Research Area
Longevity & Cellular Health Research
Longevity peptide research focuses on cellular-aging mechanisms: telomerase activity, NAD⁺-dependent enzymatic pathways, mitochondrial membrane integrity, and oxidative-stress modulation.
Research Use Only. All content on this page is for educational purposes. Compounds discussed are supplied solely for laboratory and research use. Where the active ingredient overlaps with an approved medication of the same name, the research compound is not the same product as any FDA-approved formulation containing the same active ingredient.
Epitalon (Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly), a synthetic tetrapeptide derived from the natural pineal peptide epithalamin, is the most-studied compound in this area for telomerase-related effects. Original characterization came from Khavinson et al.'s work in St. Petersburg; subsequent literature has examined epigenetic and circadian-axis effects.
NAD⁺ and its precursors (NMN, NR) sit at the intersection of metabolic and longevity research, supporting sirtuin and PARP enzymatic activity. SS-31 (elamipretide) is a mitochondrially-targeted tetrapeptide that binds cardiolipin on the inner mitochondrial membrane; its research record covers electron-transport-chain efficiency and reactive-oxygen-species mitigation.
Glutathione, while a tripeptide rather than a synthetic research compound, is included in longevity collections for its role as the dominant intracellular antioxidant and as a reference standard in oxidative-stress assays. Methylene blue's mitochondrial electron-transport activity also places it in this research domain.
Compounds in this area
Epithalon: Pineal Tetrapeptide Research Overview
Epithalon (also written Epitalon) is a synthetic tetrapeptide consisting of just four amino acids: Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly. Despite its small size, the compound has been studied across multiple decades of Russian research in models of cellular aging, telomerase activity, and pineal gland-related signaling. This page summarizes the published literature.
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NAD+: Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide Research Overview
NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) is a coenzyme present in all living cells, participating in hundreds of enzymatic reactions. It serves as an electron acceptor in oxidation-reduction reactions and as a substrate for several enzyme families including sirtuins and PARPs. This page summarizes the published preclinical research on NAD+ as a research reference compound.
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SS-31: Mitochondrial-Targeted Tetrapeptide Research Overview
SS-31 (also known as Elamipretide, Bendavia, or MTP-131) is a synthetic tetrapeptide from the Szeto-Schiller class of mitochondrial-targeted peptides. Its defining property is selective accumulation in mitochondria via affinity for cardiolipin, a phospholipid found in the inner mitochondrial membrane. This page summarizes the published preclinical research.
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Glutathione: Tripeptide Antioxidant Research Overview
Glutathione (GSH) is a tripeptide composed of glutamate, cysteine, and glycine joined by an unusual gamma-amide bond. It is the most abundant non-protein thiol in cells and serves as a central regulator of cellular redox state. This page summarizes the published research on glutathione's biochemistry, signaling roles, and laboratory applications.
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Methylene Blue: Phenothiazine Redox Compound Research Overview
Methylene Blue is a synthetic phenothiazine compound with a long history in chemistry and biology dating to 1876, when Heinrich Caro first synthesized it. The compound has unique redox properties that have made it valuable across multiple research contexts: as a histological stain, as a redox indicator, and as a probe of mitochondrial electron transport. This page summarizes the published research applications.
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Related research areas
This page references compounds by their International Nonproprietary Name (INN) — the scientific designation used in PubMed and FDA literature. Brand-name medications are not referenced. All compounds are supplied as research-grade reference standards for laboratory and analytical use only.