Cortexin
Animal-cortex peptide extract · Russia/CIS-approved, not FDA/EMA · IM
Cortexin is a neuroprotective drug used widely across Russia and neighboring countries — but, like Cerebrolysin, it is not a single molecule and its evidence does not travel well to Western standards. It is a standardized extract: a low-molecular-weight fraction of peptides and free amino acids pulled from the cerebral cortex of cattle and pigs, made by the Russian company Geropharm and sold as a "neuropeptide" agent for stroke, traumatic brain injury, encephalopathy, epilepsy, and a long list of pediatric neurology uses. It is given as a daily intramuscular injection in short courses. The honest framing is twofold. First, it has no single chemical identity — no PubChem ID, no molecular formula, no defining CAS number — because it is a mixture; the glycine listed on the vial is just a stabilizer, not an active ingredient. Second, the clinical evidence is thin by Western standards: the trials are overwhelmingly Russian-language, small, single-center, and often open-label add-on studies, while the English-indexed research is mostly cell-culture and rodent work. Its proposed mechanism — supporting the brain's own growth factors like BDNF and reducing oxidative and excitotoxic damage — is largely preclinical and not established in humans. It is not approved by the FDA or EMA.
The short version
Cortexin is not a single drug molecule — it is an extract. Manufacturers take the cerebral cortex of cattle and pigs, then isolate a fraction of small peptides and free amino acids from it. The result is a standardized mixture sold as a "neuropeptide" medicine, on the idea that those fragments support and protect brain cells the way the body's own nerve-growth signals do. It is made by the Russian company Geropharm.
It is a real, widely used prescription drug — but mostly within one region. Russia and many neighboring (CIS) countries approve and use it for conditions like stroke, traumatic brain injury, encephalopathy, epilepsy, and a broad range of children's neurological conditions, given as a daily intramuscular injection over courses of about ten days. Outside that region it is not approved: the US FDA and the European EMA have not authorized it.
Two honest caveats define this page. First, because Cortexin is a mixture rather than one compound, it has no single chemical formula, no PubChem ID, and no defining CAS number — and the glycine you'll see listed on the vial is only a stabilizer, not the active part. Second, the evidence is thin by Western standards. The clinical studies are overwhelmingly Russian-language, small, single-center, and often open-label add-on designs; the more rigorous English-language work is mostly in cell cultures and rats. Its proposed benefits to brain growth factors and against oxidative damage are largely preclinical, not proven in people.
Molecular identity
Specs
- Type
- Low-MW polypeptide + free-amino-acid mixture (not a single molecule)Gomazkov, Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr 2015 (PMID 26356623)
- Source
- Cerebral cortex of cattle (bovine) + pigs (porcine)Gomazkov 2015 (PMID 26356623); Geropharm label
- Composition
- Neuropeptides, free amino acids, trace elementsGomazkov 2015 (PMID 26356623)
- Peptide fraction
- Commonly described as low-molecular-weight (≤10 kDa)Secondary literature (commonly cited; not primary-analytically confirmed)
- Excipient
- Glycine (stabilizer — not an active ingredient)Geropharm label
- Molecular weight / formula / sequence
- Not applicable — multi-component mixtureBy definition of the preparation
- PubChem record / CAS
- None — no single PubChem CID or defining CAS exists (mixture). Beware confounders: PMID 15159690 is Cortagen (a different synthetic tetrapeptide); 'cortexin' also names an unrelated renal gene.By definition of the preparation; PubChem (no single record)
- Molecular target
- No single defined receptor; proposed neurotrophic action via BDNF/NGF support, antioxidant and anti-excitotoxic effects — preclinical / proposed, not established in humansGomazkov 2015 (PMID 26356623); cell & rodent literature
- Half-life
- Not established (no published pharmacokinetics; multi-component extract)Not established
- Manufacturer / status
- Geropharm (Russia); registered & used in Russia/CIS (IM neuroprotective drug); not FDA/EMA-approvedGeropharm; FDA/EMA (no marketing authorization)
Plain English
Mechanism
Cortexin is marketed as a tissue-specific neuroprotective and neurotrophic agent — meaning its peptide fragments are claimed to support neuron survival the way the brain's own growth factors do. The proposed actions are: modulating neurotrophic factors such as BDNF and NGF (the brain's "keep this neuron alive" signals), antioxidant and anti-apoptotic effects (reducing cell death after injury), and dampening excitotoxicity (the damage caused when neurons are over-stimulated).
It is important to place these claims in the right evidence tier. They come largely from in-vitro (cell culture) and rodent studies, or are asserted mechanistically in Russian-language reviews — they are not established in humans. For example, a rat stroke model compared Cortexin's effect on BDNF and inflammatory and apoptosis markers against other agents, and a neuronal-culture study reported it stimulated expression of signaling molecules. These support a plausible rationale, but no specific magnitude of BDNF or NGF change has been validated in people, and that gap between mechanism and proven human outcome is the honest center of the picture.
There is also a basic-biology caution shared with other animal-tissue "neurotrophic" extracts: the intact growth factors these preparations are said to mimic have very short lifetimes in the body, so any claim of delivering durable, whole growth factors should be read as marketing shorthand for "neurotrophic-like fragment activity," not literal growth-factor replacement.
Why people reach for it
Potential benefits
Cortexin is the one item in this cluster that's an actual regional prescription drug — a brain-cortex peptide extract used across Russia and the CIS. Here's what draws people to it, kept honest about a Western evidence base that stays thin.
- A brain growth-factor / neuroprotection angle — Cortexin is positioned to support the brain's own growth-factor signaling (BDNF, NGF) and to buffer neurons against oxidative and excitotoxic damage — the proposed actions people reach for it on, drawn largely from cell-culture and rodent work rather than human proof.
- Established regional clinical use — Unlike most peptides in this family, Cortexin is a registered drug in Russia/CIS used in recovery and neurology settings (stroke, brain injury, cognitive support) — real clinical use in that region, though it holds no FDA or EMA approval and the trials are mostly small and open-label.
- Used for recovery and cognitive support — It's reached for in post-injury and cognitive-decline recovery contexts as an add-on to standard care — the role it actually plays in regional practice, not a standalone cure.
- A defined short course, clinic-style — Cortexin runs as a fixed ~10-day course of daily injections rather than open-ended use — a contained, course-based pattern that's how it's been studied and used.
- Pairs with other neurotrophic agents — In its home region it's layered with agents like Semax (a defined synthetic neuropeptide) on a complementary-mechanism rationale, giving a two-route neurotrophic approach.
Sources:PMID 26356623PMID 20873481PMID 35175707PMID 41782540
What people use Cortexin for, drawn from its regional clinical use and a proposed mechanism that is largely preclinical — not proven outcomes outside that setting or medical claims. It is not FDA/EMA-approved.
Implied timing
Best time to dose
Implied best time
Morning
Cortexin is given in the morning — the convention in the regional clinical practice it comes from, fitting a once-daily course routine.
- Morning is the established convention in the Russian/CIS clinical setting where Cortexin is actually prescribed, slotting the once-daily injection into a daytime treatment routine.
- A cortical neuropeptide aimed at alertness and cognitive recovery sits more naturally in the daytime than at night, where an activating signal could be less welcome around sleep.
- There is no published chronobiology or human pharmacokinetic timing study for Cortexin, so the morning preference is clinical-practice convention rather than a proven circadian effect.
- Cortexin is run as a fixed ~10-day daily course, so keeping the same morning slot each day across the course is the practical point.
No study establishes an ideal time of day for Cortexin — morning is the convention from the regional clinical practice it comes from, reasoned from how it's used. As a rule of thumb most peptide dosing lands in the midday-to-evening window; for Cortexin the lean is morning.
How to run it
Dosing & protocol
Cortexin is dosed here as an intramuscular injection — the only route in its approved regional regimen. The lyophilized powder is reconstituted with saline or water-for-injection (WFI), sometimes with procaine as a diluent for tolerability, then injected into a large muscle in a short daily course. The doses below are drawn from regional clinical practice in Russia and the CIS; they are not FDA/EMA-validated protocols.
Regional clinical convention, not Western-trial-proven: Cortexin is approved and dosed in Russia/CIS but holds no FDA or EMA authorization. Its clinical evidence is mostly Russian-language, small, and open-label. Every schedule here reflects that regional practice — not a validated prescription for use outside that regulatory context.
Dose ranges
Cortexin is dosed by body weight in children and at a flat adult rate in adults — both as once-daily IM injections.
- Adults:
- 10 mg/day IM — the standard adult course dose; some regimens use 20 mg/day for a more intensive course. Given once daily.
- Children ≥ 20 kg:
- 10 mg/day IM — same as the adult flat dose once bodyweight clears 20 kg.
- Children < 20 kg:
- 0.5 mg/kg/day IM — weight-based dosing for smaller children. These pediatric figures are the regional clinical convention per the Geropharm label.
Administration (intramuscular)
Cortexin is injected into a large muscle after reconstitution — not subcutaneously.
- Injection site:
- The upper outer quadrant of the gluteus maximus (buttock) is the standard site for adult IM Cortexin in regional practice. The vastus lateralis (outer thigh) is an alternative, especially for pediatric use. Rotate sides daily across a 10-day course.
- Needle and depth:
- A standard IM needle (typically 23–25G, 1–1.5 inch / 25–38 mm for adults) is inserted at a 90° angle into the muscle belly, past subcutaneous fat. This is a full intramuscular injection, not a SubQ pinch.
- Diluent:
- Reconstitute with 0.9% saline or water-for-injection (WFI). Procaine (novocaine) solution is sometimes used as the diluent in regional practice to reduce injection-site discomfort — check for procaine allergy first.
- Time of day:
- Morning administration is the convention in regional clinical practice, fitting a once-daily course routine — see Best time to dose above.
Cycle / course
Cortexin is not a daily-indefinite compound — it is given in defined short courses, which is how it has been studied and used clinically.
- Standard course length:
- 10 days of daily IM injections is the canonical course unit across the regional literature. Some protocols run a second 10-day course after an interval.
- Repeat interval:
- When courses are repeated, an interval of 3–6 months is the typical gap in regional practice, though some neurologists repeat after shorter washouts in acute-recovery contexts.
- Context:
- In the regional clinical setting, Cortexin courses are given as add-on to standard neurological care (rehabilitation, anticonvulsants, vascular agents) — not as standalone monotherapy.
Reconstitution at a glance
Mixing math for a 10 mg vial with saline or WFI for IM injection:
- Standard mix:
- 10 mg vial + 1 mL saline or WFI = 10 mg/mL. For a 10 mg adult dose, draw the full 1 mL. Some protocols dissolve in 2 mL (= 5 mg/mL) to reduce injection-site concentration — in that case draw 2 mL for the full 10 mg adult dose.
- Procaine diluent option:
- If using 0.5% procaine as the diluent instead of saline, the volume math is identical — 1–2 mL per 10 mg vial. Confirm procaine allergy status before using this option.
Sources:PMID 26356623PMID 20873481PMID 35175707Geropharm (manufacturer)
Substrate the signal needs
Nutritional cofactor precision
Cortexin's proposed job is neuroprotection and neurotrophic support — keeping neurons alive and supporting BDNF/NGF-like signaling. Three questions point to the useful cofactors: what substrate does that action consume? what amplifies the neurotrophic context? what tolerability cost is there to mitigate? The answers below are reasoned from that proposed mechanism, not derived from a Cortexin cofactor study — and the mechanism itself is largely preclinical.
Reasoned from Cortexin's proposed neuroprotective/neurotrophic mechanism plus general brain-health nutrition — not a Cortexin cofactor trial. Supplement doses are common practical ranges; Cortexin itself is an extract mixture whose mechanism is unproven in humans.
Supply the brain substrate (DHA · B-complex · choline)
Cortexin supplies cortical peptides; neurons still need membrane raw material and methylation support to act on any neurotrophic signal.
- Omega-3 DHA:
- DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) is the dominant structural fat in neuronal membranes. A neurotrophic signal acts on neurons that need to be physically healthy. 1–2 g DHA daily from fish oil or algal oil, taken with a fat-containing meal for absorption.
- B-complex (B6/B9/B12):
- The B-vitamins run the methylation and homocysteine pathways the brain depends on — B12 and folate especially. Deficiency lets homocysteine accumulate, which is neurotoxic and directly opposes a neuroprotective goal. A B-complex with 400–800 mcg methylfolate (or folic acid) + 500–1,000 mcg B12 + 25–50 mg B6, daily.
- Choline (CDP-choline or Alpha-GPC):
- Choline is the building block of both acetylcholine (the main memory neurotransmitter) and phosphatidylcholine (a key neuronal membrane component). 300 mg CDP-choline or 300–600 mg Alpha-GPC daily supports the substrate side of neurotrophic activity.
Amplify the neurotrophic context (exercise · sleep)
The most evidence-backed way to raise BDNF — the exact growth factor Cortexin is proposed to modulate — does not come from a vial.
- Aerobic exercise:
- 20–40 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity (brisk walking, cycling, swimming) 4–5 days/week is the best-established lifestyle input for BDNF upregulation in humans. Running a Cortexin course without this substrate is leaving the amplifier off.
- Sleep quality:
- Memory consolidation, synaptic pruning, and neurotrophic factor release are heavily concentrated in deep and REM sleep. 7–9 hours with consistent sleep/wake timing is the practical target — sleep deprivation actively suppresses the neurotrophic pathways Cortexin is supposed to support.
Mitigate tolerability (injection-site comfort)
Cortexin's cost profile is minimal — the main friction is the IM injection itself over a 10-day daily course.
- Procaine diluent option:
- Dissolving the vial in 0.5% procaine (novocaine) solution instead of plain saline is the regional clinical practice for reducing injection-site stinging from the acidic reconstituted solution. Confirm no procaine allergy before using it. Alternatively, ensuring the solution warms to room temperature before injection reduces local discomfort.
- Site rotation:
- Alternating between left and right gluteus (or thigh) every day prevents local muscle irritation from daily injections into the same site over a 10-day course.
Combinations + timing
Stacking notes + timing windows
Cortexin is a cortical peptide extract — it supplies neurotrophic-like fragments and a proposed neuroprotective signal. The best stacking partners come at the same brain-support goal from a different angle: a defined synthetic neuropeptide (Semax), or another animal-derived neurotrophic extract (Cerebrolysin). Note: Cortagen (AEDP) is a specific synthetic tetrapeptide — a different entity entirely, sometimes confused with Cortexin because of the similar name; they do not overlap.
User convention reasoned from complementary mechanisms — none of these combinations has been studied head-to-head, and Cortexin's own evidence is mostly Russian, small, and open-label. Stacking two animal-tissue biologics (Cortexin + Cerebrolysin) compounds the immunogenicity uncertainty. Every stack here is mechanism-reasoned, not trial-proven.
Cortexin + Semax
A cortical extract paired with a defined synthetic neuropeptide — two neurotrophic signals, two distinct mechanisms.
- Why it works:
- Semax is a synthetic heptapeptide analog of ACTH (4-10) shown to upregulate BDNF and NGF in Russian preclinical work; it acts via defined receptor interactions. Cortexin provides a broader mixture of cortical peptides with proposed neurotrophic and neuroprotective activity. The pairing targets the same BDNF/neuroprotection goal through a defined-molecule route (Semax) and an extract route (Cortexin) — complementary delivery, not the same lever twice.
- The protocol:
- Cortexin 10 mg IM once daily over a 10-day course, run concurrently with Semax at its intranasal convention dose (~300–600 mcg/day, 2–3 drops of a 0.1% solution intranasally). Both are CIS-lineage agents; the combination is used in Russian-sphere neurological practice as an adjunct layering pattern.
- Outcome:
- Reached for in the nootropic/neurotrophic community for cognitive support and neuroprotective goals. Note that Semax's own evidence is also predominantly Russian-language and preclinical — this is an adjunct stack, not a proven regimen.
Cortexin + Cerebrolysin
Two animal-derived neurotrophic extracts — the closest analog pairing in the CIS-lineage nootropic family.
- Why it works:
- Cerebrolysin is the most closely matched comparator to Cortexin: also an animal-tissue polypeptide extract (from pig brain), also given by injection, also proposed to work via BDNF/NGF-like activity. The rationale for pairing them is that their peptide compositions differ (porcine whole-brain vs bovine/porcine cortex-specific fractions), so they may deliver complementary neurotrophic fragment profiles. In the Russian neurological literature, Cerebrolysin is sometimes described as the stronger comparator; adding Cortexin is a dose-layering approach within the same mechanism family.
- The protocol:
- Cortexin 10 mg IM/day × 10 days, co-run with Cerebrolysin 5–10 mL IV or IM over the same or overlapping 10-day course window. Both are clinic-administered in their labeled use. This is the most aggressive combination in the CIS extract stack — carry the immunogenicity caveat.
- Outcome:
- Used in Russian/CIS clinical and nootropic contexts for stroke recovery, traumatic brain injury support, and cognitive decline. Because both are poorly characterized biologics from animal tissue, compounding the two increases the allergy and immunogenicity uncertainty compared to either alone.
Reconstitution math
Reconstitution calculator
Reconstitution calculator
Calculated for a 1 mL U-100 insulin syringe (100 units/mL).
Units per dose
20
Draw to this mark on a U-100 syringe
- Volume per dose
- 0.2 mL
- Doses per vial
- 10
- Concentration
- 5 mg/mL
One vial lasts
- Daily
- 10 days
- Every other day
- 20 days
- 5×/week
- 14 days
Research use only. Not for human consumption. Outputs are reference values based on research literature — verify all measurements independently.
From the studies
Side effects from research
In its regional clinical use, Cortexin is generally reported as well-tolerated — but "reported as well-tolerated" in small open-label studies is not the same as a rigorous safety database, and that distinction matters here. The most relevant predictable risks are hypersensitivity or allergic reactions, which are an inherent consideration for any product derived from animal (bovine/porcine) brain tissue, and local injection-site reactions from the intramuscular route.
The bigger honest caveat is what is not known: there is limited rigorous, long-term, independent safety data outside its home market. Animal-tissue-derived biologics carry theoretical immunogenicity and contamination considerations that Western regulators have not formally evaluated for this product, since it holds no FDA or EMA authorization.
On sport: Cortexin is not clearly listed on the WADA Prohibited List, but its status is not something this page can confirm either way — a non-approved substance can fall under anti-doping catch-all reasoning regardless of being named. Athletes should verify directly with WADA or their federation rather than assume it is permitted.
Sources:PMID 26356623
As reported in literature
Research dosing ranges
These are the doses studied or used in the cited literature, shown separately so the evidence is never mistaken for a recommended regimen. Cortexin's human data are almost entirely regional (Russian-language), small, and often open-label or observational; the mechanistic studies are rodent or cell-culture. Nothing here is FDA/EMA-validated dosing.
| Dose | Route | Model | Outcome | Sources: |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 mg/day × 15 days (add-on) | IM | Human — post-stroke epilepsy (n=46, open-label add-on) | Added to baseline therapy in 29 patients vs 17 controls; reported enhanced clinical effect — small, single-center | PMID 20873481 |
| 10 mg & 20 mg/day × 10 days | IM | Human — post-COVID neurological symptoms (observational survey) | Evaluated as a treatment course in a large observational survey — not a randomized trial | PMID 35175707 |
| Culture exposure | In vitro | Preclinical — rat brain-cortex neuronal cultures | Stimulated expression of signaling molecules (serotonin, Ki-67, vimentin) — mechanistic, not clinical | PMID 25257443 |
| Rodent dosing | Injection | Preclinical — rat middle-cerebral-artery-occlusion (stroke) model | Compared effect on BDNF, TNF-α and apoptosis markers vs other agents — rodent; no human magnitude established | PMID 41782540 |
Quick answers
Frequently asked
Is Cortexin a single peptide?
No. It is an extract — a standardized mixture of low-molecular-weight peptides and free amino acids isolated from the cerebral cortex of cattle and pigs. Because it is a mixture, it has no single chemical formula, no PubChem ID, and no defining CAS number, much like Cerebrolysin.
Is Cortexin FDA-approved?
No. It is approved and widely used in Russia and neighboring (CIS) countries, but it has no US FDA or European EMA approval, so in those regions it is unapproved and investigational.
Does it actually work?
The evidence is thin by Western standards. The clinical studies are mostly Russian-language, small, single-center, and often open-label add-on designs, while the more rigorous research is in cell cultures and rats. The proposed mechanisms are plausible but not established in humans, and there is no large independent randomized trial confirming benefit.
What is the glycine in Cortexin for?
It is a stabilizer (a pharmaceutical excipient), not the active ingredient. It should not be read as the therapeutic component of the product.
How is it given?
As a daily intramuscular injection of a reconstituted powder — not subcutaneously. The powder is dissolved in saline or water-for-injection (sometimes with procaine as the diluent for tolerability), then injected into the gluteus or thigh over a course of about ten days.
Is it the same as Cortagen?
No — those are different things. Cortagen is a specific synthetic tetrapeptide; Cortexin is an animal-cortex-derived mixture. They are sometimes confused because of the similar names, but they are distinct entities with distinct evidence bases.
Primary sources
References
- PMID 26356623Gomazkov, Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr 2015 — Cortexin composition & proposed mechanisms (review)
- PMID 20873481Gafurov, Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr 2010 — Cortexin add-on in post-stroke epilepsy (n=46)
- PMID 35175707Putilina, Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr 2022 — Cortexin 10/20 mg IM ×10d in post-COVID neurological symptoms (observational)
- PMID 25257443Umnov, Bull Exp Biol Med 2014 — Cortexin stimulates signaling-molecule expression in rat cortical cultures (in vitro)
- PMID 41782540Shchulkin, Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr 2026 — Cortexin vs comparators on BDNF/TNF-α/apoptosis in rat MCAO (preclinical)
- Geropharm (manufacturer)Geropharm — Cortexin product information (cattle+pig cortex polypeptides, glycine excipient, IM dosing)
Research use only · Not medical advice · Updated 2026-06-01