Description
Pinealon is the synthetic tripeptide Glu-Asp-Arg (EDR), which its St. Petersburg developers describe as a component of the brain-cortex preparation Cortexin and have studied mainly in nerve-cell models of oxidative stress and in rodents. Pure Peptides Canada supplies it as a lyophilized research reagent in 20 mg vials, with an independent Janoshik HPLC and mass-spectrometry report, CAD pricing and tracked shipping from inside Canada.
Pinealon at a glance
- What it is: the synthetic tripeptide Glu-Asp-Arg, one of the smallest peptides in the Khavinson bioregulator family that also includes Epitalon and Vilon.
- What researchers study: reactive oxygen species, necrosis and ERK1/2 signalling in cultured neurons, rat offspring exposed to high maternal homocysteine, and dendritic spines in an Alzheimer’s-model mouse.
- Evidence level: cell and rodent studies from the developers and collaborating Moscow and St. Petersburg laboratories; a 2025 study in stem-cell-derived neurons found no significant effect. We found no peer-reviewed randomized controlled trial in people.
- Supplied as: sealed lyophilized powder, 20 mg, single vial or box of 10.
- Delivery: ships from inside Canada by tracked Xpresspost in 3–7 days ($25 CAD), or free in 4–12 days on orders over $299.
Pinealon
EDR peptide · Glu-Asp-Arg · tripeptide bioregulator
- E
- D
- R
Glutamic acid, aspartic acid, arginine.
- Length
- 3 amino acids
- Molecular formula
- C15H26N6O8
- Molecular weight
- ≈ 418.4 g/mol
- Form
- Lyophilized powder, sealed vial
- Sizes
- 20 mg (single or box of 10)
- SKU
- PP-PINEALON
Where the evidence stands
- Cell studies
- Animal models
- Controlled human trials
- Approved medicine
Research is preclinical and comes largely from one group. Pinealon is not an approved medicine anywhere.
What is Pinealon?
Pinealon is three residues long: glutamic acid, aspartic acid and arginine. Despite the pineal-sounding name, its developers describe EDR as a peptide isolated from Cortexin, a polypeptide preparation from animal brain cortex, and their experiments concentrate on nerve cells rather than the pineal gland. In a 2011 imaging study, fluorescently labelled Pinealon collected in the nuclei of cultured HeLa cells, which fits the group’s view that very short peptides can reach chromatin.
Three catalogue relatives make useful comparisons. Cardiogen (AEDR) is Pinealon with an alanine added at the front, yet in the same 2011 study it bound DNA several times more strongly. Vesugen (KED) is another tripeptide and has been tested beside Pinealon with different results. Cortagen (AEDP) is also traced to Cortexin by its developers (Anisimov and colleagues, Neuroendocrinology Letters, 2004).
This page gives a short summary. For a fuller account of each study, the hypoxia experiments and the gene-regulation hypothesis, see our Pinealon research guide.
What published studies report
- Neurons under oxidative stress. Khavinson and colleagues, with Boldyrev’s group at Moscow State University and the Research Center of Neurology (Rejuvenation Research, 2011), exposed rat cerebellar granule cells, neutrophils and PC12 cells to oxidative stress. Pinealon limited the build-up of reactive oxygen species, reduced necrotic cell death and delayed ERK1/2 activation. Its effects on the cell cycle continued at higher concentrations, after the antioxidant effect had levelled off.
- Rat offspring after maternal hyperhomocysteinemia. Arutjunyan and colleagues (International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, 2012) raised homocysteine in pregnant rats with methionine in their drinking water. Pups from mothers that also received Pinealon found the hidden platform in the Morris water maze faster on the second test day (trials 1 to 4; the difference was gone by trial 5), and their cerebellar neurons produced less ROS and showed less necrosis when challenged with hydrogen peroxide. Pinealon did not prevent the hyperhomocysteinemia itself, and the results tables report small groups.
- Dendritic spines in an Alzheimer’s-model mouse. Khavinson and colleagues (Pharmaceuticals, 2021) studied EDR and KED in 5xFAD-M mice. EDR raised overall spine density on hippocampal CA1 neurons by about 11% and reduced thin spines, while KED mainly restored mature mushroom spines. Neither produced a statistically significant change in long-term potentiation.
- No effect in reprogrammed neurons. Sakhenberg and colleagues (Current Issues in Molecular Biology, 2025) turned a human fetal mesenchymal stem-cell line into induced neurons. EDR did not significantly change p21, senescence-associated β-galactosidase, TUJ-1 or lamin B1, whereas KED and AEDG lowered some senescence markers in the same experiment.
What is not established
Whether Pinealon acts by binding DNA, as its developers’ docking models propose, has not been shown in living cells. The cell and rodent findings above all involve the developers or their collaborators, and the 2025 null result is a reminder that an effect seen in one model may not appear in another. The developers’ 2021 review also cites small clinical reports; these do not establish efficacy, and we found no randomized controlled trial in a peer-reviewed journal.
Regulatory status: Pinealon is not an authorized drug in Canada. We sell it strictly as a laboratory reagent for in-vitro research.
Why researchers order Pinealon from Pure Peptides Canada
Add a 20 mg vial or a box of 10 above. Orders over $299 ship free across Canada.
See lab resultsPinealon FAQ
Where can I buy Pinealon in Canada?
Pure Peptides Canada stocks Pinealon as a lyophilized research reagent in 20 mg vials and ships it from inside Canada by tracked Xpresspost in 3–7 days ($25 CAD), or free in 4–12 days on orders over $299.
What does EDR stand for?
EDR is the one-letter code for Pinealon’s sequence: glutamic acid (E), aspartic acid (D) and arginine (R).
Is Pinealon a pineal-gland peptide?
Not in the way the name suggests. Its developers describe EDR as a peptide isolated from Cortexin, a brain-cortex preparation, and most studies use nerve cells or rodent brain models. Our Pinealon research guide covers the evidence in detail.
Which models has Pinealon been tested in?
Rat cerebellar neurons, neutrophils and PC12 cells under oxidative stress, rat offspring after high maternal homocysteine, an Alzheimer’s-model mouse line, and reprogrammed human neurons, where it showed no significant effect. All of these studies involve the developers or their collaborators.
Is this Pinealon third-party tested?
Yes. A certificate of analysis is available on request through our Lab Testing page. Our COA guide explains how to read it.
Can Pinealon be used in people or animals?
No. This product is for in-vitro laboratory research only and is not a drug, supplement or food. We do not provide dosing or administration information.
References
- Khavinson V, Linkova N, Kozhevnikova E, Trofimova S. EDR peptide: possible mechanism of gene expression and protein synthesis regulation involved in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease. Molecules. 2021;26(1):159. doi:10.3390/molecules26010159
- Fedoreyeva LI, Kireev II, Khavinson VKh, Vanyushin BF. Penetration of short fluorescence-labeled peptides into the nucleus in HeLa cells and in vitro specific interaction of the peptides with deoxyribooligonucleotides and DNA. Biochemistry (Mosc). 2011;76(11):1210–1219. doi:10.1134/S0006297911110022
- Anisimov SV, Khavinson VKh, Anisimov VN. Elucidation of the effect of brain cortex tetrapeptide Cortagen on gene expression in mouse heart by microarray. Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2004;25(1-2):87–93. Europe PMC 15159690
- Khavinson V, Ribakova Y, Kulebiakin K, et al. Pinealon increases cell viability by suppression of free radical levels and activating proliferative processes. Rejuvenation Res. 2011;14(5):535–541. doi:10.1089/rej.2011.1172
- Arutjunyan A, Kozina L, Stvolinskiy S, et al. Pinealon protects the rat offspring from prenatal hyperhomocysteinemia. Int J Clin Exp Med. 2012;5(2):179–185. Europe PMC 22567179
- Khavinson V, Ilina A, Kraskovskaya N, et al. Neuroprotective effects of tripeptides—epigenetic regulators in mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease. Pharmaceuticals. 2021;14(6):515. doi:10.3390/ph14060515 (correction: Pharmaceuticals 2025;18(1):111)
- Sakhenberg E, Linkova N, Kraskovskaya N, et al. The influence of short peptides on cell senescence and neuronal differentiation. Curr Issues Mol Biol. 2025;47(9):739. doi:10.3390/cimb47090739
For laboratory research use only. Not a drug, supplement, food or cosmetic, not for human or veterinary use, and not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Harper J. –
For sure its working. Sleeping much better!
Ava Wright –
Arrived pretty quickly. Using it every week and I feel much better to be honest.. best sleeps in a long time. Worth it!!