HomePeptidesDSIP (delta sleep-inducing peptide)
DSIP (delta sleep-inducing peptide): what it is, what the studies show and where it stands
DSIP is a nine-amino-acid peptide, Trp-Ala-Gly-Gly-Asp-Ala-Ser-Gly-Glu, isolated from the cerebral venous blood of rabbits during sleep-inducing electrical stimulation of the thalamus. Its amino acid sequence was published in 1978.
At a glance
US Not approved
Canada Not authorized
Group Brain and focus
Sources 15
Checked 10 Oct 2026What is DSIP (delta sleep-inducing peptide)?
DSIP is a nine-amino-acid peptide, Trp-Ala-Gly-Gly-Asp-Ala-Ser-Gly-Glu, isolated from the cerebral venous blood of rabbits during sleep-inducing electrical stimulation of the thalamus. Its amino acid sequence was published in 1978. [1]
Other names: delta sleep-inducing peptide, emideltide, Trp-Ala-Gly-Gly-Asp-Ala-Ser-Gly-Glu.
How it has been given to people: intravenous injection or slow infusion in almost every human study found; one study gave it into the nose; no human study of injection under the skin was found.
Looking for doses? DSIP (delta sleep-inducing peptide) dosage chart and vial math
Is DSIP (delta sleep-inducing peptide) approved in the US and Canada?
United States: Not FDA approved. FDA lists emideltide (DSIP) among bulk substances that were in compounding category 2 and whose nominations were then withdrawn. [12]
Canada: No DSIP or emideltide product in the Health Canada Drug Product Database. Health Canada names DSIP among unauthorized injectable peptide drugs it has seized. [13]
Both were checked on 10 Oct 2026 against the regulators' own product databases.
Which approved products contain DSIP (delta sleep-inducing peptide)?
No approved medicine containing DSIP (delta sleep-inducing peptide) 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 DSIP (delta sleep-inducing peptide) exist?
The 10 findings listed here: 3 from randomized human trials, 6 from smaller or observational human studies and 1 from animal or lab work.
Double-blind study in 16 chronic insomniacs: slightly better sleep efficiency and shorter time to fall asleep, no change in how patients rated their sleep. The authors concluded that a major benefit was unlikely. [6]
11 healthy men, randomized crossover: plasma ACTH fell for at least 3 hours after an intravenous dose, while cortisol did not change. [7]
Given with isoflurane anesthesia to 12 women, DSIP did not deepen anesthesia. The authors concluded it made it lighter. [9]
First human study (6 healthy volunteers): in about two hours after a morning infusion, total sleep time was 59% higher than after placebo. [2]
6 chronic insomniacs, one intravenous dose: longer sleep with fewer interruptions. [3]
14 chronic insomniacs, placebo-controlled and double-blind over 7 nights: night sleep and daytime alertness improved. The abstract gives no dose. [4]
Double-blind crossover in insomniac patients over four nights: sleep time rose, but the same differences from placebo were already there at baseline, and the authors judged the benefit to be of little clinical significance. [5]
A later study in healthy men found no effect of DSIP infusion on ACTH or cortisol after CRH or after a meal. [8]
Diabetic retinopathy, two months of DSIP into the nose: visual evoked potential measures improved. Small study without a described placebo group. [10]
In human and rat blood in the laboratory DSIP broke down, and the authors put the rapid disappearance of injected DSIP from blood down to that breakdown. [11]
What are the side effects of DSIP (delta sleep-inducing peptide)?
Reported in human studies or on a label:
- The first human study reported that a single slow intravenous infusion was well tolerated, with no side effects seen in 6 volunteers. [2]
- In 6 insomniacs there was no daytime sedation; a slight arousing effect was noted in the first hour after injection. [3]
- During isoflurane anesthesia, DSIP significantly increased heart rate and reduced heart rate variability. [9]
- FDA says it has not identified safety information for emideltide and names immune reactions and peptide impurities as possible risks of compounded product. [12]
How does DSIP (delta sleep-inducing peptide) compare with others in its group?
These are the peptides filed under brain and focus. The last column says whether a randomized human trial is on record for each.
| Peptide | US | Canada | Half-life | Randomized human trial |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Semax | Not approved | Not authorized | Not found | No |
| Selank | Not approved | Not authorized | Not found | Yes |
| DSIP (delta sleep-inducing peptide) | Not approved | Not authorized | Not found | Yes |
| Pinealon | Not approved | Not authorized | Not found | No |
| Cortagen | 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 DSIP injected under the skin or into muscle. A PubMed search for those routes in people returned one intranasal letter with no abstract and one mouse study.
- No human half-life figure. One laboratory study attributes the rapid disappearance of injected DSIP from blood to breakdown but gives no number in its abstract [11], so half_life is left out.
- The 7-night insomnia study [4] gives no dose in its abstract.
- No DSIP trial registered on ClinicalTrials.gov: searches for DSIP, emideltide and delta sleep-inducing peptide as the intervention returned no trial of the peptide.
- No approved label, so no official dose, contraindications, interaction list or storage instructions.
- Not named on the WADA Prohibited List (page checked 2026-10-10, [15]). 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.
DSIP (delta sleep-inducing peptide) questions
Is DSIP (delta sleep-inducing peptide) approved in the US?
Not FDA approved. FDA lists emideltide (DSIP) among bulk substances that were in compounding category 2 and whose nominations were then withdrawn.
Is DSIP (delta sleep-inducing peptide) authorized in Canada?
No DSIP or emideltide product in the Health Canada Drug Product Database. Health Canada names DSIP among unauthorized injectable peptide drugs it has seized.
Has DSIP (delta sleep-inducing peptide) been tested in a randomized human trial?
Yes. At least one randomized human trial is listed on this page.
Sources
Each one was opened on 10 Oct 2026 and matched to the line it supports.
- Schoenenberger GA et al. The delta EEG (sleep)-inducing peptide (DSIP). XI. Amino-acid analysis, sequence, synthesis and activity of the nonapeptide. Pflugers Arch 1978. PubMed 568769.
- Schneider-Helmert D et al. Acute and delayed effects of DSIP (delta sleep-inducing peptide) on human sleep behavior. Int J Clin Pharmacol Ther Toxicol 1981. PubMed 6895513.
- Schneider-Helmert D et al. The influence of synthetic DSIP (delta-sleep-inducing-peptide) on disturbed human sleep. Experientia 1981. PubMed 7028502.
- Schneider-Helmert D Effects of delta-sleep-inducing peptide on 24-hour sleep-wake behaviour in severe chronic insomnia. Eur Neurol 1987. PubMed 3622582.
- Monti JM et al. Study of delta sleep-inducing peptide efficacy in improving sleep on short-term administration to chronic insomniacs. Int J Clin Pharmacol Res 1987. PubMed 3583493.
- Bes F et al. Effects of delta sleep-inducing peptide on sleep of chronic insomniac patients. A double-blind study. Neuropsychobiology 1992. PubMed 1299794.
- Bjartell A et al. Reduction of immunoreactive ACTH in plasma following intravenous injection of delta sleep-inducing peptide in man. Psychoneuroendocrinology 1989. PubMed 2554357.
- Spath-Schwalbe E et al. Delta-sleep-inducing peptide does not affect CRH and meal-induced ACTH and cortisol secretion. Psychoneuroendocrinology 1995. PubMed 7777652.
- Pomfrett CJ et al. Delta sleep-inducing peptide alters bispectral index, the electroencephalogram and heart rate variability when used as an adjunct to isoflurane anaesthesia. Eur J Anaesthesiol 2009. PubMed 19142086.
- Kresiun NV et al. [Using deltalicin for the treatment of patients with diabetic retinopathy]. Eksp Klin Farmakol 2014. PubMed 25739189.
- Graf MV et al. Degradation and aggregation of delta sleep-inducing peptide (DSIP) and two analogs in plasma and serum. Peptides 1987. PubMed 3628078.
- 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: emideltide 2026. health-products.canada.ca.
- World Anti-Doping Agency The Prohibited List 2026. wada-ama.org.
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DSIP (delta sleep-inducing peptide) dosage5 mg vialBrain and focusStatus in Canada
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