Health Library

Pinealon

Not FDA-approved

Also known as: Glu-Asp-Arg, EDR

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Structure source: PubChem CID 10273502

Pinealon is a lab-made peptide of three amino acids: glutamic acid, aspartic acid and arginine. Russian cell and animal studies suggest it protects nerve cells from oxidative stress. A few human reports exist, but they are too thinly described to show whether it works.

How it works

  • In lab tests on rat nerve cells and other cells, it limited damaging oxygen molecules (reactive oxygen species) and reduced cell death.
  • In the same tests, it changed cell division at higher concentrations, which the authors took as a direct effect on genes.
  • Given to pregnant rats with high homocysteine, it improved their offspring's learning and made the offspring's nerve cells more resistant to stress.
  • In ageing rat brain-cell cultures, it raised serotonin production.
  • In nerve cells made from older people's skin cells, it reduced oxidative DNA damage and increased nerve-fibre branching.

Evidence

Nerve-cell protection and thinking

Animal and lab studies onlyCEBM Level 5

Cell and animal studies suggest it protects nerve cells. Most come from overlapping Russian research groups. No controlled trial of thinking or memory in people has been done or registered.

Caveats

  • The human reports are a few Russian studies of workers and older adults. Their methods are too thinly described to judge, and several combined pinealon with another peptide.
  • One study, which also gave another peptide, reported a fall in blood stem cells (CD34-positive cells) and pro-oxidant activity. The finding has not been repeated or ruled out.
  • In cell studies, its effect on cell division kept rising at higher concentrations. What that means for cancer risk is unknown.
  • No study has shown how much reaches the brain in people, by any route.
  • Drug interactions, safety in pregnancy and long-term safety are poorly understood.
  • It is a different molecule from epitalon, though the two are often confused.

References

  1. Khavinson V, et al. Rejuvenation Res. 2011;14:535-541.
  2. Arutjunyan A, et al. Int J Clin Exp Med. 2012;5:179-185.
  3. Kraskovskaya N, et al. Int J Mol Sci. 2024;25:11363.
  4. Nazimko VA, et al. Adv Gerontol. 2012;25:57-62.
  5. Meshchaninov VN, et al. Adv Gerontol. 2015;28:62-67.

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Reviewed by Shubham Gupta, MD — Founder & President · October 31, 2026

This page is for education only. It is not medical advice. Decisions about any treatment belong with a physician who knows your history.