Synthetic tetrapeptide epitalon restores disturbed neuroendocrine regulation in senescent monkeys

This study investigated the regulatory effect of Epithalon (AEDG) on melatonin and cortisol production in senescent rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) of different age groups. The researchers measured hormonal secretion by enzyme immunoassay before and after administration of the synthetic tetrapeptide, comparing circadian patterns between young, adult, and senescent animals.

The results demonstrated that Epithalon significantly stimulated melatonin synthesis in senescent monkeys during the nighttime period, restoring the evening peak that was attenuated by aging. Consequently, there was a normalization of the circadian rhythm of cortisol secretion, which in senescent animals showed a flattened and dysregulated pattern.

This was a particularly relevant study for demonstrating the effects of the AEDG peptide in non-human primates, a model much closer to human physiology than rodents. The restoration of pineal function and the neuroendocrine axis in aged animals suggests that Epithalon — and by extension its N-acetylated form with superior bioavailability — may have potential to correct the circadian and hormonal dysregulation associated with aging.