The short version of angiotensin IV fits in a sentence. The long version — which is the one that helps — is below.
This page was last updated on 2025-09-21 and is reviewed periodically as new material appears.
Dihexa is a synthetic peptide that has been examined in laboratory and animal research. Its design is based on angiotensin IV, a naturally occurring peptide fragment produced in the body. The short name dihexa appears in scientific papers and online discussions, while the full chemical name describes a modified peptide chain. It is not a vitamin, mineral, or plant-derived compound. Suppliers typically present it as a research chemical rather than an approved medicine.
The full name often given is N-hexanoic-Tyr-Ile-(6)-aminohexanoic amide. This name indicates a chain containing tyrosine, isoleucine, and a six-carbon amino acid derivative. Databases list a CAS Registry Number and a molecular formula for the compound. The peptide is small compared with proteins, and its structure allows it to be studied in cell cultures and animal models. Exact identity depends on the supplier's synthesis and purification process. Minor impurities can remain after synthesis.
Purity and identity are usually assessed with reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) and mass spectrometry. RP-HPLC separates components by hydrophobicity and can estimate peptide purity. Mass spectrometry confirms molecular mass and helps detect truncations or modifications. Some laboratories also use amino acid analysis or nuclear magnetic resonance for structural verification. A certificate of analysis from a supplier may list these results, but independent verification is often recommended for critical work.
Regulatory status varies by country, and dihexa is not widely approved as a medicine. In many jurisdictions it is treated as a research chemical, which limits its legal sale, possession, and human use. Products marketed online may lack verified purity or identity, and labels can be inaccurate. Researchers typically source material from suppliers that provide analytical documentation and follow institutional safety rules. Open questions remain about long-term stability, metabolite formation, and human pharmacokinetics.
| Property | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Common name | Dihexa | Shorthand used in research literature and supplier catalogs. |
| CAS Registry Number | 1401708-83-5 | Identifier assigned to the synthetic peptide. |
| Molecular formula | C27H44N4O5 | Reported formula; verify with a certificate of analysis. |
| Appearance | White to off-white powder | Typical form for lyophilized research peptides. |
| Typical storage | −20 °C or below, desiccated | Common condition for peptide stability. |
The proposed mechanism involves interaction with the hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) system and its receptor, c-Met. Dihexa is described in some studies as an HGF mimetic, meaning it may mimic or enhance HGF-mediated signaling. Activation of c-Met can influence cell growth, survival, and cytoskeletal remodeling, pathways that intersect with synaptic plasticity. However, the precise binding targets and downstream events for dihexa are not fully established, and alternative mechanisms have been suggested.
Dihexa is a synthetic peptide with the chemical name N-hexanoic-Tyr-Ile-(6)-aminohexanoic amide, and it is structurally related to angiotensin IV, a naturally occurring peptide fragment. Researchers developed it as a modified analog intended to alter stability and activity relative to the parent peptide. Its short sequence and fatty acid chain distinguish it from many endogenous peptides, and published studies often describe it under the abbreviation dihexa. The compound is classified as a laboratory compound rather than an approved therapeutic in most jurisdictions.
Early laboratory work focused on its effects on synaptic connectivity and neuronal signaling. In cell and animal models, dihexa has been reported to promote the formation of new synapses, a process called synaptogenesis. These findings have generated interest in cognitive research, but the evidence base remains mostly preclinical. Human clinical trials with clear safety and efficacy endpoints are limited or absent in the public literature. Whether these effects translate to humans is an open question.
Quality control usually combines reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry. Chromatography estimates purity and detects related impurities, while mass spectrometry supports molecular identity. Nuclear magnetic resonance can provide additional structural confirmation when needed. Stability data for dihexa are limited, and degradation pathways may depend on pH, temperature, and moisture. Open questions include long-term stability in different formulations and the effect of repeated freeze-thaw cycles on measured purity. Such tests help confirm that a batch matches its label before use.
In laboratory settings, dihexa is typically handled as a lyophilized peptide powder. Appropriate personal protective equipment and a ventilated workspace are standard practices for weighing and transferring research chemicals. Because the compound lacks regulatory approval for clinical use, it should not be given to people. Institutional safety rules and local regulations govern its acquisition, storage, and disposal. Suppliers often provide a certificate of analysis that lists purity, identity, and batch-specific handling notes.
== Precursor == Pepsin is expressed as a zymogen called pepsinogen, whose primary structure has an additional 44 amino acids compared to the active enzyme. In the stomach, gastric chief cells release pepsinogen. This zymogen is activated by hydrochloric acid (HCl), which is released from parietal cells in the stomach lining. The hormone gastrin and the vagus nerve trigger the release of both pepsinogen and HCl from the stomach lining when food is ingested. Hydrochloric acid creates an acidic environment, which allows pepsinogen to unfold and cleave itself in an autocatalytic fashion, thereby generating pepsin (the active form). Pepsin cleaves the 44 amino acids from pepsinogen to create more pepsin. Pepsinogens are mainly grouped in 5 different groups based on their primary structure: pepsinogen A (also called pepsinogen I), pepsinogen B, progastricsin (also called pepsinogen II and pepsinogen C), prochymosin (also called prorennin) and pepsinogen F (also called pregnancy-associated glycoprotein).
=== Tuberculosis === The primary use of isoniazid is as first-line treatment for latent and active infection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the causative agent of tuberculosis (TB). In persons with isoniazid-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection, drug regimens based on isoniazid have a high rate of failure. In the United States, the indications for isoniazid use approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) include:.
=== Cardiovascular function === Relaxin has been shown to relax vascular smooth muscle cells and increase nitric oxide production in rat endothelial cells, thus playing a role in regulation of cardiovascular function by dilating systemic resistance arteries. Relaxin increases the rate and force of cardiac contraction in rat models and has been found to promote maturation of cardiomyocytes in mice. Several animal studies have found relaxin to have a cardioprotective function against ischaemia and reperfusion injury, by reducing cellular damage, via anti-apoptotic and anti-inflammatory effects. Relaxin has been shown to reduce cardiac fibrosis in animal models by inhibiting cardiac fibroblasts secreting collagen and stimulating matrix metalloproteinase. In the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus), relaxin is associated with squamous differentiation and is expressed in tracheobronchial epithelial cells as opposed to being involved with reproduction.
=== Pharmacokinetics === The absorption of flutamide is complete upon oral ingestion. Food has no effect on the bioavailability of flutamide. Steady-state levels of hydroxyflutamide, the active form of flutamide, are achieved after 2 to 4 days administration. Levels of hydroxyflutamide are approximately 50-fold higher than those of flutamide at steady-state. The plasma protein binding of flutamide and hydroxyflutamide are high; 94 to 96% and 92 to 94%, respectively. Flutamide and its metabolite hydroxyflutamide are known to be transported by the multidrug resistance-associated protein 1 (MRP1; ABCC1). Flutamide is metabolized by CYP1A2 (via α-hydroxylation) in the liver during first-pass metabolism to its main metabolite hydroxyflutamide (which accounts for 23% of an oral dose of flutamide one hour post-ingestion), and to at least five other, minor metabolites. Flutamide has at least 10 inactive metabolites total, including 4-nitro-3-fluoro-methylaniline. Flutamide is excreted in various forms in the urine, the primary form being 2-amino-5-nitro-4-(trifluoromethyl)phenol. Flutamide and hydroxyflutamide have elimination half-lives of 4.7 hours and 6 hours in adults, respectively. However, the half-life of hydroxyflutamide is extended to 8 hours after a single dose and to 9.6 hours at steady state) in elderly individuals. The elimination half-lives of flutamide and hydroxyflutamide are regarded as too short to allow for once-daily dosing, and for this reason, flutamide is instead administered three times daily at 8-hour intervals.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
== External links == Histology image: 13906loa – Histology Learning System at Boston University - "Respiratory System: lung (human), alveolar macrophages" Histology at KUMC resp-resp16 "Alveoli" Slide at ufl.edu
=== Solvent/detergent (S/D) inactivation === This process, developed by the New York Blood Center, is the most widely used viral inactivation method to date. It is predominantly used in the blood plasma industry, by over 50 organizations worldwide and by the American Red Cross. This process is only effective for viruses enveloped in a lipid coat, however. The detergents used in this method interrupt the interactions between the molecules in the virus's lipid coating. Most enveloped viruses cannot exist without their lipid coating so are destroyed when exposed to these detergents. Other viruses may not be destroyed but they are unable to reproduce rendering them non-infective. The solvent creates an environment in which the aggregation reaction between the lipid coat and the detergent happen more rapidly. The detergent typically used is Triton X-100. This process has many of the advantages of the "traditional" removal techniques. This process does not denature proteins, because the detergents only affect lipids and lipid derivatives. There is a 100% viral death achieved by this process and the equipment is relatively simple and easy to use. Equipment designed to purify post-virus inactivated material would be necessary to guard against contamination of subsequent process streams. S/D treatment utilizes readily available and relatively inexpensive reagents, but these reagents must be removed from the product prior to distribution which would require extra process steps.
Newell has been critical of the direction that Microsoft has taken with making Windows a closed architecture similar to Apple's products, and has stated that he believes that the changes made in Windows 8 are "a catastrophe for everyone in the [personal computer] space". Newell identified the open-source Linux platform as an ideal platform for Steam and said the only thing holding back its adoption is the lack of games. In 2012, Valve announced that they were working on a console-PC hybrid for the living room, dubbed by media as the "Steam Box". A precursor to such a unit is SteamOS, a freely available Linux-based operating system that builds upon the Steam client functionality that includes media services, live streaming across home networks, game sharing within families, and parental controls. SteamOS was officially announced in September 2013 as the first of several announcements related to the Steam Machine platform as well as its unique game controller. In May 2014, Valve announced that the company's own SteamOS-powered Steam Machine would be delayed until 2015 due to problems with the game controller. In 2015, Alienware, ZOTAC, and CyberPowerPC launched its versions of the Steam Machine. By June 2016, fewer than half a million had been sold. While the Steam Machine line has been effectively canceled, Valve continued to manufacture and sell Steam Controllers until late November 2019, and publishes both mobile apps and software for the Steam Link, allowing in-home streaming.
=== Multi-locus sequence typing === Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) is the sequencing of numerous loci to diagnose an organism by comparing DNA sequences to a database of known organisms. This method is often used to compare isolates or strains of the same species to see if they are indistinguishable or different from each other. This is common for tracking food-borne illnesses and public health outbreaks. Most MLST assays are published in scientific journals so consistent methods are used worldwide. There are also public databases available for tracking and comparisons.
== Function == Androgens that bind to and activate the androgen receptor have numerous physiological functions which can broadly divided into androgenic (male sexual development) and anabolic (building muscle and bone). The anabolic effects are important in both males and females, although females have lower circulating levels of androgens. The physiologically most important androgens are testosterone (T) and dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which are considered classical androgens because their role in human health was discovered in 1930s. However, much later, in 2010s, the role in human health of 11-oxygenated androgens was established, namely, of 11-ketotestosterone (11KT) and 11-ketodihydrotestosterone (11KDHT), that both bind and activate the human androgen receptor with affinities, potencies, and efficacies that are similar to that of testosterone (T) and DHT, respectively, although 11-oxygenated androgens were long known to be principal androgens in teleost fishes. The main biochemical route to T and DHT is the canonical (classical) pathway that proceeds from pregnenolone (P5). Alternatively, DHT but not T can be produced through a backdoor pathway that proceeds from 17α-hydroxyprogesterone (17OHP) or progesterone (P4). The function of androgen backdoor pathways is to produce physiologically significant androgens in normal conditions where the conventional pathway is insufficient, such as in male early sexual differentiation. Sexual differentiation is a process by which hormones determine anatomic phenotype, mainly the development of the reproductive organs.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
Dihexa is a synthetic peptide modeled on angiotensin IV. It is used in laboratory and animal research, not as an approved medicine. Human effects remain poorly characterized.
It is produced by chemical synthesis, not extracted from plants or animals. Its design is based on a naturally occurring peptide fragment. Suppliers sell it as a research chemical.
No, dihexa is a modified analog of angiotensin IV. The two share a structural relationship but differ in chemical details. Research on one does not automatically apply to the other.
The lyophilized powder is generally stored at -20 °C or lower, desiccated, and protected from light. Solutions are often aliquoted to avoid repeated freeze-thaw cycles. Specific stability data may vary by formulation and purity.