melanocortin receptor comes up often in conversation and rarely with the context attached. Here we lay out the basics in order, then work through the practical considerations.
Last reviewed on 2026-05-25. Where a claim depends on a specific study, the study is described rather than over-claimed.
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.
Melanotan II is a synthetic cyclic heptapeptide with the sequence Ac-Nle-cyclo[Asp-His-D-Phe-Arg-Trp-Lys]-NH2, corresponding to a molecular formula of C50H69N15O9 and a monoisotopic mass near 1024 daltons. It was designed as a structural analogue of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone, a peptide hormone produced by cleavage of proopiomelanocortin. A lactam bridge between the aspartate and lysine side chains closes the ring, and the C-terminal amide removes a free carboxyl group. Both modifications increase resistance to enzymatic degradation compared with the linear parent hormone. Four substitutions distinguish it from afamelanotide, the linear analogue studied under the name melanotan I.
Melanotan-2 is frequently confused with afamelanotide, a linear analogue authorised in the European Union for erythropoietic protoporphyria. The two compounds differ in chain length, ring structure and receptor selectivity, so findings for one cannot be transferred directly to the other. Published controlled human data on melanotan-2 remain sparse, and much of what circulates online derives from small studies or unpublished reports. Questions about effect size, dose-response behaviour and long-term safety therefore remain unresolved.
Melanotan-2 is a synthetic cyclic heptapeptide designed as an analogue of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone. Its sequence incorporates a lactam bridge that constrains the peptide into a ring, which increases resistance to enzymatic breakdown relative to the natural hormone. Researchers at the University of Arizona synthesised the compound in the late 1980s and early 1990s while studying pigmentation pathways. It has never received marketing approval from any national medicines regulator. In the scientific literature it is usually described as a laboratory research reagent rather than a therapeutic product.
| Property | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Molecular formula | C50H69N15O9 | Cyclic heptapeptide, C-terminally amidated |
| Approximate molecular mass | 1024 Da | Monoisotopic mass of the free peptide |
| Appearance | White to off-white powder | Typically supplied as a lyophilised solid |
| Solubility class | Soluble in water and polar solvents | Also dissolves in neutral aqueous buffer |
| Common synonyms | Melanotan II, MT-II, MT-2 | Described as a melanocortin agonist in early literature |
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.
Structurally, Melanotan-2 retains the core recognition motif of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone while adding a lactam bridge that links two side chains and constrains the molecule into a ring. This modification lowers susceptibility to enzymatic degradation. The compound acts as an agonist at melanocortin receptors, particularly subtypes associated with melanin production. Because the same receptor family influences several physiological processes, researchers note that its activity is not confined to pigmentation alone. Receptor selectivity continues to be examined in published studies.
Melanotan-2 is a synthetic cyclic heptapeptide designed as an analogue of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone, a naturally occurring peptide involved in pigmentation signalling. Its sequence incorporates modified residues that increase potency and extend biological activity relative to the native hormone. The compound binds receptors of the melanocortin family and is examined mainly in laboratory research. It does not occur naturally and exists only as a manufactured chemical entity produced by solid-phase synthesis.
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, 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.
Activity is attributed to agonism at melanocortin receptors, particularly MC1R and MC4R. Activation of MC1R on melanocytes increases melanin synthesis, which underlies the reported tanning effect. MC4R engagement in the central nervous system is linked to appetite suppression and to effects on sexual arousal reported in early clinical studies. Those studies were small and were not designed to establish efficacy or long-term safety. Receptor selectivity among the melanocortin subtypes is not absolute, which complicates attribution of any effect to a single pathway.
Regulatory treatment varies between countries. Several national medicines agencies have classified the peptide as unapproved, and customs authorities in some jurisdictions seize shipments on that basis. A few jurisdictions channel supply through prescription-only frameworks that do not list the substance by name. Because the material circulates mainly through online vendors, composition and purity are rarely verified before sale. Surveys of unapproved peptide products have reported labels that did not match measured content in a substantial fraction of samples.
Melanotan II is a synthetic cyclic heptapeptide analogue of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone, a naturally occurring peptide involved in pigmentation signalling. Its structure substitutes a lactam bridge between side chains to increase stability relative to the native hormone. The compound is also known by the shorthand MT-II and by several non-proprietary synonyms used in research catalogues. It is not an approved therapeutic product in any major jurisdiction; material sold under this name is typically offered as a laboratory reagent rather than as a medicine.
== Treatment == Many people with beriberi can be treated with thiamine alone. Given thiamine intravenously (and later orally), rapid and dramatic recovery occurs, generally within 24 hours. Improvements of peripheral neuropathy may require several months of thiamine treatment.
(1933), first African-American basketball player to be selected as All-American Alfred Skrobisch (1933), Olympic fencer Cliff Montgomery (1934), led the Columbia Lions football team to victory in the Rose Bowl John O'Brien (1938), basketball player for the Akron Wingfoots Ben Johnson (1938), sprinter who rivaled Jesse Owens Sid Luckman (1939), NFL Hall of Fame Chicago Bears quarterback Ken Germann (1943), football coach, athletic director of Columbia University, and former Southern Conference commissioner Paul Governali (1943), football player for the Boston Yanks and New York Giants Walt Budko (1948), basketball player for Baltimore Bullets and Philadelphia Warriors Bruce Gehrke (1948), football player for New York Giants Bill Swiacki (1948), player for New York Giants, member of the College Football Hall of Fame Lou Kusserow (1949), football player for Hamilton Tiger-Cats and New York Yanks John Azary (1951), basketball player, recipient of the Haggerty Award Jack Molinas (1953), NBA player for the Fort Wayne Pistons Jack Rohan (1953), head coach of the Columbia Lions men's basketball team 1961–1974, and 1990–1995 George Shaw (1953), Olympic triple jumper Richard Ballantine* (1967), cyclist and cycling advocate; son of Ian Ballantine '38 of Ballantine Books James Margolis (1958), Olympic fencer James Melcher (1961), Olympian fencer, president of Fencers Club and hedge fund manager Robert Contiguglia (1963), soccer player, former president of the United States Soccer Federation Peter Salzberg (1964), head coach of Vermont Catamounts men's basketball 1972–1981 Archie Roberts (1965), former football player for the Miami Dolphins and cardiac surgeon Jim McMillian (1968), NBA player for the Los Angeles Lakers, Buffalo Braves, New York Knicks and Portland Trail Blazers Dave Newmark (1968), NBA player for the Chicago Bulls; also played for Israeli team Hapoel Tel Aviv B.C. Marty Domres (1969), football player for San Diego Chargers and Baltimore Colts Heyward Dotson (1970), basketball player George Starke (1971), offensive lineman for the Washington Redskins Henry Bunis (1975), two-time All-American tennis player, runner-up in 1977 Chilean Open Rick Fagel (1975), professional tennis player Vitas Gerulaitis* (1975), champion tennis player Thomas Losonczy (1975), Olympic fencer, winner of the Congressional Gold Medal Alton Byrd (1979), basketball player Eric Fromm (1980), tennis player John Witkowski (1983), football player for Detroit Lions and Houston Oilers Gene Larkin (1984), member of the Minnesota Twins 1987 and 1991 World Series championship teams Amr Aly (1985), soccer player who won the Hermann Trophy as the top college player of the year 1984; member of the 1984 U.S. Olympic Soccer Team and indoor soccer team Los Angeles Lazers Stephen Trevor (1986), Olympic fencer Kyra Tirana Barry (1987), team leader for U.S. women's national wrestling team Caitlin Bilodeaux (1987), Olympic fencer Howard Endelman (1987), tennis player Phil Williamson (1987), tennis player for Antigua and Barbuda Bob Cottingham (1988), Olympic fencer Jon Normile (1989), Olympic fencer Frank Seminara (1989), Major League Baseball pitcher for the San Diego Padres and the New York Mets Tom Auth (1990), Olympic rower Christine Vardaros (1991), professional cyclist Ann Marsh (1994), Olympic fencer Ríkharður Daðason (1996), Icelandic soccer player Marcellus Wiley (1997), football player for the Buffalo Bills, San Diego Chargers and Dallas Cowboys Dan Kellner (1998), fencer Pellegrino Matarazzo (1999), head coach of VfB Stuttgart Matt Napoleon (1999), Olympic soccer goalkeeper Cristina Teuscher (2000), Olympic gold medalist swimmer Jedediah Dupree (2001), NCAA Champion fencer Veljko Urošević (2003), Serbian Olympic rower Fernando Perez (2004), outfielder for the Tampa Bay Rays Jeremiah Boswell (2005), professional basketball player for BC Sliven, KK Strumica, and KK Torus Delilah DiCrescenzo (2005), long-distance runner, inspiration and subject of the Grammy-nominated song Hey There Delilah Michael Quarshie (2005), Finnish American football player who played for the Oakland Raiders and Frankfurt Galaxy Lisa Nemec (2006), Croatian long-distance runner Miloš Tomić (2006), Serbian Olympic rower Erison Hurtault (2007), Dominican sprinter James Leighman Williams (2007), fencer who won silver in the 2008 Summer Olympics Emily Jacobson (2008), fencer İhsan Emre Vural (2008), Turkish rower for Galatasaray S.K. Sherif Farrag (2009), Egyptian-American Olympic fencer Nicholas la Cava (2009), Olympic rower Jeff Spear (2010), Olympic fencer Daria Schneider (2010), fencer Jeff Adams (2011), Houston Texans offensive tackle Nicole Ross (2011), Olympic fencer Isadora Cerullo (2013), Brazilian-American Olympic rugby player Katie Meili (2013), Olympic swimmer, Pan American Games and 2016 Summer Olympics gold medalist Josh Martin (2013), Kansas City Chiefs linebacker John Gregorek Jr. (2014), middle-distance runner David Najem (2014), American soccer player for New Mexico United and the Afghanistan national football team Nadia Eke (2015), Ghanaian triple jumper, African Championships gold medalist in 2016 Kristine Musademba (2015), figure skater Max Schnur (2015), tennis player playing on the ATP Challenger Tour Nzingha Prescod (2015), Olympic fencer Ramit Tandon (2015), professional squash player Jakub Buczek (2016), Canadian Olympic rower Sasha DiGiulian (2016), world champion climber Jacqueline Dubrovich (2016), Olympic fencer Maodo Lô (2016), German basketball player for Brose Bamberg Robb Paller (2016), American-Israeli Olympic baseball player Jeff Coby (2017), American basketball player for Xuventude Baloncesto Cameron Nizialek (2017), football player for Atlanta Falcons Akua Obeng-Akrofi (2018), Ghanaian sprinter Charlotte Buck (2018), Olympic rower Osama Khalifa (2018), #1 ranked college squash player in the U.S. for the 2016–17 season Camille Zimmerman (2018), American basketball player for Norrköping Dolphins Yasmeen Al-Dabbagh (2019), Saudi Arabian sprinter Jessica Antiles (2019), swimmer who won silver and bronze medals in the 2017 Maccabiah Games Dylan Castanheira (2019), soccer player, goalkeeper for Fort Lauderdale CF Sophie Whitehouse (2019), goalkeeper for Republic of Ireland women's national football team Mike Smith (2020), basketball player Anthony Jackie Tang (2020), Hong Kong tennis player John Tanguay (2020), rower who won a silver medal in the 2020 Summer Paralympics Dylan Geick* (2021), wrestler and internet personality Velavan Senthilkumar (2021), British Junior Open Squash champion and Asian Junior Squash champion Nastasya Generalova (2023), gymnast and model Olivia Giaccio (2024), Olympic freestyle skier Evita Griskenas (2024), rhythmic gymnast Camden Pulkinen (2024), figure skater Abbey Hsu (2024), basketball player
Dog saliva has been said by many cultures to have curative powers in people. "Langue de chien, langue de médecin" is a French saying meaning "A dog's tongue is a doctor's tongue", and a Latin quote that "Lingua canis dum lingit vulnus curat" or "A dog's saliva can heal your wound" appears in a thirteenth-century manuscript. In Ancient Greece, dogs at the shrine of Aesculapius were trained to lick patients, and snake saliva was also applied to wounds. Saint Roch in the Middle Ages was said to have been cured of a plague of sores by licking from his dog. The Assyrian Queen Semiramis is supposed to have attempted to resurrect the slain Armenian king Ara the Beautiful by having the dog god Aralez lick his wounds. In the Scottish Highlands in the nineteenth century, dog saliva was believed to be effective for treating wounds and sores. In the Gospel of Luke (16:19-31), Lazarus the Beggar's sores are licked by dogs, although no curative effects are reported by the Evangelist.
Sinsemilla (Spanish for "without seed") is the dried, seedless (i.e. parthenocarpic) infructescences of female cannabis plants. Because THC production drops off once pollination occurs, the male plants (which produce little THC themselves) are eliminated before they shed pollen to prevent pollination, thus inducing the development of parthenocarpic fruits gathered in dense infructescences. Advanced cultivation techniques such as hydroponics, cloning, high-intensity artificial lighting, and the sea of green method are frequently employed as a response (in part) to prohibition enforcement efforts that make outdoor cultivation more risky. "Skunk" refers to several named strains of potent cannabis, grown through selective breeding and sometimes hydroponics. It is a cross-breed of Cannabis sativa and C. indica (although other strains of this mix exist in abundance). Skunk cannabis potency ranges usually from 6% to 15% and rarely as high as 20%. The average THC level in coffee shops in the Netherlands is about 18–19%. The average levels of THC in cannabis sold in the United States rose dramatically between the 1970s and 2000. This is disputed for various reasons, and there is little consensus as to whether this is a fact or an artifact of poor testing methodologies. According to Daniel Forbes writing for slate.com, the relative strength of modern strains are likely skewed because undue weight is given to much more expensive and potent, but less prevalent, samples.
=== Human intervention === Humans have semi-domesticated several species of honey bee by taking advantage of their swarming stage. Swarming is the means by which new colonies are established when there is no longer space for expansion in the colony's present hive. The old queen lays eggs that will develop into new queens and then leads as many as half the colony to a site for a new hive. Bees generally swarm before a suitable location for another hive has been discovered by scouts sent out for this purpose. Until such a location is found the swarm will simply conglomerate near the former hive, often from tree branches. These swarms are unusually docile and amenable to transport by humans. When provided with a suitable nesting site, such as a commercial Langstroth hive, the swarm will readily form a new colony in artificial surroundings. These semi-domesticated colonies are then looked after by humans practicing apiculture or meliponiculture. Captured bees are encouraged to forage, often in agricultural settings such as orchards, where pollinators are highly valued. The honey, pollen, wax and resins the bees produce are all harvested by humans for a variety of uses. The term "semi-domesticated" is preferred because all bee colonies, even those in very large agricultural apiculture operations, readily leave the protection of humans in swarms that can establish successful wild colonies. Much of the effort in commercial beekeeping is dedicated to persuading a hive that is ready to swarm to produce more honeycomb in its present location.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
=== In other animals === In dogs, aflatoxin has the potential to lead to liver disease. Low levels of aflatoxin exposure require continuous consumption for several weeks to months for signs of liver dysfunction to appear. Some articles have suggested the toxic level in dog food is 100–300 ppb and requires continuous exposure or consumption for a few weeks to months to develop aflatoxicosis. No information is available to suggest that recovered dogs will later succumb to an aflatoxin-induced disease. Turkeys are extremely susceptible to aflatoxicosis. Recent studies have revealed that this is due to the efficient cytochrome P450 mediated metabolism of aflatoxin B1 in the liver of turkeys and deficient glutathione-S-transferase mediated detoxification. Some studies on pregnant hamsters showed a significant relationship between exposure to aflatoxin B1 (4 mg/kg, single dose) and the appearance of developmental anomalies in their offspring.
Acidemia from metabolic acidosis in situations in which correction with sodium bicarbonate is impractical or may result in fluid overload. Electrolyte abnormality, such as severe hyperkalemia, especially when combined with AKI. Intoxication, that is, acute poisoning with a dialyzable substance. These substances can be represented by the mnemonic SLIME: salicylic acid, lithium, isopropanol, magnesium-containing laxatives and ethylene glycol. Overload of fluid not expected to respond to treatment with diuretics Uremia complications, such as pericarditis, encephalopathy, or gastrointestinal bleeding.
He died in Adyar, Madras on the 17th of February, 1907. Margaret Woodrow Wilson, the daughter of the 28th U.S. President Woodrow Wilson, became a devotee and member of the ashram of Sri Aurobindo in Pondicherry for the remainder of her later life. Wilson changed her name to Nistha, meaning "dedication" in Sanskrit. In 1942, she collaborated with Joseph Campbell, as they undertook the editing of the English translation of The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, originally authored by Swami Nikhilananda, a classical work on the Hindu mystic Sri Ramakrishna. This edited version was subsequently published by the Ramakrishna-Vivekananda Center in New York. She died in Pondicherry on the 12th of February, 1944.
Blood accounts for 7% of the human body weight, with an average density around 1060 kg/m3, very close to pure water's density of 1000 kg/m3. The average adult has a blood volume of roughly 5 litres (11 US pt) or 1.3 gallons, which is composed of plasma and formed elements. The formed elements are the two types of blood cell or corpuscle – the red blood cells, (erythrocytes) and white blood cells (leukocytes) – and the cell fragments called platelets that are involved in clotting. By volume, the red blood cells constitute about 45% of whole blood, the plasma about 54.3%, and white cells about 0.7%.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
No. It is a synthetic analogue carrying four amino acid changes, a lactam ring and an amidated C-terminus. The natural hormone is a linear thirteen-amino-acid peptide processed from proopiomelanocortin.
Afamelanotide is the linear analogue [Nle4-D-Phe7]-alpha-MSH, sometimes called melanotan I, while melanotan II is cyclic and carries three further substitutions. The two are distinct molecules and are not interchangeable in analytical testing.
Binding to the four melanocortin receptor subtypes is well documented in vitro. The relative contribution of each subtype to whole-body effects in humans is far less certain.
It is a synthetic cyclic heptapeptide modelled on alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone. A lactam bridge links two side chains, forming a ring that stabilises the molecule against proteolysis. It belongs to the broader melanocortin peptide family.