In this guide
What is Cartalax?
Cartalax is a very short lab-made peptide, a chain of just three amino acids, that people take hoping to ease joint pain and slow the wear of cartilage, the smooth tissue that cushions the ends of bones. It is an investigational compound: no regulator we checked has approved it as a medicine.
It comes from a Russian research program led by Vladimir Khavinson, whose group calls short peptides like this bioregulators and designs each one for a particular tissue. Cartalax's chain is alanine, glutamic acid and aspartic acid, written Ala-Glu-Asp or AED, and the group's papers also call it T-31. The name echoes “cartilage”. [1], [2], [3]
Two kinds of product carry the name. In Russia, Cartalax is a food-supplement capsule (plus drops held under the tongue) whose ingredient is listed as a “peptide complex” of those three amino acids. Western peptide vendors sell 20 mg vials of powder for injection, usually labeled for research use only. [4], [5], [6], [7]
It is also easy to mix up with relatives. Epitalon is a different peptide from the same program with a fourth amino acid added (Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly). Sigumir, often used alongside Cartalax, is not a lab-made chain at all but a mix of peptides extracted from the cartilage of calves or pigs; in one analysis, AED made up just 0.02% of such a cartilage extract. [8], [9], [10]
One name, several things
- Injectable vial (Western vendors)
- What it is: 20 mg vial of powder (Ala-Glu-Asp), sold as a “research use only” chemicalRoute: Subcutaneous injectionWebsite schedules: Most often 1–2 mg once daily for 10–20 days, a few times a yearHuman data: None for this route
- Capsule and drops (Russia)
- What it is: Food-supplement capsule, about 0.2 g, listing “peptide complex AC-4” (alanine, glutamic acid, aspartic acid); also drops for under the tongueRoute: Oral (swallowed) with food; drops sublingualLabel schedule: 1–2 capsules, 1–2 times a day, 10–30 days; repeat after 4–6 monthsDeclared content: Not stated on the label; sources claim 0.1 mg, 10 mg or 200 mg per capsule
- Not the same: Sigumir
- What it is: Peptides extracted from the cartilage of young calves or pigs; 10 mg active substances per capsuleAED content of a cartilage extract: About 0.02%
- Not the same: Epitalon
- What it is: Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly, four amino acids, a different peptide from the same program
Product labels, vendor pages, a 2011 institute report and published papers; not a recommendation.
Only vial labels state an AED amount; no published test has checked any product's content.
Typical Cartalax Protocols
| Example | Amount each time | Frequency | Total per day | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low | 1 mg | Once daily | 1 mg | 10–20 days, repeated 3–4 times a year Called the “low dose protocol” by its source [7] |
| Mid | 2 mg | Once daily | 2 mg | 20 days, repeated 3–4 times a year Called the “standard protocol” by its source [7] |
| High | 2 mg, rising to 5 mg | Once daily | 2–5 mg | 8–12 weeks, optionally 16 2 mg in weeks 1–2, 3 mg in weeks 3–4, 4 mg in weeks 5–8, 5 mg in weeks 9–12 [6] |
The most common injectable protocol in the reviewed sources is 1–2 mg once a day by subcutaneous injection for 10–20 days, repeated a few times a year. [7], [11], [12], [13], [14], [15]
- Titration Changing the amount in steps
- The short courses use one fixed amount from day one. The 12-week schedule steps up by 1 mg at set points, from 2 mg to 5 mg. One page instead adds 0.5 mg only if nothing has changed after three weeks. [7], [11], [6], [16]
Read the units: mg means milligrams; 1 mg equals 1,000 micrograms (mcg). A 20 mg vial holds twenty 1 mg doses or ten 2 mg doses. Amounts are per injection, and with one injection a day the daily total is the same number. They refer to Cartalax alone, not the total weight of a blend.
Each row is a complete schedule from one source; low, mid and high are alternatives, not steps to move through. These schedules come from protocol websites, not clinical trials: no human study has tested Cartalax as a subcutaneous injection, and the cited references give the full details.
What about capsules?
| Example | Amount each time | Frequency | Total per day | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low | 1 capsule | Once daily, with food | 1 capsule | 10–30 days, repeated after 4–6 months Lower end of the label range [4] |
| Mid | 2 capsules | Twice daily, with food | 4 capsules | 10–30 days, repeated after 4–6 months Upper end of the label range [4] |
| High | 2 capsules | Three times daily, 10–15 minutes before meals | 6 capsules | 45 days, repeated after 3–6 months Recommended for joint and spine arthritis in the developer institute's 2011 report [9] |
The capsule label says 1–2 capsules, 1–2 times a day with food, for 10–30 days, repeated after 4–6 months. Russian pharmacy and seller pages repeat the same wording, so it is one source copied many times rather than several independent opinions. The 2025 Russian registration gives the same amounts for one month, repeated after 3–6 months. [4], [17], [18], [19], [5]
The Russian drops for use under the tongue follow a separate instruction: 5–6 drops, 3–4 times a day, before meals, for a month. No amount of AED per drop is given. [17]
In community education groups, educators mostly teach 1–2 mg a day by injection for 10–30 days, a few times a year, and members most often report 2 mg once a day; a minority run it for months, or use 10 mg a day for 10 days, a schedule one website also publishes. [20]
Where protocols differ: course length, units, capsules, blends and syringe units ↓
Where these numbers come from
The low and mid injection rows come from one protocol website that publishes both as complete schedules with the same repeat advice (reference [7]). The high row is the step-up table from reference [6]; two other pages copy the same table, and two more publish close variants, so it counts as one lineage rather than five opinions. [21], [22], [23], [24]
References [11], [12], [13], [14] and [15] cross-check the recurring 1–2 mg, 10–20-day pattern. Of 18 injectable pages from 16 separate origins, only three origins give a comparable single per-dose amount (1, 2 and 2 mg, counting one schedule per origin), too few for a meaningful median, so none is shown.
The capsule rows come from the Russian label as reproduced by a pharmacy directory (reference [4]) and from the institute's 2011 report (reference [9]). That report's patient results duplicate another product's report, so its recommended schedule is shown as the developer's advice, not as a tested regimen.
Excluded from the typical comparison: 10 mg a day for 10 days, which no study supports; microgram-scale injection rows (100–400 mcg a day); a 10–20 mcg under-the-tongue row; oral “mg” amounts that confuse capsule weight with peptide content; and pages that give no end date. [20], [13], [25], [26], [27], [28], [29]
What is Cartalax commonly used for?
People usually look into Cartalax because of their joints: knee osteoarthritis (the common “wear and tear” arthritis in which cartilage thins), clicking or grinding, an old meniscus or cartilage injury, back and disc pain, or a wish to protect their joints as they age. Most inject it for a few weeks, often alongside other peptides. [30], [31], [32]
The Russian capsule label lists a long set of situations, from arthritis, gout and osteoporosis to recovery around joint surgery and prevention in older adults. A food-supplement registration is not an approval of those uses as treatments, and the accounts below describe interest, not proof. [4]
Knee osteoarthritis and worn cartilage
This is where most of the interest, and the only human injection data, sits: a patent example in 29 people with knee osteoarthritis that reported less pain in about 55–63% of cases, without results for its comparison group. Public accounts range from being able to run again to no effect at all. What the human data show. [1], [30], [33]
Back, neck and disc pain
People with degenerative disc disease (age-related wear of the spinal discs) or chronic back pain also try it. A 2011 company report claims relief in about half of its spine patients, but its figures match a report on a different product. Public accounts are mixed: disc-related pain eased over two months for one person and did not change for another with a narrowed spinal canal in the neck. [9], [31], [34]
Old injuries: meniscus, rotator cuff and ligament damage
Some people add Cartalax after surgery or for an old tear, usually with BPC-157 and TB-500. Nonresponse is common in these stories, especially with old tendon tears and advanced joint damage. [35], [33], [36]
Bone density and osteoporosis
The evidence is one rat experiment (a model of bone loss after menopause) in which only the higher of two amounts raised bone density. The 2011 report mentions eight patients with osteoporosis (thinning bones) but gives no numbers for them. [3], [9]
Other uses you may come across
Claims about skin aging, kidneys, longevity, calcium balance or jaw-bone healing come from cell cultures, rat experiments and patent examples, not from studies in people. [37], [38], [1], [39]
Where do Cartalax protocols differ?
The short injection course is easy to summarize. The disagreements start with course length, units and what a capsule actually contains.
Short courses or a 12-week build-up?
These are two different ideas, not versions of one protocol. The short course (1–2 mg a day for 10–20 days, a few times a year) echoes the developer's brief, repeated courses. The 12-week pattern climbs from 2 mg to 5 mg a day, and its source says it draws on cell studies rather than human data. No one has compared them. [7], [12], [6]
Micrograms or milligrams?
The range of amounts is enormous. The only human injection data used 1 mcg, 10 mcg or 5 mg a day, a 5,000-fold span, depending on the patient's age and severity. Websites run from 100 mcg to 10 mg a day, and one gives 10–20 mcg under the tongue. The usual 1–2 mg is 100 to 200 times the patent's 10 mcg dose, and there is no dose-finding study to say which scale matters. [1], [25], [22], [20], [27]
Amounts span about 10,000-fold
Daily amounts, log scale
- Patent human example, injection into a muscle
- 1 mcg (age 52–60, early disease), 10 mcg (age 60–65) or 5 mg (over 65, severe), once daily for 20 days.
- Under-the-tongue page
- 10–20 mcg
- Microgram injection pages
- 100–400 mcg
- Most common injectable pattern
- 1–2 mg
- 12-week step-up
- 2 → 5 mg
- Highest website amount
- 10 mg
No amount on this strip has been tested for effect or safety by subcutaneous injection or in any dose-finding study.
Patent human example and protocol websites; not a recommendation.
Sources: patent RU2299741C1, Example 5; protocol websites.
The patent's own three doses span 5,000-fold.
Why do some pages give a dose per kilogram of body weight?
The patent claims 0.01–100 mcg per kilogram of body weight, at least once a day, by intramuscular injection. An English machine translation wrongly shows “mg/kg”, making every number 1,000 times larger, and other weight-based figures in circulation have no traceable source. [1]
What is actually in a capsule?
A capsule weighs about 0.2 g, but that is not the amount of AED. Some English pages mistake capsule weight for peptide content and give oral “doses” of 10–20 mg or more. The declared contents also conflict: the developer's 2011 report says 0.1 mg of active substance per capsule, a seller linked to the developer says 10 mg of “peptide complex AC-4”, and another seller 200 mg. The current Russian label states no amount at all, and no public test has measured the AED in a capsule. [4], [9], [40], [41], [13], [42]
Are bigger amounts more effective?
Nothing shows that. In the one rat experiment that compared two amounts, only the higher one changed bone density, which says nothing about whether 5 mg beats 1 mg in a person. [3]
What about Cartalax in stacks and blends?
Cartalax is most often run as its own vial next to the BPC-157 and TB-500 pair sometimes called the Wolverine stack, or next to blends such as KLOW or GLOW. A combination schedule is not a Cartalax protocol, and none of these combinations has been tested. One vendor sells a one-vial “Deadpool” blend, also marketed as “Wolverine+”, with 10 mg of Cartalax, 5 mg of BPC-157 and 5 mg of TB-500. [43], [35], [44], [34], [27]
Pre-mixed blends also change the arithmetic. When several peptides share one vial, each injection carries only part of the Cartalax, so check the amount of each component, not the vial total.
How do milligrams convert to syringe units?
Injection pages often give amounts as “units” on a U-100 insulin syringe, which holds 100 units per millilitre. Units measure volume, so how much Cartalax each unit holds depends on how much water went into the vial.
For example, a 20 mg vial mixed with 2 mL of water holds 10 mg per mL, so 1 mg is 0.1 mL, or 10 units, and 2 mg is 20 units. Mixed with 3 mL, 2 mg is 30 units. That is why a number of units copied from someone else's protocol can be wrong. Doserly's reconstitution calculator works this out for any vial and shows each step. [7], [6]
Source-by-source comparison
Injections
Unit key: 1 milligram (mg) = 1,000 micrograms (mcg).
Research Dosing gives a standard 2 mg once daily for 20 days and a low 1 mg once daily for 10–20 days, repeated 3–4 times a year. Peptides.ID gives 1 mg (standard) or 2 mg (high dose) once daily in the morning for 10–20 days. RetaCalc summarizes forum reports as about 1–2 mg once daily in roughly 20-day cycles, sometimes 30–40 days, with about two months off and three or four cycles a year. Medibact describes roughly 1–2 mg a day for 10–20 days, a few times a year. The Peptide Catalog calls about 0.2–2 mg a day for 10–20 days community-reported. CalcMyPeptide lists 1–2 mg in 10–30-day cycles. PeptaBase gives 2 mg a day, stating both 30 days on and 10–20 days in different places, with four months off. [7], [11], [12], [13], [14], [15], [42]
PeptideDosages publishes the 2→3→4→5 mg table over 12 weeks, noting that human trial data for this route are limited; PeptiJournal and Peptide Dosing Protocols copy it, and both also catalogue a separate 10 mg a day, 20-day schedule. PepGuide gives the same 12-week table, and Dosage Peptide a 2–5 mg ramp with different week boundaries. CartalaxPeptide.com attributes 2–5 mg a day to a supplier and suggests 0.5–1 mg increases every 1–2 weeks. Peptide Doser climbs from 2 mg to 5 mg by day 15 with no end date. Peptides.wiki gives 1–3 mg per injection daily, every other day or 3–5 times a week, for about four weeks, with 1–2 weeks off or five days on and two off. [6], [21], [22], [24], [23], [45], [29], [16]
Smaller amounts: Path To Peptides gives 200 mcg a day in 10-day cycles with 10–20 days off; PeptIQ lists 100 mcg starting and 250 mcg standard; StackTrax gives 100–400 mcg a day for 10–20 days, 2–4 cycles a year; Peptide Database lists 700–1,400 mcg by injection. Larger amounts: SeekPeptides gives 10 mg a day for 10 days, repeated every 3–6 months, without separating injection from oral use. [46], [25], [26], [47], [20]
Capsules and drops
The AptekaMos instruction, Peptid.ru, PeptidSPB, CosmicNootropic and Bio Peptides repeat the label: 1–2 capsules 1–2 times a day with meals for 10–30 days, repeated after 4–6 months. Khavinson Peptide Products gives 1 or 2 capsules twice a day with meals for a month, repeated after 3–6 months, and says 2 or 4 capsules contain 20 or 40 mg of peptide complex, which is 10 mg per capsule. RuPharma gives 1–2 capsules 1–2 times a day 30 minutes before meals and states 200 mg per capsule. Peptid.ru gives the lingual drops as 5–6 drops (0.25–0.35 mL) 3–4 times a day. [4], [17], [18], [19], [48], [40], [41]
PepGuide and Peptide Database give 100–200 mcg for 1–2 capsules; PeptaBase says about 21 mg capsules; Medibact reports 10–20 mg a day by mouth; Peptide Initiative describes a 2–3 mg oral starting dose rising to six capsules a day. WikiPep gives 10–20 mcg under the tongue for 10–20 days and a stack with 250 mcg of BPC-157 by injection. [23], [47], [42], [13], [28], [27]
Citation and identity problems
CalcMyPeptide lists the wrong formula and molecular weight (C13H21N3O9, 351.32; the correct values are C12H19N3O8 and 333.29) and cites a PubMed number that leads to a Brazilian diet study. Peptide Initiative calls Cartalax a cartilage extract from cattle and presents a six-capsule schedule as the protocol of a Russian clinical study; the only located study of that age group used injections into a muscle. Peptides.ID links six PubMed records as Cartalax research that turn out to be unrelated papers (on a bone graft, nerve-support cells, a liver protein, neck-disc surgery, a wrinkle cream and a skin vitamin), and gives a 30–60-second half-life that it calls an estimate; no study has measured one. Several pages cite cell or rat studies beside human dose numbers; none of those studies tested a human dose. Even official databases slip: the US National Library of Medicine's vocabulary record and PubChem list the synonym H-Asp-Glu-Asp-OH, which contradicts the correct Ala-Glu-Asp sequence. [15], [2], [28], [1], [11], [49]
What happens when you stop Cartalax?
This has not been studied in people. Neither human report checked on patients after the 20-day or 30–45-day course ended, so nobody knows how long any change lasts or whether stopping causes withdrawal or a rebound. The 2011 report says the product caused no drug dependence, without saying how that was checked. [1], [9]
- Repeat courses. The capsule label suggests another course after 4–6 months, and the developer's 2011 report after 3–6 months. Neither explains why. [4], [9]
- Rat studies. In rats whose ovaries had been removed, a month of daily injections of the higher amount (10 mcg per rat), started a few days after surgery, raised bone density. A month after the injections stopped, it had fallen below the starting level, as it did in untreated rats. The authors suggested continuous use might be needed. This is a rat bone model, not evidence about joints in people. [3]
- Personal accounts. One person whose knee improved during a course with BPC-157 and TB-500 wrote that a month after stopping there was only a marginal difference from before. Another said their back pain stayed away through a three-month break, and a third that some aches came back after stopping. These are single stories with other treatments going on at the same time. [84], [31], [86] Read the accounts in full.
Do capsules, drops and injections of Cartalax behave the same way?
No one has measured this, in people or in animals. An oral capsule has to survive digestion and cross the gut wall; a subcutaneous injection is absorbed from fatty tissue; drops held under the tongue (sublingual) would need to cross the lining of the mouth. Matching amounts would not mean matching exposure, and here the amounts do not even match.
Bioavailability, how much of a dose reaches the blood, is unknown for every route. A computer model from the developer's group predicted that AED could fit the gut's carriers for small peptides; that is a prediction, not a measured absorption. The only human injection data used intramuscular injections (into a muscle), a route that no protocol website describes. [50], [1]
How long does Cartalax last in the body?
Nobody knows. No study has measured its half-life or any other part of its pharmacokinetics in any species, so figures on websites have no source. [2], [1]
Should it be injected near the painful joint?
Some people give the subcutaneous injection close to a sore knee or shoulder, believing it acts faster there, while others say it works throughout the body and inject in the belly. No study has compared the two. In community education groups, several people describe injections close to a joint as painful and bruising. Injecting into the joint itself (intra-articular injection) is a different, more invasive route that no Cartalax source has studied. [30], [51]
How should Cartalax be stored, and how long does it last?
It depends on the product. The Russian capsules and drops come with storage instructions; for the injectable vials, nobody has published a stability test.
- Capsules. The label says to keep them dry, out of direct sunlight and out of children's reach, at 2–25 °C (36–77 °F). The seller's current information gives a shelf life of three years from manufacture; the developer's 2011 report said five years. [4], [96], [9]
- Under-the-tongue drops. Once a bottle is opened, the seller says to keep it in the refrigerator and use it within 10 days, because the drops contain no preservative. [97], [96]
- Vial powder, before mixing. Protocol pages say to keep the freeze-dried powder frozen at −20 °C (−4 °F) or refrigerated at 2–8 °C (36–46 °F); one says room temperature is fine. None cites a stability test. [11], [6], [24], [46]
- After mixing. Once the powder is mixed with liquid (reconstituted), the pages say to keep it refrigerated at 2–8 °C, but their “use within” times range from 14 to 30 days. [26], [14], [24], [21], [46]
We found no published stability study of Cartalax in any form: the capsule shelf life is the seller's statement, and the vial times are website claims. For comparison, a chemical supplier that sells identified AED powder for laboratory research, not for people, stores it at −20 °C and advises against keeping it dissolved in water for more than one day. [98] Cold storage cannot tell you what is in a vial (see product quality).
What do we actually know about Cartalax in people?
Very little. ClinicalTrials.gov lists no Cartalax study. The human information comes from a patent example and a company report, both from the developer's own circle, plus brief mentions in Russian dental papers and a Ukrainian gum-disease study that gave Cartalax only alongside several other products. Only the gum-disease study reported results for a comparison group, and none hid who received what or collected side effects systematically. [52], [1], [9], [107]
What did the human reports find?
| Report | What was reported | What it cannot establish |
|---|---|---|
| Knee osteoarthritis, patent example (filed 2006) | 29 adults aged 52–72 who had had knee osteoarthritis for 5–20 years, said to be divided at random. Treated patients received AED by intramuscular injection once a day for 20 days: 5 mg if over 65 with severe deformity, 10 mcg if 60–65, 1 mcg if 52–60 with early disease. 12 received salt-water injections. Pain and joint movement improved “in 54.5–62.7% of cases, depending on the severity”; X-ray findings did not change significantly. | Whether AED caused the change. No results are given for the salt-water group, subgroup sizes and statistics are missing, side effects were not reported, and a patent is not peer reviewed. [1] |
| Joint and spine disease, 2011 institute report (capsules) | 33 adults aged 45–78 (10 with knee osteoarthritis, 15 with spinal wear, 8 with osteoporosis) took the product by mouth for 30–45 days on top of usual treatment (the methods say tablets, the recommendations capsules); 31 had usual treatment only. Pain and movement improved in 68.5% of knee cases and 53.7% of spine cases, X-rays did not change, and “no side effects” are claimed. | Which product was tested. The same brochure's report on Sigumir, a cartilage extract, describes the same patients and the same percentages in almost the same words. With 10 knee and 15 spine patients, those percentages cannot be simple patient counts, and no calculation is given. There are no control-group results and no statistics. [9] |
| Dental and jaw reports (Russia, 2015–2022) | A 2015 paper on jaw-bone surgery for chronic tooth-root infection in older people names Cartalax in its abstract and says X-rays and clinical checks showed a benefit. A 2022 paper on age-related jaw-joint arthritis describes “bioregulatory therapy” without naming Cartalax in its abstract. | Almost anything: the abstracts give no patient numbers, schedule, results or side-effect data, and the full texts could not be obtained. [53], [54] |
| Gum disease (periodontitis), Ukraine, 2022 | 157 patients with generalized periodontitis received a regimen of several “polypeptide” products chosen by blood type and disease severity; 133 received conventional treatment. Only patients with moderate or severe disease (grade II or III) received Cartalax capsules, 2 capsules twice a day with meals for 14 days (grade III; the grade II wording is ambiguous), alongside 4–5 other products, including a mumie balm, a peptide gum gel and other Russian supplements. A month after treatment, saliva markers such as C-reactive protein, a marker of inflammation, had fallen more than in the control group (by 65% vs 30% in patients with blood type O). | Anything about Cartalax on its own. It was one of several products, the number of patients who took it is not given, the reported results also include patients with mild disease who never received Cartalax, the outcomes were saliva lab markers rather than gum health, the paper does not say patients were assigned at random or blinded, and side effects were not reported. [107] |
Why can't the 2011 report count as a Cartalax study?
Because it is not clear which product it describes. Its Cartalax and Sigumir sections share the same patients, diagnosis breakdown and response figures, differing mainly in the product name, and its dosing instructions switch between tablets and capsules. The patent's description of its patients also reuses the brochure's sentences, which suggests template text rather than independent write-ups. At most, the report is one company account of uncertain product identity. [9], [1]
What do these outcomes measure?
Pain and ease of movement are symptoms; an X-ray shows joint structure. In both reports, symptoms improved in some patients while X-rays did not change, so neither shows cartilage regrowing. [1], [9]
Symptom scores also improve without an active treatment. In a large 2024 placebo-controlled trial in people with obesity and knee osteoarthritis, knee-pain scores fell by 27.5 points out of 100 in the placebo group over 68 weeks (with diet and exercise advice), and by 41.7 points with the weight-loss medicine semaglutide. Without a reported comparison group, a percentage of patients who “improved” cannot be judged. [55]
How might Cartalax work?
The developers' idea is that very short peptides act as tissue-specific signals that help switch genes on or off in aging cells. The experiments below test pieces of that idea. They are preclinical: cell studies, tissue pieces and animal studies in rats, almost all from one research network. None measured joint repair. [56]
What happens to cartilage cells in a dish?
In cartilage cells (chondrocytes) from young and old rats, AED at 200 nanograms per mL raised cell counts about 1.4–2.1 times over five days; a tenfold lower concentration did nothing in old-rat cells. In spinal-disc cartilage cells from rats, it lowered p53, a cell-stress protein, although the paper credits the drop in inflammatory signals to a cartilage extract rather than to AED. In human stem cells turning into cartilage cells, it raised cartilage markers such as type II collagen and aggrecan. [57], [58], [59]
In the patent, pieces of rat hip cartilage kept alive in a dish (an explant culture) grew about 26% more at one concentration. Tissue in a dish carries no weight and has no blood supply, so this is a long way from a healthier knee. [1]
Does it act only on cartilage?
No. In the same kinds of experiments, AED also changed aging skin cells, kidney cells, stem cells and pieces of testis and bladder tissue, which does not fit the idea of a cartilage-only signal. [37], [60], [61], [62]
Were any results negative or cautionary?
Several were, and websites rarely mention them:
- In aging kidney cells, AED did not raise Ki-67, a marker of dividing cells, even though the paper's summary says it activated cell renewal. [60]
- In aging human skin cells, it did not change three inflammation signals (IL-1, NF-κB and TGF-β), while a related peptide did. [63]
- In human stem cells, the authors wrote that the peptides' effect on NF-κB, a master switch for inflammation genes, may “accelerate” the cells' aging. [61]
- In immune cells from the thymus, the combined anti-aging effect came from a different peptide, not T-31. [64]
- In rats given a kidney-damaging cancer drug, AED improved some urine measures but not kidney function overall, unlike the other peptides tested. [65]
What did the rat experiments find?
The main one tested bone, not cartilage. In a study of 100 female rats, 90 of them with their ovaries removed, 10 mcg per rat injected into a muscle daily for a month raised bone density during the month it was given, whether started a few days or a month after surgery, but the gain from the early course was gone a month after the injections stopped. 0.3 mcg gave no significant rise, and a calf-cartilage extract worked better. Other rat studies looked at kidneys and jaw-bone healing. Computer models predict where AED might dock on DNA, but no experiment has tracked it into a joint or a cell nucleus. [3], [38], [39], [66]
What are the risks and unanswered questions?
Is Cartalax safe?
Its safety in people has not been established. The patent and the 2011 report say no side effects were seen, but neither describes how adverse events (side effects) were looked for, courses lasted 20–45 days, and there are no human data at all for subcutaneous injection, the way most people use it now. [1], [9]
In the patent's animal tests, single injections in mice and daily injections for 90 days in rats and six months in guinea pigs produced no toxic reactions, according to the inventors. These are the inventors' own data, without independent review. [1]
What problems have actually been reported?
No serious problem has been confirmed, and none has been reported formally. In public forums, one person had stomach pressure, body aches and an unpleasant bowel movement after two capsules; another had a full-body flare of fibromyalgia the morning after an injection; one had pain at known cartilage-damage sites after workouts during a 10-day course; others reported a sore red bump at the injection site or a brief deep stiffness. One woman had a day of bleeding and a week of spotting after adding a BPC-157 and Cartalax product while using a contraceptive injection. [67], [36], [34], [31], [68]
In community education groups, the most common complaints were pain and bruising when injecting close to a joint, and short pain flares in a few people. Some other problems, such as dark spots on the gums, came from people taking many compounds and could not be linked to Cartalax. Nobody reported monitoring for long or high-dose use.
Could product quality change the risk?
Yes. The vials are sold for research use, outside the medicine approval system, with contents no one has independently checked, and reference pages get basics wrong, from the chemical formula to calling Cartalax a cattle-cartilage extract. One forum user wondered whether three vials that did nothing were glucose powder. In community education groups, a member reported receiving a “Cartalax” instruction sheet that described an unrelated prescription drug given by intravenous drip. No independent testing of Cartalax vials has been published that we could find. Injecting any unapproved product adds risks of infection, contamination and allergic reaction. [15], [28], [69]
Does Cartalax affect cancer risk?
Nobody knows. There are no long-term cancer studies of Cartalax in animals or people, and the patent's toxicity tests did not include one. The only related caution comes from a stem-cell study whose authors worried that the peptides' effect on NF-κB could speed up the cells' aging. In community education groups, some people with a cancer history choose Cartalax because they believe it does not promote new blood-vessel growth; that belief rests on an absence of data, not on a test. [1], [61]
Is Cartalax legal? Is it FDA-approved?
Checked September 23, 2026. Rules differ by country and change quickly. A “research use only” label does not make a product legal to sell or safe to use.
United States. Cartalax is not an FDA-approved medicine: a search of FDA's approved-drug database finds no product under that name. It does not appear in FDA's lists of bulk substances nominated for pharmacy compounding or on its list of substances that may present significant safety risks, and it was not among the peptides discussed at FDA's July 2026 compounding advisory committee meeting (Epitalon was). Absence from those lists is not permission to compound it and not an FDA safety judgment. [70], [71], [72], [73], [74]
Canada. Health Canada's peptide advisories of August 2025 and April 2026 do not name Cartalax. The April 2026 advisory warns that labelling injectable peptides “For Research Use Only – Not for Human Consumption” “does not make these products legal or exempt from regulatory requirements.” Separately, Health Canada has licensed an oral capsule called CARTALAX as a natural health product since 2013 (NPN 80041188); its listed ingredient is 100 mcg of “glutamine peptides”, 2 capsules 2–3 times a day, and the licence neither names the AED peptide nor covers injections. [75], [76], [77]
Australia. Cartalax has no entry in the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods and is not named in the June 2026 Poisons Standard or in the TGA's May 2026 warning on imported peptides, which says unapproved peptides may be imported for personal use only if clearly and accurately labelled. [78], [79], [80]
United Kingdom. A search of UK government sites, which include the medicines regulator (MHRA), found no record for Cartalax. [81]
Russia. Cartalax capsules and tablets are registered as food supplements (biologically active food additives), not as medicines, and the under-the-tongue drops are also sold as a food supplement. [5], [4], [17]
Is Cartalax banned in sport? Does it show up on a drug test?
Cartalax is not named on the World Anti-Doping Agency's 2026 list or on the 2027 list that takes effect on January 1, 2027. Category S0 bans at all times any substance “with no current approval by any governmental regulatory health authority for human therapeutic use”, and the 2027 list names “peptides” among its examples. A Russian food-supplement registration is not a medicine approval, so tested athletes should assume S0 can apply. [82], [83]
No published anti-doping test for Cartalax was found, and how long it could be detected is unknown.
Who should be especially cautious?
These groups have no safety data in people. That is a reason for caution, not proof of harm.
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding. The capsule label lists both as reasons not to use it. [4]
- Children and teenagers. The label is for adults, no study included anyone under 45, and growing joints are a different situation. This guide is written for adults. [4], [9]
- Autoimmune, inflammatory or chronic pain conditions. One person with fibromyalgia reported a severe flare, and nothing is known about use in rheumatoid arthritis or other immune diseases. [67]
- A history of cancer. There are no cancer studies. [1]
- Anyone facing a joint-replacement or surgery decision. Cartalax has not been shown to change joint structure, and delaying proven treatment has its own costs. [1], [9]
- Competitive athletes. See the anti-doping section above.
- People taking other medicines. Interactions have not been studied; see the next question.
Has Cartalax been tested alongside other medicines?
Not in any way that answers the question. In the 2011 report, the product was added to usual treatment, and the patent says only that its patients had long taken pain and anti-inflammatory medicines before the study. Neither was designed to look for interactions. Nothing is known about combining Cartalax with blood thinners, steroids, GLP-1 medicines or other peptides. Bring a complete list of everything you take to a pharmacist or doctor. [1], [9]
What should be monitored while using Cartalax?
No regulator has written a monitoring plan for Cartalax. The Russian capsule label only advises talking to a doctor before use, and the injectable vials are sold for laboratory research, with no approved label. What exists is a record of what the two joint reports, a gum-disease study and the patent's animal safety tests checked. It can help you prepare questions for a clinician; it is not a personal testing plan. [4]
What did the human reports check?
- Pain and movement. Both recorded complaints, pain and how well the knee or spine could bend and straighten, and reported improvement as a percentage of cases. [1], [9]
- X-rays. Both took X-rays; neither found a meaningful change. [1], [9]
- Blood and urine tests. The 2011 report says it ran routine blood and urine tests and blood chemistry, but it published no results. The patent example describes no blood tests in its patients. [9], [1]
- Side effects. Both say none were seen, without saying how they were looked for. [1], [9]
- Saliva tests. The 2022 Ukrainian gum-disease study measured inflammation and bone-turnover markers in saliva, for the whole multi-product regimen, and did not report side effects. [107]
What did the animal safety tests check?
The patent's toxicity tests gave mice a single injection, rats daily injections for 90 days and guinea pigs daily injections for six months, all into a muscle. The inventors counted red and white blood cells and platelets, measured hemoglobin, the sedimentation rate (a general inflammation test), blood protein, potassium and sodium, checked blood clotting in the rats and examined the internal organs under a microscope. They report no significant changes. These are the inventors' own data, without independent review. [1]
Which measures matter, and why?
| Why it matters | What studies measured or reported | Tracking category |
|---|---|---|
| Joint pain and function, the reason most people try it | Pain and joint movement in both human reports; in a large knee-arthritis trial, pain scores also fell by 27.5 points out of 100 on placebo [1], [9], [55] | Joint Health; Pain Management; Daily Functioning |
| Joint structure | X-rays unchanged in both human reports; neither presents MRI results [1], [9] | Imaging, only through a clinician |
| Blood counts and blood chemistry | Checked in the patent's animals, with no reported change; the 2011 report ran tests in people but published no results [1], [9] | Blood work |
| Injection reactions and pain flares | Public accounts of a sore red bump, a brief deep stiffness, and pain flares at old injury sites or throughout the body [34], [31], [36], [67] | Side Effect Burden; Inflammation |
| Stomach upset with capsules | One public account of stomach pressure and an unpleasant bowel movement after two capsules [67] | Digestive Comfort |
| Other changes in your routine | Physical therapy, weight loss, GLP-1 medicines and other peptides also change joint pain [55], [88] | Treatment Adherence; Physical Performance |
Health Canada advises anyone who has used an unauthorized injectable peptide and feels unwell or has concerns to talk to a healthcare professional right away, and to report side effects. Its advisories do not name Cartalax. [76], [75]
What do people in public communities report?
We reviewed 47 public threads, mostly on Reddit, from late 2023 to September 2026. Most posters injected vials, usually 2 mg a day, and almost all were also using other peptides, physical therapy, surgery recovery or prescription medicines at the same time. Few used the Russian capsules. [30], [84], [67]
What do the positive reports look like?
Positive reports are common and usually modest: less knee pain, less clicking or grinding, sleeping without a knee brace, or returning to running. One person with advanced knee osteoarthritis said pain eased within about a day of a solo course and stayed better into the break; another had less hip and kneecap discomfort after 20 days at 2 mg a day. [85], [34], [31], [30]
Some stories credit Cartalax with avoiding surgery. These usually involve a heavy stack: one person who cancelled an operation for arthritis was taking Cartalax at 5 mg twice a day alongside Vesugen, Pinealon, BPC-157, TB-500 and collagen. [35]
How long did those changes last?
Follow-ups often change the picture. One person whose knee let them run again during a 30-day course of Cartalax with BPC-157 and TB-500 later wrote that the benefit had largely faded within a month of stopping. Others described improvement that held across later courses, or aches that came back after stopping. [30], [84], [31], [86]
Does everyone notice a difference?
No. Nonresponse is well represented: no relief after two 30-day courses for osteoarthritis, nothing after three months at 2 mg a day, no change for a severe hip, a throwing shoulder or narrowing of the spinal canal in the neck, and eight weeks of self-tracked knee scores that “flatlined” on capsules. Nonresponders often describe advanced joint damage, an old ligament or tendon injury, or nerve-related pain. [33], [32], [30], [84], [34], [87]
Does getting worse mean it is working?
Not necessarily. Some people call early pain at old injury sites “repair”, but a flare can also be a side effect, a coincidence or too much training. Nothing links a flare to later benefit. [36], [67]
What do community education groups teach?
Educators in community education groups teach Cartalax as a slow cartilage bioregulator, often with advice to measure pain and function before and after and to stop after two courses with no effect. Members' stories follow the public pattern: mostly positive, nearly always alongside BPC-157 and TB-500, KPV, blends or GLP-1 medicines, with a steady minority who felt nothing.
Some teaching goes wrong. Several lessons call Cartalax a blood-vessel or heart peptide, or a tissue extract; it is neither. The idea that capsules beat injections traces back to essentially one member and one educator, and calling it harmless because no one has reported harm confuses no evidence with evidence of safety.
How can you judge a joint story?
Ask: What else changed? Several people using Cartalax were also taking a GLP-1 weight-loss medicine such as retatrutide, and in a large trial the GLP-1 medicine semaglutide cut knee-pain scores well beyond placebo. Physical therapy, surgery, rest, other peptides and ordinary good and bad weeks all move joint pain too. [88], [89], [55]
Then ask what was measured (the same walk, stairs or lift, before and after), and what happened months later. One person credited a growth-factor treatment, not the Cartalax and Vesugen they also took, for keeping their knee better. These selected discussions are not a survey of all users or a substitute for controlled studies. [90]
How does Cartalax compare with BPC-157, TB-500 and Epitalon?
Cartalax is often injected alongside BPC-157 and TB-500 for joints, and it is easily confused with Epitalon, a peptide from the same Russian program. The table compares what each one is and how much human evidence exists. The schedules for the other three are protocol-website claims, not tested doses.
| Peptide | What it is | Route and schedule | Human evidence | Approval and sport status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cartalax (this guide) | Lab-made chain of three amino acids (Ala-Glu-Asp) from a Russian research program, promoted for cartilage [2], [1] | Capsules by mouth, 1–2 capsules 1–2 times a day for 10–30 days (label); vials by subcutaneous injection, 1–2 mg once a day for 10–20 days (websites) [4], [7] | One patent example with 29 knee-arthritis patients given intramuscular injections, a company report of uncertain product identity, two brief dental abstracts and a gum-disease study in which it was one of several products [1], [9], [53], [54], [107] | Not an approved medicine; a food supplement in Russia; not named by WADA, though its ban on unapproved substances probably applies [70], [5], [82] |
| BPC-157 | Lab-made 15-amino-acid fragment of a protein reported in stomach juice [99] | Website claim: subcutaneous injection, 250 mcg twice a day for 4–8 weeks [100], [101] | FDA found five small studies, including two placebo-controlled enema studies (in healthy volunteers and in ulcerative colitis), a knee-injection report with 16 people reached for follow-up, some of whom also received thymosin beta-4, and a bladder pilot in 12 women; none tested a joint problem against a placebo [99] | Not FDA-approved; FDA staff proposed in 2026 not adding it to the list of ingredients pharmacies may compound from; named on WADA's list [99], [82] |
| TB-500 | Lab-made seven-amino-acid fragment of thymosin beta-4, a protein the body makes [102] | Website claim: subcutaneous injection, 2–2.5 mg twice a week for 4–6 weeks [103] | None for TB-500 itself; the full-length protein was tested as eye drops in a nine-person trial [102], [104] | Not FDA-approved; FDA staff proposed not adding it to the compounding list; named on WADA's list [102], [82] |
| Epitalon | Lab-made chain of four amino acids (Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly) from the same program: Cartalax's three plus glycine; not the pineal extract epithalamin [8], [105] | Website claim: subcutaneous injection, 5–10 mg a day for 10–20 days, once or twice a year [106] | Three small human studies, two with the peptide taken under the tongue and one with injections beside the eye [105] | Not FDA-approved; FDA staff proposed not adding it to the compounding list; not named by WADA [105], [82] |
The real differences are in identity and evidence, not in proven results. Cartalax and Epitalon differ by a single amino acid but are studied for different things, and research on one does not count for the other. BPC-157 and TB-500 are unrelated injury peptides; FDA's reviews found only small human studies of BPC-157 and none of TB-500. No study has compared any of them with Cartalax or tested them together, so the table cannot say which works better for a joint, and the combinations people use are untested. Sigumir, the cartilage extract often taken with Cartalax, has no Doserly guide yet; it is a mix of peptides from animal cartilage, not the AED chain (see above). [99], [102], [105], [9], [10]
Common questions about Cartalax
How long does Cartalax take to work?
There is no reliable answer. The human reports judged results after 20–45 days, while public accounts range from about an hour after the first dose to weeks after the course ended, and many people noticed nothing. Very fast relief does not fit the slow, gene-level mechanism the developers propose, so expectation or the injection itself may play a part. [1], [9], [31], [33] See what people reported over time.
Is Cartalax a pill or an injection?
Both are sold, and they are different products. The original Russian Cartalax is a food-supplement capsule, plus drops held under the tongue; Western vendors sell 20 mg vials of powder for injection. The capsule has a label, the vials only website protocols, and the only human injection data used injections into a muscle. [4], [7], [1] See the two protocol tables.
Is Cartalax the same as Sigumir or Epitalon?
No. Sigumir is a mix of peptides extracted from the cartilage of young calves or pigs, declaring 10 mg of active substances per capsule; Cartalax is one lab-made three-amino-acid chain. Epitalon (Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly) is a separate four-amino-acid peptide from the same program, discussed mainly for aging. People often combine them, which makes their stories harder to read, and research on one does not count for another. [9], [10], [8], [91], [92] See the Epitalon guide.
Can Cartalax regrow cartilage?
There is no evidence that it can in people. In both human reports, X-rays did not change, and no study has measured cartilage thickness with an MRI scan. The cartilage findings come from cells and tissue pieces in a dish. [1], [9], [57] See how it might work.
Can Cartalax replace physical therapy, weight loss or joint surgery?
The reviewed evidence gives no reason to think so. In the 2011 report it was added to usual treatment, the patent does not say what else its patients were taking, and people in public accounts who avoided surgery were usually also using other peptides and rehabilitation. By contrast, weight loss with a GLP-1 medicine has been tested for knee osteoarthritis in a 407-person placebo-controlled trial; Cartalax has not been tested in any such trial. [1], [9], [35], [55]
Can Cartalax be combined with BPC-157 and TB-500?
People often do, usually as separate injections, but no study has tested the combination. Pre-mixed blends make each dose's Cartalax amount smaller and harder to know, and stacking makes it impossible to tell which compound helped. [35], [30] See stacks and blends and the Wolverine stack guide.
Is it legal to buy Cartalax?
It depends on the country and the product. The capsules are sold as a food supplement in Russia. Cartalax is not an FDA-approved medicine, and a “research use only” label does not make an injectable product legal or safe anywhere. [5], [70] Canada has licensed an oral capsule under the name, but not injections. [77] See the dated legal-status summary.
Glossary
Plain explanations of the route, dosing and research terms used in this guide. Underlined terms in the text link here.
- Adverse event
- A harmful or unwanted medical event reported after someone used a treatment. A report alone does not prove the treatment caused it.
- Amino acid
- A small chemical building block. Chains of amino acids make up peptides and proteins.
- Animal study
- Research in animals such as rats or mice. It shows what a substance does in a living body, but results in people can differ.
- Bioavailability
- How much of a dose reaches the bloodstream in a usable form. It depends heavily on the route. For Cartalax it has not been measured by any route.
- Bioregulator
- The name a Russian research group uses for very short peptides it believes act on particular tissues. It is a research and marketing label, not a regulatory category.
- Blend
- A vial or product that contains more than one peptide. Its total weight is not the amount of any one component.
- Cartilage
- Firm, smooth, slightly flexible tissue that covers the ends of bones in joints and lets them glide. It has no blood supply of its own and repairs itself poorly.
- Cell study (in vitro)
- Research on cells grown in a dish. It gives early clues about biology, but it is far from proof of benefit in people.
- Compounding
- When a pharmacy prepares a customized medicine from individual ingredients. In the US, federal lists control which bulk ingredients pharmacies may use.
- Controlled trial
- A study that compares people who receive a treatment with a similar group who do not, often receiving a placebo instead. Randomly assigning people to each group makes the comparison fairer.
- Course and cycle
- A course is the period of repeated use, such as 20 days. A cycle is a course plus a planned break before any further use.
- Daily total
- All the amounts given in one day, added together. For example, 2 capsules twice daily is a 4-capsule daily total.
- Dose (amount each time)
- The amount given on one occasion. A protocol lists both the dose and how often it is given.
- Explant culture
- A small piece of tissue taken from an animal and kept alive in a dish. It lets researchers see how tissue responds, without blood flow, nerves or the rest of the body.
- Food supplement (dietary supplement)
- A product registered as a food additive rather than a medicine. In Russia, Cartalax capsules and drops are registered this way, which is not an approval to treat any disease.
- Half-life
- The time it takes for the measured level of a substance in the blood to fall by half. It is not the same as how long an effect lasts. It has not been measured for Cartalax.
- Intramuscular (IM)
- Injected into a muscle. The only human injection data for Cartalax used this route, not the subcutaneous route most people use now.
- Investigational
- Still being researched and not approved by a regulator, such as the FDA, to treat any condition.
- mcg and mg
- Micrograms and milligrams. 1 mg equals 1,000 mcg. Cartalax injection amounts are usually written in mg; the patent's smallest doses were in mcg.
- Oral
- Taken by mouth, as a capsule, tablet or liquid, and swallowed.
- Osteoarthritis
- The most common form of arthritis, in which joint cartilage gradually thins and the joint becomes painful and stiff. It is often called wear-and-tear arthritis.
- Osteoporosis
- A condition in which bones lose density and become fragile, so they break more easily.
- Peptide
- A short chain of amino acids. Cartalax is a chain of three, called a tripeptide.
- Pharmacokinetics
- How the body absorbs, moves, breaks down and removes a substance. No such data exist for Cartalax.
- Placebo
- A dummy treatment with no active ingredient, such as a salt-water injection, used as a comparison in studies.
- Preclinical research
- Studies done before research in people: cell studies, tissue cultures, test-tube experiments and animal studies.
- Reconstitution
- Mixing a freeze-dried powder with sterile liquid so it can be measured and injected. Once mixed, a peptide usually keeps for a shorter time than the dry powder.
- Research use only
- A label on products sold for laboratory research. It does not mean a product is approved, tested for human use or legal to sell as a medicine.
- Stem cell
- A cell that can divide and turn into more specialized cells. Mesenchymal stem cells, used in some Cartalax experiments, can become bone, cartilage or fat cells in a dish.
- Subcutaneous (SC)
- Injected into the fatty layer just under the skin. This is the route most injectable Cartalax descriptions use.
- Sublingual
- Placed under the tongue to dissolve. Russian Cartalax drops are taken this way; no one has measured how much, if any, is absorbed.
- Syringe units
- Markings on an insulin syringe that measure volume. On a U-100 syringe, 100 units equal 1 mL. The amount of drug per unit depends on the vial's concentration.
- Titration
- Adjusting a dose in steps, usually starting lower and increasing if needed.
- WADA
- The World Anti-Doping Agency, which publishes the list of substances banned in sport.
Explore more of the research
Go deeper into the experiments behind the claims.
Across this guide, the citations include 21 original scientific papers involving Cartalax (AED): two brief human reports from Russian dentistry, a Ukrainian gum-disease study in which Cartalax was one of several products, and preclinical studies of cells, tissue pieces and rats, plus laboratory analyses and computer models. The developers' patent and the 2011 institute report are counted separately. The library below explores the preclinical papers and the patent's experiments, grouped by question. Paper counts are not counts of independent research teams: all but two come from the developer's research network; the exceptions are a food-taste modeling study and the Ukrainian gum-disease study.
In the route details, intramuscular means into a muscle and subcutaneous means under the skin. Nanograms per mL (ng/mL) describe the strength of the liquid around cells in a dish; they cannot be converted into human doses.
Cartilage cells and tissue in a dish · 3 papers and the patent
Do cartilage cells multiply faster with it?
Model: Cartilage cells (chondrocytes) from 3-month-old and 20-month-old rats, grown for five days with AED at 20, 200 or 2,000 ng/mL, compared with a peptide extract of cattle cartilage.
Finding: At 200 ng/mL, AED raised cell counts 1.4–1.8 times in young-rat cells and 1.6–2.1 times in old-rat cells. At 20 ng/mL it raised young-rat counts by 22% on day 3 only and had no effect on old-rat cells. The cartilage extract, at 2,000 ng/mL, raised counts 1.7–2.5 times.
Limit: Cell counts in a dish; developer's group; published in a Russian practitioner journal.
Does it calm stressed spinal-disc cells?
Model: Cartilage cells from the spinal discs of young (3-month) and old (20-month) rats, treated with AED at 200 or 2,000 ng/mL or with a cartilage extract.
Finding: AED lowered staining for p53, a cell-stress protein, 2.2 and 2.5 times. The paper credits the fall in the inflammatory signals TNF-α and IL-1α, and the rise in Sirt1, to the cartilage extract rather than to AED.
Limit: Marker staining in a dish, not tissue repair.
Does it push stem cells toward cartilage?
Model: Human mesenchymal stem cells aged by repeated passaging and prompted to become cartilage cells, with AED at 200 ng/mL or a cartilage extract at 2,000 ng/mL.
Finding: AED raised gene activity and protein levels of four cartilage markers: SOX9, aggrecan, type II collagen and COMP. The extract did the same at a tenfold higher concentration.
Limit: Abstract reviewed; markers in a dish, not cartilage formed in a joint.
Do pieces of cartilage grow faster?
Model: 28 pieces of hip cartilage from rats, cultured with AED at 1, 10, 100, 200 or 400 ng/mL.
Finding: At 100 ng/mL, the explant area was 26% larger than untreated pieces on day 3, with a similar effect at 7 days. Results for the other concentrations are shown only in a chart.
Limit: Patent data from the inventors, not peer reviewed.
Aging cells in other tissues · 9 papers
Does it change aging skin cells?
Model: Rat skin fibroblasts (connective-tissue cells) aged by repeated passaging, treated with four short peptides.
Finding: All four peptides lowered MMP-9, an enzyme that breaks down collagen, and raised the growth markers Ki-67 and CD98hc. AED and Epitalon also reduced caspase-3, a marker of programmed cell death.
Limit: Abstract reviewed; effects were shared with other peptides.
Does it calm inflammation in human skin cells?
Model: Human skin fibroblasts in young and aged cultures, with AED or the peptide KE at 20 ng/mL.
Finding: AED raised SIRT1, SIRT6 and type I collagen. It did not change the inflammation signals IL-1, NF-κB or TGF-β, while KE lowered all three.
Limit: Cells in a dish; a null result for AED on inflammation.
What does it do to human stem cells?
Model: A human embryonic bone-marrow stem-cell line aged in two ways, with AED, KED or KE at nanomolar concentrations (AED at 20 ng/mL).
Finding: The peptides raised IGF1 gene activity 3.5–5.6 times, and all three raised NF-κB gene activity. The authors write that the peptides' effect on NF-κB may accelerate the cells' aging.
Limit: Gene activity only; the authors' own caution.
Does it renew aging kidney cells?
Model: Rat kidney cells grown to passage 14 (aged), with AED (T-31), another peptide (T-35) or a calf-kidney extract.
Finding: The kidney extract doubled Ki-67, a marker of dividing cells; AED did not. AED lowered p53 1.33 times, and no treatment changed IL-8. The paper's summary nevertheless says AED activated cell renewal.
Limit: Its own results are weaker than its summary.
What did a second kidney-cell study find?
Model: Young and aged rat kidney-cell cultures with AED or EDL, plus computer docking of the peptides to DNA.
Finding: The abstract reports more cell division, lower p16, p21 and p53, and higher SIRT6, and models AED binding a stretch of DNA.
Limit: Abstract reviewed; differs from the Ki-67 result above; docking is a prediction.
Do kidney tissue pieces respond?
Model: Kidney explants from young and old rats with a calf-kidney extract, AED (T-31) or EDL (T-35).
Finding: The short peptides stimulated cell division and reduced cell death, but less than the extract.
Limit: Abstract reviewed; tissue in a dish.
Does it help aging immune cells?
Model: Aged thymus cells (thymocytes) in culture with T-31, AB-17 or AB-9.
Finding: Only AB-9 had the combined anti-aging effect on growth, maturation and cell death.
Limit: Abstract reviewed; a null result for T-31.
Does it turn stem cells into nerve cells?
Model: Human periodontal-ligament stem cells with AED, KED, KE, Epitalon or all four combined.
Finding: The nerve-cell markers GAP43 and nestin rose with KED and with the combination, not reported for AED alone.
Limit: Abstract reviewed; no AED-specific effect reported.
Does it act only on cartilage-related tissue?
Model: Pieces of testis, bladder and brain cortex from young and old rats, cultured for three days with tripeptides.
Finding: AED increased testis explant growth by 24% (young) and 21% (old) and stimulated bladder tissue, but not brain cortex.
Limit: Tissue in a dish; shows effects outside cartilage.
Rat experiments · 4 papers and the patent
Does it protect bone after the ovaries are removed?
Model: 100 female rats in 10 groups of 10: 90 with ovaries removed and 10 unoperated controls; AED (T-31) injected into a muscle daily for a month at 10 or 0.3 mcg per rat, started in month one or month two, versus a calf-cartilage extract or salt water.
Finding: Bone mineral density rose significantly with 10 mcg during the month it was given, whether started on day 4 or day 30 after surgery. A month after the early course stopped, density had fallen below the starting level, as in untreated rats, and the authors suggested continuous use might be needed. The lower amount gave no significant rise, and the cartilage extract was more effective.
Limit: Rats; the only in-body bone-density test of confirmed synthetic AED. The jaw-bone study below used a branded product with unconfirmed contents.
Does it speed jaw-bone healing in old rats?
Model: Old rats with a standard surgical hole in the lower jaw, given the branded product Kartalaks before or after surgery.
Finding: Healing looked like controls up to 30 days; at 60–120 days, the group treated for 30 days before surgery had less connective tissue and cartilage in the repair and more mature new bone.
Limit: Abstract reviewed; branded product with unconfirmed contents; no doses in the abstract.
Does it protect kidneys from a cancer drug?
Model: Rats with acute kidney failure caused by cisplatin, treated with a kidney extract or the peptides AED, EDL or AEDG.
Finding: AED lowered protein and electrolytes in urine. The extract, EDL and AEDG also normalized urine volume, creatinine and filtration rate.
Limit: Abstract reviewed; AED was the weakest of the treatments.
Does it change kidney function in old rats?
Model: Old rats given a kidney extract, AED, EDL or AEDG.
Finding: AED increased urine output 1.2–1.4 times and cut urine protein 1.5–2.8 times; the authors found no signs of kidney toxicity.
Limit: Abstract reviewed; function measures, not lifespan or disease.
What does the patent report in rats and mice?
Model: Thyroid glands of 23 rats with the pineal gland removed, given 0.5 mcg of AED per rat by subcutaneous injection for 10 days; toxicity tests in 66 mice (single injection into a muscle, 1–5 mg/kg), 64 rats (daily for 90 days) and 90 guinea pigs (daily for six months) at 1 mcg/kg, 0.1 mg/kg or 1 mg/kg.
Finding: Calcitonin-producing thyroid cells were 35% fewer than in untreated operated rats a month after surgery and normal by six weeks. The inventors report no toxic reactions and no significant blood changes.
Limit: Inventor data in a patent; the thyroid finding is the likely origin of website claims about calcium balance.
Chemistry and computer models · 2 papers and a review
How much AED is in a cartilage extract?
Model: Chemical analysis (liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry) of peptide complexes extracted from animal organs.
Finding: AED made up about 0.02% of the cartilage peptide complex.
Limit: Measures an extract, not any Cartalax capsule or vial.
Could gut carriers move it into cells?
Model: Computer models of peptide carriers (POT and LAT transporters) and short peptides, within a review by the developer's group.
Finding: Cartalax was among the peptides predicted to interact with these carriers.
Limit: A prediction; no absorption was measured.
Has anyone outside the developer's group studied AED?
Model: A 2025 food-science screen of a database of tripeptides against the tongue's savory (umami) taste receptors.
Finding: Ala-Glu-Asp appears in the docking table with modeled binding scores; it was not among the peptides made and tasted.
Limit: The only independent paper found, and it is about taste, not health.
How this guide was researched
This guide is built from a thorough review of the sources cited throughout it: published scientific studies, the developers' patent and product reports, trial-registry searches, regulatory documents, product labels and published protocol descriptions. We also reviewed public online forums and community education groups where people describe their own experiences with Cartalax.
The guide cites 107 sources, including 21 original scientific papers. Each type of source answers a different question. Studies show what researchers measured. Protocol descriptions show how Cartalax is typically used. Personal accounts show what individual people experienced. Every numbered citation links to its entry below, labeled by source type.
How this guide was made
Research and drafting were AI-assisted. Every cited source was checked against the original, and the guide was reviewed and edited by Doserly before publication. It has not had an independent clinical review, and Doserly does not currently have medical reviewers. Doserly makes a medication and health-tracking app and runs Doserly Academy, both of which are promoted in this guide. Read our editorial policy for how guides are researched, updated and corrected.
This guide is for educational purposes. It summarizes what the reviewed sources report so the research is easier to understand; it is not medical advice. For a deeper dive, or to check any point for yourself, go straight to the cited sources.
Explore the sources
These are the documents cited in this guide. Studies, product labels, website advice and personal accounts answer different questions. A source being listed does not mean every statement on its page is endorsed.
Showing 107 sources
- 01
Пептид, нормализующий метаболизм в костной и хрящевой тканях, фармацевтическая композиция на его основе и способ ее применения (Peptide normalizing metabolism in bone and cartilage tissue; RU2299741C1) ↗
Patent (human and animal examples)
Russian original full text reviewed, including Examples 1–5 and the claims. Inventor data, not peer reviewed.
Result detail: Example 5: 29 knee-osteoarthritis patients aged 52–72, 12 of them given salt-water injections; the others received AED into a muscle once daily for 20 days at 5 mg, 10 mcg or 1 mcg by age and severity. Pain and movement improved in 54.5–62.7% of cases; no significant X-ray change; no control results, statistics or side-effect data. Claimed dose 0.01–100 mcg/kg (the English machine translation's “mg/kg” is wrong). Animal toxicity tests reported no toxic reactions.
- 02
Alanyl-glutamyl-aspartic acid (compound summary, CID 87815447) ↗
Chemical database
Record checked: L-Ala-L-Glu-L-Asp, C12H19N3O8, 333.29 g/mol; synonyms include Cartalax and T-31 peptide. One listed synonym, H-Asp-Glu-Asp-OH, contradicts the record's own structure.
- 03
Влияние пептидных регуляторов на структурно-функциональное состояние костной ткани у крыс при старении (Effect of peptide regulators on bone tissue in aging rats) ↗
Animal study
Original full text reviewed. Names T-31 as H-Ala-Glu-Asp-OH.
- 04
Инструкция Карталакс капсулы 0,215 г (Cartalax capsules 0.215 g: instructions) ↗
Product label
Page reviewed 23 Sep 2026. Label text reviewed: peptide complex AC-4 (alanine, glutamic acid, aspartic acid) with no stated amount; adults 1–2 capsules 1–2 times a day with meals for 10–30 days, repeat after 4–6 months; contraindicated in intolerance, pregnancy and breastfeeding.
- 05
Свидетельство о государственной регистрации RU.77.99.88.003.R.002082.08.25: БАД «КАРТАЛАКС®» (state registration of Cartalax tablets and capsules as a food supplement) ↗
Product registration
Public copy blocked our direct access; details (holder, AC-4 tripeptide of alanine, glutamic acid and aspartic acid, directions, contraindications) were read by a research assistant and match two independent reads. Treat as secondary.
- 06
Cartalax (20 mg Vial) Dosage Protocol ↗
Protocol source
Page reviewed 23 Sep 2026. Gives the 2→3→4→5 mg once-daily table over 12 weeks and a course of 8–12 weeks, optionally extended to 16; says human trial data for this route are limited. Recommends a vendor.
- 07
Cartalax ↗
Protocol source
Page reviewed 23 Sep 2026. Gives a standard 2 mg once daily for 20 days and a low 1 mg once daily for 10–20 days, repeated 3–4 times a year.
- 08
Epitalon (compound summary, CID 219042) ↗
Chemical database
Record checked: Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly, C14H22N4O9, 390.35 g/mol, a different peptide from Cartalax.
- 09
Отчет о результатах клинического изучения биологически активной добавки к пище Карталакс® (Report on the clinical study of the food supplement Cartalax), in the brochure “Clinical research: cytomaxes and cytogens” ↗
Human report (company, uncontrolled results)
Full text of the Cartalax and Sigumir reports reviewed. The Cartalax report's patients, diagnosis counts and response percentages are identical to the same brochure's Sigumir report, so the product tested is uncertain.
Result detail: 33 treated (10 knee osteoarthritis, 15 spinal osteochondrosis, 8 osteoporosis; age 45–78) versus 31 on usual care. Improvement in 68.5% of knee cases and 53.7% of spine cases; no X-ray change; side effects claimed absent without a stated method. States 0.100 mg active substance per capsule. Recommends 2 capsules 3 times daily for 45 days (joints and spine) or twice daily for 30 days (osteoporosis), repeated after 3–6 months.
- 10
Идентификация коротких пептидов в составе полипептидных комплексов, выделенных из органов животных (Identification of short peptides in polypeptide complexes isolated from animal organs) ↗
Laboratory analysis
Original full text reviewed. AED was about 0.02% of the cartilage peptide complex.
- 11
Cartalax Research, Dosing & Protocols ↗
Protocol source
Page reviewed 23 Sep 2026. Gives 1 mg (standard) or 2 mg (high dose) once daily in the morning for 10–20 days. Its research links point to six unrelated PubMed records, and its 30–60-second half-life is labelled an estimate.
- 12
Cartalax dosage and protocol evidence ↗
Protocol source
Page reviewed 23 Sep 2026. Summarizes forum reports as about 1–2 mg once daily in roughly 20-day cycles.
- 13
Cartalax (AED) Dosage, Sequence & Reconstitution ↗
Protocol source
Page reviewed 23 Sep 2026. Describes roughly 1–2 mg a day by injection for 10–20 days and 10–20 mg a day in oral write-ups.
- 14
Cartalax Dosage: Community Protocols Explained ↗
Protocol source
Page reviewed 23 Sep 2026. Calls about 0.2–2 mg a day for 10–20 days community-reported, with no trial dose.
- 15
Cartalax Dosing Guide: Half-Life, Reconstitution & Protocol ↗
Protocol source
Page reviewed 23 Sep 2026. Gives 1–2 capsules a day or 1–2 mg by injection daily in 10–30-day courses; lists a wrong formula and molecular weight and cites a PubMed number that leads to an unrelated diet study.
- 16
Cartalax Dosing ↗
Protocol source
Page reviewed 23 Sep 2026. Gives 1–3 mg per injection at several frequencies, evening timing and a 0.5 mg step-up after three weeks without effect.
- 17
Карталакс (Cartalax) ↗
Seller page
Page reviewed 23 Sep 2026. Repeats the capsule label and gives the lingual drops as 5–6 drops (0.25–0.35 mL) 3–4 times a day before meals for a month.
- 18
Карталакс N20: пептиды хрящей (Cartalax N20: cartilage peptides) ↗
Seller page
Page reviewed 23 Sep 2026. Repeats the capsule label.
- 19
CARTALAX (cartilage tissues peptides) ↗
Seller page
Page reviewed 23 Sep 2026. Repeats the capsule label.
- 20
Cartalax Peptide: Cartilage Bioregulator for Joint Health ↗
Protocol source
Page reviewed 23 Sep 2026. Gives 10 mg a day for 10 days, repeated every 3–6 months, without separating injection from oral use.
- 21
Cartalax Research Protocol Reference ↗
Protocol source
Page reviewed 23 Sep 2026. Copies the 12-week 2→5 mg table and lists a separate 10 mg a day, 20-day schedule.
- 22
Cartalax Peptide Dosage Guide: 20 mg Protocol, Benefits & Side Effects ↗
Protocol source
Page reviewed 23 Sep 2026. Copies the 12-week 2→5 mg table and lists a separate 10 mg a day, 20-day schedule.
- 23
Cartalax: Research Profile, Mechanism & Protocols ↗
Protocol source
Page reviewed 23 Sep 2026. Repeats the 12-week 2→5 mg table; gives 100–200 mcg for 1–2 capsules.
- 24
Cartalax (20mg Vial) Dosage Protocol ↗
Protocol source
Page reviewed 23 Sep 2026. Gives a 2→5 mg ramp over 12 weeks with different week boundaries.
- 25
Cartalax ↗
Protocol source
Page reviewed 23 Sep 2026. Lists 100 mcg starting and 250 mcg standard doses.
- 26
Cartalax Guide: Dosing, Joint Support & Where to Buy ↗
Protocol source
Page reviewed 23 Sep 2026. Gives 100–400 mcg a day for 10–20 days, 2–4 cycles a year.
- 27
Cartalax ↗
Protocol source
Page reviewed 23 Sep 2026. Gives 10–20 mcg under the tongue for 10–20 days and a stack with 250 mcg of injected BPC-157.
- 28
Cartalax Protocol: Complete Dosing & Administration Guide ↗
Protocol source
Page reviewed 23 Sep 2026. Calls Cartalax a cattle-cartilage extract and attributes a six-capsule schedule to a Russian clinical study; both statements conflict with the primary sources.
- 29
Cartalax (20 mg Vial) Dosage Protocol ↗
Protocol source
Page reviewed 23 Sep 2026. Climbs from 2 mg to 5 mg by day 15 with no end date.
- 30
Cartalax? ↗
Community account
Post and archived comments read, including a follow-up about benefit fading. Personal accounts, not clinical outcomes.
- 31
Cartalax? ↗
Community account
Post and archived comments read. Personal accounts, not clinical outcomes.
- 32
Cartalax any got good experience with this ? ↗
Community account
Post and archived comments read. Personal accounts, not clinical outcomes.
- 33
Cartalax experience/dosage? ↗
Community account
Post and archived comments read. Personal accounts, not clinical outcomes.
- 34
Anyone try Cartalax? ↗
Community account
Post and archived comments read. Personal accounts, not clinical outcomes.
- 35
Cartalax & BPC-157/TB-500 Blend Stack ↗
Community account
Post and archived comments read; large multi-compound stack. Personal accounts, not clinical outcomes.
- 36
Research on Cartalax – joint health and mobility ↗
Community account
Post and archived comments read; the original post links to a vendor. Personal accounts, not clinical outcomes.
- 37
Peptide regulation of skin fibroblast functions during their aging in vitro ↗
Cell study
Original abstract reviewed.
- 38
The influence of peptides on the morphofunctional state of old rats' kidneys ↗
Animal study
Original abstract reviewed.
- 39
Optimization of reparative osteogenesis of the jaws in aging (preclinical studies) ↗
Animal study
Original abstract reviewed. Used the branded product Kartalaks; its exact contents were not stated.
- 40
Cartalax ↗
Seller page
Page reviewed 23 Sep 2026. States that 2 or 4 capsules (0.215 g each) contain 20 or 40 mg of peptide complex AC-4; 1–2 capsules twice daily with meals for a month.
- 41
CARTALAX for cartilage and bones, 200 mg/cap, 60 caps/pack ↗
Seller page
Page reviewed 23 Sep 2026. States 200 mg of peptide complex AC-4 per capsule and directs use 30 minutes before meals.
- 42
Cartalax Protocol ↗
Protocol source
Page reviewed 23 Sep 2026. Gives 2 mg a day by injection; course and break advice conflict within the page.
- 43
Deadpool: Cartalax 10mg / BPC-157 5mg / TB-500 5mg ↗
Seller page
Page reviewed 23 Sep 2026. One 20 mg vial: Cartalax 10 mg, BPC-157 5 mg, TB-500 5 mg; also called “Wolverine+”; no dosing instructions.
- 44
Cartalax experience? Added to KLOW stack? ACL, LCL, meniscus ↗
Community account
Post and archived comments read; steroid and peptide stack. Personal accounts, not clinical outcomes.
- 45
Cartalax Peptide Dosage Chart & Research Protocol (2026) ↗
Protocol source
Page reviewed 23 Sep 2026. Attributes 2–5 mg a day to a supplier; suggests 0.5–1 mg increases every 1–2 weeks.
- 46
Cartalax Protocol Guide: Dosing, Reconstitution & Administration ↗
Protocol source
Page reviewed 23 Sep 2026. Gives 200 mcg a day in 10-day cycles with 10–20 days off.
- 47
Cartalax Overview, Dosing & Safety ↗
Protocol source
Page reviewed 23 Sep 2026. Gives 100–200 mcg by mouth (1–2 capsules) and 700–1,400 mcg by injection.
- 48
- 49
alanyl-glutamyl-aspartic acid (MeSH Supplementary Concept C572340) ↗
Medical vocabulary record
Record checked: lists Ala-Glu-Asp, T-31 peptide and cartalax, plus an inconsistent H-Asp-Glu-Asp-OH entry term.
- 50
Transport of biologically active ultrashort peptides using POT and LAT carriers ↗
Computer model (within a review)
Original full text reviewed. Predictions only; no absorption measured.
- 51
Cartalax for knee issues … ↗
Community account
Post and the original poster's follow-up read. Personal accounts, not clinical outcomes.
- 52
ClinicalTrials.gov searches for Cartalax, Ala-Glu-Asp and Khavinson ↗
Registry search
No Cartalax or AED study found. The single “Cartalax” hit (NCT06852014) is an unrelated nutrition-formula trial matched by amino-acid names. Other registries (WHO ICTRP, ISRCTN, EU CTR, Russian register) were searched only by a research assistant and are not relied on here.
- 53
Применение пептидных биорегуляторов при хирургическом лечении хронических периапикальных очагов одонтогенной инфекции у людей пожилого и старческого возраста (Peptide bioregulators in surgery for chronic dental-root infection in older people) ↗
Human report
Original abstract reviewed (RusMed record). The abstract names Cartalax and claims benefit on clinical and X-ray assessment but gives no patient numbers, schedule, results or side-effect data; the full text could not be obtained.
- 54
Bioregulation therapy in the treatment of age-related osteoarthropathy of the temporomandibular joint ↗
Human report
Original abstract reviewed. The abstract does not name Cartalax; the full text, which reportedly does, could not be opened.
- 55
Once-weekly semaglutide in persons with obesity and knee osteoarthritis (STEP 9) ↗
Human trial (context, not Cartalax)
Original abstract reviewed. 407 participants, 68 weeks: knee-pain score −41.7 points with semaglutide versus −27.5 with placebo.
- 56
Peptide regulation of chondrogenic stem cell differentiation ↗
Review
Full text reviewed. A review by the developer's group; not independent confirmation.
- 57
- 58
Peptides prevent the formation of the senescence-associated secretory phenotype of chondrocytes ↗
Cell study
Original full text reviewed.
- 59
The influence of peptides on the chondrogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells during replicative aging ↗
Cell study
Original abstract reviewed.
- 60
Peptides regulate expression of signaling molecules in kidney cell cultures during in vitro aging ↗
Cell study
Original full text reviewed. T-31 did not raise Ki-67; it lowered p53 1.33-fold.
- 61
Gene expression in human mesenchymal stem cell aging cultures: modulation by short peptides ↗
Cell study
Original full text reviewed. The authors caution that the peptides' effect on NF-κB may accelerate the cells' aging.
- 62
Влияние трипептидов на рост органотипической культуры тканей различного генеза (Effect of tripeptides on organotypic cultures of different tissues) ↗
Tissue explant study
Original full text reviewed.
- 63
Comparison of the effects of KE and AED peptides on functional activity of human skin fibroblasts during their replicative aging ↗
Cell study
Original full text reviewed. AED did not change IL-1, NF-κB or TGF-β.
- 64
Peptidergic regulation of thymocyte differentiation, proliferation, and apoptosis during aging of the thymus ↗
Cell study
Original abstract reviewed. Only AB-9, not T-31, showed the combined effect.
- 65
Peptides restore functional state of the kidneys during cisplatin-induced acute renal failure ↗
Animal study
Original abstract reviewed.
- 66
Tripeptides slow down aging process in renal cell culture ↗
Cell study and computer model
Original abstract reviewed.
- 67
Cartalax didn't go well ↗
Community account
Post and archived comments read, including the original poster's follow-up months later. Personal accounts, not clinical outcomes.
- 68
Menstrual cycle and peptides ↗
Community account
Post and archived comments read; several products used at once. Personal accounts, not clinical outcomes.
- 69
Cartalax people, help me out!! ↗
Community account
Post and archived comments read. Personal accounts, not clinical outcomes.
- 70
Drugs@FDA search: Cartalax ↗
Regulator
Searched by brand name, generic name and ingredient (Cartalax, Ala-Glu-Asp): no matches.
- 71
Bulk drug substances nominated for use in compounding under section 503A (categories document) ↗
Regulator
Document searched: Cartalax and AED are not listed.
- 72
Bulk drug substances nominated for use in compounding under section 503B (categories document) ↗
Regulator
Document searched: Cartalax and AED are not listed.
- 73
Certain bulk drug substances for use in compounding that may present significant safety risks ↗
Regulator
Page checked: names Epitalon, not Cartalax. Absence is not a safety judgment.
- 74
July 23–24, 2026: Meeting of the Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee ↗
Regulator (advisory committee)
Agenda checked: BPC-157, KPV, TB-500, MOTs-C, DSIP, Semax and Epitalon; not Cartalax. A committee discussion is not an FDA decision.
- 75
Unauthorized injectable peptide drugs seized and sold by Canada Peptide may pose serious health risks ↗
Regulator
Advisory checked: its product list names other peptides (including Bronchogen) but not Cartalax.
- 76
Think twice before injecting peptides bought online: unauthorized products can seriously harm you ↗
Regulator
Advisory checked: does not name Cartalax; says “research use only” labelling does not make products legal.
- 77
Licensed Natural Health Products Database: CARTALAX (NPN 80041188) ↗
Regulator (product licence)
Record checked through Health Canada's database: oral capsule; medicinal ingredient “glutamine peptides” 100 mcg; adults 2 capsules 2–3 times daily. It does not name the AED peptide and does not cover injections.
- 78
Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods searches for “Cartalax” and “Ala-Glu-Asp” ↗
Regulator (register search)
Searched by a research assistant: no matching results.
- 79
Therapeutic Goods (Poisons Standard—June 2026) Instrument 2026 ↗
Regulation
Full text searched by a research assistant for Cartalax, Ala-Glu-Asp and alanyl-glutamyl: no entry.
- 80
TGA warning on the risks of importing unapproved peptide products ↗
Regulator
Page checked by a research assistant (our direct request was blocked): does not name Cartalax.
- 81
GOV.UK search: “Cartalax” ↗
Regulator search
Zero results, including the medicines regulator (MHRA) pages indexed on GOV.UK.
- 82
World Anti-Doping Code International Standard: Prohibited List 2026 ↗
Anti-doping rule
List searched: Cartalax and AED are not named; category S0 covers unapproved substances.
- 83
World Anti-Doping Code International Standard: Prohibited List 2027 ↗
Anti-doping rule
List searched: Cartalax is not named; S0 examples include “peptides”.
- 84
Has anybody heard ever heard of or used Cartalax? If so, what did it do for you and do u recommend it? I have shoulder injuries. ↗
Community account
Post and archived comments read. Personal accounts, not clinical outcomes.
- 85
Has anyone tried peptides for Osteoarthritis??? ↗
Community account
Relevant archived comments read. Personal accounts, not clinical outcomes.
- 86
Are bioregulators worth it ? What’s the most effective ? ↗
Community account
Post read. Personal accounts, not clinical outcomes.
- 87
Anyone actually gotten real results from Cartalax? ↗
Community account
Thread read; forum run by a peptide information site, and some comments are shortened. Personal accounts, not clinical outcomes.
- 88
The Bioregulators You’re Sleeping On: My Top 3 Picks for Rebuilding the Body ↗
Community account
Relevant archived comments read; several products and diet changes. Personal accounts, not clinical outcomes.
- 89
Ankle fracture healing update with photos of Xray and proof of no cast: peptides and HGH ↗
Community account
Post read; many treatments after surgery. Personal accounts, not clinical outcomes.
- 90
Peptides for arthritis? | Page 3 ↗
Community account
Relevant post read; several treatments at once. Personal accounts, not clinical outcomes.
- 91
Bioregs: Side Effects/Adverse Reaction experience? ↗
Community account
Post and archived comments read. Personal accounts, not clinical outcomes.
- 92
Does anyone know about Cartalax and Sigumir bioregulation peptides? ↗
Community account
Post and archived comments read. Personal accounts, not clinical outcomes.
- 93
Peptide regulation of cells renewal processes in kidney tissue cultures from young and old animals ↗
Tissue explant study
Original abstract reviewed.
- 94
Effect of short peptides on neuronal differentiation of stem cells ↗
Cell study
Original abstract reviewed.
- 95
Rapid screening and taste mechanism of novel umami peptides from natural tripeptide database ↗
Computer model (food science)
Original full text reviewed. Ala-Glu-Asp appears only in a taste-receptor docking table; independent of the developer, unrelated to health.
- 96
Ответы на вопросы: продукция, наличие, качество, хранение (FAQ: products, quality and storage) ↗
Seller statement
Page reviewed 23 Sep 2026. Capsules and tablets: three years from manufacture at room temperature (no higher than 25 °C). Under-the-tongue products: after opening, at most 10 days in a refrigerator, because they contain no preservatives. Seller statements, not published stability data.
- 97
Карталакс лингвал (Cartalax lingual drops) ↗
Seller page
Page reviewed 23 Sep 2026. Instructions for the under-the-tongue drops; after opening, keep refrigerated for no more than 10 days.
- 98
H-Ala-Glu-Asp-OH (AED), item 45082: product information ↗
Laboratory chemical specification
Insert reviewed 23 Sep 2026. A laboratory reagent sold for research, not a medicine or an injectable product: storage −20 °C, stability of the solid at least four years; the supplier does not recommend storing a water-based solution for more than one day. A specification, not a published stability study.
- 99
FDA Briefing Document: BPC-157-related bulk drug substances (BPC-157 free base and BPC-157 acetate) ↗
Regulator (briefing document)
Document reviewed (comparison section): BPC-157 is described as a 15-amino-acid fragment of a gastric-juice protein; FDA's literature search found five small clinical studies; FDA staff propose not adding it to the 503A bulks list. A staff proposal is not a final agency decision.
- 100
The Complete BPC-157 Dosage Guide: Protocols, Frequency, and Cycle Length ↗
Protocol source (BPC-157)
Page reviewed 23 Sep 2026 (comparison only). Calls 250 mcg twice daily by subcutaneous injection the most consistently reported protocol, with 4–8-week cycles most common for acute injuries, and says no validated human dose exists.
- 101
BPC-157 Dosage Guide: How Much to Take, How Often & For How Long (2026) ↗
Protocol source (BPC-157)
Page reviewed 23 Sep 2026 (comparison only). Gives 250 mcg twice daily by subcutaneous injection for 4–8 weeks. Sells peptides.
- 102
FDA Briefing Document: TB-500-related bulk drug substances (TB-500 free base and TB-500 acetate) ↗
Regulator (briefing document)
Document reviewed (comparison section): TB-500 is a seven-amino-acid synthetic fragment of thymosin beta-4; FDA identified no clinical studies or human exposure data using TB-500; FDA staff propose not adding it to the 503A bulks list.
- 103
TB-500 Dosage Chart: Doses, Units & Schedule (2026) ↗
Protocol source (TB-500)
Page reviewed 23 Sep 2026 (comparison only). Gives 2–2.5 mg subcutaneously twice a week for 4–6 weeks and says no human study of TB-500 has been published.
- 104
Thymosin β4 significantly improves signs and symptoms of severe dry eye in a phase 2 randomized trial ↗
Human trial (context, not Cartalax)
Original abstract reviewed. Nine people with severe dry eye received full-length thymosin beta-4 eye drops or a vehicle; this tested the whole protein, not TB-500.
- 105
FDA Briefing Document: Epitalon-related bulk drug substances (Epitalon free base and Epitalon acetate) ↗
Regulator (briefing document)
Document reviewed (comparison section): FDA treats epitalon and epithalamin (a pineal extract) as different substances; three human studies found (two under the tongue, one injection beside the eye); FDA staff propose not adding it to the 503A bulks list.
- 106
Epithalon Reconstitution Calculator & Dosage Chart ↗
Protocol source (Epitalon)
Page reviewed 23 Sep 2026 (comparison only). Describes commonly reported protocols of 5–10 mg daily by subcutaneous injection for 10–20 days, cycled 1–2 times a year.
- 107
The effectiveness of the use of polypeptide drugs and their effect on the metabolic parameters of oral fluid in patients with generalized periodontitis in depending on blood type ↗
Human study
Original full text reviewed (open access; found through ScienceDirect, not in PubMed). Cartalax capsules appear only in the methods, as one of 5–6 products given to patients with grade II–III disease; the abstract does not name Cartalax and results are reported for the whole regimen.
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Updates and corrections
Updated September 23, 2026. This is a full rewrite of Doserly's Cartalax guide. It separates the injectable vials from the Russian capsules, adds the patent's human example with its limits, explains why the 2011 capsule report cannot be counted as a Cartalax study, adds dated legal status, safety questions, public and community experiences and a searchable source list. A same-day update added sections on stopping, storage, monitoring and comparison with related peptides, corrected the description of the rat bone-density study (the higher amount also raised bone density when started soon after surgery, and the gain faded after stopping) and the course length of the 12-week injection schedule (its source says 8–12 weeks, optionally 16). The date describes this revision, not a fresh check of every source.
Updated September 27, 2026. Added a 2022 Ukrainian study of gum disease (periodontitis) in which Cartalax capsules were one of several products given to 157 patients, to the human reports, the evidence summary and the comparison table.
Found an error or a relevant study we missed? Report a correction with the guide title, the specific passage and a supporting source if available. Please leave out personal health records. See our editorial policy for how we handle attribution, evidence limits and corrections.