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MARAPEPTIDE
SEMAX (ACTH 4-10 analogue) · SELANK (tuftsin analogue) · Russian nootropic peptides
Practical preparation guide

SEMAX & SELANK
nasal spray

10 mg lyophilisate + 1 ml BAC + 10 ml Quinton Isotonic · step by step from peptide to finished spray · the procedure is identical for SEMAX and SELANK

~909 mcg/ml · ~100 doses with a 0.1 ml pump · ≈ 100 mcg / spray

⚡ Applies identically to SELANK

This entire procedure can be used without any changes to prepare SELANK nasal spray — same ratios, same materials, same steps. SELANK comes in an identical package format (10 mg lyophilisate in a vial) and behaves the same physico-chemically during reconstitution. The only difference is the target dose and frequency of application — see the specialist literature on SELANK.

01

What you will need

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10 mg lyophilised SEMAX — white powder / "cake" in a sealed vial
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1 ml bacteriostatic water (BAC) — water with 0.9% benzyl alcohol
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10 ml Quinton Isotonic — sterile isotonic marine plasma in a self-breaking glass ampoule
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Empty sterile bottle with a nasal spray pump — ideally 15–20 ml, glass or HDPE, with a pump delivering 0.1 ml
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Sterile 1 ml syringe with a 27–30 G needle — for reconstitution and transferring the SEMAX
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Alcohol swabs (70% isopropyl) or chlorhexidine
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Clean gloves (optional, but recommended)
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Label and marker pen
02

Concentration calculation

Total volume
11 ml
1 ml BAC + 10 ml Quinton
Total amount
10,000 mcg
= 10 mg SEMAX
Final concentration
~909 mcg/ml
10,000 / 11

With a standard nasal pump delivering 100 mcl (0.1 ml), one dose (spray) works out at ≈ 100 mcg SEMAX. The usual intranasal SEMAX dose used in studies ranges from 250–600 mcg/day, split into 2–3 applications — adjust this to your own dosing strategy. Do not dose before bed.

03

Preparation — step by step

Step 1Preparing your workspace
  1. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and dry them with a clean tissue. Put on gloves.
  2. Disinfect a flat work surface (wipe it with an alcohol swab and let it dry).
  3. Take all the supplies out of their packaging and lay them out on a clean surface.
  4. Check that the lyophilised SEMAX looks intact — no discolouration, and it has not thawed during transport.
Step 2Disinfecting the vials
  1. Wipe the rubber stopper of the SEMAX vial with an alcohol swab and let it dry for at least 30 seconds.
  2. Do the same with the BAC vial.
  3. Wipe the Quinton Isotonic ampoule with an alcohol swab at both narrowed points (where it will be snapped) and let it dry.
Step 3Drawing up the BAC
  1. Remove the needle cap from the 1 ml syringe.
  2. First draw 1 ml of air into the syringe.
  3. Pierce the rubber stopper of the BAC vial while holding it upright and inject the air (this equalises the pressure).
  4. Turn the vial upside down and slowly draw up exactly 1.0 ml of BAC.
  5. Withdraw the needle and check there are no large air bubbles in the syringe (tap it gently and push them out).
Step 4Reconstituting the SEMAX
  1. Pierce the stopper of the SEMAX vial at an angle, so the needle points at the wall of the vial, not directly at the peptide cake.
  2. Inject the BAC slowly — the liquid should run down the wall onto the powder, not hit it as a jet. A jet can mechanically denature the peptide.
  3. Withdraw the needle. Do not shake the vial. Slowly tilt it / swirl it in your palm until the powder has fully dissolved (usually within 30–60 seconds). The resulting solution should be clear.
  4. If you see undissolved particles, let the vial stand for a few minutes or keep swirling gently — never shake it vigorously.
At this point you have

SEMAX 10 mg in 1 ml (i.e. 10,000 mcg/ml) — a highly concentrated solution. Next comes further dilution with Quinton.

Step 5Preparing the spray (combining with Quinton)
  1. Take the empty sterile spray bottle and unscrew the pump. Place the pump stopper-side down on a sterile surface (or leave it in its packaging).
  2. Take the Quinton Isotonic ampoule. No syringe is needed — the ampoule is poured in directly. Hold it with both hands (you can wrap it in a clean tissue for safety) and snap off one end with a quick break at the narrowed point. Then hold the ampoule over the neck of the spray bottle and snap off the other end — as soon as the second end breaks, the contents will start to flow out. Let them drain freely into the spray bottle.
  3. If the ampoule does not empty fully on its own, tilt it slightly to finish emptying it. Make sure the neck of the ampoule does not touch the rim of the spray bottle (to prevent contamination).
  4. Then go back to the SEMAX vial: using the 1 ml syringe, draw up the entire contents of the reconstituted peptide (≈ 1 ml). Pierce the stopper with the needle, turn the vial upside down and draw up everything, including a small excess, then turn it upright and withdraw.
  5. Inject the contents of the syringe into the spray bottle with the Quinton — you can keep the needle on, just aim it at the wall and push slowly so the peptide does not splash into foam.
  6. Refit the pump and tighten it. Slowly invert the bottle a few times (4–5×) — do not mix vigorously or shake, so that foaming does not damage the peptide.
Step 6Priming the pump
  1. Point the pump into an empty container or a tissue.
  2. Press the pump several times (typically 3–6×) until it releases a continuous mist instead of air. The droplets lost this way are negligible — a fraction of the 11 ml volume.
  3. Once primed, the pump should deliver a consistent fine spray.
Step 7Labelling and storage

Stick a label on the bottle with the following details:

  1. "SEMAX nasal 909 mcg/ml"
  2. Date of preparation
  3. Use-by date (see Step 8)
  4. Number of sprays / dose per spray
Storage

In the fridge at 2–8 °C, on a dark top shelf, in the original box or an opaque bag (the peptide is light-sensitive). Do not freeze. Before use, hold the bottle in your hand for 1–2 minutes so the solution is not ice-cold when applied.

Step 8Application
  1. Before each use, gently invert the bottle (do not shake).
  2. Keep your head upright or tilted slightly forward, not back (so the spray stays on the nasal mucosa and does not run down your throat).
  3. Close the other nostril with a finger, spray, and breathe in gently — not sharply, so the spray stays on the mucosa.
  4. Alternate nostrils.
  5. After use, wipe the pump tip with a clean tissue.
04

Shelf life after reconstitution

⚠ Realistic use-by period

Peptides dissolved in BAC are usually stable for 3–4 weeks when refrigerated. Quinton contains no preservative as a diluent, and at a 1:10 dilution the benzyl alcohol from 1 ml of BAC reaches only about 0.09% concentration, which is at the limit of bacteriostatic effect. Realistically, I recommend using it within 14 days and watching whether the solution turns cloudy or changes colour — if it does, discard it immediately.

Tip for longer stability

If you want longer stability, split the preparation into two smaller batches and store the second half still unopened.

05

Practical notes

TopicDetail
Quinton as a diluent Quinton Isotonic is isotonic marine plasma (≈ 9 g/l salinity), gentle on the nasal mucosa, with a pH close to physiological. A more sensible choice than plain water or standard saline from the pharmacy. The self-breaking glass ampoule is designed so that once both ends are snapped off, the contents flow out freely — no syringe or needle is needed, and the risk of contamination is lower than when piercing a rubber stopper. Open the ampoule just before use.
BAC vs. plain water BAC with benzyl alcohol gives the solution bacteriostatic protection and also helps dissolve the peptide. If you use only sterile water, the solution must be used up more quickly.
Losses to "dead volume" 0.5–1 ml remains in the pump that you will not be able to spray. Of the 11 ml you will realistically use ~10 ml, i.e. roughly 100 doses with a 0.1 ml pump.
Check before application If the solution ever turns cloudy, separates into layers or changes colour — discard it.
SELANK equivalence The procedure applies 1:1 to SELANK (10 mg lyophilisate). Only the target daily dose and indication differ — SELANK has an anxiolytic profile, SEMAX a neurostimulatory one.
MaraPeptide educational material — not medical advice. Consult a qualified specialist before use.

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