Cortexin
A porcine/bovine cortex-derived polypeptide bioregulator used clinically in Russia as a neuroprotective and nootropic agent.
Cortexin is a low-molecular-weight polypeptide preparation extracted from cattle and pig cerebral cortex tissue, containing a complex mixture of tissue-specific neuropeptides, amino acids, and microelements. It is used clinically in Russia and Eastern Europe for cognitive impairment, post-stroke recovery, encephalopathy, attention disorders, and pediatric developmental conditions, where it is a licensed prescription drug. Like cerebrolysin, it is positioned as a broad-spectrum neurotrophic preparation that supplies bioactive peptides mimicking endogenous neurotrophic factors. It is not FDA-approved and is sold as a research peptide in the US.
Class
Porcine/bovine cortex-derived polypeptide bioregulator (neuropeptide complex)
Half-life
~2-3 hours (estimated from analog peptide preparations)
Routes
Intramuscular injection
Category
Cognitive & Nootropic
Researched benefits
What it's studied for
Neuroprotection and neuronal survival
Proposed to support neuronal survival and reduce excitotoxic damage in injured brain tissue, with short peptides in the complex mimicking endogenous neurotrophic factor (BDNF/NGF) signaling.
Cognitive function improvement
Documented in Russian clinical settings for cognitive impairment, with proposed support of neuroplasticity and cognitive function across aging populations.
Antioxidant activity in CNS tissue
Reduces oxidative damage in models of ischemia, contributing to its neuroprotective profile.
EEG normalization and neurotrophic factor expression
Clinical EEG studies report increased GABAergic tone; the preparation is proposed to promote neurotrophic factor expression in injured brain tissue.
Post-stroke functional recovery
Russian clinical trials in acute ischemic stroke rehabilitation suggest potential benefit in the regression of neurological deficits during the acute period.
Anti-inflammatory neuromodulation
Proposed to suppress microglial activation after brain injury, limiting secondary inflammatory damage.
Mechanism
How it works
Cortexin is a tissue-specific polypeptide complex rather than a single defined molecule. It supplies a mixture of low-molecular-weight neuropeptides, amino acids, and microelements extracted from cerebral cortex tissue, several of which are proposed to mimic endogenous neurotrophic factor (BDNF/NGF) signaling and thereby support neuronal survival and repair.
The preparation is described as neuroprotective through reduced excitotoxicity and oxidative damage in models of ischemia. It modulates neurotransmitter activity, activating GABA and dopamine systems, and clinical EEG studies report increased GABAergic tone. It also modulates cholinergic (acetylcholine) pathways relevant to attention.
Following brain injury, cortexin is proposed to suppress microglial activation, exerting an anti-inflammatory effect that limits secondary damage while promoting neurotrophic factor expression and neuroplasticity in surviving tissue. This multi-component, tissue-mimetic mechanism places it in the same pharmacological class as cerebrolysin, a porcine brain-derived peptide complex with a broader international clinical dataset.
Dosing protocols
Dosing & administration
Dosing reflects protocols reported in research and community literature for educational purposes. It is not medical advice or a recommendation. Most peptides here are not approved for human use.
Reconstitution
Supplied lyophilized; reconstitute with saline (or procaine in some clinical protocols) prior to intramuscular injection.
Beginner
- Dose
- 10 mg/day
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Timing
- Morning (AM)
- Duration
- 10-day cycles
- Route
- Intramuscular injection
Lyophilized; reconstitute with saline. Mirrors the standard Russian clinical 10 mg daily course.
Intermediate
- Dose
- 10-20 mg/day
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Timing
- Consistent daily time
- Duration
- 10-20 day cycles, repeat every 3-6 months
- Route
- Intramuscular injection
Cyclic dosing repeated 1-2 times per year is typical for chronic neurological conditions.
Advanced
- Dose
- 20-30 mg/day
- Frequency
- 1-2x daily (split AM/PM)
- Timing
- Morning and evening
- Duration
- 20-day cycles every 3-4 months
- Route
- Intramuscular injection
Higher split dosing; the 20 mg/day dose was used in the acute ischemic stroke rehabilitation RCT.
- In approved clinical settings cortexin is administered as a 10 mg dose reconstituted in saline or procaine.
- Russian clinical courses involve daily injections over 10-day cycles, repeated 1-2 times per year for chronic neurological conditions.
- Overall summary range across tiers: 10-30 mg/day IM, in 10-20 day cycles every 3-6 months.
Evidence
Research & clinical studies (2)
Evaluation of the efficacy and safety of cortexin in the complex rehabilitation of verticalization in patients with ischemic stroke in the acute period
In 90 patients with hemispheric ischemic stroke, intramuscular cortexin 20 mg daily for 10 days combined with early verticalization produced the most complete regression of neurological deficits and cardiac autonomic neuropathy during the acute period compared with verticalization alone or standard therapy.
PMID 31626220Neuroprotective effects of peptides bioregulators in people of various age
Compares the polypeptide neuroprotectors cortexin and cerebrolysin with short regulatory peptides semax and pinealon, summarizing clinical applications in elderly patients and proposed mechanisms including neurotransmitter modulation, neuroplasticity support, and cognitive function across aging populations.
PMID 24738258Combinations
Stacking & blends
Neuroprotective bioregulator pairing
Broad-spectrum neurotrophic support
Both are brain-derived polypeptide complexes in the same pharmacological class, each supplying bioactive peptides that mimic endogenous neurotrophic factors; cerebrolysin carries a broader international clinical dataset.
Safety
Side effects & considerations
Commonly reported effects
Contraindications & cautions
- Bovine or porcine protein allergy / peptide allergy
- Pregnancy and lactation
- Active malignancy
Cortexin is generally considered lower risk in research contexts, with mild injection site reactions being the most commonly reported effect. As a tissue-derived preparation, allergy to bovine/porcine protein is the principal contraindication. Individual response varies.
FAQ
Cortexin — common questions
What is Cortexin?
Cortexin is a polypeptide bioregulator derived from cattle and pig cerebral cortex tissue, used clinically in Russia and Eastern Europe as a neuroprotective and nootropic agent. It contains a complex mixture of tissue-specific neuropeptides, amino acids, and microelements proposed to support neuronal survival, reduce excitotoxic damage, and promote neurotrophic factor expression.
What is Cortexin studied for?
It is studied for neuroprotection and neuronal survival support, cognitive function improvement (documented in Russian clinical settings), antioxidant activity in CNS tissue, and EEG normalization with neurotrophic factor expression. Clinical use spans stroke, traumatic brain injury, encephalopathy, attention disorders, and pediatric developmental conditions.
How is Cortexin administered?
In clinical settings it is given by intramuscular injection, typically as a 10 mg dose reconstituted in saline or procaine. Courses involve daily injections over 10-day cycles, repeated 1-2 times per year for chronic conditions.
Is Cortexin FDA-approved?
No. Cortexin is a licensed prescription drug in Russia and several post-Soviet states but is not FDA-approved in the US, where it is classified as a research chemical with no NDA or IND.
What is the half-life of Cortexin?
The half-life is estimated at approximately 2-3 hours based on analog peptide preparations; because it is a peptide complex rather than a single molecule, precise pharmacokinetics are not well defined.
What are the side effects of Cortexin?
The most commonly reported effect is a mild injection site reaction. It is generally considered lower risk, but bovine/porcine protein or peptide allergy is a key contraindication, and use is discouraged in pregnancy, lactation, and active malignancy.
How does Cortexin compare to Cerebrolysin?
Both are brain-derived polypeptide complexes positioned as broad-spectrum neurotrophic preparations. Cortexin is cortex-specific, while cerebrolysin is derived from purified pig brain proteins and has a broader international clinical trial dataset.
