What Is Epithalon? The AEDG Pineal Tetrapeptide

Epithalon is a synthetic tetrapeptide, Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly (AEDG). It was designed from the amino acid composition of epithalamin, an extract of bovine pineal gland studied in Russian gerontology from the 1970s onwards. At four residues and 390 g/mol it is one of the smallest compounds in the research-peptide catalogue, and its literature has a distinctive character that is worth understanding before interpreting it.

For laboratory research use only. The compounds discussed are not approved for human or veterinary use and are not drugs, foods or cosmetics. This article summarises published research and is not medical advice.

Key points

Sequence AEDG; C₁₄H₂₂N₄O₉, 390.35 g/mol.
Derived from epithalamin, a pineal gland extract, not isolated as a natural peptide itself.
Best-known finding: induction of telomerase activity and telomere elongation in cultured human fibroblasts.
Lifespan studies used epithalamin (the extract), not purified Epithalon.
Most primary studies come from one research network; independent replication is limited.

Quick facts

Property	Value
Sequence	Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly
Formula / weight	C₁₄H₂₂N₄O₉, 390.35 g/mol (PubChem CID 219042)
Other spellings	Epitalon, Epithalone
Origin	Designed from epithalamin’s amino acid composition
Charge at neutral pH	Net negative (Glu, Asp)
Status	Research compound; not approved in the US or EU

Our Epithalon research peptide is supplied in 10 mg and 50 mg vials with lot-level HPLC and MS data.

Epithalamin and Epithalon: two different things

The distinction matters when reading this literature. Epithalamin is a peptide preparation extracted from bovine pineal gland, a mixture rather than a single compound. Epithalon is a defined synthetic tetrapeptide based on the extract’s amino acid composition. Many widely cited lifespan results used the extract.

Anisimov and colleagues reported that epithalamin increased mean lifespan by 11–31% in female Drosophila melanogaster, SHR mice, C3H/Sn mice and LIO rats, and that it increased melatonin synthesis and secretion in rats while inhibiting free radical processes (Anisimov et al., 1998). These are results for the extract. Attributing them to the four-residue peptide is a step the data do not support.

The telomerase study

The most cited Epithalon-specific result comes from cell culture. Khavinson and colleagues reported that adding Epithalon to telomerase-negative human fetal fibroblast cultures induced expression of the telomerase catalytic subunit, telomerase enzymatic activity and telomere elongation. They interpreted this as reactivation of the telomerase gene in somatic cells (Khavinson et al., 2003). A follow-up reported that the peptide promoted overcoming of the division limit in human somatic cells (Khavinson et al., 2004).

Aspect	What was reported	Caveat
System	Human fetal fibroblast culture	In vitro only
Readouts	Telomerase subunit expression, activity, telomere length	Short reports in a specialist journal
Interpretation	Telomerase gene reactivation	Mechanism not resolved in detail
Replication	Mainly within the same research network	Independent confirmation limited

What a 2025 review concluded

A review in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences summarised 25 years of in vitro, in vivo and in silico work. It describes reported geroprotective and neuroendocrine effects attributed to antioxidant, neuroprotective and antimutagenic mechanisms, and notes effects on melatonin synthesis, interleukin-2 mRNA levels, thymocyte mitogenic activity and the activity of enzymes including telomerase. The authors also state that it remains uncertain whether these are the sole mechanisms, and that physico-chemical and structural investigation of the peptide is limited despite the volume of biological work (Araj et al., 2025). That combination, extensive biological claims with limited structural characterisation, is a useful summary of the field’s state.

Reading this literature carefully

Check whether a study used the extract or the peptide. Epithalamin and Epithalon results are often merged in secondary sources.
Note the model. Telomerase findings are from cultured fibroblasts; lifespan findings are from flies, mice and rats given the extract.
Consider the publication pattern. Much of the primary literature appears in a small number of journals from one research network.

Handling in the lab

Store lyophilized powder at −20 °C, sealed and dark.
Readily water-soluble; the acidic residues make solutions mildly acidic (method).
No methionine or cysteine, so oxidation risk is low; the Asp-Gly motif is, however, a known deamidation and isomerisation site, so keep solutions cold.
Store solutions at 2–8 °C (storage guide).
Calculate concentrations with the peptide reconstitution calculator; at 390.35 g/mol, 1 mg/mL is about 2.56 mM.

Open questions

Has the telomerase result been reproduced by independent laboratories?
What binding partner or receptor, if any, does a four-residue peptide use to influence gene expression?
What is Epithalon’s stability and pharmacokinetic profile? Structural and physico-chemical data remain limited.

Related research

Frequently asked questions

What is Epithalon?

Epithalon, also written Epitalon or Epithalone, is a synthetic tetrapeptide with the sequence Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly (AEDG). It was designed from the amino acid composition of epithalamin, a bovine pineal gland extract.

What does Epithalon do in research models?

A 2003 study reported that adding Epithalon to telomerase-negative human fetal fibroblast cultures induced telomerase catalytic subunit expression, telomerase activity and telomere elongation. Other work has examined melatonin synthesis and gene expression.

Is Epithalon the same as epithalamin?

No. Epithalamin is a peptide extract from bovine pineal gland. Epithalon is a defined four-residue synthetic peptide derived from its amino acid composition.

What is the difference between Epithalon and Pinealon?

Both are short synthetic peptides associated with the Russian bioregulator research programme, but they have different sequences. Pinealon is a tripeptide; Epithalon is the tetrapeptide AEDG.

What is Epithalon's molecular weight?

About 390.35 g/mol (C14H22N4O9).

References

Araj SK, et al. Overview of Epitalon-Highly Bioactive Pineal Tetrapeptide with Promising Properties. Int J Mol Sci. 2025. PMID: 40141333 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40141333/
Khavinson VKh, et al. Epithalon peptide induces telomerase activity and telomere elongation in human somatic cells. Bull Exp Biol Med. 2003. PMID: 12937682 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12937682/
Khavinson VKh, et al. Peptide promotes overcoming of the division limit in human somatic cell. Bull Exp Biol Med. 2004. PMID: 15455129 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15455129/
Anisimov VN, et al. Pineal peptide preparation epithalamin increases the lifespan of fruit flies, mice and rats. Mech Ageing Dev. 1998. PMID: 9701766 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9701766/
PubChem Compound Summary for CID 219042, Epitalon. National Center for Biotechnology Information. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/219042