A Khavinson-class immune system bioregulator. Marketed as an immune bioregulator, positioned alongside the thymus preparations. As with the whole class, the evidence is Russian-language, unreplicated, and does not meet the standard applied elsewhere in this database.
Peptide bioregulators are built on a specific claim: that very short peptides extracted from — or synthesised to match — a particular organ can travel to that same organ and restore its normal function as it ages. Crystagen is promoted for immune function, in the same territory as Thymalin and Vilon. The proposed route is direct interaction with DNA to switch tissue-specific genes back on. That mechanism has been demonstrated to the satisfaction of the group that proposed it and essentially nobody else.
A short synthetic peptide in the Cytogen line, reported to influence lymphocyte differentiation and cytokine expression in cell culture from the originating group. The class hypothesis holds that di-, tri- and tetrapeptides penetrate cell and nuclear membranes and bind directly to specific promoter sequences in double-stranded DNA, modulating tissue-specific transcription — a mechanism supported by molecular modelling and gel-shift work from the originating institute but not independently corroborated. Products are marketed in two chemically distinct forms: "Cytomax" preparations, which are peptide fractions extracted from the corresponding animal organ, and "Cytogen" preparations, which are defined synthetic short peptides. Published clinical evaluation is limited to small Russian studies, generally without blinding, placebo control or independent statistical review.
Research areas
Every protocol below is reproduced from a published study or approved labelling, with its source named. These are records of what was studied — not recommendations, and not a suggestion that any of them is appropriate for any person.
| Protocol as reported | Source |
|---|---|
| 10 mg daily as an extract capsule, or 100–200 mcg daily for the synthetic peptide form, taken as a 10–30 day courseThis describes what is marketed, not a validated regimen. No dose-finding study has been published. | Russian supplier protocol |
Small Russian studies from the originating institute. No registered Western trials, no independent replication, and no published randomised placebo-controlled evidence meeting international standards.
Nothing published establishes one. Thymalin at least has a long-term Russian follow-up study behind it, thin as that evidence is. Crystagen's record is thinner still.
Medical disclaimer
This page is for informational and research purposes only. Nothing here constitutes medical advice. The compounds discussed are research chemicals. Consult a qualified clinician before starting any protocol.
How this profile was built →