Everything below concerns post-marketing surveillance. We keep the language plain, cite what the science says, and separate well-supported claims from open questions.
Last reviewed on 2026-01-26. Where a claim depends on a specific study, the study is described rather than over-claimed.
Research interest has centred on photoprotection and pigmentation, with a smaller body of work on appetite and sexual function. Published human data remain limited to small, frequently uncontrolled studies, and the compound has never received marketing approval from a national medicines regulator. Most laboratory work treats it as a pharmacological tool for probing melanocortin signalling in cell culture or animal models. Whether pigmentation changes observed in people translate into measurable protection against ultraviolet-induced DNA damage remains an open question.
Melanotan-2 is a synthetic cyclic heptapeptide designed as an analogue of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone, the naturally occurring peptide involved in pigmentation signalling. Its sequence is conventionally written as Ac-Nle-cyclo[Asp-His-D-Phe-Arg-Trp-Lys]-NH2, with a lactam bridge joining the aspartate side chain to the lysine side chain. The empirical formula is C50H69N15O9 and the monoisotopic mass lies near 1023.5 daltons. N-terminal acetylation and the D-configured phenylalanine both increase resistance to enzymatic breakdown compared with the parent hormone.
Reported observations after unregulated use include shifts in skin pigmentation and, in some accounts, unintended changes to moles and other lesions. Whether these outcomes are causally linked to the compound, and how often they occur, remain open questions because controlled data are scarce. The absence of standardised dosing and verified product purity complicates interpretation. Researchers have called for better surveillance and analytical characterisation of samples obtained outside regulated channels. Conclusions drawn from anecdotal evidence should be treated as provisional.
Melanotan-2 has not received marketing authorisation from major regulatory agencies for any therapeutic indication. Several jurisdictions classify it as a prescription-only medicine or a controlled substance when supplied for human use. Because approved products do not exist, material sold online usually sits outside pharmaceutical supply chains and formal quality oversight. Regulators have issued public notices describing the compound as unapproved. Enforcement varies, and the legal position differs between countries, which complicates any single general statement about its status.
Scientific discussion of Melanotan-2 spans pharmacology, dermatology, and public-health literature. Laboratory studies examine its receptor binding and cellular effects, while clinical reports describe outcomes observed after unregulated use. These two bodies of work differ in rigour and intent. Peer-reviewed trials of the compound as a medicine are limited, so much of the available information comes from case reports and surveillance data. Authors frequently note the gap between experimental findings and real-world use.
| Property | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Common synonyms | Melanotan II; MT-II; N-acetyl-norleucyl-cyclo[Asp-His-D-Phe-Arg-Trp-Lys] amide | Naming follows peptide convention; the numeral distinguishes it from melanotan-1 |
| Molecular formula | C50H69N15O9 | Includes the lactam bridge; no counter-ion assumed |
| Monoisotopic mass | 1023.53 Da | Free base; salts and counter-ions shift the observed value |
| Appearance | White to off-white lyophilised powder | Batch-to-batch colour variation is not itself proof of impurity |
| Typical analytical method | RP-HPLC purity determination with ESI-MS identity confirmation | Retention time alone does not establish sequence identity |
Two structural changes distinguish the synthetic peptide from the natural hormone. A norleucine residue replaces methionine at one position, and a D-configured phenylalanine replaces the natural L-form at another. Both substitutions slow enzymatic breakdown, which extends the molecule's persistence relative to the parent hormone. The lactam bridge further constrains the backbone into a stable conformation. These features are standard design strategies in peptide chemistry and are not unique to this compound; they appear across many research peptides built for improved stability.
The compound was developed in the late 1980s and early 1990s by academic researchers investigating melanocortin signaling and pigmentation. Early work explored whether synthetic analogs could reproduce effects of the natural hormone under controlled conditions. The molecule never advanced through the full regulatory pathway required for approval as a medicine. From the mid-2000s onward it appeared in unregulated consumer markets, often distributed through informal channels. That gap between research origins and commercial availability shapes how the compound is discussed today.
Melanotan-2 is a synthetic peptide designed as an analog of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone, a signaling molecule produced in the pituitary and skin. Its structure is a linear chain of seven amino acids that folds into a ring through an internal lactam bridge joining two side chains. The compound is sometimes written as MT-II or MEL-2 in informal and commercial contexts. It belongs to the melanocortin peptide family, a group of short signaling molecules that share a conserved core sequence recognized by melanocortin receptors.
Regulatory treatment varies by country. In the United States the peptide is not approved as a medicine, and products offered for human use may be treated as unapproved new drugs; some states also restrict sale. Australia, the United Kingdom, and European Union member states apply comparable restrictions to unapproved peptide products. Border agencies have seized shipments labelled as research chemicals. Classification may change over time, and the legal position for personal importation is not clearly settled in most published guidance.
Lyophilised melanotan-2 is supplied as a solid, which is more stable than a solution. The material is hygroscopic, so weighing is done quickly, in low humidity, with the container kept sealed. Reconstitution usually uses water for injection or bacteriostatic water, added down the wall of the vial to limit foaming. A reconstituted solution is held at 2 to 8 °C and kept away from light. Repeated freezing and thawing of the same vial is avoided because ice crystal formation and concentration effects degrade the peptide.
The compound was developed in the late 1980s and 1990s by academic researchers investigating photoprotection. The rationale held that stimulating melanin production might reduce ultraviolet damage to skin and lower skin cancer risk. Early work examined receptor binding, pigment response, and short-term tolerability in small studies. That program did not produce an approved drug, and formal development stalled after early-phase trials. Whether induced pigmentation confers meaningful photoprotection remains an open question.
Outside regulated medicine, melanotan II circulates through online vendors as a research chemical, often marketed for tanning. Products sold this way vary widely in purity, concentration, and labeling accuracy, and independent testing has documented discrepancies. Published reports describe both pigment effects and adverse reactions, including nausea, flushing, and darkening of existing moles. Long-term safety data are sparse, and no large controlled trial has established a risk profile. Questions about cumulative effects on melanocytes remain unresolved in the literature.
=== Political views and activities === Because of Hodgkin's political activities, and her husband's association with the Communist Party, she was banned from entering the US in 1953 and subsequently not allowed to visit the country except by CIA waiver. In 1961 Thomas became an advisor to Kwame Nkrumah, President of Ghana, a country he visited for extended periods before Nkrumah's ouster in 1966. Hodgkin was in Ghana with her husband when they received the news that she had been awarded the Nobel Prize. She acquired from her mother, Molly, a concern about social inequalities and a determination to do what she could to prevent armed conflict. Dorothy became particularly concerned about the threat of nuclear war. In 1976, she became president of the Pugwash Conference and served longer than any who preceded or succeeded her in this post. She stepped down in 1988, the year after the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty imposed "a global ban on short- and long-range nuclear weapons systems, as well as an intrusive verification regime". She accepted the Lenin Peace Prize from the Soviet government in 1987 in recognition of her work for peace and disarmament.
=== Diet control === A diet with carefully controlled levels of the amino acids leucine, isoleucine, and valine must be maintained at all times to reduce toxic metabolites to prevent neurological damage. Since these three amino acids occur in all-natural protein, and most natural foods contain some protein, any food intake must be closely monitored, and day-to-day protein intake calculated on a cumulative basis, to ensure individual tolerance levels are not exceeded at any time. As the MSUD diet is so protein-restricted, and adequate protein is a requirement for all humans, a tailored metabolic formula containing all the other essential amino acids, as well as any vitamins, minerals, omega-3 fatty acids and trace elements (which may be lacking due to the limited range of permissible foods), are an essential aspect of MSUD management. These complement the MSUD patient's natural food intake to meet normal nutritional requirements without causing harm. If adequate calories cannot be obtained from natural food without exceeding protein tolerance, specialized low protein products such as starch-based baking mixtures, imitation rice and pasta may be prescribed, often alongside a protein-free carbohydrate powder added to food and/or drink, and increased at times of metabolic stress. MSUD patients with thiamine-responsive MSUD can have a higher protein intake diet with the administration of high doses of thiamine, a cofactor of the enzyme that causes the condition.
== External links == Media related to Harm reduction at Wikimedia Commons Drugs Policy and Harm Reduction Archived 10 May 2012 at the Wayback Machine – Research on the circulation of ideas around harm reduction and urban drug policies by Eugene McCann and Cristina Temenos (Simon Fraser University). Harm reduction: evidence, impacts and challenges. Lisbon: EMCDDA. April 2010. ISBN 978-92-9168-419-9. TNI on Harm Reduction Tobacco Harm Reduction Archived 29 December 2021 at the Wayback Machine
== Function and application == Due to the desirable properties of peptides such as high receptor affinity and bioactivity, and low toxicity, the use of peptides in therapeutics (i. e. as peptide therapeutics) has great potential; shown by a fast growing market with over 100 approved peptide-based drugs. The disadvantages are that peptides have low oral bioavailability and stability. Lipidation as a chemical modification tool in the development of therapeutic agents has proven to be useful in overcoming these issues, with four lipidized peptide drugs currently approved for use in humans, and various others in clinical trials. Two of the approved drugs are long-acting anti-diabetic GLP-1 analogues liraglutide (Victoza®), and insulin detemir (Levemir®). The other two are the antibiotics daptomycin and polymyxin B. Lipidated peptides also have applications in other areas, such as use in the cosmetic industry. A commercially available lipidated peptide, Matrixyl, is used in anti-wrinkle creams. Matrixyl is a pentapeptide and has the sequence KTTKS, with an attached palmitoyl lipid chain, that is able to stimulate collagen and fibronectin production in fibroblasts. Several studies have shown promising results of palmitoyl-KTTKS, and topical formulations have been found to significantly reduce fine lines and wrinkles, helping to delay the aging process in the skin.
leading strand In DNA replication, the nascent strand for which both the direction of synthesis by DNA polymerase and the direction of overall chain elongation are toward the replication fork; i.e. both occur in the 5' to 3' direction, resulting in a single, continuous elongation process with few or no interruptions. By contrast, the other nascent strand, known as the lagging strand, is assembled in a discontinuous process involving the ligation of short DNA fragments synthesized in the opposite direction, away from the replication fork.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
The compact structure brings together side groups of amino acids into close enough proximity so that they can interact. When comparing protein structures, as in the SCOP database, core is the region common to most of the structures that share a common fold or that are in the same superfamily. In structure prediction, core is sometimes defined as the arrangement of secondary structures that is likely to be conserved during evolutionary change. Domain (sequence context) a segment of a polypeptide chain that can fold into a three-dimensional structure irrespective of the presence of other segments of the chain. The separate domains of a given protein may interact extensively or may be joined only by a length of polypeptide chain. A protein with several domains may use these domains for functional interactions with different molecules. Family (sequence context) a group of proteins of similar biochemical function that are more than 50% identical when aligned. This same cutoff is still used by the Protein Information Resource (PIR). A protein family comprises proteins with the same function in different organisms (orthologous sequences) but may also include proteins in the same organism (paralogous sequences) derived from gene duplication and rearrangements. If a multiple sequence alignment of a protein family reveals a common level of similarity throughout the lengths of the proteins, PIR refers to the family as a homeomorphic family.
Since Bryant Park itself was located several feet above the surrounding streets, an iron fence, hedge, and embankment wall were built on the north, west, and south borders to separate the park from the bordering sidewalks. Benches were also installed along the retaining walls. Bryant Park's interior was split into three lawns, divided by a pair of west–east gravel paths that aligned roughly with the sidewalks of 41st Street on the west end of the park. Four stone stairways were built: one each from Sixth Avenue's intersections with 40th and 42nd Streets, and one each from 40th and 42nd Streets between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. In addition, 42nd Street was widened in 1910, necessitating the relocation of the fence on Bryant Park's northern border and the removal of plants there. The NYPL's Main Branch was opened on May 23, 1911.
== Further reading == Lamarck, J.B.P.; De Monet, Comte De (1815) [1814]. "Suite des polypiers empâtés". Mémoires du Muséum d'Histoire Naturelle. 1: 69–80, 162–168, 331–340. Hooper, J.N.A.; Wiedenmayer, F. (1994). "Porifera". In Wells, A. (ed.). Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Vol. 12. pp. 1–620.
== Applications == Differential scanning calorimetry can be used to measure a number of characteristic properties of a sample. Using this technique it is possible to observe fusion and crystallization events as well as glass transition temperatures Tg. DSC can also be used to study oxidation, as well as other chemical reactions. Glass transitions may occur as the temperature of an amorphous solid is increased. These transitions appear as a step in the baseline of the recorded DSC signal. This is due to the sample undergoing a change in heat capacity; no formal phase change occurs. As the temperature increases, an amorphous solid will become less viscous. At some point the molecules may obtain enough freedom of motion to spontaneously arrange themselves into a crystalline form. This is known as the crystallization temperature (Tc). This transition from amorphous solid to crystalline solid is an exothermic process, and results in a peak in the DSC signal. As the temperature increases the sample eventually reaches its melting temperature (Tm). The melting process results in an endothermic peak in the DSC curve. The ability to determine transition temperatures and enthalpies makes DSC a valuable tool in producing phase diagrams for various chemical systems. Differential scanning calorimetry can also be used to obtain valuable thermodynamics information about proteins. The thermodynamics analysis of proteins can reveal important information about the global structure of proteins, and protein/ligand interaction.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
It is a synthetic cyclic heptapeptide analogue of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone, containing seven amino acids with a lactam ring and a D-configured phenylalanine residue. It is supplied as a lyophilised powder for laboratory research.
The natural hormone is a linear tridecapeptide that is rapidly degraded in circulation. Melanotan-2 is shortened, cyclised, N-terminally acetylated, and carries a D-amino acid substitution, all of which slow enzymatic breakdown.
No national medicines regulator has approved melanotan-2 for therapeutic or cosmetic use. In several jurisdictions it is treated as an unapproved prescription medicine, and its legal classification differs from country to country.
Major regulatory agencies have not approved it for any indication. Some countries permit it only under prescription frameworks, while others classify it as a controlled substance.