Compare
The details that actually shape the buying decision.
Evidence, risk, regulatory flags, cost, and vendor coverage — side by side, without affiliate spin.
01· Subject
Semax
ACTH fragment analogue with preclinical neurotrophic signaling and limited clinical stroke/cognition data.
Tier B-Cmed-high risk
02· Subject
Selank
Tuftsin analogue peptide with anxiolytic/nootropic research and limited clinical GAD data.
Tier B-Cmed-high risk
01 · At a glance
| Decision factor | Semax | Selank | Cerebrolysin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary fit | cognitive & neuroprotection and anxiety & mood comparisons | cognitive & neuroprotection and sleep & relaxation comparisons | tissue repair & recovery and cognitive & neuroprotection comparisons |
| Evidence | Tier B-C | Tier B-C | Tier C |
| Risk | med-high | med-high | medium |
| Experience level | intermediate | intermediate | advanced |
| Budget tier | mid | mid | premium |
| Administration route | intranasal | intranasal | intravenous, intramuscular |
02 · Use case & timing
| Decision factor | Semax | Selank | Cerebrolysin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goal fit | Cognitive & Neuroprotection, Anxiety & Mood | Cognitive & Neuroprotection, Sleep & Relaxation, Anxiety & Mood | Tissue Repair & Recovery, Cognitive & Neuroprotection |
| What users compare it for | Neurotrophic signaling; cognitive/neuroprotection narratives from Russian/EE clinical literature. | Anxiolytic/calm focus effects reported in limited clinical settings. | Possible neurorecovery or cognitive-support effects in select clinical settings, though evidence quality is heterogeneous. |
| Onset timeline | Gene expression changes within hours (animal); clinical stroke outcomes are longer-horizon. | Some rapid responders described in clinical abstracts, but not broad RCT-grade evidence. | Clinical outcomes are tracked over days to weeks in stroke or cognition programs. |
| Main tradeoff | Evidence and product availability can still be uneven, so documentation matters more than hype. | Evidence and product availability can still be uneven, so documentation matters more than hype. | Evidence and product availability can still be uneven, so documentation matters more than hype. |
03 · Safety & restrictions
| Decision factor | Semax | Selank | Cerebrolysin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adverse effects | Immunogenicity/impurity concerns (FDA); limited Western safety framing. | Limited Western regulatory data; higher scrutiny warranted. | Headache, fever, nausea, restlessness, injection reactions, and rare hypersensitivity are reported. |
| Contraindications | No established label. | No established label. | Use caution in porcine-protein sensitivity and where product provenance cannot be established. |
| Interaction notes | Unknown; avoid claiming synergy with SSRIs/benzodiazepines without data. | Animal diazepam interaction explored; do not translate to human guidance. | No strong interaction map; combining with other CNS-active research compounds increases interpretation difficulty. |
| Regulatory status | Not approved | Not approved | Not approved |
| FDA flag | FDA compounding caution | FDA compounding caution | FDA status unclear |
| WADA status | Status unclear | Status unclear | Not listed |
04 · Age & monitoring
| Decision factor | Semax | Selank | Cerebrolysin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supported age ranges | 25-34, 35-44, 45-54, 55-64, 65+ | No age guidance yet | No age guidance yet |
| Life-stage note | Usually discussed for adult cognitive or recovery support rather than youth-oriented performance enhancement. | Not yet documented | Not yet documented |
| Monitoring burden | Not specified | Not specified | Not specified |
| Follow-up cadence | Not yet documented | Not yet documented | Not yet documented |
05 · Cost & sourcing
| Decision factor | Semax | Selank | Cerebrolysin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical cycle cost | €13.76 | €20.64 | No reliable estimate yet |
| Estimated monthly cost | €27.52 | €27.52 | No reliable estimate yet |
| Cost confidence | High confidence | High confidence | No estimate |
06 · Before you buy
| Decision factor | Semax | Selank | Cerebrolysin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tracked vendor listings | 3 listings | 3 listings | 0 listings |
| Sourcing note | Product format varies by listing, so double-check route, concentration, and presentation. | Product format varies by listing, so double-check route, concentration, and presentation. | No tracked product page yet, so sourcing takes more manual review. |
| Stack-friendly? | Usually stack-friendly | Usually stack-friendly | Usually stack-friendly |
Still deciding
Get a plan tailored to you.
Side-by-side narrows the field. The quiz factors in your goal, experience, and risk tolerance to surface a starting compound and dosing range.