What is EPITHALON?
Epithalon is a short synthetic peptide belonging to the class of compounds commonly referred to as peptide bioregulators. Structurally, it is a tetrapeptide — a chain of four amino acid residues joined by α-peptide bonds — with the sequence alanine-glutamic acid-aspartic acid-glycine (Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly), frequently abbreviated AEDG. It is often catalogued under the alternate spelling "Epitalon." The molecule was first prepared as a defined synthetic analog modeled on the amino acid composition of epithalamin, a peptide fraction historically isolated from pineal tissue.
Because two of its four residues are the acidic amino acids glutamic acid and aspartic acid, the peptide carries a net negative charge under near-neutral aqueous conditions, which contributes to its ready solubility in water. As a low-molecular-weight peptide it presents a compact, well-defined chemical structure that is straightforward to characterize by chromatographic and mass-spectrometric methods, making it a convenient reference standard for analytical workflows.
Within the scientific literature, Epithalon is studied as a representative pineal-derived peptide bioregulator and is associated with in-vitro and preclinical research areas such as telomere and telomerase biology, cellular senescence, and circadian/pineal peptide signaling. This material is offered strictly for laboratory research use only. It is not a drug, dietary supplement, or article intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any condition, and no physiological outcomes are described or implied.
Reconstitution & handling
Epithalon is supplied as a lyophilized (freeze-dried) powder and is typically reconstituted in the laboratory with bacteriostatic or sterile water, which serves as the primary solvent for this hydrophilic peptide. Owing to its acidic residues and net negative charge at near-neutral pH, the peptide dissolves readily in aqueous media; the diluent should be directed gently against the wall of the vial rather than injected forcefully onto the powder, and the vial swirled slowly rather than shaken to preserve peptide integrity and avoid foaming or mechanical shear. The solid usually goes fully into solution within a short time to yield a clear, colorless preparation; any persistent cloudiness or visible particulate warrants inspection before use.
For handling, work under clean conditions, allow refrigerated vials to equilibrate toward room temperature before opening to limit condensation, and minimize repeated exposure of the dry powder to ambient humidity, since lyophilized peptides are hygroscopic. Reconstitution volumes are chosen by the researcher to suit the analytical or in-vitro protocol; this page provides chemistry and handling context only and contains no dosing guidance.
Storage & stability
In its lyophilized form, Epithalon is best stored sealed, protected from light and moisture, and kept cold; short-term storage is commonly at refrigerated temperatures (2-8 C), while long-term storage of the dry powder is typically at -20 C or below, where the peptide is most stable. Once reconstituted, the solution should be held refrigerated and used within a comparatively short window, as peptides in aqueous solution are more susceptible to hydrolysis and microbial degradation than the dry solid; aliquoting before freezing helps avoid repeated freeze-thaw cycles that can compromise peptide integrity. Properly stored lyophilized material generally retains its characterized purity over an extended period.
How it's tested
Identity and purity of Epithalon are verified analytically rather than by appearance. Purity is assessed by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), with this material specified at greater than or equal to 99% by HPLC. Molecular identity is confirmed by mass spectrometry (MS), which validates that the measured mass corresponds to the expected tetrapeptide. Each lot is accompanied by a Certificate of Analysis (COA) documenting the chromatographic purity result and supporting identity data, allowing researchers to confirm specification before experimental use.