DSIP vs Epithalon
Both are used for sleep, and FDA’s 2026 reviews found no adequate evidence that either treats insomnia. DSIP is sold in Russia as nose drops for stress and alcohol withdrawal; Epithalon, also spelled Epitalon, is an unapproved pineal peptide used mainly for aging.
- DSIP
- Approved drugOnce nightly
- Epithalon
- PreclinicalOnce daily during a course
- Head-to-head trials
- None published
The short answer
DSIP (delta sleep-inducing peptide) is a nine-amino-acid peptide first isolated in the 1970s from the blood of sleeping rabbits; no receptor for it has been found, and its Russian label says its mechanism is unknown. Epithalon is a synthetic four-amino-acid peptide based on Epithalamin, an extract of the pineal gland, the small brain gland that makes the sleep hormone melatonin. DSIP is registered in Russia as Deltaran nose drops for stress states and alcohol withdrawal; Epithalon isn’t approved anywhere.
DSIP was given by vein in small insomnia trials in the 1980s and early 1990s, with mixed results: in a 16-person double-blind trial, sleep improved slightly over placebo, but people didn’t feel they slept better. Epithalon has never been tested on sleep. The pineal extract restored nightly melatonin rhythms in older adults, and in one small study from the St Petersburg group that developed it, an under-the-tongue spray of synthetic Epithalon raised a melatonin breakdown product in 40 women working night shifts. Neither has been studied as an injection under the skin, the way both are commonly used.
At a glance
| Field | DSIPDelta sleep-inducing peptide, emideltide | EpithalonEpitalon, Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly (AEDG) |
|---|---|---|
| Evidence | Approved drug | Preclinical |
| Class | Sleep and stress neuropeptide | Pineal bioregulator peptide |
| Approval | Approved in Russia as Deltaran, an intranasal product for stress states and alcohol withdrawal; not approved in the US. | Not approved as a drug in the US or EU. |
| Sport (WADA 2026) | Not banned in sport | Likely banned in sport |
| Common dose | 100–300 mcg before bed | 5–10 mg daily for 10–20 days |
| Frequency | Once nightly | Once daily during a course |
| Cycle | 2 weeks on, 2 off | 2-week course, about every 5 months |
| Route | Intranasal (label); injection (community) | Subcutaneous injection (community) |
| Half-life | – | – |
| Typical draw | 10 units5 mg with 2 mL, 250 mcg | 60 units50 mg with 3 mL, 10 mg |
| Vial sizes or form | 5, 10 mg | 10, 50 mg |
| Human studies | 5 listedLargest: 107 people (1984) | 4 listedLargest: 266 people (2003) |
| Main cautions |
|
|
| Open DSIP | Open Epithalon |
Doses shown are what labels, trials or community reports reference, not recommendations. Each compound’s page has the full detail and sources.
Key differences
What they are
DSIP: 9 amino acids (WAGGDASGE), first isolated from rabbits in the 1970s. Epithalon: 4 amino acids (AEDG), made in Russia as a synthetic stand-in for Epithalamin, a cattle pineal extract. FDA treats Epithalon and Epithalamin as different substances.
How they work
Both are poorly understood. DSIP was named for the slow brain waves of deep sleep it brought on in rabbits, but later studies were mixed, and its label says the mechanism is unknown. Epithalon has no known receptor; in old monkeys it raised evening melatonin, and in cells it switches on telomerase, an enzyme that rebuilds the protective caps on chromosomes.
Sleep evidence
TrialDSIP: small IV trials in chronic insomnia from the 1980s to 1992 disagreed, and FDA called the results inconclusive. Epithalon: no sleep trial. An under-the-tongue spray raised a melatonin breakdown product 1.7-fold over 20 days in 40 night-shift workers, with no change on placebo, but sleep wasn’t measured; FDA found no publication on Epithalon in insomnia.
Approved use
LabelDSIP: Russia’s Deltaran nose drops, as part of combination treatment for stress states and for alcohol withdrawal and craving. The label doesn’t list sleep problems. Epithalon: no approved use anywhere.
Doses
DSIP: 300 mcg into the nose 1–3 times a day for 5–10 days (Deltaran label); users inject 100–300 mcg 1–3 hours before bed (community). Epithalon: 5–10 mg injected once a day for 10–20 days, repeated every 4–6 months (community).
Who shouldn’t use them
DSIP’s label rules out pregnancy, breastfeeding, anyone under 18 and allergy to it, and advises against use with a very slow heart rate. Epithalon has no label; it switches on telomerase, which most cancers rely on, a theoretical concern with active or past cancer, and it has no pregnancy data.
Status
In July 2026 FDA reviewed both for pharmacy compounding, Epithalon for insomnia and DSIP for insomnia, narcolepsy and opioid withdrawal, and advised against both. Its advisory committee voted 7 to 6 (1 abstaining) against DSIP but voted to recommend Epithalon. DSIP isn’t banned in sport, since Russia approves it; Epithalon is likely banned under WADA’s S0 rule.
Head-to-head studies
Taking them together
Open them in the stack check for sport status and one combined tracking checklist.
Questions
What is the difference between DSIP and Epithalon?
DSIP (delta sleep-inducing peptide) is a nine-amino-acid peptide first isolated in the 1970s from the blood of sleeping rabbits; no receptor for it has been found, and its Russian label says its mechanism is unknown. Epithalon is a synthetic four-amino-acid peptide based on Epithalamin, an extract of the pineal gland, the small brain gland that makes the sleep hormone melatonin. DSIP is registered in Russia as Deltaran nose drops for stress states and alcohol withdrawal; Epithalon isn’t approved anywhere.
Which is better for sleep, DSIP or Epithalon?
There’s no measured answer. No study has compared them, and neither has shown a clear benefit for insomnia. DSIP’s IV trials gave weak or mixed results, and its Russian label doesn’t list sleep problems. Epithalon has been tested only on melatonin levels, not on sleep itself.
Is Epithalon the same as Epithalamin?
No. Epithalamin is a peptide extract of cattle pineal glands; Epithalon (Epitalon) is a synthetic four-amino-acid peptide based on it. FDA treats them as different substances. Most human results quoted for Epithalon, including the melatonin-rhythm and death-rate studies in older adults, used Epithalamin.
Can DSIP and Epithalon be taken together?
No overlap between them is documented. No published study has tested them together.
Which has more evidence in people, DSIP or Epithalon?
DSIP is approved outside the US; its page lists 5 key human studies. Epithalon isn’t approved anywhere and rests mainly on cell and animal studies; its page lists 4 key human studies. They haven’t been compared directly in a published trial.
Are DSIP and Epithalon banned in sport?
Epithalon is likely banned under WADA’s S0 rule for unapproved drugs. DSIP isn’t banned. This follows the WADA 2026 Prohibited List; athletes should confirm with their anti-doping organization.
Sources
- Deltaran (DSIP) nasal drops, Russian official instructions (RLS, updated September 22, 2026)
- FDA briefing document: emideltide (DSIP)-related bulk drug substances, Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee (July 2026)
- FDA briefing document: epitalon-related bulk drug substances, Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee (July 2026)
- Bes et al., DSIP in chronic insomnia, double-blind study (Neuropsychobiology 1992) PMID 1299794
- Ivko et al., AEDG peptide, melatonin and clock genes in night-shift workers (Adv Gerontol 2020, in Russian) PMID 33280326
- Korkushko et al., Epithalamin in older adults with coronary disease, 15-year follow-up (Bull Exp Biol Med 2011) PMID 22451889
- Kovalzon and Strekalova, DSIP: a still unresolved riddle, review (J Neurochem 2006) PMID 16539679
Each compound’s page lists its full sources: DSIP, Epithalon.