Peptides. Frequently asked Questions

Currently, peptide bioregulators have been studied quite well and are widely used not only in medical practice, but also in our daily life. That is why there are more and more questions related to their use.

We decided to publish a series of articles in which specialists from the scientific department of Peptides, the exclusive representative of the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology, answer the frequently asked questions of our readers. The purpose of these information materials is to cover the most relevant topics related to peptide bioregulators and their applications in a competent and accessible way.

President of the Peptides company, oncologist, candidate of medical sciences Roman Nikolayevich Pinaev, will tell us what peptide bioregulators are and how the Khavison peptides presented by the Peptides company differ from other peptides.

One of the main questions that our consumers ask us is: are the peptide drugs presented by Peptides company medicinal and can only be used when prescribed by a doctor, or are they still dietary supplements, and each person can choose them for oneself?

R.P.: In order to answer this question, we need to delve into the history of the discovery of peptide bioregulators.

It all started over 40 years ago within the walls of the Leningrad Military Medical Academy (VMA). In the late 1970s, two VMA cadets Vladimir Khavinson and Vyacheslav Morozov began working on the creation of a new drug that would support the body of the military personnel during military setbacks (radiation, injury, trauma, etc.). Since these injuries suppress the functioning of the central organ of the immune system, the thymus, and the central organ of the endocrine system, the pineal gland, it was suggested that if a substance was found that could restore the normal functioning of these organs, the recovery rate of the body as a whole would increase dramatically. Such a substance turned out to be low molecular weight peptide fractions isolated from the corresponding organs (thymus and epiphysis) of cattle. The drugs have passed the stage of laboratory and clinical studies, received the status of medicinal products and began to be successfully used not only by military doctors, but also by doctors of other specialties.

To date, five peptide bioregulators developed by the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology have been registered as medicines.

In the course of the study of peptide preparations, their additional positive effects on the body of laboratory animals were revealed. The use of epiphyseal and thymus peptides in a population of white mice caused an increase in the average life expectancy of animals by 1.5-2 times, while the animals retained their reproductive function, the number of spontaneous tumor diseases decreased by 2-2.5 times. Thus, it was found that peptide bioregulators have a geroprotective effect, that is, they increase life expectancy and improve its quality, and have an onco-prophylactic effect - they reduce the risk of developing tumor pathology.

It became clear that such powerful bioregulators can be used not only as medicines at the stage of an already developed disease, but also as prophylactic agents. It was necessary to introduce their use to the general population for the prevention of various diseases, which was done in the early 1990s.

A research institute was established to develop bioregulators and study their effects. This was the beginning of a new direction in domestic medicine - bioregulatory therapy. During the work of the institute, on the basis of drugs, oral (for oral administration) forms of peptide bioregulators were developed, which are registered as dietary supplements (biologically active food supplements). The formula of the active substance has remained the same, but the concentration has become lower, and the form of administration - a capsule - is natural and convenient, which allows the use of these bioregulators without a doctor's prescription for preventive purposes.

The result of the thorough work of scientists was a series of peptide bioregulators (21 preparations), which contain low molecular weight peptide fractions. They are isolated from various tissues of calves and have a bioregulatory effect. Thus, the range of tissues that we can influence with peptide bioregulators has expanded significantly. The drugs were given the name CYTOMAX. Those who are getting acquainted with our products for the first time can look through our updated electronic catalog, to find out what bioregulators we offer and which area of the body they affect.

Science does not stand still, and over time, an active amino acid sequence has been identified that triggers the changes we need in cells. This sequence could be repeated and synthesized artificially, no longer using animal tissues. Thus, synthesized analogs of cytomaxes – CYTOGENES - were developed.

For the effective promotion of bioregulators in 2009, the Peptides company was created - the exclusive representative of the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology. The objectives of the Peptides company are the development and production of high-quality peptide products, their sale through dealer centers and partners both in our country and worldwide, as well as professional information support and popularization of peptide drugs.

Since in the course of clinical observations it was noted that monotherapy (that is, the use of one peptide bioregulator) is much less effective in various pathologies than the use of a complex of peptides selected according to the pathogenesis of the disease.

That is why complex peptide bioregulators were developed, where not only several peptides related to each other by the direction of action were enclosed in one capsule, but also non-peptide bioregulators that help the peptides do their job. We are now talking about the new latest line of peptide bioregulators Revilab ML and Revilab SL, we will also tell you about them in detail in the following articles.

So, now you see that the peptide bioregulators presented by the Peptides company have absorbed all the best from both dietary supplements and drugs. In terms of effectiveness and scientific validity, they are on the same level as drugs, but in terms of safety and availability they are equal to dietary supplements. Currently there is no known equivalent in the market of medicinal and auxiliary preparations. The creation of our bioregulators is based on decades of scrupulous work of various scientists, and their effectiveness and safety have been proven by numerous clinical trials. Each product presented by the company has all the necessary certificates and licenses, which you can see for yourself on the company's website.

Another frequently asked question from our readers: “How are the peptide drugs presented by Peptides different from all other peptides?”

R.P.: Indeed, the word "peptides" has now become fashionable. Everyone uses it to attract clients: manufacturers of cosmetics, dietary supplements, and functional nutrition. Let us figure out what it is.

From the school biology course, we know that all living organisms, including us, are made up of proteins. Proteins are biopolymers, the building blocks of which are amino acids. If any two amino acids are connected by a peptide bond, this design can already be called a peptide. This is also the case with 3-50 amino acids. If there are more than fifty amino acids, then we are talking about a protein. Therefore, formally, any manufacturers who have introduced such connected amino acids into their product have the right to proudly write “CONTAINS PEPTIDES” on the packaging. BUT! Will these peptides be the same peptides that are contained in our preparations? And will they work in the same way as our bioregulators? NO!

Why? It's all about the sequence of amino acids and the specific bonds between them. As I have already said, in the course of thorough scientific research at the Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology, a strict sequence of amino acid residues in the peptide chain was revealed. This strict sequence, due to its  complementarity – similarity, is able to activate the corresponding gene, turn it on and start the very cascade of reactions, the result of which is so clearly visible at the population level - an increase in life expectancy, a decrease in the number of tumor diseases, and so on.

All other sequences will not work. As an illustrative example, I will give the difference between keys in general and a specific key to your apartment. You can try a hundred, or  a thousand keys, which will be very similar to yours, but you will not open the door with them and you will not get into the apartment. For this you need the one and only - your key. The same goes for peptides. You can take peptides even from milk, seaweed, or from garden snails. They will not work in the same way as the Khavinson-Morozov peptides and “open” the necessary genes. At best, it will be just a source of amino acids, on which manufacturers earn money, speculating with the buzzword “peptides”.

Our peptide bioregulators are the result of many years of scientific development, and the method of their production is protected by a patent. Peptides products are exclusive, and there are no more such peptide sequences in any other drugs. Therefore, beware of fakes and do not fall for fashion trends.