Epithalon

Know your compound

What is Epithalon?

Epithalon (Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly) is a synthetic tetrapeptide bioregulator first developed by Vladimir Khavinson at the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology. It is studied primarily for its capacity to activate telomerase — the enzyme that extends telomeric DNA — in human somatic cell models, and for its regulatory effects on pineal gland function.

In human cell culture, Epithalon induced telomerase activity and measurable telomere elongation, a result that placed it among a very short list of small peptides with documented effects on this pathway. A 12-year observational study in elderly populations reported approximately 50% lower mortality in a treated cohort — an outcome that continues to drive investigator interest in bioregulator longevity research, with the caveat that the study design limits causal inference.

• Telomerase activation and telomere elongation documented in human somatic cell culture
• ~50% reduction in mortality rates over 12 years in an elderly observational cohort
• Reparative effect on pineal ultrastructure in gamma-irradiated rat models
• Reduced chromosome aberration frequency in senescence-accelerated mice