Comparison of Selank Against Traditional Benzodiazepines

Journal Context: Human Physiology / Springer Link | Identifiers: DOI: 10.1134/S036211970703013X / PMID: 17564267

Principal Investigators: Seredenin, S. B., Kozlovskaya, M. M., Blednov, Y. A., Neznamov, G. G., et al. (Institute of Molecular Genetics / V.V. Zakusov Research Institute of Pharmacology, Moscow)

Methodology: A randomized human clinical trial enrolling adult subjects presenting with established generalized anxiety neuroses. Participants were treated with regular daily therapeutic doses of either the traditional sedative Phenazepam or the synthetic peptide Selank to measure psychopathological reductions and track fluctuations in cognitive tracking speed.

Key Findings: The trial demonstrated that Selank matches the clinical anti-anxiety efficacy of traditional benzodiazepines, driving a powerful reduction in generalized anxiety, fear, and psychic tension scores. Crucially, while Phenazepam induced severe side effects like muscle weakness, drowsiness, and memory dulling, Selank completely avoided these adverse reactions. Instead, patients treated with Selank exhibited an absolute increase in focus, sensory-motor processing speeds, and cognitive work capacity, confirming its unique profile as a mentally stimulating anti-stress agent.