Neuropeptide pharmacology

Where Semax sits in the melanocortin family

Semax is modelled on a fragment of ACTH, one of a family of peptides the body cuts from one large precursor protein. Understanding that family explains both what Semax can do and why its exact molecular target is still debated.

This unit places Semax in the ACTH and melanocortin system, shows what is and is not known about why it is described as devoid of hormonal activity, and walks through the honest uncertainty about which receptor it actually binds.