MEDICAL DISCLAIMER: Educational research guidelines only. Lyophilized peptides are investigational chemical compounds and are NOT approved for human consumption, diagnosis, or therapy. Consult a licensed physician before any research application.
Cortexin Dosage Chart, Schedule & Reconstitution Protocol
Quickstart Highlights
Cortexin is a polypeptide complex extracted from mammalian cerebral cortex, classed as a nootropic and neuroprotective peptide drug. Its low-molecular-weight peptides (about 1-10 kDa) modulate AMPA/kainate glutamate and GABA-A receptors, inhibit brain caspase-8, act as antioxidants and anti-inflammatories, and partner with neuron-specific proteins such as beta-tubulin, creatine kinase B and 14-3-3, while crossing the blood-brain barrier (PLOS ONE, 2021). Clinically it is injected intramuscularly at 10 mg once daily for 10 days (children under 20 kg at about 0.5 mg/kg), repeated every 3-6 months, for stroke recovery, traumatic brain injury, encephalopathy, epilepsy and pediatric cognitive or developmental disorders. Most evidence comes from Russian clinical and rodent studies. It is made by Geropharm and approved in Russia and CIS countries but not by the FDA or EMA. The subcutaneous bacteriostatic-water reconstitution figures on this page are an educational measurement reference only, not the real route, and nothing here is medical advice.
Reconstitute: Add 1 mL bacteriostatic water → 10 mg/mL concentration.
Typical dose: 10 mg once daily IM (10-day course)
Easy measuring: At 10 mg/mL, 1 unit = 0.01 mL = 0.1 mg (100 mcg) on a U-100 insulin syringe.
Storage: Lyophilized vials stored at room temperature below 25 C (77 F), protected from light; do not freeze the powder. Clinically the solution is reconstituted fresh and injected immediately because each vial is single-use and preservative-free. For the educational subcutaneous model, any reconstituted solution should be kept refrigerated at 2-8 C (36-46 F) and used promptly.
Half-life: Not formally characterized for the peptide mixture; an apparent elimination half-life of roughly 10 hours is cited. The regimen is empirical: once daily for 10 days.
Route: Clinically intramuscular (10 mg dissolved in 1-2 mL of diluent and injected fresh). The subcutaneous reconstitution model here is a measurement reference only.
Status: Approved in Russia/CIS (Geropharm); NOT FDA- or EMA-approved; unlicensed in the US/UK. Educational content, not medical advice.
About Cortexin
Cortexin is a neuroprotective polypeptide complex extracted from the cerebral cortex of cattle (and, in some lots, pigs); clinically it is given by intramuscular injection, so the subcutaneous reconstitution figures below are an educational measurement reference, not the real-world route [1][3]. It is manufactured by Geropharm and is a prescription drug in Russia and several CIS countries, but it is not approved by the FDA or EMA.\n\nThe standard adult Cortexin dosage is 10 mg once daily as a 10-day course, repeated after 3-6 months if needed; children under 20 kg are dosed at about 0.5 mg/kg using the 5 mg pediatric vial, and acute ischemic-stroke protocols use 10 mg twice daily [3][4]. Clinically the powder is dissolved fresh in 1-2 mL of 0.5% procaine, water for injection, or 0.9% saline and injected immediately, because each vial is single-use and preservative-free.\n\nFor the educational subcutaneous model, reconstituting a 10 mg vial with 1.0 mL of bacteriostatic water yields a 10 mg/mL solution (100 mcg per insulin-syringe unit): a 5 mg dose measures 50 units and a full 10 mg dose measures 100 units (1.0 mL) on a U-100 syringe. This Cortexin reconstitution and protocol reference is provided for education only and is not medical advice.\n\nFrequency: Inject once daily for a 10-day course (acute stroke protocols use twice daily); courses are typically repeated every 3-6 months.
Quick Protocol Navigation
Reconstitution Instruction & Mixing Step-by-Step
Lyophilized powder must be reconstituted carefully. Agitating peptide chains can shear disulfide bonds and render the peptide biologically inert.
Draw 1.0 mL of bacteriostatic water into a sterile syringe (this yields a 10 mg/mL solution from a 10 mg vial; clinically the diluent is 0.5% procaine, water for injection, or 0.9% saline instead).
Inject the water slowly down the inner wall of the vial; do not aim the stream directly at the powder, and avoid foaming or vigorous shaking.
Gently swirl or roll the vial until the solution is completely clear; the result is a 10 mg/mL concentration (100 mcg per insulin-syringe unit).
Draw the units for your dose on a U-100 syringe: 5 mg = 50 units (0.50 mL) for the pediatric reference, and a full 10 mg = 100 units (1.0 mL) for the adult course.
Educational note: Cortexin is clinically injected INTRAMUSCULARLY and reconstituted fresh for single immediate use (no preservative); the subcutaneous bacteriostatic-water figures here are a measurement reference only. Swab the site, inject, and discard any unused solution rather than storing it.
Interactive Cortexin Syringe Calculator
Currently visualizing the 10 mg vial reconstituted with 1 mL bacteriostatic water. Adjust the target dose to dynamically render syringe units.
Reconstitution Calculation: 10mg dry powder in 1mL water yields 10.00 mg/mL. To evaluate a 250mcg dose, pull to 2.5 units (3 syringe ticks).
U-100 Syringe Representation
Educational reference visual. Assumes standard U-100 insulin syringe where 1.0 mL volume = 100 units.
Titration & Dose Escalation Schedules
| Phase | Dose per injection | Units (per injection) |
|---|---|---|
| Pediatric reference (under 20 kg, ~0.5 mg/kg, 5 mg vial) | 5000 mcg (5 mg) | 50 units (0.50 mL) |
| Adult standard — 10 mg once daily, 10-day course | 10000 mcg (10 mg) | 100 units (1.00 mL) |
| Acute ischemic stroke — 10 mg twice daily, 10 days | 10000 mcg (10 mg) | 100 units (1.00 mL) |
Administration guidelines: Refer to guidelines | 1 mL Reconstitution
Research Supplies Quantity Planner
Scientific mathematical planning of syringes, bacteriostatic water and dry vials needed for extended research blocks using the 10 mg vial.
Peptide Vials (Cortexin, 10 mg each):
- checkStandard clinical course is only 10 days (about 10 vials at 10 mg/day); the figures below scale the site's 8/12/16-week convention to continuous daily use.
- check8 weeks at 10 mg/day ≈ 56 vials
- check12 weeks at 10 mg/day ≈ 84 vials
- check16 weeks at 10 mg/day ≈ 112 vials
Insulin Syringes (U-100):
- checkOnce-daily dosing: 7 syringes per week
- check8 weeks ≈ 56 syringes; 12 weeks ≈ 84 syringes; 16 weeks ≈ 112 syringes
- checkAcute-stroke twice-daily modeling doubles the count (e.g., 8 weeks ≈ 112 syringes)
Bacteriostatic Water (30 mL bottles): Use 1 mL per 10 mg vial for reconstitution.
- check8 weeks ≈ 56 mL ≈ 2 bottles
- check12 weeks ≈ 84 mL ≈ 3 bottles
- check16 weeks ≈ 112 mL ≈ 4 bottles
- checkClinically each vial is reconstituted fresh and used immediately; bacteriostatic water is the educational-model diluent only.
Alcohol Swabs:
- check1-2 swabs per dose (vial top + injection site)
- check8 weeks ≈ 60-120 swabs; 12 weeks ≈ 90-170 swabs
- check16 weeks ≈ 120-230 swabs; keep extras for re-swabbing
Mechanism of Action (MOA)
Cortexin is not a single peptide but a standardized, water-soluble extract of mammalian cerebral cortex (bovine, and in some lots porcine). Each vial contains roughly 70-95% acidic and neutral polypeptides with molecular weights between about 1,000 and 10,000 daltons, together with free amino acids, neuromediators and trace elements; the marketed adult product pairs 10 mg of this complex with 12 mg of the amino acid glycine as a stabilizer [1]. Because it is a mixture rather than a single defined molecule, Cortexin acts on several targets at once rather than through one receptor.\n\nThe dominant proposed mechanism is modulation of excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmission. Receptor-binding work shows Cortexin peptides have high affinity for AMPA (about 80%) and kainate (about 74%) glutamate receptors and measurable binding at mGluR1, mGluR5 and GABA-A receptors, which is thought to rebalance glutamatergic excitotoxicity after ischemia while supporting GABAergic inhibitory tone [1][2]. In rodent middle-cerebral-artery-occlusion models the complex crossed the blood-brain barrier (brain levels roughly 6-8% of whole-blood concentration), reduced necrosis volume by about 45%, and improved sensorimotor and cognitive recovery [2].\n\nBeyond receptor effects, Cortexin behaves as a neurotrophic and anti-apoptotic agent. In vitro it tissue-specifically inhibits brain caspase-8, blunting the extrinsic apoptosis cascade, and its peptides physically partner with the neuron-specific proteins beta-tubulin, creatine kinase B and 14-3-3 alpha/beta, proteins central to cytoskeletal integrity, neuronal energy metabolism and survival signaling [5]. It also restores the balance of pro- and antioxidant systems, lowers lipid peroxidation, and exerts measurable anti-inflammatory effects both in brain tissue and systemically, alongside reported normalization of blood-brain-barrier function [5][6]. Together these actions are framed as neuroprotective, neurotrophic and reparative, the basis for its use in stroke, traumatic brain injury, encephalopathy, epilepsy and pediatric cognitive or developmental disorders.\n\nPharmacokinetics are not characterized the way small-molecule drugs are, because the active material is a heterogeneous peptide pool. Published sources cite an apparent elimination half-life on the order of 10 hours, and the once-daily 10-day regimen reflects empirical clinical scheduling rather than a formal PK-driven model; the peptide components are expected to be rapidly distributed and degraded like other small peptides [2]. The clinical route is strictly intramuscular: 10 mg of powder is dissolved fresh in 1-2 mL of 0.5% procaine, water for injection or 0.9% saline and injected once daily, because the product is single-use and preservative-free.\n\nThe subcutaneous bacteriostatic-water reconstitution scheme on this page is an educational measurement convention used across this site, not the real delivery route, and Cortexin is not approved by the FDA or EMA [3].
Clinical Trial Efficacy Highlights
- starA multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study evaluated low-dose Cortexin in acute ischemic stroke, comparing two 10-day courses against a single course followed by placebo and against placebo alone; the two-course Cortexin group showed the best functional recovery, and the benefit was supported by a pharmacoeconomic net-monetary-benefit analysis [3].
- starA large multicenter study by Zykov and colleagues (2018) enrolled 635 children aged 3-7 with cognitive dysfunction (ADHD, speech delay, sequelae of perinatal CNS injury, and asthenic/neurotic syndrome) and reported reliable improvement after a 10-injection course of Cortexin, with the strongest response on tests of thinking among 3-4-year-olds with ADHD [4].
- starIn a controlled rodent study, Kurkin and colleagues (2021, PLOS ONE) gave Cortexin 1 and 3 mg/kg/day intramuscularly for 10 days in acute and chronic cerebral ischemia models; it reduced necrosis volume by about 45% in acute ischemia and, in chronic ischemia, improved antioxidant defenses, preserved neurons and limited neurodegeneration, performing comparably to Cerebrolysin and Actovegin [2].
- starA 2025 study in Biomedicines tested Cortexin in rat models of toxic (prenatal ethanol) and hypoxic-ischemic developmental delay; both intramuscular and rectal dosing lowered neurological deficit scores, improved motor activity and fine motor skills, and reduced histological neuronal damage, with comparable brain exposure by either route [1].
- starA comparative analysis of neuroprotective agents in ischemic stroke evaluated Cortexin alongside other drugs and reported favorable effects on neurological recovery, contributing to its routine inclusion in Russian stroke-treatment practice [7].
- starWork on chronic cerebral ischemia found that Cortexin (and the related peptide cortagen) helped correct functional and metabolic brain disturbances, supporting its use in chronic ischemic and dyscirculatory encephalopathy [8].
- starMechanistic reviews summarizing Cortexin's molecular targets describe normalization of glutamatergic transmission, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory action, inhibition of brain caspase-8, and interaction with beta-tubulin, creatine kinase B and 14-3-3 proteins, providing a plausible biological basis for the clinical observations [5][6].
- starImportant caveat: most Cortexin efficacy data come from Russian-language journals and preclinical models, with limited large-scale Western replication; major international stroke and neurology guidelines do not list Cortexin, and it has not undergone FDA or EMA review [3][7].
Side Effects & Tolerability Profile
Clinical subjects transiently report mild side effects. Slowly escalating the titration dose represents the single most effective intervention to limit side effects.
- warningAllergic and hypersensitivity reactions, including rare anaphylactic shock and angioedema as well as skin rash, itching and redness; Cortexin is contraindicated in anyone with known hypersensitivity to its components.
- warningCNS activation: psychomotor agitation, increased excitability, anxiety, insomnia and, in sensitive individuals, coordination disturbances; dosing earlier in the day is sometimes advised to limit sleep disruption.
- warningCardiovascular: tachycardia has been reported among the recognized adverse reactions.
- warningInjection-site reactions such as local pain, redness or swelling; when 0.5% procaine (novocaine) is used as the clinical diluent, procaine-class sensitivity must be excluded first.
- warningAnimal-derived material: as a bovine/porcine cortex extract, it carries theoretical immunogenic and biological-contaminant concerns; manufacturing aims to remove these, but they cannot be claimed to be zero-risk.
- warningPregnancy, breastfeeding and pediatric use: not recommended in pregnancy or lactation due to absent safety data; pediatric dosing is weight-adjusted and should be physician-supervised.
- warningDrug-interaction data are sparse, and combining Cortexin with other neuroactive agents or nootropics has not been formally studied.
- warningRegulatory/research status: Cortexin is approved only in Russia and CIS countries (Geropharm) and is NOT FDA- or EMA-approved; in the US and UK it is unlicensed and obtainable only via personal importation. The protocol on this page is educational and is not medical advice.
Subcutaneous Injection Technique
Most research peptides require subcutaneous injection into fatty tissue. Never inject directly into a blood vessel or deep muscle tissue unless clinically detailed.
1. Site Selection
Common locations include the abdomen (2 inches from navel), outer upper arms, or thighs.
2. Sanitization
Thoroughly clean the selected site, stopper and vial top using 70% isopropyl alcohol prep swabs.
3. Angle & Push
Pinch the skin and insert the needle at a 45 to 90-degree angle. Depress plunger smoothly.
4. Site Rotation
Rotate injection sites continuously to avoid lipodystrophy or tissue scarring.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the typical Cortexin dosage?expand_more
The standard adult Cortexin dosage is 10 mg once daily by intramuscular injection for a 10-day course, repeated after 3-6 months if needed. Children under 20 kg are dosed at about 0.5 mg/kg/day using the 5 mg pediatric vial, while children over 20 kg receive the full 10 mg. In acute ischemic stroke, protocols use 10 mg twice daily. The subcutaneous reconstitution figures on this page are an educational measurement reference only; the real clinical route is intramuscular.
Is Cortexin FDA approved?expand_more
No. Cortexin is not approved by the FDA or the EMA. It is manufactured by Geropharm and is a licensed prescription drug only in Russia and several CIS countries. In the United States and United Kingdom it is unlicensed and can be obtained only under personal-importation rules. This page is educational and not medical advice.
How is Cortexin reconstituted and administered?expand_more
Clinically, a 10 mg vial of Cortexin is dissolved fresh in 1-2 mL of 0.5% procaine, water for injection, or 0.9% saline and injected intramuscularly right away, because each vial is single-use and preservative-free. For the educational subcutaneous model on this site, mixing a 10 mg vial with 1.0 mL of bacteriostatic water gives 10 mg/mL (100 mcg per unit), so 5 mg measures 50 units and a full 10 mg dose measures 100 units (1.0 mL) on a U-100 syringe.
What is the half life of Cortexin?expand_more
Because Cortexin is a heterogeneous mixture of cortical polypeptides rather than a single molecule, its pharmacokinetics are poorly characterized. Published sources cite an apparent elimination half-life of roughly 10 hours, and animal data show the peptides cross the blood-brain barrier (brain levels about 6-8% of whole blood). The once-daily, 10-day dosing schedule is empirical rather than derived from a formal PK model.
Can Cortexin be stacked with other nootropics?expand_more
In Russian clinical practice Cortexin is sometimes combined with other neuroprotective agents, but there are no controlled interaction or stacking data, and combinations with other nootropics or neuroactive drugs have not been formally studied. Any such combination should be treated as experimental and physician-supervised; nothing here is medical advice.
Related Guides & Tools
Step-by-step references for reconstituting, measuring, and storing Cortexin, plus the universal dosing calculator.
Academic References & Study Citations
Kurkin DV, Bakulin DA, Morkovin EI, et al. Neurotropic Effects of Cortexin on Models of Mental and Physical Developmental Delay. Biomedicines. 2025;13(4):860. Composition (70-95% polypeptides, 1,000-10,000 Da), receptor targets, and developmental-delay models. View Scientific Paper →
Kurkin DV, Bakulin DA, Morkovin EI, et al. Neuroprotective action of Cortexin, Cerebrolysin and Actovegin in acute or chronic brain ischemia in rats. PLoS One. 2021;16(7):e0254493. View Scientific Paper →
Clinical efficacy and pharmacoeconomic characteristics of the neuroprotection with low doses of cortexin in the treatment of acute ischemic stroke (multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled). Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova. 2014. PMID: 24874316. View Scientific Paper →
Zykov VP, et al. Results of a multicenter study on the efficacy of cortexin in treatment of cognitive dysfunction in children (635 children, ages 3-7). Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova. 2018;118(1):27-31. PMID: 29652302. View Scientific Paper →
Cortexin. Molecular mechanisms and targets of neuroprotective activity (caspase-8 inhibition; beta-tubulin, creatine kinase B and 14-3-3 partners). Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova. 2015. PMID: 26356623. View Scientific Paper →
Molecular mechanisms of brain peptide-containing drugs: cortexin (review of glutamatergic normalization, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and blood-brain-barrier effects). PMID: 30499504. View Scientific Paper →
Comparative analysis of efficacy of certain neuroprotectors in ischemic stroke. Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova. 2008. PMID: 18193579. View Scientific Paper →
Cortexin and cortagen as correcting agents in functional and metabolic disorders in the brain in chronic ischemia. 2011. PMID: 21476278. View Scientific Paper →