--- title: "Cortagen: Dosage, Side Effects & Prices | BodyHackGuide" url: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/cortagen description: "Cortagen: dosing protocols, mechanism & side effects. Compare 1 current vendor prices." lang: en --- Skip to content Compare notes on r/BodyHackGuide (https://reddit.com/r/bodyhackguide) Compare notes with other researchers. Join r/BodyHackGuide (https://reddit.com/r/bodyhackguide) # Cortagen Longevity: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/wiki#cat-longevity Status Preclinical,, not approved for human use Evidence Animal and cell only, graded on the Bioregulator Peptides (Khavinson Peptides) bench (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/stack/bioregulator-peptides) Cortagen is a synthetic tetrapeptide from the Khavinson bioregulator family developed at the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology. Reviewed 25 October 2026 01 Overview ## What Cortagen is It is organ-targeted to cardiac and coronary tissue, studied for cardiac function preservation and coronary artery health in aging and post-ischemic models. Like other Khavinson bioregulators (Pinealon, Bronchogen, Cartalax, Epithalon), Cortagen is proposed to act via direct gene-regulatory mechanisms in target tissue rather than classical receptor-ligand signaling. Russian clinical literature includes use in elderly patients with cardiovascular disease and post-myocardial infarction recovery. It is distinct from the cortex-targeting Khavinson peptide Cortexin. ### How it works Cortagen is a synthetic tetrapeptide, Ala-Glu-Asp-Pro (AEDP), created by the Khavinson group through directed synthesis based on the amino-acid composition of Cortexin, a polypeptide complex extracted from the cerebral cortex [PMID:15159690]. It is a brain-cortex bioregulator, NOT a cardiac peptide (the cardiac Khavinson analog is a different molecule, Cardiogen / Ala-Glu-Asp-Arg). Like other Khavinson 'short peptides,' Cortagen is proposed to act at the gene-regulatory level - entering cells and interacting with promoter/regulatory DNA regions to modulate tissue-specific gene expression - although a defined molecular receptor has not been established. In organotypic culture it selectively stimulates growth of brain-cortex explants, consistent with its cytomedin (Cortexin) origin [PMID:11713572]. Its best-documented actions are neural: acceleration of peripheral (sciatic) nerve regeneration and conduction recovery after injury in rats [PMID:11276314; PMID:12134478], antioxidant and neuroprotective effects in the cerebral cortex and in chronic brain-ischemia models [PMID:18239817; PMID:21476278], and modulation of immune signaling such as IL-2 mRNA expression (typically weaker than the related peptides Vilon and Epithalon) [PMID:16224591; PMID:12447482]. Anti-aging chromatin effects - decondensation of heterochromatin and reactivation of ribosomal genes - have been reported in lymphocytes from elderly donors [PMID:15085253; PMID:37042594]. Evidence is limited to Russian preclinical work and small clinical use; there are no rigorous Western controlled trials, and a molecular target has not been confirmed. ### Benefits listed - Peripheral nerve repair - accelerated axon regeneration and faster nerve-conduction recovery after injury in rat models [PMID:11276314; PMID:12134478] - Neuroprotection and antioxidant activity in the cerebral cortex and in chronic brain-ischemia models (preclinical) [PMID:18239817; PMID:21476278] - CNS/cognitive support as the synthetic short-peptide analog of the cortex-derived Russian drug Cortexin - Anti-aging chromatin remodeling - reactivation of age-silenced ribosomal genes in lymphocytes from elderly donors [PMID:15085253; PMID:37042594] Show 2 more Show less - Mild immune-signaling modulation (IL-2 expression), generally weaker than Vilon or Epithalon [PMID:12447482; PMID:16224591] - Longevity-protocol stacking as one of the Khavinson short-peptide bioregulators (commonly paired with Epitalon or Pinealon) 02 Research Free with email ## What the research shows ### Graded on a research bench Reference pages that put Cortagen next to the compounds people pair it with: roles, evidence, overlap and conflicts. No dosing. Research use only. - Bioregulator Peptides (Khavinson Peptides) Animal and cell only human data on 5 of 7 compounds on the bench: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/stack/bioregulator-peptides ### Unlock the research summary Enter your email to keep reading. It is free, and it opens these sections on every compound page in this browser. - A summary of the key research - A link to the PubMed results You also get the free peptide cheat sheet by email. Unsubscribe anytime. Have an account? Sign in (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/auth) 03 Safety ## Cortagen side effects and interactions ### Side effects #### Common - Injection-site irritation possible - Generally low adverse-event rate reported in the limited (mostly Russian) preclinical and clinical use #### Serious events - No serious adverse events documented in the small available literature - Human safety data are limited and lack independent Western replication ### Interactions Not in our record Our record lists no interactions for Cortagen. That means none are recorded here, not that none exist. This interaction data is compiled from published research and community reports. It may not be exhaustive. Always consult a healthcare professional before combining compounds. Need bloodwork before starting? Full hormone + metabolic panels from Anabolic Insights. Code CHONCH for first-order discount. Order Bloodwork (https://anabolicinsights.ai/?ref=nwm2zjb) 04 Dosing Free with email ## Cortagen dosage and protocols Dosing Once daily Common vials 20mg ### Unlock the Dosing section - Route, how often and how long - Common vial sizes 05 Prices ## Cortagen prices 1 listing from 1 vendor, opening in the Featured order. Pack prices $79.00 Lowest per mg $3.95/mg Vendors 1 Listings 1 (vial) Prices as the vendors list them, last recorded 22 April 2026. Form Sort | Vendor | Product | Price | Buy | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Image: Ion Peptide logo (https://ionpeptide.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/ion-peptide-logo-1-300x148.jpg) Ion Peptide: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/vendors/ion-peptide | Cortagen 20mg vial, 1 vial In stock | $3.95/mg $79.00 Lowest per mg | Buy Cortagen 20mg at Ion Peptide: https://ionpeptide.com/product/cortagen-20mg/?ref=reddit15 | Vendors selling Cortagen(1: trust score, certificates, payment, shipping) - Ion Peptide (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/vendors/ion-peptide)1 listing, from $79.00 Trust Score 70/100 (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/vendor-trust-scorecard), no certificate records on file, pays by card, crypto, ACH, ships to the US, international destinations Every supplier above is graded 0 to 100 on COA verification, payment transparency, shipping, reviews, and active listings. Methodology published, no pay-to-rank. How we score these vendors (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/vendors/scorecard) Review Cortagen ### Sign in to leave a review Reviews on BodyHackGuide are tied to verified user accounts and moderated before publishing. Sign in (free, no spam) to share your experience with Cortagen. 06 Chemistry ## Chemistry and structure Molecular mass 430.4 g/mol Amino acid sequence Ala-Glu-Asp-Pro (AEDP); H-Ala-Glu-Asp-Pro-OH Half-life Unknown (tetrapeptide; estimated <4 hours) 07 Related ## Related to Cortagen ### In the same category - NAD+Phase 2 NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, oxidized form) is a pyridine dinucleotide coenzyme essential to energy metabolism, DNA repair via PARP enzymes, sirtuin-mediated gene regulation, and calcium signaling via CD38.: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/nad - NMNPreclinical Nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) is a naturally occurring nucleotide derived from ribose and nicotinamide, serving as the direct biosynthetic precursor to nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) via a single enzymatic step catalyzed by nicotinamide mononucleotide adenylyltransferase (NMNAT).: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/nmn - RapamycinPreclinical Rapamycin is a macrocyclic lactone antibiotic discovered in 1972 in soil samples from Rapa Nui (Easter Island) by a bacteriology survey team investigating indigenous Streptomyces species.: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/rapamycin All compounds (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/wiki) ### Compare Cortagen - Alternatives to Cortagen: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/alternatives-to/cortagen ### Research tools - Peptide Calculator Reconstitution and syringe units: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/tools/reconstitution - Reconstitution Guide How to mix, step by step: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/guides/how-to-reconstitute-peptides - Nasal Spray Calc mL per actuation: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/tools/intranasal - Half-Life Visualizer Decay curves: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/tools/halflife All articles (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/blog) 08 Questions ## Frequently asked questions What is Cortagen? Cortagen is a synthetic short-peptide bioregulator with the sequence Ala-Glu-Asp-Pro (AEDP). It was designed by Vladimir Khavinson and colleagues to reproduce the activity of Cortexin, a polypeptide preparation extracted from the cerebral cortex. It is studied mainly for nerve repair, neuroprotection, and anti-aging (chromatin) effects. Is Cortagen a heart or cardiac peptide? No. Cortagen is derived from brain-cortex peptides and acts mainly on nervous tissue. The Khavinson bioregulator aimed at cardiac tissue is a different peptide, Cardiogen (Ala-Glu-Asp-Arg). One exploratory mouse-microarray study reported that Cortagen changes some cardiac gene expression, but that is a screening result, not evidence of a cardioprotective indication. What does the research actually show? Peer-reviewed evidence is almost entirely Russian and preclinical: faster sciatic-nerve regeneration in rats, antioxidant and neuroprotective effects in the cerebral cortex and brain-ischemia models, mild immune-signaling modulation, and chromatin decondensation in lymphocytes from elderly donors. There are no rigorous Western placebo-controlled clinical trials. Is Cortagen FDA-approved? No. Cortagen is not approved by the FDA for any indication and is sold for research use only. It has been used clinically in Russia but has not been validated in Western controlled trials. How is Cortagen dosed? There is no validated human dosing standard. The only peer-reviewed quantitative dose is preclinical (10 mcg/kg intramuscularly once daily for 10 days in rats). Russian bioregulator courses typically run about 10 days. Treat any specific human dose as anecdotal and research-use-only. How many vendors sell Cortagen, and what does it cost per mg? 1 of the vendors BodyHackGuide tracks list Cortagen (1 listing). Among BodyHackGuide's Cortagen listings recorded as in stock with a milligram count, the lowest price per milligram is $3.95/mg at Ion Peptide and the median is $3.95/mg. The Cortagen prices on BodyHackGuide are vendors' listed prices as BodyHackGuide last recorded them, not transactions; the most recent recorded change to a Cortagen listing is dated 22 April 2026. Which vendors have third-party COAs for Cortagen on file at BodyHackGuide? BodyHackGuide holds 3 third-party certificate records for Cortagen, from. No editor has read any of BodyHackGuide's 3 certificate records for Cortagen. The laboratory named on BodyHackGuide's Cortagen certificate records is Freedom Diagnostics Testing, and the newest test date on them is 15 July 2026. Each vendor page on BodyHackGuide shows how many certificate records BodyHackGuide holds for that vendor and links to each record that has its own page. Related ## Articles on Cortagen - Ion Peptide Review 2026: BPC-157, GLP-1s, Buccal Strips & Bioregulators vendor-reviews, 21 April 2026: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/blog/ion-peptide-review-2026 Free 2026 Peptide Cheat Sheet (PDF) 38 compounds and blends: vial sizes, BAC water volumes, dosing ranges and bloodwork markers. Download Free (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/guides/peptide-cheat-sheet-download) BodyHackGuide (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/) Your biohacking research hub: compound pricing, brain health protocols, dosing tools, and vendor reviews. support@bodyhackguide.co Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/Mhq5UdRYBA r/BodyHackGuide on Reddit: https://reddit.com/r/BodyHackGuide **Affiliate Disclosure:** We rank every vendor on the same public, reproducible methodology (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/vendors/methodology). Full details in our affiliate disclosure (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/affiliate-disclosure). **Research Disclaimer:** All compounds listed are for laboratory and research purposes only. Not for human consumption. This site does not sell or ship any products. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional and comply with local regulations. © 2026 BodyHackGuide. 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