Informational only. Not medical advice.INFORMATIONAL PLATFORM ONLY — NOT MEDICAL ADVICE, DIAGNOSIS, OR TREATMENT
Head-to-head comparison of P21 and Pinealon — mechanism, dosing, side effects, legal status, and pricing.
P21 (also P021) is a small peptidergic compound — the tetrapeptide core Asp-Gly-Gly-Leu with an N-terminal acetyl and a C-terminal adamantylated glycine amide (Ac-DGGL(A)G-NH2) — derived from an active region (residues ~148–151) of human ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF). It was designed and characterized in the Khalid Iqbal laboratory at the New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities (NYS IBR). It is an experimental, preclinical compound — NOT FDA-approved and NOT tested in humans in published trials. Distinct from the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor protein p21/CDKN1A/WAF1 (a completely different gene product; the two share only the name).
P21
Pinealon
Category
Legal Status
Mechanism
Dose Range
Route
COA-verified vendors · trust score ≥70 required · single-vial price — bulk/bundle deals may be lower
P21
Pinealon
COA corpus from Disclosed Labs — independently tested batches only.
P21
2
COAs
99.1%
Avg purity
1
Labs
Pinealon
30
COAs
98.7%
Avg purity
9
Labs
Evidence is preclinical (rodent) only. Key publication: Kazim, Blanchard, Dai, Tung, LaFerla, Iqbal & Iqbal, Neurobiology of Disease 2014 (PMID 25046994) reported that chronic oral P021 rescued cognition, boosted dentate-gyrus neurogenesis, and reduced tau hyperphosphorylation in 3xTg-AD mice. Additional preclinical papers from the Iqbal group (and collaborators) have shown dendritic/synaptic rescue in AD and aging rodent models (e.g., Kazim et al., Alzheimer's Res Ther 2017). No Phase 1/2/3 human trials have been published; no human safety or pharmacokinetic data exist. Grey-market vendor material is unvalidated — purity, identity, and dosing are not verifiable.
Khavinson et al. (Rejuvenation Research, 2011, PMID 21978084) reported that Pinealon suppressed reactive oxygen species accumulation, reduced cell death, and modulated cell-cycle progression across multiple cell types under oxidative stress, with the authors suggesting direct genome-level interaction. Arutjunyan et al. (International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, 2012, PMID 22567179) reported that Pinealon administered to pregnant rats on a methionine (hyperhomocysteinemia) diet improved spatial learning and reduced ROS accumulation in cerebellar neurons of offspring. The evidence base is dominated by Khavinson's St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology and has not been independently replicated in Western clinical trials. No Phase II or III trials exist; Pinealon is not FDA-approved.
P21 and Pinealon are both in the Cognitive category and may have overlapping mechanisms. Researchers should review both profiles carefully, understand the mechanisms of action, and monitor the relevant biomarkers when combining compounds in the same class. As always, consult a licensed healthcare provider before making any decisions about combining research compounds.
This platform provides informational tools only, not medical advice. This comparison is for educational purposes only. Consult a licensed provider.
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