Cardiogen
A Russian tetrapeptide bioregulator (Ala-Glu-Asp-Arg) developed for cardiac tissue - supporting cardiomyocyte metabolism, heart muscle protection, and cardiovascular recovery.
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Compound Profile
Cardiogen
Key Data
Research reference only
Research Focus
Preclinical data
⚠ Research & Educational Use Only. Cardiogen is a research chemical documented here for scientific education. All information references peer-reviewed literature and preclinical/clinical study data. Not for human consumption. Not medical advice. Consult a licensed researcher or healthcare professional before any laboratory use.
- Supports cardiomyocyte metabolism and cardiac protein synthesis
- May reduce myocardial damage in ischaemia-reperfusion models
- Part of the Russian peptide bioregulator system developed by Professor Khavinson - backed by 40+ years of Russian research
- Cardiogen is not FDA-approved for human use. It is a research chemical for scientific study only.
Research At a Glance
- Supports cardiomyocyte metabolism and cardiac protein synthesis
- May reduce myocardial damage in ischaemia-reperfusion models
- Part of the Russian peptide bioregulator system developed by Professor Khavinson - backed by 40+ years of Russian research
- Improves cardiac functional parameters in preclinical models of heart disease
In Plain English
Simple summaryCardiogen is a synthetic tetrapeptide (Ala-Glu-Asp-Arg) from the Khavinson bioregulator series, developed as a cardiac bioregulator. Like other bioregulators in the series, it was derived from analysis of cardiac tissue peptide fractions and is proposed to restore gene expression in cardiomyocytes (heart muscle cells). Research from the Khavinson group suggests it promotes cardiomyocyte differentiation, reduces fibrosis in cardiac tissue, and may help restore cardiac function after myocardial damage. It has been studied in aged rats showing improvements in cardiac cell morphology, and in small Russian clinical studies in patients with heart failure or post-MI recovery.
- Supports cardiomyocyte metabolism and cardiac protein synthesis
- May reduce myocardial damage in ischaemia-reperfusion models
- Part of the Russian peptide bioregulator system developed by Professor Khavinson - backed by 40+ years of Russian research
The full scientific detail, mechanisms, citations, and dosing data, follows below.
What is Cardiogen?
Tap any underlined term for an instant definition.
Cardiogen is a synthetic tetrapeptide (Ala-Glu-Asp-Arg) developed by the St. Petersburg Institute of Biogerontology in Russia as part of Professor Vladimir Khavinson's organ-specific peptide bioregulator programme. Like other bioregulators in this series (Epitalon for the pineal gland, Thymalin for the thymus, Bronchogen for the lungs, Vilon for the immune system), Cardiogen is designed to specifically support the function of cardiac tissue.
The bioregulator concept, developed in the 1970s-90s, proposes that short oligopeptides derived from or mimicking signals produced by specific tissues can act as tissue-specific regulators of protein synthesis and gene expression. According to this model, as tissues age, their production of regulatory peptides declines, contributing to organ dysfunction. Exogenous supplementation with these short peptides can theoretically restore gene expression patterns toward a more youthful, functional state.
Cardiogen's tetrapeptide sequence (Ala-Glu-Asp-Arg) was isolated from cardiac muscle tissue and has been studied in preclinical models for effects on cardiomyocyte metabolism, protein synthesis, and resistance to ischaemic damage. Russian clinical research has reported benefits in patients with coronary artery disease and cardiac insufficiency, though these studies have methodological limitations from a Western evidence-based medicine perspective.
The most compelling data supporting bioregulators generally comes from the St. Petersburg longevity studies, where elderly patients treated with multi-bioregulator protocols (combining heart, immune, and neuroendocrine bioregulators) showed reduced mortality and improved health outcomes over 8-15 year follow-up periods. Cardiogen was a component of these cardiac-focused protocols.
Cardiogen is commonly used alongside Epitalon (which has the most extensive research among the Russian bioregulators) in comprehensive anti-ageing research protocols. The combination of pineal regulation (Epitalon), immune support (Thymalin), and organ-specific peptides (Cardiogen, Bronchogen, Cortagen, etc.) represents the complete Khavinson bioregulator approach to healthy ageing.
By the Numbers
Key Research Benefits
Documented effects observed in preclinical and clinical studies on Cardiogen. See all Healing & Recovery peptides for comparison.
Common Stacks
Cardiogen is frequently combined with the following peptides for synergistic effects. Click any peptide to compare profiles before deciding.
NAD+ supports sirtuin activation and mitochondrial function while Epitalon addresses telomere length - a comprehensive longevity stack.
NAD+ and Humanin are both mitochondrial health molecules: together they support mitochondrial function and longevity pathways.
Side Effects & Risks
Adverse effects reported in the research literature. All data sourced from preclinical and clinical study reports. View all peptides' side effects →
Dosing Data from the Literature
Doses referenced below are sourced from published preclinical and clinical studies. Use the peptide dose calculator to convert these values to injection volume.
Russian clinical protocols use 10 mg/day intramuscularly for 10 consecutive days, repeated 2-3 times per year.
Standard bioregulator protocol: 10 mg IM daily for 10 days Frequency: 2-3 courses per year Often combined with Epitalon (pineal bioregulator) and Thymalin (immune bioregulator) in comprehensive bioregulator protocols
Administration in Research Settings
Standard reconstitution and administration methodology for laboratory research use.
Reconstitute with physiological saline. Administer intramuscularly once daily for 10 consecutive days.
What the research doesn't show
Cardiogen research is exclusively from the Khavinson group and published in Russian specialty journals. No independent Western laboratory has confirmed its cardioprotective effects. For cardiac research with a meaningful evidence base, SS-31, urocortin, or other mechanistically well-characterized peptides are more appropriate research tools.
Medical Expert Videos
Physicians, researchers, and pharmacologists explain Cardiogen, covering mechanisms of action, clinical context, and study findings.
Videos sourced from YouTube search. KnowYourPeptide does not endorse any individual creator. For research education only.
The Bottom Line
Cardiogen has a growing body of preclinical evidence and a well-characterised safety profile in research settings. The most-studied application is: supports cardiomyocyte metabolism and cardiac protein synthesis.
The most commonly reported side effect in research subjects is generally well tolerated - minimal adverse effects reported in russian clinical studies. It is a research chemical, not approved for human use.
Frequently Asked Questions
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How It Compares
SS-31 (elamipretide) has the most clinically advanced cardiac peptide development record, with Phase 2 trial data in heart failure. Urocortin has documented cardioprotective effects in ischemia-reperfusion models. B7-33 targets cardiac fibrosis through relaxin receptor activation. Cardiogen's organ-extract derived approach is conceptually interesting but has a much weaker evidence base than any of these alternatives.
Compare Cardiogen side-by-sideResearch Use Only
This information is for educational research purposes only. This is not medical advice. Consult a qualified healthcare professional.