Cortexin
Cognitive, Neuroprotection
In short
- A polypeptide mixture extracted from animal cerebral cortex — the same category of product as Cerebrolysin.
- Registered and widely used in Russia; not approved in the US, EU, or UK.
- Essentially no independent Western research exists.
- Being animal-derived, it carries hypersensitivity and sourcing considerations synthetic peptides do not.
- Dosed by vial rather than by mass of an active compound, because there is no single active compound.
Structure
Cortexin is a MIXTURE of peptides extracted from bovine or porcine cerebral cortex, not a single molecule. Like Cerebrolysin it has no structure to draw and no single half-life.
How it works
Cortexin is produced by extraction from bovine or porcine cerebral cortex, yielding a mixture of low-molecular-weight polypeptides.
The manufacturer describes neuroprotective, nootropic, and antioxidant effects, with proposed mechanisms including modulation of neurotrophic factors and reduction of excitotoxicity.
As with Cerebrolysin, a mixture cannot have a defined mechanism or dose-response, and which components carry activity is unestablished.
What the research shows
Russian clinical use covers stroke recovery, traumatic brain injury, encephalopathy, and paediatric neurological conditions, with a substantial domestic literature reporting benefit.
No independent Western trials exist, and the compound has not been evaluated by any Western regulator.
The evidence situation closely parallels Cerebrolysin but with even less external scrutiny — there is not even an unfavourable Cochrane review, because nobody outside has looked.
Dosing in the literature
Figures below are quoted from published studies, with the species or population they were measured in. They are records of what was studied, not recommendations.
| Studied in | Amount | Route | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Human — Russian clinical use, adults | 10 mg daily for 10 days | intramuscular | PubMed |
| Human — Russian clinical use, children | Weight-based, commonly 5 mg daily | intramuscular | PubMed |
Commonly reported ranges
These are amounts people report using. They are not from any study, have not been evaluated for safety, and are reproduced here only because they circulate widely and are better seen alongside the evidence than instead of it.
| Reported by | Amount | Route |
|---|---|---|
| Commonly reported | 10 mg daily in courses of 10 days | intramuscular |
Dosing is by vial of a mixture rather than by mass of a defined active compound, so "10 mg" describes total peptide content rather than a characterised drug dose.
Handling and storage
Supplied as lyophilised powder in vials, reconstituted with saline or procaine solution and given by intramuscular injection in courses of around ten days.
As an animal-derived biological, sourcing and cold chain integrity matter and cannot be verified in grey-market supply.
Side effects
Reported as well tolerated in Russian clinical use, with injection-site reactions most common.
Hypersensitivity is a genuine consideration for an animal-derived protein preparation, in a way it is not for synthetic peptides.
No independent safety data exists outside Russia.
Combinations
Used as monotherapy in courses in its clinical context.
No interaction data. Combining an uncharacterised mixture with other neuroactive compounds makes attribution impossible.
Research status
A substantial Russian literature and essentially nothing outside it. The compound has not been independently evaluated.
The same structural criticism as Cerebrolysin applies: positive domestic literature without external replication is weak evidence, and here there is not even an external appraisal to weigh it against.
Legal status
Registered as a prescription medicine in Russia and some neighbouring countries. Not approved in the US, EU, UK, Canada, or Australia. Importation for personal use is unlawful in several jurisdictions.
WADA status
Not specifically named on the Prohibited List. Falls under WADA class S0, which prohibits any pharmacological substance not currently approved by any governmental regulatory health authority for human therapeutic use. Treat it as prohibited in sport.
Conclusion
Cortexin is Cerebrolysin's less-studied counterpart: an animal-derived brain peptide mixture with a domestic Russian evidence base and no independent scrutiny at all.
If Cerebrolysin fails independent appraisal despite far more data, there is no basis for treating this one more favourably.
Sources
Track your own Cortexin protocol
Peppers logs your doses, models your levels from this half-life, tracks your vials and tells you when you will run out. Free on iPhone.
Reference and educational information only. Not medical advice. Nothing here diagnoses, treats, or prescribes, and nothing here is a recommendation to use any compound. The compounds described are research chemicals and are not approved for human consumption. Legal and anti-doping status change — the review date above is when these claims were last checked. Talk to a qualified clinician about anything you intend to take.