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Research chemical Published: limited Established use

Semax: dosing, reconstitution and evidence

A synthetic ACTH fragment analog developed in Russia, where it is an approved medication for stroke and cognitive disorders. Raises BDNF; used for focus and neuroprotection.

Also known as ACTH(4-10) analog

Educational research reference Cognitive & Sleep
Quick reference. Everything you need to run Semax — dosing, frequency, reconstitution math for the vial sizes people actually buy, and what it stacks with. For anything specific to your situation, ask the Guru.

Semax quick start

Route
SubQ, or intranasal
Typical dose
200–600 mcg
Frequency
1–2× daily
Half-life
Short — minutes in plasma, though CNS effects outlast this.
Cycle
2–4 week courses.
Vial sizes sold
30mg or 10mg
These are the numbers people actually run, drawn from the published record and from what the community has settled on over time. Educational reference, not medical advice — a starting point to work from, and one you can adjust as you learn how you respond.

How to run it

How often
1–2× daily
Cycle length
2–4 week courses.
Half-life
Short — minutes in plasma, though CNS effects outlast this.
Route
SubQ, or intranasal
Consistency matters more than perfect timing. Pick a slot in your day you will actually keep, and let DoseIQ handle the rest.

What people actually run

Well established as a nootropic, usually intranasal. Often stacked with Selank.

This is accumulated community practice — years of real-world use across a large number of people, converging on numbers that work. It is not a controlled trial, and for most compounds here no such trial exists or is ever likely to. That makes this the most reliable dosing signal available, and it is a good deal better than guessing.

What to expect

Most people tolerate Semax well. Here is what is worth knowing going in, so nothing catches you by surprise.

Approved in Russia, unapproved in the US and EU. Most published research is Russian-language and hard to independently verify. Generally well tolerated; nasal irritation is common.

Reconstitution guide

Semax ships as a lyophilised powder and gets mixed with bacteriostatic water before use. How much water you add sets the concentration, which sets how many syringe units make up each dose. One unit on a U-100 syringe is 0.01 mL — the tables below do the arithmetic for the vial sizes you are most likely to be holding.

30mg vial most common

Water addedConcentration 200mcg600mcg
2mL (common) 15 mg/mL0.01 mL
1.3 units		0.04 mL
4 units
3mL 10 mg/mL0.02 mL
2 units		0.06 mL
6 units

10mg vial

Water addedConcentration 200mcg600mcg
2mL (common) 5 mg/mL0.04 mL
4 units		0.12 mL
12 units
3mL 3.33 mg/mL0.06 mL
6 units		0.18 mL
18 units
Often supplied as a nasal spray. Injectable: 5 mg vial + 2.5 mL BAC water = 2,000 mcg/mL; 400 mcg = 20 units.

Standard steps

  1. Inspect the vialConfirm the label and that the powder cake is intact. Do not use a cracked or compromised vial.
  2. Let it reach room temperatureSitting out for a few minutes reduces condensation inside the vial when the seal is broken.
  3. Disinfect both stoppersWipe the compound vial and the bacteriostatic water vial with a fresh alcohol swab and let them air-dry.
  4. Draw the bacteriostatic waterUse a sterile syringe to draw the volume you have chosen from the reconstitution table.
  5. Add the water down the vial wallInject slowly so it runs down the inside wall rather than spraying directly onto the powder. This limits foaming.
  6. Dissolve gentlySwirl or roll the vial between your hands until the cake dissolves. Never shake — agitation damages peptide bonds. The solution should end up clear.
  7. Label and refrigerateWrite the reconstitution date and concentration on the vial. Store at 2–8°C. Do not freeze.
Running a different vial size or water volume? The DoseIQ calculator works it out for any combination — mcg, mg or IU, on any syringe size.
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This page is an educational research reference and is not medical advice. Semax is not approved for human use in any jurisdiction. Dose figures reflect the published record and what the community has converged on — starting points to weigh, not instructions. Consult a qualified healthcare provider before starting any protocol.