alpha-MSH raises a handful of sensible questions. This page answers them in order, starting with the fundamentals and moving to applications.
Reviewed 2026-05-06. Anything still debated is marked as such rather than presented as settled.
The compound was developed in the late 1980s and 1990s by academic researchers investigating photoprotection. The rationale held that stimulating melanin production might reduce ultraviolet damage to skin and lower skin cancer risk. Early work examined receptor binding, pigment response, and short-term tolerability in small studies. That program did not produce an approved drug, and formal development stalled after early-phase trials. Whether induced pigmentation confers meaningful photoprotection remains an open question.
Outside regulated medicine, melanotan II circulates through online vendors as a research chemical, often marketed for tanning. Products sold this way vary widely in purity, concentration, and labeling accuracy, and independent testing has documented discrepancies. Published reports describe both pigment effects and adverse reactions, including nausea, flushing, and darkening of existing moles. Long-term safety data are sparse, and no large controlled trial has established a risk profile. Questions about cumulative effects on melanocytes remain unresolved in the literature.
Melanotan II is a synthetic peptide analog modeled on alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone, a naturally occurring signaling peptide involved in pigmentation. Its structure is a cyclic heptapeptide containing two non-natural substitutions, norleucine at position four and D-phenylalanine at position seven. These modifications resist enzymatic breakdown and extend the molecule's activity relative to the native hormone. The compound binds melanocortin receptors and is studied mainly as a pharmacological tool rather than a therapeutic product. It has never received approval as a medicine in any major jurisdiction.
Melanotan-2 is a synthetic cyclic heptapeptide designed as an analogue of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone, the naturally occurring peptide involved in pigmentation signalling. Its sequence is conventionally written as Ac-Nle-cyclo[Asp-His-D-Phe-Arg-Trp-Lys]-NH2, with a lactam bridge joining the aspartate side chain to the lysine side chain. The empirical formula is C50H69N15O9 and the monoisotopic mass lies near 1023.5 daltons. N-terminal acetylation and the D-configured phenylalanine both increase resistance to enzymatic breakdown compared with the parent hormone.
Pharmacologically, melanotan-2 behaves as a non-selective agonist across the melanocortin receptor family. Binding at MC1R on dermal melanocytes promotes eumelanin synthesis, which underlies the tanning response described in early human work. Activity at the centrally expressed MC4R receptor is associated with reported effects on appetite and erectile function. Because the peptide does not discriminate strongly among receptor subtypes, attributing any single observed effect to one receptor pathway is generally not possible without selective antagonists or receptor knockout models.
| Property | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Chemical class | Synthetic cyclic heptapeptide | Belongs to the melanocortin agonist family |
| Key substitutions | Nle4 and D-Phe7 | Improve resistance to enzymatic degradation |
| Molecular formula | C50H69N15O9 | Approximately 1024 g/mol |
| Regulatory status | Not approved as a medicine | Distributed as a research chemical |
| Common synonyms | Melanotan II, MT-II, MT-2 | Spelling varies across sources |
Melanotan-2, also written Melanotan II, is a synthetic cyclic heptapeptide designed as an analogue of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone. Its sequence is Ac-Nle-cyclo[Asp-His-D-Phe-Arg-Trp-Lys]-NH2, and the lactam bridge between the aspartate and lysine side chains constrains the peptide into a ring. This structural change increases receptor affinity and metabolic stability relative to the native hormone. The compound was created in the 1980s as a research tool for studying pigmentation biology.
Melanocytes are the pigment-producing cells of the skin, and they carry melanocortin-1 receptors on their surface. When the receptor is activated, cyclic adenosine monophosphate rises inside the cell and raises the activity of enzymes such as tyrosinase, which increases melanin output. Melanotan-2 binds melanocortin-1 receptors in vitro and in animal models, and this binding is generally described as the basis for the tanning effect. Other receptors account for different effects: melanocortin-4 receptors contribute to appetite and erectile signalling, while melanocortin-3 and melanocortin-5 receptors contribute to energy balance and exocrine function.
Early published reports described melanotan-2 as a tanning agent without sun protection, which means darkening is not the same as protection against ultraviolet radiation. Later studies explored the peptide in erectile dysfunction, hemorrhagic shock, and some skin conditions. No regulator in the United States or Europe has approved it for clinical use. Many products labelled melanotan-2 are sold without approval and their identity and purity are unverified. Its long-term safety in humans remains an open question.
Melanotan-2 is a synthetic cyclic heptapeptide designed as a structural analogue of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone, the endogenous tridecapeptide that regulates pigment production. Two modifications distinguish it from the natural hormone: norleucine replaces methionine at the N-terminus, which limits oxidation, and a D-phenylalanine substitution raises receptor affinity. The ring is closed through an aspartate-lysine lactam bridge, giving the molecule a constrained conformation. The free base has a molecular mass near 1024 daltons, and commercial material is usually supplied as an acetate salt. It appears in the literature as a research peptide rather than an approved therapeutic agent.
Receptor studies place melanotan-2 among non-selective melanocortin agonists, binding MC1R, MC3R, MC4R and MC5R rather than a single subtype. Activation of MC1R on cutaneous melanocytes raises tyrosinase activity and shifts pigment synthesis toward eumelanin, which is darker and more photostable than pheomelanin. Central receptors, particularly MC4R, are associated with appetite suppression and with reported effects on sexual function. Because subtype selectivity is low, the same molecule engages pigment, metabolic and vascular pathways at once, and this breadth is a common explanation offered for the range of adverse events described in user reports.
Receptor-binding studies classify melanotan II as a non-selective melanocortin agonist. It interacts with MC1R, MC3R, MC4R and MC5R, with reported affinities in the low nanomolar range and no strong subtype preference. Activation of MC1R on dermal melanocytes shifts pigment synthesis toward eumelanin, the dark polymer deposited in melanosomes and transferred to keratinocytes. Because the same peptide engages MC4R in the hypothalamus, it also appears in animal work on food intake and erectile response, which is why it is discussed in both pigment and metabolic research. Which receptor populations dominate after systemic exposure in humans is not fully established.
Published pharmacokinetic information is limited and comes mainly from small studies rather than registrational trials. Plasma half-life is usually described as short, on the order of tens of minutes, followed by rapid tissue distribution and clearance of the intact peptide. Metabolites and low concentrations of parent compound have been reported in urine, a detail relevant to anti-doping and forensic testing. Whether repeated exposure changes receptor sensitivity or clearance over time remains an open question. Values differ noticeably between analytical assays, so published numbers should be read as approximate rather than definitive.
Melanocortin receptors comprise five subtypes with distinct tissue distributions and functions. Melanotan-2 is described in the literature as a non-selective agonist that engages several of these subtypes, including MC1R, MC3R, MC4R, and MC5R. MC1R is the subtype most directly linked to melanin production in skin cells. Because the compound is not subtype-selective, its observed effects in experimental settings are generally attributed to activity across multiple receptor pathways rather than to a single target.
Melanotan-2 is a synthetic linear peptide built from seven amino acids arranged in a short chain. Its sequence is commonly written as Ac-Nle-Asp-His-D-Phe-Arg-Trp-Lys-NH2, which includes a modified N-terminus and an amidated C-terminus. The molecule belongs to the melanocortin family and acts as a receptor agonist. Structural features such as the D-phenylalanine residue and the Nle substitution are associated with increased stability against enzymatic degradation relative to the natural parent peptide.
The compound emerged from research programs in the 1980s that examined analogues of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone for pigmentation and photoprotection. Investigators modified the native sequence to extend activity duration and potency. A related analogue, afamelanotide, was developed within the same broad line of inquiry and eventually gained approval in certain jurisdictions for a rare light-sensitivity condition. Melanotan-2 itself did not progress through the same regulatory route and has no approved therapeutic indication.
==== Legion number and title (cognomen) ==== The numbering of the legions is confusing, since several legions shared the same number with others. Augustus numbered the legions he founded himself from I, but also inherited numbers from his predecessors. Each emperor normally numbered the legions he raised himself starting from I. However, even this practice was not consistently followed. For example, Vespasian kept the same numbers as before for legions he raised from disbanded units. Trajan's first legion was numbered XXX because there were 29 other legions in existence at the time it was raised; but the second Trajanic legion was given the sequential number II. XVII, XVIII and XIX, the numbers of the legions annihilated in the Teutoburg Forest, were never used again. (These three legions are without titles, suggesting that in disgrace their titles may have been deliberately forgotten or left unmentioned.) As a result of this somewhat chaotic evolution, the legion's title became necessary to distinguish between legions with the same number. Legions often carried several titles, awarded after successive campaigns, normally by the ruling emperor e.g. XII Fulminata was also awarded: paterna (fatherly), victrix (victorious), antiqua (venerable), certa constans (reliable, steadfast) and Galliena (Gallienus '). Pia fidelis (loyal and faithful), fidelis constans and others were titles awarded to several legions, sometimes several times to the same legion. Only the most established, commonly used titles are displayed on this table. The geographical titles indicate
Protein cross linking and aggregation may also occur, as well as disruption of FeS groups. Integral to hypochlorous acid formation is myeloperoxidase. Myeloperoxidase is most abundant in neutrophils, wherein phagocytosis is accompanied by degranulation. This is the fusion of granules with the phagolysosome, releasing their contents, including myeloperoxidase. As many microbicidal products are formed during respiratory burst, the importance of individual molecules in killing invading pathogens is not wholly understood. Due to the high toxicity of generated antimicrobial products including ROS, neutrophils have a short life span to limit host tissue damage during inflammation.
=== Further reading === Voet D and Voet J (2004). Biochemistry (3rd ed.). John Wiley and Sons Inc. pp. 1321–1322 and 1342–1343. Hale WG, Margham JP, Saunders VA eds (1995) Collins Dictionary of Biology, (2nd ed) Shine-Dalgarno (SD) sequence. p 565. Lewin, B. (1994) Genes V. Oxford University Press. pp 179, 269. Alberts B, Bray D, Lewis J, Raff M, Roberts K, Watson JD (1994) The Molecular Biology of the Cell (3rd ed.) pp 237, 461. Malys N, McCarthy JE (2011). "Translation initiation: variations in the mechanism can be anticipated". Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences. 68 (6): 991–1003. doi:10.1007/s00018-010-0588-z. PMC 11115079. PMID 21076851. S2CID 31720000. Cicek Mustafa, Mutlu Ozal, Erdemir Aysegul, Ozkan Ebru, Saricay Yunus, Turgut-Balik Dilek (2013). "Single Mutation in Shine-Dalgarno-Like Sequence Present in the Amino Terminal of Lactate Dehydrogenase of Plasmodium Effects the Production of an Eukaryotic Protein Expressed in a Prokaryotic System". Molecular Biotechnology. 54 (2): 602–608. doi:10.1007/s12033-012-9602-z. hdl:11511/55531. PMID 23011788. S2CID 45230872.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
== Corrosion == Superheated water can be more corrosive than water at ordinary temperatures, and at temperatures above 300 °C special corrosion resistant alloys may be required, depending on other dissolved components. Continuous use of carbon steel pipes for 20 years at 282 °C has been reported without significant corrosion, and stainless steel cells showed only slight deterioration after 40–50 uses at temperatures up to 350 °C. The degree of corrosion that can be tolerated depends on the use, and even corrosion resistant alloys can fail eventually. Corrosion of an Inconel U-tube in a heat exchanger was blamed for an accident at a nuclear power station. Therefore, for occasional or experimental use, ordinary grades of stainless steel are probably adequate with continuous monitoring, but for critical applications and difficult to service parts, extra care needs to be taken in materials selection.
We are the new group Mata Zetas (Zeta Killers) and we are against kidnapping and extortion, and we will fight them in all states for a cleaner Mexico. These murdered men were then linked to individuals who had been shown in a video on YouTube while being interviewed by masked men armed with assault rifles. A number of videos online confirmed the existence of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, which was dedicated at that time to kill Gulf Cartel and Zeta members alike. In the interrogation videos done by the Mata Zetas, the captured cartel members confessed their criminal activities and gave out the names of police commanders and politicians who provided them with protection. According to Terra Networks, the government agency of the SEIDO received a phone call on 1 July 2009 from an unidentified man who said that the cartel members of Los Zetas were going to be "kidnapped and eliminated" from Cancún and Veracruz.
Neuropeptides are chemical messengers made up of small chains of amino acids that are synthesized and released by neurons. Neuropeptides typically bind to G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) to modulate neural activity and other tissues like the gut, muscles, and heart. Neuropeptides are synthesized from large precursor proteins which are cleaved and post-translationally processed then packaged into large dense core vesicles. Neuropeptides are often co-released with other neuropeptides and neurotransmitters in a single neuron, yielding a multitude of effects. Once released, neuropeptides can diffuse widely to affect a broad range of targets. Neuropeptides are extremely ancient and highly diverse chemical messengers. Placozoans such as Trichoplax, extremely basal animals which do not possess neurons, use peptides for cell-to-cell communication in a way similar to the neuropeptides of higher animals.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
== Further reading == Serafini M, Cargnin S, Massarotti A, Pirali T, Genazzani AA (September 2020). "Essential Medicinal Chemistry of Essential Medicines". Journal of Medicinal Chemistry. 63 (18): 10170–10187. doi:10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c00415. PMC 8007110. PMID 32352778. Stuart MC, Kouimtzi M, Hill SR, eds. (2009). WHO Model Formulary 2008. World Health Organization. hdl:10665/44053. ISBN 978-92-4-154765-9. The selection and use of essential medicines. Twentieth report of the WHO Expert Committee 2015 (including 19th WHO Model List of Essential Medicines and 5th WHO Model List of Essential Medicines for Children). Geneva: World Health Organization. 2015. hdl:10665/189763. ISBN 978-92-4-069494-1. ISSN 0512-3054. WHO technical report series; no. 994. The selection and use of essential medicines: report of the WHO Expert Committee, 2017 (including the 20th WHO Model List of Essential Medicines and the 6th Model List of Essential Medicines for Children). Geneva: World Health Organization. 2017. hdl:10665/259481. ISBN 978-92-4-121015-7. ISSN 0512-3054. WHO technical report series; no. 1006. The selection and use of essential medicines: report of the WHO Expert Committee on Selection and Use of Essential Medicines, 2019 (including the 21st WHO Model List of Essential Medicines and the 7th WHO Model List of Essential Medicines for Children). Geneva: World Health Organization. 2019. hdl:10665/330668. ISBN 978-92-4-121030-0. ISSN 0512-3054. WHO technical report series;1021. Organization WH (2019).
== Classification == There are different types of ATPases, which can differ in function (ATP synthesis and/or hydrolysis), structure (F-, V- and A-ATPases contain rotary motors) and in the type of ions they transport.
=== Canada === Evaporated milk in Canada is defined to be milk from which water has been evaporated and contains at least 25% milk solids and 7.5% milk fat. It may contain added vitamin C if a daily intake of the product contains between 60 and 75 milligrams, and may also contain vitamin D in an amount no less than 300 international units and no more than 400 international units. Disodium phosphate or sodium citrate (or both) may be added, as well as an emulsifying agent.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
It is a synthetic cyclic peptide designed as an analog of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone. It acts on melanocortin receptors and is best known from research into pigmentation. It is not an approved pharmaceutical product.
No regulatory agency has approved it for any indication. It is encountered as a research chemical sold outside pharmaceutical supply chains. Products marketed this way are not subject to the manufacturing and labeling requirements that apply to approved drugs.
Reports describe increased skin pigmentation as well as side effects such as nausea, flushing, and changes to existing moles. Much of the evidence comes from small studies and case reports rather than large trials. The long-term safety profile is therefore uncertain.
It is a synthetic cyclic heptapeptide analogue of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone, containing seven amino acids with a lactam ring and a D-configured phenylalanine residue. It is supplied as a lyophilised powder for laboratory research.