Overview
Reported in rodent work to be orders of magnitude more potent than BDNF at forming new synapses. That potency is the reason it attracts attention and the reason it should be treated with unusual caution — a molecule that powerful in the brain with zero human data is not a supplement.
Not approved for human use anywhereNo approval anywhere for human use. Sold under research-use labelling. Not approved anywhere. Sold under research-use-only labelling.
| Regulatory status | Preclinical only. No human trials have been conducted. Not approved anywhere. |
|---|---|
| Drug class | Angiotensin IV analog — small oligopeptide HGF/c-Met potentiator |
| Route | Oral or subcutaneous (research) |
| Half-life | Not established in humans |
| Evidence rating |
1/5 Minimal
Evidence rating 1 out of 5: Minimal
Animal or laboratory data only. No human efficacy evidence. |
| Studied in | Rodent models of cognitive impairment, including scopolamine-induced deficits and Parkinson models. No human studies at all. |
How it works
Potentiates hepatocyte growth factor signalling at the c-Met receptor, driving dendritic spine formation and synaptogenesis in hippocampal neurons. Designed for blood-brain barrier penetration and metabolic stability relative to the parent angiotensin IV peptide.
Evidence base
Rated 1 of 5 — Minimal. Animal or laboratory data only. No human efficacy evidence.
- Preclinical only. The gap between the marketing and the evidence here is among the widest on this site.
Benefits & potential uses
Bars indicate how well each claim is supported: three = strong human evidence, two = moderate, one = preliminary or preclinical.
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Extremely potent synaptogenesis in vitro Preliminary
Reported to promote dendritic spine formation at picomolar to femtomolar concentrations in hippocampal culture.
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Cognitive restoration in rodent models Preliminary
Reverses learning deficits in several animal models of cognitive impairment.
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Orally active and CNS-penetrant Preliminary
Designed specifically to survive oral administration and cross the blood-brain barrier, unusual for a peptide.
Risks, cons & cautions
Bars indicate seriousness: three = serious or common, two = moderate, one = minor.
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No human data of any kind Serious
Not a single human trial. There is no known safe dose, no known adverse-event profile, and no known interaction set.
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c-Met is an oncogene pathway Serious
HGF/c-Met signalling is a well-established driver in multiple cancers and a target of oncology drugs designed to block it. Chronically potentiating it is the opposite intervention.
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Uncontrolled synaptic remodelling Serious
Non-specific synaptogenesis throughout the brain is not obviously desirable and has no precedent in human therapeutics.
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Research-chemical supply Serious
Purity and identity unverified; some products marketed as dihexa have failed independent analysis.
Who should avoid it
- All human use outside a formal clinical trial
If used under medical supervision, monitor
- Not applicable
Commonly confused with
These mix-ups cause real harm — two products sold under one name, or two molecules whose effects run in opposite directions.
Both neuroactive peptides marketed on synaptic mechanisms. Davunetide actually ran a properly powered phase 3 trial and failed. Dihexa has never been given to a human in a published study.
Compare side by sideRegulatory & legal status
Not approved anywhere. Sold under research-use-only labelling.
Infographic
Where to read further
We link to live literature searches rather than a frozen citation list, so you always see current results — including anything published after our last review.
- PubMed — all published literature on Dihexa
- PubMed — randomized controlled trials only
- ClinicalTrials.gov — registered human trials
Related peptides in Cognitive & Neurological
Terms used on this page
- Potency vs Efficacy
- Potency is the concentration a drug needs to produce a given effect, while efficacy is the largest effect it can produce at any concentration; the two are independent properties.
- Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF)
- BDNF is a neurotrophin that signals through the TrkB receptor to support neuronal survival, dendritic growth and the late, protein-synthesis-dependent phase of synaptic potentiation.
- Blood-Brain Barrier (BBB)
- The blood-brain barrier is the tight-junctioned endothelial lining of brain capillaries whose seals and efflux pumps exclude nearly all peptides from brain tissue.
- Synaptogenesis
- Synaptogenesis is the formation of new synaptic connections between neurons, requiring coordinated assembly of a presynaptic release site and a matching postsynaptic density.
- Preclinical Study and Animal Model
- Preclinical studies are the laboratory, cell and animal experiments done before any human exposure, establishing mechanism, target engagement and the toxicology package that permits a first trial.
- Oral Peptide Delivery
- Oral peptide delivery is the formulation of a peptide into a swallowed dosage form, a route that fights gastric acid, gut proteases and an epithelium built to exclude large molecules.
This page is educational information, not medical advice. It cannot account for your medical history, medications, or risk factors. Do not start, stop or change any treatment based on it. Speak to a qualified healthcare professional who knows your case.