Cortagen

What is it?

Cortagen is a synthetic Khavinson tetrapeptide: sequence Ala-Glu-Asp-Pro (AEDP). It’s one of approximately 15 organ-targeted peptides in the Khavinson bioregulator family (alongside Pinealon, Epithalon, Vilon, Thymalin, Cortexin, etc.), from the same Khavinson group / St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology lineage.

The Khavinson framework, in brief. Cortagen shares its origin story with sibling peptide Pinealon: a 1970s Soviet military-medicine research program at the Military Medical Academy in Leningrad extracted tissue-specific peptide fractions from organs and observed bioactive effects when re-administered. The theoretical claim is that short peptides (2-4 amino acids) cross cell + nuclear membranes → bind specific DNA promoter regions → modulate transcription in a tissue-specific way, with each peptide’s sequence claimed to reproduce a fragment originally extracted from its target organ tissue. Cortagen’s tissue specificity is cortical neurons. Western reception is split — conventional Western view: preclinical-only, single-research-group, weak methodology, heterodox mechanism; Russian/Eastern European view: a 50-year sustained research program with consistent reported outcomes and several sibling peptides (Cortexin, Thymalin) approved for clinical use in Russia. OHM’s lean: report both perspectives honestly.

What does it do in my body?

Same Khavinson framework as Pinealon and Epithalon: cross cell and nuclear membranes, bind specific DNA promoter sequences, modulate transcription in a tissue-specific way — Cortagen’s tissue specificity is cortical neurons.

Operational distinction vs. Semax / Selank:

• Semax → acute receptor-mediated signaling (MC4/MC3 → BDNF/NGF transcription; fast onset, days).
• Selank → acute multi-pathway modulation (BDNF + enkephalin + monoamine; fast onset, days).
• Cortagen → claimed gene-expression modulation → effects develop over a 10-20 day cycle and are claimed to persist 2-3 months after the cycle ends. Slow-onset, long-tail mechanism if the Khavinson framework holds.

How can it help me?

• Where the science stands: Animal (Morris water maze, hippocampal BDNF, oxidative neuroprotection) + unblinded Russian post-stroke human clinical data; no Western RCTs

The full evidence — every human, animal, and lab study, graded — is one tap away: use the See the deeper science → toggle at the top.

Is it dangerous? What are the side effects?

• Infrequent local injection-site reactions; transient mild headache early in the cycle.
• No serious AEs documented at standard doses in the Russian literature.
• Counterfeiting risk is real — flagged across multiple sources for this peptide specifically. A verified-COA vendor is essential.
• Long-term repeated-cycle safety in humans is not characterized in Western pharmacovigilance.

Regulatory status: Not FDA-approved. No Western RCTs; long clinical-use history in Russia under Khavinson-school protocols, including unblinded post-stroke cognitive-recovery studies.

Where to buy. Cortagen is not in Alyve’s current launch catalog, but it is available through BioLongevity — use code OHM-15 (BioLongevity shares Alyve’s coupon code) for 15% off. Given the counterfeiting risk flagged above for this peptide specifically, a third-party-COA, identity-confirmed product matters disproportionately.

Part 1 — How to reconstitute it

What you'll need: bacteriostatic water (sterile, preserved water you mix the powder with) and a separate, larger reconstitution syringe just for mixing — not the small syringe you inject with.

Storage: Lyophilized at -20°C is stable 2+ years; reconstituted (bacteriostatic water with 0.9% benzyl alcohol) refrigerate at 2-8°C and discard at 28 days.

How to mix it

• Tilt the vial and let the bacteriostatic water run slowly down the inside glass wall — never squirt it straight onto the powder.
• Swirl gently to dissolve. Never shake — shaking can damage the peptide.
• Store the reconstituted vial refrigerated and out of light.
• Use it within the beyond-use window your source specifies — reconstituted peptides are commonly used within a few weeks; confirm the window for your specific peptide.

Use the free reconstitution calculator to turn any vial size + water volume into exact units on an insulin syringe.

Part 2 — Typical dosing

Talk to your medical provider before starting any protocol. That said, here are the doses most people commonly use — shared for educational purposes so you can have an informed conversation. These peptides are sold for research use only and are not FDA-approved drugs, and this isn't medical advice.

The syringe. Use a 0.3 mL U-100 insulin syringe — it's sized for these small subcutaneous doses. Inject subcutaneously (into the fat just under the skin) and rotate injection sites.

Cortagen has more route variety than most peptides — it’s available as SubQ injection, IM injection, sublingual drops, and oral capsule, with different protocols for each:

Cycling philosophy. Like sibling Khavinson peptides, Cortagen is run in short cycles (10-20 days), spaced across the year, rather than continuously — the claimed 2-3 month post-cycle persistence is the rationale for the pulse-and-rest pattern rather than daily maintenance dosing. This is the same cycled-bioregulator shape documented for Pinealon and Epithalon.

Turning milligrams into syringe units. On a U-100 syringe, 100 units = 1 mL, so 1 unit = 0.01 mL. At a concentration of C mg/mL, a dose of D mg = D ÷ C mL = (D ÷ C) × 100 units. Example: at 5 mg/mL, a 0.5 mg dose = 0.1 mL = 10 units. Your exact units depend on your own vial's mg and how much bacteriostatic water you added — use the same concentration you mixed above.

What should I avoid combining — and what's synergistic?

Cortagen doesn't have a dedicated stacking protocol in our notes — the interactions that matter most are in the safety section above. For how people combine it with other peptides, the deeper-science view has the full detail.

How can I buy this?