Thymalin
A thymus-derived peptide preparation from the Soviet-era Khavinson research programme, used clinically in Russia. Almost all evidence is Russian-language and unreplicated.
Immune & Inflammation
Thymogen
A two-amino-acid peptide isolated as the active fragment of thymalin. Registered in Russia; no Western trials exist.
Overview
Thymogen is the result of taking the thymus extract thymalin and working out which part of it carried the activity. The answer, according to the originating group, was a dipeptide of glutamic acid and tryptophan. Being fully synthetic, it avoids the batch variability and animal-tissue concerns of the extract. Its reported effects are on T-cell maturation and immune marker normalisation, mostly in Russian studies.
L-glutamyl-L-tryptophan, identified as the minimal active fragment of the thymalin thymic peptide fraction. Reported to influence thymocyte differentiation, T-lymphocyte proliferation and interleukin-2 production, with proposed gene-regulatory activity through DNA-binding characteristic of the Khavinson short-peptide hypothesis. Administered intranasally or by intramuscular injection in Russian clinical use for secondary immunodeficiency and infection adjunct therapy. No independent Western pharmacology or clinical trial exists.
Research areas
Secondary immunodeficiencyT-cell maturationInfection adjunct therapy
Dosing reported in the literature
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 |
|---|---|
| 100 mcg intramuscularly once daily for 3–10 days | Russian registered protocol |
| 25–100 mcg intranasally daily as an immunomodulatory course | Russian registered protocol |
Trial status
Russian clinical use. No Western registered trials and no independent replication.
Reported safety signals
- Human safety data outside Russian clinical practice is effectively absent.
- No independent pharmacology or toxicology has been published internationally.
- The short-peptide gene-regulation hypothesis underlying this class is not established outside the originating group.
- Material sold outside Russia is unregulated with unverified identity.
Common questions
Can a two-amino-acid peptide really do anything?
Short peptides can be biologically active — carnosine and glutathione fragments are real examples. The specific claim here, that Glu-Trp regulates gene expression by binding DNA, comes from one research group and has not been independently demonstrated.
Primary sources
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.
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