Epitalon: what it is, what the studies show and where it stands
Epitalon is a synthetic tetrapeptide, Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly (AEDG), designed from the amino acid composition of Epithalamin, an extract of bovine pineal gland.
At a glance
US Not approved
Canada Not authorized
Group Longevity
Sources 13
Checked 10 Oct 2026What is Epitalon?
Epitalon is a synthetic tetrapeptide, Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly (AEDG), designed from the amino acid composition of Epithalamin, an extract of bovine pineal gland. [1]
Other names: Epithalon, Epithalone, AEDG, Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly.
How it has been given to people: in the two human studies with a stated dose: injection beside the eye (parabulbar) and under the tongue (sublingual); no human study of injection under the skin or into muscle with a stated dose was found.
Looking for doses? Epitalon dosage chart and vial math
Is Epitalon approved in the US and Canada?
United States: Not FDA approved. FDA lists epitalon among bulk substances that were in compounding category 2 and whose nominations were then withdrawn. [10]
Canada: No epitalon product in the Health Canada Drug Product Database. Health Canada names Epitalon among unauthorized injectable peptide drugs it has seized. [11]
Both were checked on 10 Oct 2026 against the regulators' own product databases.
Which approved products contain Epitalon?
No approved medicine containing Epitalon was found in the US or Canada. Anything sold under this name is not a regulated product, so there is no label to check a dose against.
What human studies of Epitalon exist?
The 6 findings listed here: 3 from smaller or observational human studies and 3 from animal or lab work.
In patients with degenerative retinal disease (retinitis pigmentosa), the authors reported a positive clinical effect in 90% of cases. The abstract gives no dose and no patient count. [2]
In elderly people with low pineal function, Epithalamin and Epitalon were reported to raise night-time melatonin. The abstract gives no dose, route or number of people. [3]
AEDG peptide was reported to raise urinary 6-sulfatoxymelatonin excretion 1.7-fold in middle-aged people. The abstract gives no dose. [4]
Added to cultured human fetal fibroblasts, Epitalon switched on telomerase and lengthened telomeres. This is a cell-culture result, not a result in people. [5]
In blood lymphocytes taken from 11 men and treated in culture, telomere length rose significantly in 5, fell in 2 and did not change significantly in 4. [6]
A UK university laboratory outside the original group reported dose-dependent telomere lengthening in normal human cells in culture. In the same study telomeres also lengthened in breast cancer cell lines. [7]
What are the side effects of Epitalon?
Reported in human studies or on a label:
- The review's account of the retinitis pigmentosa study says no treated patient reported side effects. [1]
- The abstract of the study in elderly people describes the pineal preparations as having no side effects. No independent human safety study was found. [3]
- FDA says it has not identified safety information for epitalon and names immune reactions from aggregation and peptide impurities as possible risks of compounded product. [10]
How does Epitalon compare with others in its group?
These are the peptides filed under longevity. The last column says whether a randomized human trial is on record for each.
| Peptide | US | Canada | Half-life | Randomized human trial |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MOTS-c | Not approved | Not authorized | Not found | No |
| Epitalon | Not approved | Not authorized | Not found | No |
| NAD+ | Not approved | Not authorized | Not found | Yes |
| SS-31 (elamipretide) | Approved for one use | Not authorized | Not found | Yes |
| Cardiogen | Not approved | Not authorized | Not found | No |
| Livagen | Not approved | Not authorized | Not found | No |
What could not be found
These were searched for and did not turn up. They are listed so a missing number is not mistaken for a hidden one.
- No human study of Epitalon injected under the skin or into muscle with a stated dose. The only human dose figures found are 5.0 mcg per eye injected beside the eye and 0.5 mg a day under the tongue.
- Both dose figures come from a 2025 review [1], not from the primary papers. The primary retinitis pigmentosa paper [2] and the paper on elderly people [3] were not available in full text, and their PubMed abstracts give no dose.
- No human half-life or other pharmacokinetic figure. A PubMed search for epitalon or epithalon with pharmacokinetics, half-life or bioavailability returned nothing.
- No trial registered on ClinicalTrials.gov: searches for epitalon and epithalon as the intervention returned no studies.
- No approved label was found in the US or Canadian sources searched, so no official dose, contraindications, interaction list or storage instructions.
- Not named on the WADA Prohibited List (page checked 2026-10-10, [13]). The list also has an open class, S0, for substances with no current approval by any governmental health authority for human therapeutic use; whether it applies to this compound was not determined here.
Epitalon questions
Is Epitalon approved in the US?
Not FDA approved. FDA lists epitalon among bulk substances that were in compounding category 2 and whose nominations were then withdrawn.
Is Epitalon authorized in Canada?
No epitalon product in the Health Canada Drug Product Database. Health Canada names Epitalon among unauthorized injectable peptide drugs it has seized.
Has Epitalon been tested in a randomized human trial?
No randomized human trial was found. What exists is listed under the studies heading on this page.
Sources
Each one was opened on 10 Oct 2026 and matched to the line it supports.
- Araj SK et al. Overview of Epitalon-Highly Bioactive Pineal Tetrapeptide with Promising Properties. Int J Mol Sci 2025. PubMed 40141333.
- Khavinson V et al. Pineal-regulating tetrapeptide epitalon improves eye retina condition in retinitis pigmentosa. Neuro Endocrinol Lett 2002. PubMed 12195242.
- Korkushko OV et al. [Normalizing effect of the pineal gland peptides on the daily melatonin rhythm in old monkeys and elderly people]. Adv Gerontol 2007. PubMed 17969590.
- Ivko OM et al. [AEDG peptide regulates human circadian rhythms genes expression during pineal gland accelerated aging.]. Adv Gerontol 2020. PubMed 33280326.
- Khavinson VKh et al. Epithalon peptide induces telomerase activity and telomere elongation in human somatic cells. Bull Exp Biol Med 2003. PubMed 12937682.
- Khavinson VK et al. Effect of Peptide AEDG on Telomere Length and Mitotic Index of PHA-Stimulated Human Blood Lymphocytes. Bull Exp Biol Med 2019. PubMed 31761987.
- Al-Dulaimi S et al. Epitalon increases telomere length in human cell lines through telomerase upregulation or ALT activity. Biogerontology 2025. PubMed 40908429.
- Korkushko OV et al. Geroprotective effect of epithalamine (pineal gland peptide preparation) in elderly subjects with accelerated aging. Bull Exp Biol Med 2006. PubMed 17426848.
- Korkushko OV et al. Peptide geroprotector from the pituitary gland inhibits rapid aging of elderly people: results of 15-year follow-up. Bull Exp Biol Med 2011. PubMed 22451889.
- US Food and Drug Administration Certain Bulk Drug Substances for Use in Compounding that May Present Significant Safety Risks 2026. fda.gov.
- Health Canada Think twice before injecting peptides bought online: unauthorized products can seriously harm you 2026. recalls-rappels.canada.ca.
- Health Canada Health Canada Drug Product Database, active ingredient search: epitalon 2026. health-products.canada.ca.
- World Anti-Doping Agency The Prohibited List 2026. wada-ama.org.
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