea
- diarrhea
- vomiting
- constipation
- decreased appetite
- injection-site reactions
- fatigue
- abdominal pain
Contraindications
- personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma
- multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2
- pregnancy
- history of pancreatitis (use caution)
- severe gastroparesis
Interactions
- insulin: additive hypoglycemia risk; insulin dose typically reduced(major)
- sulfonylureas (glipizide, glyburide): hypoglycemia risk, sulfonylurea dose often reduced(major)
- oral medications (general): delayed gastric emptying can alter absorption kinetics(moderate)
- oral contraceptives: reduced exposure after first dose; backup contraception recommended for 4 weeks after initiation and each dose escalation(moderate)
- warfarin: monitor INR due to altered absorption(moderate)
Which Should You Take?
Tirzepatide comes out ahead for most readers on the criteria we weight: 3 catalogued goals, prescription-only, with a Tier-A outcome catalogued. Selank is the right call when one of the conditionals below applies.
- → If your priority is focus or working memory, pick Selank.
- → If your priority is anxiety reduction, pick Selank.
- → If your priority is metabolic health and glucose control, pick Tirzepatide.
- → If your priority is fat loss, pick Tirzepatide.
Edge case: Half-lives differ materially (Selank ~0.5 hr vs Tirzepatide ~120 hr). Tirzepatide reaches steady state faster; Selank is easier to dial in if tolerability is uncertain.
Default choice: Tirzepatide. 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 Selank and Tirzepatide?
Selank and Tirzepatide 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, Selank or Tirzepatide?
Selank half-life is 0.5 hours; Tirzepatide half-life is 120 hours.
Can you stack Selank with Tirzepatide?
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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