What is Cortagen?
Cortagen is a short peptide from the Russian Khavinson program, which deals with tissue-specific bioregulators. These very short peptides (usually 2 to 4 amino acids) are meant to act specifically on a particular tissue, Cortagen is aimed at the brain cortex and nervous system.
Up front: most research comes from a single research line and mostly from Russia, large independent studies are missing.
Comparison
Short peptides for brain and nerves
Cortagen next to other peptides related to the brain, as described in the TPD lexicon. Tap a card to open its entry.
How it works
The theory behind the Khavinson peptides: they are meant to act at the level of gene regulation and restart age-related declining functions of a tissue. For Cortagen a supportive effect on the brain cortex and nervous system is described.
How well this concept transfers to humans is little established outside the originating research.
Where it acts
Where Cortagen acted in experiments
Tap a point or a card. Grey = observed, no receptor is known. All from cell and animal studies.
- Brain cortex
Brain cortex tissue cultures grew more (rats)4
Observed in trials - Sciatic nerve in the leg
Fibres regrew 27% faster, conduction 40% faster (rats)3
Observed in trials - Heart
234 gene sequences changed their activity (mice)2
Observed in trials - Immune cells
IL-2 production in spleen cells stimulated, less than with Vilon and Epitalon (mice)5
Observed in trials
What you need
Supplies
2 things, numbered as in the picture
Tick off what you already have. Vial and BAC water are our real shop photos at the same size.
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Cortagen vial
The vial (lyophilized powder, usually 20mg).
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Water and supplies
Bacteriostatic water, U-100 insulin syringes, alcohol swabs.
Reconstitution
Use the peptide calculator. A 20mg vial with 2ml water gives 10mg per ml. Just add the water to the vial and let it dissolve.
Step by step
Dissolving the powder
Four steps, the same for every vial size.
- 1Wipe the cap
Clean the rubber stopper with an alcohol swab.
- 2Add BAC water
Just add it, it does not matter if it hits the powder directly.
- 3Swirl or shake
Until everything has dissolved, both are fine.
- 4Draw up
With the U-100 insulin syringe.
Dosing
Dosing
Dosing, titration and syringe
Loading the dosing information …
- Getting started and stepping up, drawn as a staircase
- Units on the U-100 syringe for every step
- How long one vial lasts
Injection
The injection is subcutaneous, into the fat layer under the skin. Common spots are the abdomen (keep about two finger-widths clear of the navel), the front and the inner side of the thigh, or the back of the upper arm.
The short version:
Injection
Where and at what angle
Pick a spot or switch the angle. Subcutaneous means: into the fat layer, not the muscle.
Rotate the spot each time, never the same one twice in a row.
Rule of thumb: where there is more fat under the skin, insert straight at 90 degrees. In lean people with little fat, 45 degrees, so the needle stays in the fat layer. Simplified diagram.
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Clean the spot with an alcohol swab and let it dry
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Pinch up a small fold of skin
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Insert the needle: at 90 degrees where there is more fat under the skin, at 45 degrees in lean people with little fat
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Inject slowly, wait a moment, then withdraw
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Put the needle straight into the sharps container
Rotate the site each time so the tissue does not get irritated. Never the same spot twice in a row.
What the research shows
The Khavinson program has published numerous works on tissue-specific bioregulators over decades (overview: Khavinson, 2002), including effects on organ function and, in animal models, on lifespan. But the read must stay honest: the data come mostly from one research line, large independent studies are missing.
Study results
What the trials measured
Interactive: switch tabs, tap points, show or hide arms. Arms are named relative to each other, no dosing advice.
Regrowing sciatic nerve3
Change compared with rats without Cortagen, in percent, after the nerve was cut and sutured, 10 days of dosing into the muscle
Values according to the abstract. A single animal experiment from the research line that developed Cortagen. Not tested in humans in a registered trial.
Research status
Where the research stands
From tissue cultures to animal experiments: what has been published on Cortagen. There is no registered human trial. As of 26 Oct 2026. 10
- Preclinical Tissue cultures, rats and mice
- Phase 1 no registered trial
- Phase 2 no registered trial
- Phase 3 no registered trial
- Approval not yet
So far there is no registered trial in humans. 10
Side effects
- Well tolerated in the available reports, mainly local reactions.
- Solid, independent human safety data are limited.
Storage
Before mixing the powder is robust, normal room temperature (around 20 to 25 degrees) is fine, ideally kept in the dark. After mixing, keep in the fridge (2 to 8 degrees), do not freeze. It stays good there for at least 4 to 6 months with barely any loss of potency, in practice considerably longer. Swirl or shake to mix, both are fine.
Shelf life
How long it keeps
Robust, no fridge needed. Keeps for several months without trouble.
At least 4 to 6 months with barely any loss of potency. The bacteriostatic water brings a preservative.
- Keep it dark
- Dissolved: 2 to 8 degrees
- Note the mixing date on the vial
