Function
While CJC-1295 is used in research to chronically elevate endogenous growth hormone and IGF-1 levels, enabling studies of body composition, metabolic, and anti-aging effects of prolonged GH exposure10, Semax is used clinically in Russia for ischemic stroke and cognitive disorders; in models it improves learning, protects dopaminergic neurons, and modulates stress responses without significant endocrine ACTH-like effects166174.
Mechanism
While CJC-1295 works as a tetrasubstituted 29-amino-acid analog of GHRH(1–29) that acts as a potent agonist at the GHRH receptor and, in its DAC form, covalently binds serum albumin to extend half-life from minutes to days, resulting in sustained pulsatile GH and IGF-1 increase1082, Semax is a synthetic heptapeptide, Met-Glu-His-Phe-Pro-Gly-Pro (MEHFPGP), that is an analog of ACTH(4–10) with a Pro-Gly-Pro extension and exerts neurotrophic and neuroprotective actions partly via upregulation of BDNF and modulation of dopaminergic and glutamatergic systems40162165174.
Length and Sequence
CJC-1295 is 29 amino acids long, whereas Semax is shorter as it has a length of 7 amino acids. CJC-1295 is made up of a sequence of Tyrosine, Alanine, Aspartic acid, Alanine, Isoleucine, Phenylalanine, Threonine, Glutamine, Serine, Tyrosine, Arginine, Lysine, Valine, Leucine, Alanine, Glutamine, Leucine, Serine, Alanine, Arginine, Lysine, Leucine, Leucine, Glutamine, Aspartic acid, Isoleucine, Leucine, Serine, Arginine. Semax is made up of a sequence of Methionine, Glutamic acid, Histidine, Phenylalanine, Proline, Glycine, Proline.