Pinealon (EDR) Peptide: A Research Overview

For laboratory research use only. Not for human consumption.

Pinealon is a synthetic tripeptide that comes out of a particular tradition of "short peptide" research, mostly carried out in Russia. Compared with BPC-157 or GHK-Cu, it has a small English-language literature, and researchers often find it hard to locate primary sources. This overview covers the structure, the research context and the main published studies, along with an honest account of where the evidence stops.

What is Pinealon?

Pinealon is the tripeptide Glu-Asp-Arg, written in one-letter code as EDR. At three amino acids it's one of the smallest peptides in the Pepy catalogue. Its molecular weight is around 418 Da. Because it's so small, identity confirmation by mass spectrometry is simple, but very short peptides can be harder to retain and resolve by reversed-phase HPLC. That's worth noting when reviewing a certificate of analysis.

Origins in short-peptide research

Pinealon is associated with the research group of Vladimir Khavinson and colleagues at the St Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology. That group has published extensively on short peptides of two to four amino acids. A central hypothesis in their work is that some very short peptides may interact directly with DNA or chromatin and influence gene expression, a mechanism that remains under investigation.

Published research

Cell-culture studies

A study indexed on PubMed reported that Pinealon was associated with lower reactive oxygen species levels and less necrotic cell death in cultured cell models exposed to oxidative stress. It also reported effects on ERK signalling timing and cell-cycle parameters (PMID 21978084). These are in-vitro observations in specific cell lines under specific stress conditions.

Animal-model studies

A rat study published in open access examined Pinealon in a model of prenatal hyperhomocysteinaemia. It reported differences in offspring between treated and untreated groups on several biochemical and behavioural measures (PMC3342713). Like all animal-model work, its findings are specific to the model and don't establish effects in other species.

Mechanistic review

A 2021 review by the same research tradition proposed possible mechanisms by which the EDR peptide might influence gene expression and protein synthesis, and discussed them in the context of neurodegenerative-disease models (PMID 33396470). It's a hypothesis-generating paper, not a trial.

Evidence limits

Researchers evaluating Pinealon should keep the following in mind:

Concentrated authorship. Most of the published work comes from one research group and its collaborators. Independent replication by unaffiliated laboratories is limited.
Language and access. Some relevant papers are published in Russian-language journals and may not be fully indexed in Western databases.
No large controlled human trials appear in major registries or indexes. The literature is predominantly in-vitro and animal-model work.
Mechanism vs outcome. Proposed DNA-interaction mechanisms are still hypotheses, and the effect of a three-residue peptide on gene expression is an active scientific question.

For a framework on weighing different study designs, see our guide to research evidence terminology and limitations.

Pinealon compared with other short peptides

Feature	Pinealon	Selank	Semax
Length	3 residues (EDR)	7 residues	7 residues
Design basis	Short "bioregulator" peptide	Tuftsin analogue	ACTH(4–10) analogue
Main research origin	Khavinson group, St Petersburg	Institute of Molecular Genetics, Moscow	Institute of Molecular Genetics, Moscow

Selank and Semax are compared in detail in our Selank vs Semax article.

Analytical considerations

HPLC of very short peptides

Tripeptides are highly polar and can elute early on standard reversed-phase columns, sometimes close to the solvent front. A reliable purity figure depends on a method that's been adapted for that. When reviewing a certificate, check that the main peak is well resolved.

Identity by mass spectrometry

With an expected mass of around 418 Da, Pinealon is easy to confirm by MS. A certificate should state the observed mass alongside the theoretical value. See HPLC purity vs compound identity.

Counter-ions

Synthetic peptides are often supplied as salts (for example acetate or TFA). With a small peptide, the counter-ion can make up a meaningful proportion of the total mass, which matters when calculating molar concentrations. Our concentration and dilution calculations guide covers this.

Frequently asked questions

What is the amino acid sequence of Pinealon?

Glu-Asp-Arg, written as EDR in one-letter code.

Who developed Pinealon?

It's associated with Vladimir Khavinson's research group at the St Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology, which studies short regulatory peptides.

Is there clinical trial evidence for Pinealon?

Large controlled human trials don't appear in major indexes. Published work is mainly in-vitro and animal-model research.

Why can short peptides be tricky to analyse by HPLC?

Very short, polar peptides may not be retained well on standard reversed-phase columns, so the method needs adapting to give a reliable purity result.

Does the salt form affect concentration calculations?

Yes. For small peptides, a counter-ion such as acetate or TFA can make up a significant share of the weighed mass. Account for it when working out molar concentration.

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