- subcutaneous
Humanin
Humanin (HN) — Mitochondrial-Derived Peptide
Humanin at a glance
Not on either FDA listHow studies gave it
Injected into the fat under the skin
Evidence on this page
3 peer-reviewed papers, published 2001 to 2013
FDA compounding lists
It appears on neither of the two FDA compounding tables.
What it is
The first mitochondrial-derived peptide (MDP) ever discovered, encoded within the MT-RNR2 gene (16S rRNA region) of the mitochondrial genome. Humanin was identified in 2001 through functional expression screening of a cDNA library from the surviving occipital lobe of an Alzheimer's disease patient. It operates through both intracellular mechanisms (binding pro-apoptotic BAX and tBID to block intrinsic apoptosis, sequestering IGFBP-3) and extracellular receptor-mediated signaling (CNTFR/WSX-1/gp130 trimeric receptor activating JAK2/STAT3, and FPRL1/FPR2 activating ERK1/2).
Studied in animal models across neurodegenerative, cardiovascular, metabolic, and retinal disease contexts. The S14G-Humanin (HNG) analog is approximately 1,000-fold more potent. No completed human clinical trials exist for this compound.
Published research
Humanin was independently discovered by three labs in 2001 — the Hashimoto/Nishimoto group (neuroprotection from Alzheimer's-related insults), the Reed lab (BAX binding), and the Cohen lab (IGFBP-3 interaction). Preclinical research spans neuroprotection against amyloid-beta and all tested familial AD mutants, cardiovascular protection (atherosclerosis, ischemia-reperfusion), central and peripheral insulin sensitization (Muzumdar et al., PLoS ONE 2009), retinal protection (AMD models), and aging biology (endogenous levels decline with age).
Pharmacokinetic studies in rodents show species-dependent half-life (~30 min mice, ~4 hours rats) with IGFBP-3 binding influencing clearance. No peer-reviewed human clinical trials have been completed as of March 2026. Dosing ranges used in community settings are extrapolated from animal data and are not clinically validated.
What the terms on this page mean9 termsHide
- peptide
- A short chain of amino acids, the building blocks of proteins.
- receptor
- A docking point on a cell. A molecule that fits it can switch a process on or off inside that cell.
- animal model
- A test in animals standing in for the human condition. Results often fail to carry over to people.
- analog
- A molecule built to copy a natural one with a deliberate change, usually to make it last longer or bind more tightly.
- clinical trial
- A study that tests something in people under a written plan, with results recorded.
- preclinical
- Laboratory and animal work done before any testing in people.
- endogenous
- Made by the body itself, rather than given from outside.
- pharmacokinetics
- How fast the body absorbs a substance, where it goes, and how it clears it out.
- half-life
- The time it takes for a drug's concentration in the blood to fall by half. It does not, by itself, determine a dosing schedule.
Compounding status
Not on either FDA list- FDA listing
- Humanin appears on neither FDA's category 2 table nor its table of withdrawn nominations.
- What that means
- Absence from both lists is not permission to compound. Section 503A allows a bulk drug substance only where a USP or NF monograph exists, or the substance is a component of an FDA-approved drug product, or it appears on the 503A bulks list.
Source: Certain Bulk Drug Substances for Use in Compounding that May Present Significant Safety Risks, FDA. Content current as of 2026-04-22; read 2026-09-05. This describes what a compounding pharmacy may supply. It is not advice about your own use.
Also given subcutaneous
- IGF-1 DESdes(1-3) Insulin-like Growth Factor-1Not on either FDA list
- IGF-1 LR3Long R3 Insulin-like Growth Factor-1Not on either FDA list
- IpamorelinIpamorelin AcetateFDA category 2
- KisspeptinKisspeptin-10 / Kisspeptin-54 (Metastin)FDA category 2
- KPVLysine-Proline-Valine (α-MSH C-terminal tripeptide)Nomination withdrawn
- LiraglutideLiraglutide (acylated GLP-1(7-37) analog)Not on either FDA list
Where this came from3 referencesHide
Each one was resolved at PubMed and confirmed to be the work this page cites. Author, title, journal and year come from the PubMed record, not from the page text.
- A rescue factor abolishing neuronal cell death by a wide spectrum of familial Alzheimer's disease genes and Abeta
Hashimoto Y, et al.. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (2001). PMID 11371646.
- Humanin: a novel central regulator of peripheral insulin action
Muzumdar RH, et al.. PloS one (2009). PMID 19623253.
- Pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution of humanin and its analogues in male rodents
Chin YP, et al.. Endocrinology (2013). PMID 23836030.
About this page
Reviewed 2026-08-11. This page reports what published studies and FDA documents say. It carries no dose, cycle length or stack, and it does not tell you whether a substance is appropriate for you. Side-effect reports circulating on forums are self-reported rather than measured, so they are not republished here.
See the editorial policy for how corrections are handled.