Cortagen
A Khavinson-class tetrapeptide bioregulator studied for gene-regulatory effects in neural and cardiac tissue during aging.
Cortagen is a synthetic tetrapeptide from the Khavinson bioregulator family, developed at the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology and originally derived from cerebral cortex tissue. It is proposed to act through direct gene-regulatory mechanisms in target tissue rather than classical receptor signaling, with preclinical microarray work showing broad transcriptional effects in aged cardiac muscle. Evidence is limited to Khavinson-series preclinical studies and Russian clinical literature, with no independent Western randomized trials.
Class
Synthetic tetrapeptide bioregulator (Khavinson class)
Half-life
Unknown; estimated under 4 hours as a small tetrapeptide
Routes
Subcutaneous, Intramuscular, Oral
Category
Longevity & Bioregulators
Researched benefits
What it's studied for
Cardiac gene-expression regulation
cDNA microarray analysis in aged male rats found cortagen altered expression across roughly 110 cardiac gene categories, including genes for oxidative-stress defense, energy metabolism, and structural remodeling, pointing to a broad transcriptional regulatory role in cardiac aging.
Cardiac function preservation in aging models
Preclinical work associates cortagen with support for mitochondrial function and calcium handling in cardiomyocytes, framing it as an organ-targeted bioregulator for the aging heart.
Coronary endothelial and vascular support
Cortagen is proposed to support coronary endothelial health and vascular wall integrity in aged animal models, with anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic effects suggested but not confirmed in controlled human trials.
Neuroprotection
As a cortex-derived Khavinson peptide, cortagen is investigated for neuroprotective effects and post-ischemic brain tissue recovery in preclinical models, reflecting its cortical tissue origin.
Post-ischemic cardiac recovery
Russian clinical literature describes use in elderly patients with cardiovascular disease and in post-myocardial-infarction recovery, though this evidence lacks independent Western replication.
Longevity and anti-aging protocol use
Cortagen is used within combined bioregulator frameworks, often paired with peptides such as Pinealon, on the premise that restoring tissue-specific gene expression patterns may counter age-related decline.
Mechanism
How it works
Cortagen belongs to the Khavinson family of short peptide bioregulators, which are proposed to act not through classical receptor-ligand signaling but by directly modulating gene expression in their target tissue. In the Khavinson model, the peptide binds short complementary DNA sequences in the promoter regions of tissue-specific genes, interacting with chromatin-level regulatory elements to influence transcription.
In cardiac tissue, cortagen is proposed to bind promoter regions of cardiac-specific genes in cardiomyocytes and coronary endothelial cells, modulating their expression. Proposed downstream effects include upregulation of mitochondrial function and improved calcium handling, which the aging heart tends to lose. Microarray studies support broad transcriptional activity: in aged rat cardiac muscle, cortagen shifted expression across a wide range of functional gene categories spanning oxidative-stress defense, energy metabolism, and structural remodeling.
Because cortagen is derived from cerebral cortex tissue, its effects are also studied in neural tissue, where the same gene-regulatory mechanism is thought to support neuroprotection and recovery. A systematic review of short-peptide gene regulation places cortagen within a broader class of bioregulators shown to engage chromatin binding and epigenetic modulation, providing the mechanistic context in which its transcriptional effects are interpreted.
Dosing protocols
Dosing & administration
Dosing reflects protocols reported in research and community literature for educational purposes. It is not medical advice or a recommendation. Most peptides here are not approved for human use.
Standard (research)
- Dose
- Not specified in available sources
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Timing
- Not specified
- Duration
- Not specified
- Route
- Subcutaneous or intramuscular
Sources report a once-daily schedule and a common 20 mg vial size but do not publish a specific per-dose amount or tiered beginner/intermediate/advanced regimen. No verified microgram or milligram dose is available to reproduce here.
- No tiered beginner/intermediate/advanced protocol is published in the available sources, and no specific per-injection dose is documented.
- Reported administration routes are subcutaneous and intramuscular; one source also lists oral use.
- Common commercial presentation is a 20 mg lyophilized vial.
- Because cortagen is a research-only compound with no clinical dosing standard, any regimen should be treated as unestablished.
Evidence
Research & clinical studies (2)
Peptide Regulation of Gene Expression: A Systematic Review
Documents gene-expression regulatory mechanisms of short peptides including cortagen, describing chromatin binding and epigenetic modulation in target cardiovascular tissues.
PMID 34834147The effect of short peptides on the expression of genes in the cardiac muscle of old male rats
cDNA microarray analysis found cortagen altered expression across roughly 110 cardiac gene categories in aged male rats, including oxidative-stress, energy-metabolism, and structural-remodeling genes.
PMID 15159690Combinations
Stacking & blends
Bioregulator Longevity Stack
Broad anti-aging tissue support
Cortagen is frequently paired with Pinealon in Khavinson anti-aging frameworks, combining cardiac and neural gene-regulatory bioregulators for a multi-tissue longevity approach.
Safety
Side effects & considerations
Commonly reported effects
Contraindications & cautions
- Cardiovascular condition (use caution)
- Pregnancy or nursing
No serious adverse events are documented in the available literature, but independent Western clinical replication is limited. Cortagen is a research-only compound; risk profile varies by individual and consultation with a qualified professional is advised.
FAQ
Cortagen — common questions
What is Cortagen?
Cortagen is a synthetic tetrapeptide from the Khavinson bioregulator family, derived from cerebral cortex tissue and developed at the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology. It is studied for gene-regulatory effects in neural and cardiac tissue during aging.
What is Cortagen studied for?
Primary research areas are neuroprotection, cardiac and coronary gene-expression regulation, longevity, and anti-aging tissue support, largely in preclinical and Russian clinical literature.
How does Cortagen work?
As a Khavinson-class peptide, it is proposed to bind short complementary DNA sequences in gene promoter regions and modulate transcription in target tissue through chromatin-level mechanisms, rather than acting through classical receptors.
Is Cortagen the same as Cortexin?
No. Cortagen is a defined tetrapeptide organ-targeted toward cardiac and coronary tissue, whereas Cortexin is a separate cortex-targeting Khavinson peptide preparation. They are distinct compounds.
How is Cortagen administered?
Reported routes are subcutaneous and intramuscular injection, with one source also listing oral use. A common presentation is a 20 mg vial, typically dosed once daily; no specific per-dose amount is published in the available sources.
Is Cortagen approved or safe?
Cortagen has no FDA or Western regulatory approval and is a research-only compound. Reported side effects are mild (such as injection-site irritation) with a low adverse-event rate, but independent Western clinical data are limited.
What sequence is Cortagen?
It is a tetrapeptide. Sources differ on the exact sequence, with one reporting Ala-Glu-Asp-Pro and another Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly; this discrepancy is noted rather than resolved here.
