Epithalon (Epitalon)

Epithalon, also known as Epitalon is a synthetic peptide analog of epithalamin, a protein found in the pineal gland of mammals and of interest for its anti-aging properties. Past research studies have demonstrated that epithalamin can increase maximum life span in animals, decrease levels of free radicals, and alter catalase activity to prevent tissue damage [1]. Epithalamin has been shown to decrease mortality by 52% in fruit flies, by 52% in normal rats, and by 27% in mice prone to certain types of cancer and cardiovascular disease [2].

It has been shown, through extensive animal research, to be a potent regulator of cell metabolism, including growth and cell division. In particular, epithalon is able to extend cell survival in vitro. At least part of the reason that epithalon can extend cell survival comes down to its action on telomeres.

Epithalon has similar effects to epithalamin in mice and rats. It has also shown promise as an anti-cancer agent, reducing spontaneous mammary tumors in mice prone to them and reducing incidence of intestinal tumors in rodents. How does it achieve these effects?

What is Epithalon?

Epithalon is a short, 4 amino acid chain peptide used to regulate the cell cycle through the upregulation of telomerase activity. It has been shown to have distinctive anti-aging and anti-tumor activity across many animal and human studies. Known as the synthetic version of the tetrapeptide epithalamin, which naturally occurs in the pineal gland in our body, Epithalon (also known as Epitalon or Epithalone) was first discovered in the late 1980’s by Prof. Vladimir Khavinson from The Sankt Petersburg University, Russia.

As the most prominent tasks of the pineal gland are to maintain different kind of processes in our body, such as to normalize the activity of anterior pituitary and to maintain the levels of calcium, gonadotropins, and melatonin, its activity is highly regulated by a series of feedback mechanisms. Epithalamin acts as an antioxidant and increases the resistance to stress and lowers the levels of corticosteroids. The life extension and anti-aging properties, amongst a variety of different clinical indications, of epithalon are incredible.

Scientific research has revealed that epithalon affects the following:

Decrease mortality and increases life expectancy

Upregulate telomerase activity

Normalize antioxidant indices

Reduce peroxide lipid oxidation products

Increase activity of glutathione peroxidase

Improve melatonin and immunity (cellular and humoral)

Improve insulin sensitivity

Decrease LDL and VLDL

Improve tissue repair

Anti-tumor effects

Telomeres & Epithalon

Introduction to Telomeres

Telomeres are repeating sequences of nucleotide sequences (TTAGGG) that tag the ends of all chromosomes. They are designed to prevent unpredictable changes in the DNA strand, keeping the genome stable.

Their primary function is to prevent chromosomal “fraying” when a cell replicates, much like the plastic tips on the end of shoelaces. As a cell ages, its telomeres become shorter.

This shortening is thought to be one of several factors that causes cells to age. In actively dividing cells, such as those in the bone marrow, the stem cells of the embryo, and germ cells in the adult, telomere length (TL) is kept constant by the enzyme telomerase.

As the organism grows, this enzyme becomes less active over time. This leads to a slow decrease in telomere length, until a point is reached at which the cell is no longer capable of replication (‘replicative senescence’). A cell can no longer divide when telomeres are too short—once they reach a critical point, the cell becomes inactive (or ‘senescent’), slowly accumulating damage that it can’t repair, or it dies.

What is Epithalon?

Epithalon (aka Epitalon) peptide (Ala- Glu-Asp-Gly) was constructed and synthesized based on amino acid composition of Epithalamine, a complex peptide preparation isolated from animal brain pineal. It was first discovered in the late 1980’s by Prof. Vladimir Khavinson from The Sankt Petersburg University, Russia.

As the most prominent tasks of the pineal gland are to maintain different kind of processes in our body, such as to normalize the activity of anterior pituitary and to maintain the levels of calcium, gonadotropins, and melatonin, its activity is highly regulated by a series of feedback mechanisms. Epithalamin acts as an antioxidant and increases the resistance to stress and lowers the levels of corticosteroids. The life extension and anti-aging properties, amongst a variety of different clinical indications, of epithalon are incredible antioxidant and increases the resistance to stress and lowers the levels of corticosteroids. The life extension and anti-aging properties, amongst a variety of different clinical indications, of epithalon are incredible.