Aspartimide comes up often in conversation and rarely with the context attached. Here we lay out the basics in order, then work through the practical considerations.
Updated 2026-07-21. Numbers and descriptions here follow the published literature rather than marketing material.
The compound is generally described as a synthetic analogue of a fragment isolated from a pineal gland extract. Researchers associated with the Saint Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology introduced it during the 1980s and 1990s while studying short peptides from animal tissue. The original extract, called epithalamin, is a heterogeneous mixture, whereas epitalon is a single defined sequence. That distinction matters because findings reported for the extract are not automatically findings about the pure tetrapeptide, and claims about broader biological effects remain a separate question from the chemical identity described here.
Residue composition is the property that most cleanly separates verified material from mislabelled samples. Alanine, glutamate, aspartate and glycine appear in that order from the N-terminus, and the two acidic residues sit in the middle of the chain. Because the peptide is short, it can be produced by solid-phase synthesis and characterised by mass spectrometry without ambiguity. Any reported sample whose measured mass departs substantially from 390 daltons is a different compound or a degraded mixture rather than epitalon.
Epitalon is a synthetic tetrapeptide whose four residues are alanine, glutamate, aspartate and glycine, commonly abbreviated AEDG. Its molecular formula is C14H22N4O9 and its monoisotopic mass is near 390.35 daltons. The peptide carries two acidic side chains, so it is neutral to negatively charged in most aqueous buffers. Published reference summaries usually list it under both spellings, epitalon and epithalon, and treat the two names as the same material.
No pharmacopoeial monograph exists for this peptide, so quality rests on the supplier's internal specifications and on whatever independent testing a purchaser arranges. Certificates of analysis differ widely in which tests they report and in the limits applied. The counter-ion introduced during purification, commonly acetate or trifluoroacetate, changes the net peptide content of a given mass of powder, so two samples of equal weight may not contain equal amounts of the active sequence. Third-party laboratories can verify purity, identity, residual solvents, and counter-ion content for a fee, which makes documentation more informative than labelling.
Verification of a sample usually begins with reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography, which resolves the peptide from truncated sequences and other impurities and expresses purity as a percentage of total peak area. Mass spectrometry by electrospray ionisation or matrix-assisted laser desorption supplies an independent check, because the measured mass can be compared against the theoretical value for AEDG. Amino acid analysis or tandem mass spectrometry sequencing can confirm residue order. Each of these methods answers a different question: a purity figure does not establish identity, and an identity match does not establish how much of the material is intact peptide.
The molecule is a short, linear, hydrophilic peptide that dissolves readily in water or aqueous buffer. Its principal chemical liabilities are hydrolytic rather than oxidative, since it contains no cysteine, methionine, or tryptophan residues. The aspartate–glycine step is a recognised site for aspartimide formation under mildly acidic or basic conditions, generating isoaspartate and succinimide-related products over time. Desiccated lyophilised powder held at −20 °C is comparatively stable, whereas dilute solutions degrade faster and are best frozen as single-use aliquots rather than thawed repeatedly.
| Property | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Molecular formula | C14H22N4O9 | Derived from the four constituent residues |
| Molecular mass | About 390.35 Da | Monoisotopic value, confirmed by mass spectrometry |
| Residue sequence | Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly | Read from the N-terminus to the C-terminus |
| Common synonyms | Epithalon; AEDG | Both forms appear in reference catalogues |
| Net charge near neutral pH | Negative | Two acidic side chains give a low isoelectric point |
The most frequently cited proposed action is induction of telomerase, the enzyme that adds repeat sequences to chromosome ends. Cell-culture work from the originating group reported higher telomerase reverse transcriptase expression and measurable telomere elongation in human somatic cells after exposure. How a four-residue peptide would reach nuclear gene regulation is not established, and no cell-surface receptor or uptake route has been identified. Additional reports describe changes in melatonin secretion, antioxidant enzyme activity and lipid peroxidation in aged animals, but these findings remain mechanistically unconnected to the telomerase observation.
Published evidence comes mainly from Russian-language journals and from a single research group, with small sample sizes and limited independent replication. A few laboratories outside that group have examined related peptides and reported weaker or absent telomerase effects, so the central claim is best described as contested rather than settled. Rodent studies report modest changes in some ageing markers and in survival, but designs vary and control conditions are often sparse. No large randomised trial in humans has been published, and long-term safety data in healthy populations are correspondingly thin.
Identity testing for epitalon relies on reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography for purity and mass spectrometry for mass confirmation. Because the sequence contains no tryptophan or tyrosine, ultraviolet detection at 280 nanometres is insensitive, so chromatographic methods usually monitor absorbance near 214 nanometres, where the peptide backbone absorbs. Electrospray ionisation or matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation then checks the intact mass against the expected value near 390 daltons. Peptide mapping or amino acid analysis after acid hydrolysis can supplement these measurements, although such confirmatory work is seldom reported on commercial certificates of analysis.
Stability of the tetrapeptide follows ordinary peptide chemistry rather than any unusual structural feature. The aspartate-glycine pair is prone to aspartimide formation under mildly basic or neutral conditions, and deamidation can follow, altering both mass and chromatographic retention. Dry lyophilised powder kept at or below minus twenty degrees Celsius is the usual handling recommendation, with repeated freeze-thaw cycles avoided. Once dissolved in neutral aqueous buffer, degradation proceeds over days to weeks depending on pH and temperature, while acidic conditions generally slow the aspartimide route. A formal stability-indicating study has not been published in the indexed literature.
Epitalon is a synthetic four-amino-acid peptide with the sequence alanine-glutamate-aspartate-glycine, commonly abbreviated AEDG. Its molecular formula is C14H22N4O9, and its calculated molar mass is approximately 390.35 grams per mole. The compound is a short fragment related to a peptide fraction isolated from bovine pineal gland extracts, and it is normally supplied as a lyophilised powder intended for laboratory research. It is not a registered pharmaceutical product in most countries.
The peptide emerged from research carried out in Saint Petersburg from the late 1980s onward, where investigators searched for shorter active fragments of a pineal preparation known as epithalamin. The name epitalon was chosen to reflect that parent extract. Early reports described effects on neuroendocrine markers and on the lifespan of laboratory animals. Much of that work appeared in Russian-language journals, with English translations following later, which affects how readily the original protocols can be assessed by outside groups.
Published studies on epitalon are dominated by a small number of research groups, and independent replication in other laboratories remains limited. Proposed mechanisms include activation of telomerase and modulation of melatonin rhythms, but the evidence for either rests mainly on cell cultures and animal models. Whether the peptide produces comparable effects in humans is an open question, and the absence of large controlled trials means the literature is best read as exploratory rather than settled.
== Notable people == Jacob M. Gile (1849–1937), architect in Colorado, born in Lebanon Doug Jones, MLB All-Star relief pitcher Mel Kenyon, Hall of Fame midget car driver; had four top-five finishes in Indianapolis 500 Sylvia Likens, murder victim, born in Lebanon, murdered in Indianapolis in 1965 when she was 16 Ray Long, editor of Cosmopolitan from 1919 to 1931, born in Lebanon Ami McKay, novelist, playwright and journalist Rick Mount, 1966 Indiana "Mr. Basketball" award recipient, 3x All-American Purdue player William Perigo, basketball head coach at Western Michigan University and University of Michigan Drew Powell, actor, is best known for his role as Hoss Cartwright on the TV series Ponderosa Allen Saunders, cartoonist and writer, Mary Worth G. Thomas Tanselle, textual critic, bibliographer, and book collector, especially known for his work on Herman Melville Craig Terrill, former Purdue and Seattle Seahawks football player Herman B Wells, former President of Indiana University, attended Lebanon High School
The number of bones varies between individuals and with age – newborn babies have over 270 bones some of which fuse together. These bones are organized into a longitudinal axis, the axial skeleton, to which the appendicular skeleton is attached. The human skeleton takes 20 years before it is fully developed, and the bones contain marrow, which produces blood cells. There exist several general differences between the male and female skeletons. The male skeleton, for example, is generally larger and heavier than the female skeleton. In the female skeleton, the bones of the skull are generally less angular. The female skeleton also has wider and shorter breastbone and slimmer wrists. There exist significant differences between the male and female pelvis which are related to the female's pregnancy and childbirth capabilities. The female pelvis is wider and shallower than the male pelvis. Female pelvises also have an enlarged pelvic outlet and a wider and more circular pelvic inlet. The angle between the pubic bones is known to be sharper in males, which results in a more circular, narrower, and near heart-shaped pelvis.
== Prevention == There is a large crossover between the lifestyle and activity recommendations to prevent a myocardial infarction, and those that may be adopted as secondary prevention after an initial myocardial infarction, because of shared risk factors and an aim to reduce atherosclerosis affecting heart vessels. The influenza vaccine also appears to protect against myocardial infarction with a benefit of 15 to 45%.
Whites owned most of the best farmland, and had far superior education, wages and homes, but the schooling, healthcare, infrastructure and salaries available to black Rhodesians were nevertheless very good by African standards. In the wider Imperial context, Southern Rhodesia occupied a category unto itself because of the "special quasi-independent status" it held. The Dominions Office, formed in 1925 to handle British relations with the dominions of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Newfoundland, South Africa and the Irish Free State (the Statute of Westminster 1931 delineated the rights of the dominions more clearly in that year), also dealt with Southern Rhodesia, and Imperial Conferences included the Southern Rhodesian Prime Minister alongside those of the dominions from 1932. This unique arrangement continued following the advent of Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conferences in 1944. Southern Rhodesians of all races fought for Britain in the Second World War, and the colonial government gradually received more autonomy regarding external affairs. During the immediate post-war years, Southern Rhodesian politicians generally thought that they were as good as independent as they were, and that full autonomy in the form of dominionship would make little difference to them. Post-war immigration to Southern Rhodesia, mainly from Britain, Ireland and South Africa, caused the white community to swell from 68,954 in 1941 to 221,504 in 1961. The black population grew from 1,400,000 to 3,550,000 over the same period.
Thin reticular fibers (reticulin) of reticular connective tissue form a supporting meshwork inside the node. These reticular cells also form a conduit network within the lymph node that functions as a molecular sieve, to prevent pathogens that enter the lymph node through afferent vessels re-enter the blood stream. The lymph node capsule is composed of dense irregular connective tissue with some plain collagenous fibers, and a number of membranous processes or trabeculae extend from its internal surface. The trabeculae pass inward, radiating toward the center of the node, for about one-third or one-fourth of the space between the circumference and the center of the node. In some animals they are sufficiently well-marked to divide the peripheral or cortical portion of the node into a number of compartments (nodules), but in humans this arrangement is not obvious. The larger trabeculae springing from the capsule break up into finer bands, and these interlace to form a mesh-work in the central or medullary portion of the node. These trabecular spaces formed by the interlacing trabeculae contain the proper lymph node substance or lymphoid tissue. The node pulp does not, however, completely fill the spaces, but leaves between its outer margin and the enclosing trabeculae a channel or space of uniform width throughout. This is termed the subcapsular sinus (lymph path or lymph sinus). Running across it are a number of finer trabeculae of reticular fibers, mostly covered by ramifying cells.
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=== Allergies === Diphenhydramine is effective in the treatment of allergies. As of 2007, it was the most commonly used antihistamine for acute allergic reactions in the emergency department. By injection, it is often used in addition to epinephrine for anaphylaxis, although as of 2007 its use for this purpose had not been properly studied. Its use is only recommended once acute symptoms have improved.
2 October A U.S. Navy C-2A Greyhound crashed into the Gulf of Tonkin on a flight from Naval Air Station Cubi Point to the aircraft carrier USS Constellation killing all 27 on board. Hanna E. Crews a Donut Dolly died of head injuries after a vehicle accident near Bien Hoa, becoming the first of three Donut Dollies to die in the war.
=== Vascular diseases === CCN1 is overexpressed in vascular smooth muscle cells of atherosclerotic lesions and in the neointima of restenosis after balloon angioplasty, both in rodent models and in humans. Suppression of CCN1 expression results in reduced neointimal hyperplasia after balloon angioplasty, an effect that is reversed by delivery of CCN1 via gene transfer In a mouse model of oxygen-induced retinopathy, expression of CCN1 in the vitreous humor produced significant beneficial effects in repairing damaged vasculature.
=== Pollutants === Storage in metal cabinets is the best material to maintain herbaria collections. Metal cabinets do not release volatile organic compounds as wooden cabinets do. The metal shelves can be easily cleaned and a well-sealed cabinet will provide a stable microclimate for the specimen.
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By inhibiting this pathway, less collagen was produced and deposited in the heart, preventing the formation of cardiac fibrosis. Huang and Chen (2013) claim that oxymatrine may even be involved in inhibiting the expression of TGF-β1 receptors, which would further support that oxymatrine attenuates the signal transduction pathway involved in collagen production. They also reported that inhibition of the TGF-β1 receptor may also prevent ventricular remodeling.
As in the 2023 election, the electoral system followed that of the 2021 amendment of the 2017 constitution. The 500 members of the House of Representatives were elected by parallel voting. 400 seats were elected from single-member constituencies by first-past-the-post voting and 100 seats by proportional representation. Voters cast separate ballots for the two sets of seats. The 100 party-list seats were distributed under the "100 divisor" formula, restored in 2022 after parliament failed to finalise a rival draft within its 180-day deadline. The national party-list vote is divided by 100 to give a quota; each party takes one seat for every whole quota it has won, and the seats still unfilled go to the parties with the largest fractional remainders. List seats are awarded on top of constituency seats rather than in compensation for them, so a party that sweeps the constituencies keeps its full proportional entitlement as well. Writing shortly before the system was first used, Napon Jatusripitak of the ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute observed that cutting the number of list seats from 150 to 100 raised the share of the vote needed to win one and allowed larger parties to take a higher proportion of seats than of votes. At the 2026 election the 35,030,579 valid party-list votes produced a quota of 350,306.
== Classification == Classification of radioactive waste varies by country. The IAEA, which publishes the Radioactive Waste Safety Standards (RADWASS), also plays a significant role. The proportion (by volume) of various types of waste generated in the UK are:
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
It is a four-amino-acid peptide built from alanine, glutamate, aspartate and glycine in that order. Its formula is C14H22N4O9, and it is made by chemical synthesis rather than extracted from tissue. The synthetic peptide is a single defined molecule, unlike the pineal extracts it is often compared with.
No. The two spellings refer to the same tetrapeptide, and the difference reflects transliteration from Russian. Laboratories and catalogues use both forms interchangeably. The material is also indexed as AEDG, taken from the one-letter codes of its residues.
Epithalamin is a mixed preparation derived from animal pineal tissue and contains many peptides. Epitalon is one synthetic sequence chosen for study from that broader mixture. Statements about one do not transfer directly to the other.
Mass spectrometry provides the identity check, because the observed mass is compared with the theoretical mass of the AEDG sequence. Chromatography separates and quantifies impurities but does not by itself prove which peptide is present. The two techniques are normally used together.