Twenty Years of Study on Effects of Pineal Peptide Preparation: Epithalamin in Experimental Gerontology and Oncology

Inhibitory effect of the peptide epitalon on the development of spontaneous mammary tumors in HER‐2/neu transgenic mice

“…17 Furthermore, they are in agreement with observations showing an inhibiting effect of Epithalamin on the development of spontaneous and transplanted tumors or on tumors induced by carcinogens. 11,12,17 Our data suggest that the primary effect of Epitalon is not to influence the incidence of mammary tumors but to reduce the tumor burden in tumor-bearing mice. This is shown by the reduced cumulative tumor number, the smaller maximum size of mammary tumors and lung metastases and the reduced number of mice with 2 or more tumors.…”

“…[7][8][9][10] It was also shown that the polypeptide pineal preparation Epithalamin inhibits both the growth of transplantable mammary tumors and the development of spontaneous mammary tumors in female C3H/Sn and SHR mice and mammary carcinogenesis induced by 7,12-dimethylbenzanthracene mammary tumors or by total-body X-ray irradiation in female rats. [11][12][13] Clinical use of Epithalamin was shown to be effective for the treatment of ovarian disturbances and of some types of cancer, breast cancer included. 14 However, the in vivo use of Epithalamin has been rather restricted due to difficulties in the availability of calf pineal gland for its production.…”

The relationship between aging and carcinogenesis: a critical appraisal

“…Melatonin inhibits production of DNA adducts in carcinogen-exposed animals [285], inhibits mutagenic and clastogenic effect of some chemical carcinogens [286], protects chromosomes of human lymphocytes from radiation damages [287] and enhances gap junctional intercellular communications in vitro [288]. The pineal peptide preparation epithalatmin stimulates synthesis and secretion of melatonin [289] and has antioxidant and lipid peroxidation inhibitory effects [290].…”

“…It seems to become more and more clear that means which normalize the age-related changes in the hormonal status, metabolism, and immunity and thus slow down the realization of the genetic program of aging (not postpone aging, but decelerating the rate of it) must be most effective in the protection from aging and the prevention of cancer development. Among these means pineal peptide preparations Epithalamin [289,297] and peptide Epitalon (Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly) [274,298], calorie restriction or drugs mimic it, e.g. antidiabetic biguanides, sugar substitutes, and possible, anorhexants.…”

Effect of pineal tetrapeptide on antioxidant defense inDrosophila melanogaster

“…Exogenous melatonin reduced the content of free radicals in mammals and drosophila [3,8,12]. Studies conducted from 1973 to 1999 demonstrated that the pineal peptide preparation Epithalamin prolongs lifespan in animals [6], decelerates aging of the reproductive and immune systems, and suppresses the growth of transplanted tumors and neoplasms developed spontaneously or induced by radiation or various chemical carcinogens [9]. Epithalamin inhibits lipid peroxidation (LPO) and increases total antioxidant activity, activity of Cu.Znsuperoxide dismutase, and the content of ceruloplasmin in rat serum [1,2].…”