The short version of MC1R fits in a sentence. The long version — which is the one that helps — is below.
This page was last updated on 2026-05-27 and is reviewed periodically as new material appears.
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.
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.
No regulatory authority has approved melanotan-2 for human use, and several countries classify it as a prescription-only or controlled substance, which restricts lawful supply. Material sold online is generally labelled as a research chemical and is not required to meet pharmaceutical standards of identity or purity. Published human data consist mainly of small uncontrolled studies, case reports and adverse-event notifications, so the evidence base is descriptive rather than confirmatory. Whether repeated melanocyte stimulation alters long-term naevus behaviour remains an open question that no completed trial has resolved.
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.
| Property | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Molecular formula | C50H69N15O9 | Free base; salt forms differ |
| Molecular weight | Approximately 1024 g/mol | Calculated for the free base |
| Appearance | White to off-white powder | Typically supplied as a lyophilised solid |
| Solubility | Soluble in water and polar solvents | Poorly soluble in non-polar solvents |
| Typical storage | -20 degrees Celsius, dry, protected from light | Refers to the solid form |
Research interest has centred on photoprotection and pigmentation, with a smaller body of work on appetite and sexual function. Published human data remain limited to small, frequently uncontrolled studies, and the compound has never received marketing approval from a national medicines regulator. Most laboratory work treats it as a pharmacological tool for probing melanocortin signalling in cell culture or animal models. Whether pigmentation changes observed in people translate into measurable protection against ultraviolet-induced DNA damage remains an open question.
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.
Thermal conductivity detector: measures the thermal conductivity of the eluent. Electron capture detector: the most sensitive detector known. Allows for the detection of organic molecules containing halogen, nitro groups etc. Photoionization detector measures the increase in conductivity achieved by ionizing the effluent gas with ultraviolet light radiation. Olfactometric detector: assesses the odor activity of the eluent using human assessors. Electronic nose detector which mimics human nose is emerging as a modern and advanced version of the olfactory detection is the electronic nose detector.
Migraine is common, with around 33% of women and 18% of men affected at some point in their lifetime. According to the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021, approximately 14% (1.16 billion) of people worldwide are affected by migraine in a given year. In the United States, about 6% of men and 18% of women experience a migraine attack in a given year, with a lifetime risk of about 18% and 43%, respectively. In Europe, migraine affects 12–28% of people at some point in their lives, with about 6–15% of adult men and 14–35% of adult women getting at least one attack yearly. Rates of migraine are slightly lower in Asia and Africa than in Western countries. Chronic migraine occurs in approximately 1.4–2.2% of the population; and affects around 8% of individuals with migraines. Onset can be at any age, but prevalence rises sharply around puberty, and remains high until declining after age 50. Before puberty, boys and girls are equally impacted, with around 5% of children experiencing migraine attacks. From puberty onwards, women experience migraine attacks at greater rates than men. From age 30 to 50, up to 4 times as many women experience migraine attacks as men; this is most pronounced in migraine without aura.
The test provides information on hemostatic efficacy and maximum clot firmness to give additional information on fibrin-platelet interactions and the rate of fibrinolysis (see Thromboelastometry). Scanning electron microscopy and confocal laser scanning microscopy of in vitro-formed clots can give information on fibrin clot density and architecture. The fibrinogen uptake test or fibrinogen scan was formerly used to detect deep vein thrombosis. In this method, radioactively labeled fibrinogen, typically with radioiodine, is given to individuals, incorporated into a thrombus, and detected by scintigraphy.
The two substrates of this enzyme are D-mannonic acid and oxidised nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+). Its products are D-mannuronic acid (shown in open-chain form), reduced NADH, and a proton. The enzyme can also use the alternative cofactor, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate. This enzyme belongs to the family of oxidoreductases, specifically those acting on the CH-OH group of donor with NAD+ or NADP+ as acceptor. The systematic name of this enzyme class is D-mannonate:NAD(P)+ 6-oxidoreductase. Other names in common use include mannonate dehydrogenase, mannonate (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, (phosphate))dehydrogenase, mannonate dehydrogenase, mannuronate reductase, mannonate dehydrogenase (NAD(P)+), D-mannonate:nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (phosphate, and oxidoreductase (D-mannuronate-forming)).
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
=== Hybrids and sub-cultivars === There are a wide variety of breeds for consumer and commercial use of jalapeño plants. The majority fall under one of four categories: F1 hybrids, where the parent plants have been hand-emasculated and cross-bred to produce uniform offspring with hybrid vigor; cultivars which are F-11 or F-12 hybrids or later generations where a stable unique population has been developed; landraces; and F2 hybrids. F1 hybrids produce the highest and most uniform yields but cost 25 times the cost of open-pollinated seed, leading to only 2% of the farmland dedicated to jalapeño cultivation in the United States being planted with F1 hybrids. F2 hybrids often produce similarly to F1 hybrids; however, some F1 hybrids are produced via recessive male sterility to eliminate the need to hand-pollinate, reducing the cost to produce the hybrid, but producing a 25% reduction in yield in the F2 generation. Some notable F1 hybrids are 'Mitla', 'Perfecto', 'Tula', 'Grande' (a hot jalapeño), 'Sayula', 'Senorita', and 'Torreon', most of them being developed and marketed by Petoseed, a brand of Seminis. Cultivars are researched and created to promote desirable traits. Common traits selected for are resistance to viruses and other pepper-related diseases, milder peppers, early ripening, more attractive fruit in terms of size, wall thickness, and corking, and higher yields.
==== Metabolism and elimination ==== 5α-Reductase is a major enzyme involved in the metabolism of progesterone and is known to be expressed in skin in high amounts. For this reason, it has been suggested that rapid metabolism of progesterone by 5α-reductase could account for the low levels of circulating progesterone produced by transdermal application. Studies of progesterone have reported that when progesterone is administered transdermally, 80% is metabolized in the skin and only 20% is likely to pass the skin barrier. Along these lines, a study of radiolabeled progesterone found that 5β-reduced pregnanediol excretion was 8-fold higher than 5α-reduced allopregnanediol excretion with intravenous progesterone yet allopregnanediol excretion was slightly higher than pregnanediol excretion with transdermal progesterone. The metabolites of progesterone in the skin seem to have no hormonal activity. In addition to 5α-reductase, other enzymes, such as 20α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, metabolize progesterone in the skin. Progesterone and/or its metabolites such as 5α-dihydroprogesterone act as 5α-reductase inhibitors and inhibitors of 3α- and 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases in the skin. On the other hand, other research has cast doubt on the notion that progesterone is robustly metabolized in the skin. One study reported that transdermal progesterone in an alcohol-based gel produced high levels of circulating progesterone. This suggests that formulation rather than metabolism might be a critical limiting factor for the bioavailability of transdermal progesterone.
=== Fish === Species of fish, mostly carnivorous ones, show reduced growth and survival when the fish-based feed in their food is replaced with soy meal or feather meal. Taurine has been identified as the factor responsible for this phenomenon; supplementation of taurine to plant-based fish feed reverses these effects. Future aquaculture is expected to use more of these more environmentally-friendly protein sources, so supplementation would become more important. The need of taurine in fish is conditional, differing by species and growth stage. The olive flounder, for example, has lower capacity to synthesize taurine compared to the rainbow trout. Juvenile fish are less efficient at taurine biosyntheis due to reduced cysteine sulfinate decarboxylase levels.
Heseltine allowed his deputy Peter Blaker to debate with CND, but refused to do so himself, believing that he would be at a disadvantage against the attractive Joan Ruddock. Blaker did much of the work while Heseltine got the publicity. DS19 was wound up three months after the 1983 election, at which Heseltine was widely credited with helping the Conservatives achieve a landslide victory.
American biochemist at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, known for his discovery of sodium-glucose cotransport. Francis Crick FRS (1916–2004). British molecular biologist and neuroscientist at the University of Cambridge and the Salk Institute, noted for proposing the double helical structure of DNA. Foreign associate Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. Pedro Cuatrecasas (1936–2025). American biochemist at UC San Diego, known for the development of affinity chromatography. Member Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. Richard D. Cummings (20th–21st century). American biologist at Harvard, known for studying pathways of glycoconjugate biosynthesis and alterations in biosynthesis in human and animal diseases. Anthony Czarnik (b. 1957). American chemist and inventor known for pioneering studies in the field of fluorescent chemosensors.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
No. Melanotan-2 is manufactured synthetically. The naturally occurring peptide in the same family is alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone, which the body produces as part of normal endocrine and neural signalling.
Both are synthetic analogues derived from the same parent hormone. Reference descriptions usually characterise afamelanotide as more selective for the MC1R subtype, whereas melanotan-2 is reported to interact with a wider range of melanocortin receptors.
Early studies explored melanocortin signalling and pigmentation, which later led to informal use of the label tanning peptide. That label is not a regulatory category and does not imply approved status for any purpose.
No regulatory agency has authorised melanotan-2 as a medicine for any indication. It circulates mainly as a research chemical or through unregulated channels. As a result, identity, purity and content are not independently guaranteed.