Trinity compound research profile
Cortagen
Cortagen is a very short, lab-made chain of just 4 amino acids (called a tetrapeptide), with the chemical name Ala-Glu-Asp-Pro (often abbreviated AEDP)....
Research overview
Cortagen is a very short, lab-made chain of just 4 amino acids (called a tetrapeptide), with the chemical name Ala-Glu-Asp-Pro (often abbreviated AEDP). It comes from a Russian research program (started by scientist Vladimir Khavinson) that makes 'short peptide bioregulators' — tiny peptides designed to mimic signals related to specific organs, in this case modeled after a brain-related product called Cortexin.
Mechanism under study
Unlike most peptides that work by attaching to a specific receptor on the outside of a cell, Cortagen is proposed to actually enter cells and interact directly with DNA and the proteins that package DNA (histones), theoretically changing which genes get turned on or off in a tissue-specific way (Khavinson). Reported downstream effects in early research include changes in gene activity in heart tissue and possible antioxidant (free-radical-fighting) effects. No specific receptor for Cortagen has been identified, so this proposed mechanism is more of a hypothesis than a confirmed fact.
Human evidence summary
There is no adequately sized, independently confirmed human clinical trial for Cortagen in the world's medical literature. The research that does exist is almost entirely small-scale animal studies, largely from one connected group of researchers, with much of it published in Russian. There is essentially no independent Western replication of these findings, meaning outside scientists haven't confirmed the results.
Preclinical evidence summary
Reported animal studies (mostly from the same research lineage) suggest Cortagen may help protect brain cells in models simulating reduced blood flow to the brain (called ischemic preconditioning) (study), and it's been studied alongside a related product (Cortexin) for long-term reduced brain blood flow conditions (study). These studies are small and preclinical (meaning done before any human testing), so they can't be treated as proof it works the same way in people.
Source material
Use the linked publications and records to evaluate study design, population, limitations, and relevance.