What it is
Epithalon (Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly, AEDG) is a synthetic tetrapeptide developed in the late 1990s by Vladimir Khavinson’s group at the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology.
Evidence snapshot
Category: Longevity. Status: Preclinical. See the references section below for the underlying primary sources.
Mechanism
Proposed mechanism is binding to a putative DNA site upstream of the TERT gene, upregulating telomerase expression. Reported in several in vitro systems, primarily from the original research group.
Key research findings
Across the rodent literature, Epithalon has been reported to increase telomerase activity in various tissues, modestly extend lifespan in some mouse studies, reduce spontaneous tumour incidence in selected strains.
Limits of the evidence
Most positive findings originate from a single laboratory. The cancer-risk question — telomerase activation in somatic cells is a hallmark of cancer — is unresolved.