Semax is a heptapeptide built from the ACTH(4-10) fragment with a Pro-Gly-Pro tail, a nasal medicine approved in Russia for stroke and cognitive impairment. Noopept is not strictly a peptide but N-phenylacetyl-L-prolylglycine ethyl ester, taken orally. What they share is neurotrophin drive: Semax raises BDNF strongly, Noopept raises both BDNF and NGF.
Key parameters side by side
Parameter
Semax
Noopept
Sequence length
7
—
Molecular weight
813.93 Da
318.37 Da
Same for both: Category — Cognitive & Nootropic; Evidence status — Approved
Frequently asked questions
In structure and route. Semax is a true heptapeptide given intranasally: that route delivers it straight to the CNS through the olfactory epithelium. Noopept is a modified dipeptide derivative designed from the start as an orally bioavailable nootropic.
Both are approved in Russia, but under different indications and statuses: Semax is a prescription medicine with studies in acute ischemic stroke, Noopept an over-the-counter product studied in organic cognitive disorders.
Cognitive & Nootropic
Semax
Approved
Semax is a synthetic heptapeptide nootropic derived from the ACTH(4-10) fragment, developed at the Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Like selank, it features the Pro-Gly-Pro C-terminal stabilizing extension, but its core sequence is derived from adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) rather than tuftsin, giving it a distinct pharmacological profile focused on cognitive enhancement and neuroprotection.
Approved in Russia as a prescription-only nootropic and neuroprotective medication (0.1% and 1% nasal spray solutions), semax is one of the few peptide-based cognition enhancers with regulatory approval anywhere in the world. It is used clinically for stroke recovery, cognitive impairment, optic nerve atrophy, and peptic ulcer disease.
Semax exerts its effects through robust BDNF upregulation, modulation of serotonin and dopamine neurotransmission, and direct neuroprotective mechanisms. Unlike ACTH itself, semax has no steroidogenic activity — it does not stimulate cortisol production, making it a purely neurotropic peptide.
Noopept (GVS-111, omberacetam) is a synthetic dipeptide-derived nootropic compound developed at the Zakusov Research Institute of Pharmacology in Russia. While technically a modified dipeptide (N-phenylacetyl-L-prolylglycine ethyl ester) rather than a pure peptide, it is derived from and functionally related to the endogenous neuropeptide cycloprolylglycine. It was designed as an orally bioavailable nootropic with potency 1,000 times greater than piracetam by weight.
Approved in Russia as a nootropic medication for cognitive impairment, Noopept enhances memory, learning, and cognitive function through combined neurotrophic and neuroprotective mechanisms. Unlike racetams that primarily modulate glutamate receptors, Noopept's primary mechanism involves robust upregulation of BDNF and NGF — the brain's key growth and survival factors.
Noopept is distinguished by its oral bioavailability (unusual for peptide-derived compounds), rapid onset of action, low effective dose (10-30 mg vs. 2,400-4,800 mg for piracetam), and favorable safety profile demonstrated across clinical studies.
Semax is a synthetic heptapeptide nootropic derived from the ACTH(4-10) fragment, developed at the Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Like selank, it features the Pro-Gly-Pro C-terminal stabilizing extension, but its core sequence is derived from adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) rather than tuftsin, giving it a distinct pharmacological profile focused on cognitive enhancement and neuroprotection.
Approved in Russia as a prescription-only nootropic and neuroprotective medication (0.1% and 1% nasal spray solutions), semax is one of the few peptide-based cognition enhancers with regulatory approval anywhere in the world. It is used clinically for stroke recovery, cognitive impairment, optic nerve atrophy, and peptic ulcer disease.
Semax exerts its effects through robust BDNF upregulation, modulation of serotonin and dopamine neurotransmission, and direct neuroprotective mechanisms. Unlike ACTH itself, semax has no steroidogenic activity — it does not stimulate cortisol production, making it a purely neurotropic peptide.
Noopept (GVS-111, omberacetam) is a synthetic dipeptide-derived nootropic compound developed at the Zakusov Research Institute of Pharmacology in Russia. While technically a modified dipeptide (N-phenylacetyl-L-prolylglycine ethyl ester) rather than a pure peptide, it is derived from and functionally related to the endogenous neuropeptide cycloprolylglycine. It was designed as an orally bioavailable nootropic with potency 1,000 times greater than piracetam by weight.
Approved in Russia as a nootropic medication for cognitive impairment, Noopept enhances memory, learning, and cognitive function through combined neurotrophic and neuroprotective mechanisms. Unlike racetams that primarily modulate glutamate receptors, Noopept's primary mechanism involves robust upregulation of BDNF and NGF — the brain's key growth and survival factors.
Noopept is distinguished by its oral bioavailability (unusual for peptide-derived compounds), rapid onset of action, low effective dose (10-30 mg vs. 2,400-4,800 mg for piracetam), and favorable safety profile demonstrated across clinical studies.