01 · mechanism of action
Selank is a synthetic analogue of the endogenous immune peptide tuftsin, also developed at the Russian Academy of Sciences. In animal models — particularly mice and rats — selank showed pronounced anxiolytic effects comparable to classical benzodiazepines but without their sedating side effects or addiction potential. In stress experiments on rats it normalized elevated corticosterone levels and reduced stress-induced behavior in open-field tests. Selank increased BDNF and NGF expression in the hippocampus and cortex in animal studies, indicating neurotrophic properties, and modulated IL-6 and other cytokines, leading to measurable anti-inflammatory effects in inflammation models.