--- title: "Cortexin" canonical_url: https://bestpeptidecalculator.app/library/cortexin description: "Cattle-cortex polypeptide extract used in some CIS countries as a nootropic. Not FDA-approved; composition is a hydrolysate, not a single peptide." updated: 2026-11-07 publisher: Peptide Library notice: "Research and educational use only. Not medical advice." --- # Cortexin Cortexin (also called Polypeptide cortex extract) is a brain polypeptide extract in the Neurotrophic peptide complex class. Cortexin is a preparation of low-molecular-weight polypeptides and amino acids extracted from bovine or porcine cerebral cortex, not a single defined compound. The proposed mechanism is that its peptide fraction supports neuronal metabolism and provides neurotrophic and antioxidant activity after injury, with claimed effects on cortical bioelectrical activity. Cattle-cortex polypeptide extract used in some CIS countries as a nootropic. Not FDA-approved; composition is a hydrolysate, not a single peptide. Also known as: Polypeptide cortex extract. Categories: Cognitive, Experimental. ## Classification - Type: Brain polypeptide extract / research - Mechanism class: Neurotrophic peptide complex - Development stage: Research only - Regulatory class: Research compound, not FDA-approved ## Mechanism Cortexin is a preparation of low-molecular-weight polypeptides and amino acids extracted from bovine or porcine cerebral cortex, not a single defined compound. The proposed mechanism is that its peptide fraction supports neuronal metabolism and provides neurotrophic and antioxidant activity after injury, with claimed effects on cortical bioelectrical activity. Because it is a mixture rather than a characterised molecule, no specific receptor or pathway can be assigned, and batch composition is not standardised in the way a single-entity drug would be. It is used clinically in several post-Soviet countries; the supporting literature is largely regional and does not meet contemporary randomised controlled trial standards. Targets: CNS metabolism (proposed). Origin: Bovine cortex polypeptide extract. ## Properties - Molecular weight: Mixture - Half-life: Mixture; not a single PK value - Studied routes: Intramuscular, Intravenous ## Evidence - Evidence level: Clinical Trial Evidence - Highest documented: Controlled human trials - Human trials: 4 - Controlled human trials: 4 - Preclinical sources: 0 - Latest source: 2025 Each step shows whether the sources Peptide Library has reviewed include that kind of research. Counts are reviewed sources, not every study ever published. Reviews and programme summaries that describe human use are shown as "reported", not as trials, and registered trials without published results are listed but not counted. A higher step means research has progressed further; it does not mean a compound works better or is safer. Compounds whose evidence has not been reviewed yet show "Not reviewed" instead of a guess. ### Studies 1. [Therapeutic equivalence of intravenous and intramuscular dosage forms of Cortexin in ischemic strokes]. Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova. 2025. 2025. Controlled human trial. Population: Adults aged 30–80 in the acute and early recovery periods of ischaemic stroke (n=490). The two forms performed alike (93.6% and 86.5% reached modified Rankin 0–2 at day 90), with similar adverse events [Source](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41524350/) 2. [Dose-dependent effects of cortexin in chronic cerebral ischemia (results of a multicenter randomized controlled study)]. Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova. 2018. 2018. Controlled human trial. Population: Adults with stage I–II chronic cerebral ischaemia (n=189, three groups). Dose-dependent improvement in neurological symptoms, fatigue and sleep reported; good tolerability [Source](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30335070/) 3. [Evaluation of the efficacy and safety of application of the drug cortexin in the complex rehabilitation of verticalization in patients with ischemic stroke in the acute period]. Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova. 2019. 2019. Controlled human trial. Population: Adults with hemispheric ischaemic stroke (n=90; 30 given Cortexin). Greater recovery of neurological deficits reported than in the two comparison groups [Source](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31626220/) 4. [Comparison of the efficacy of Cellex and Cortexin in patients in the early recovery period of ischemic stroke]. Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova. 2020. 2020. Controlled human trial. Population: Adults in the early recovery period of ischaemic stroke (n=40; 20 given Cortexin). The comparison drug Cellex showed larger gains on NIHSS and MMSE than Cortexin [Source](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33449527/) ## Safety Side effects: Allergy to animal protein; Injection reactions. Risks: Biological extract variability; Not FDA-approved. Human safety basis: Clinical trial reports Key limitations: Not approved by the FDA for any use.. ## Regulatory status Cortexin is not an FDA-approved product. It is sold for laboratory research and has no approved medical use. - FDA status: Not Approved - Availability: Research-Only ## Frequently asked questions ### What is Cortexin? Cattle-cortex polypeptide extract used in some CIS countries as a nootropic. Not FDA-approved; composition is a hydrolysate, not a single peptide. ### How does Cortexin work? Cortexin is a preparation of low-molecular-weight polypeptides and amino acids extracted from bovine or porcine cerebral cortex, not a single defined compound. The proposed mechanism is that its peptide fraction supports neuronal metabolism and provides neurotrophic and antioxidant activity after injury, with claimed effects on cortical bioelectrical activity. ### Is Cortexin FDA approved? No. Cortexin is not approved by the FDA for any indication and is categorised as research-only. It has not been reviewed for safety or efficacy as a medicine, and published research should be read as investigation rather than established use. ### What is the half-life of Cortexin? Reported half-life for Cortexin is Mixture; not a single PK value. Half-life describes how long the compound persists in circulation, not how long any effect lasts, and published figures vary with route of administration, formulation and the population studied. ### What peptides are similar to Cortexin? Compounds most often compared with Cortexin include Cerebrolysin, P21 (BDNF-mimetic peptide), Dihexa and Noopept. They are grouped by shared mechanism or research area rather than by equivalence, and their regulatory status and evidence base differ. ## References - [\[Therapeutic equivalence of intravenous and intramuscular dosage forms of Cortexin in ischemic strokes\] — Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova, 2025](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41524350/) - [Exploring the psychodermatologic burden and associated psychiatric manifestations in rosacea: a systemic review — Arch Dermatol Res, 2025](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39954108/) - [Cerebrolysin for acute ischaemic stroke — Cochrane Database Syst Rev, 2023](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37818733/) - [\[Cortexin. Molecular mechanisms and targets of neuroprotective activity\] — Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova, 2015](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26356623/) - [Cortexin modulates OPG/RANK/RANKL and TRPC1 expression in cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury — Neurol Res, 2026](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40783844/)