Encyclopedia

Cartalax

Cartalax is a short Khavinson-family peptide, commonly cited as the tripeptide Ala-Glu-Asp, marketed as a cartilage bioregulator. Its proposed effect on cartilage gene expression stays unproven, resting on limited Russian cell-culture work, and it is unapproved in the US. Educational, not medical advice.

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Category	Healing / Recovery
Regulatory status	Not FDA-approved; research chemical / gray-market in the US.

Mechanism

A short synthetic peptide (commonly cited as the tripeptide Ala-Glu-Asp) from the Khavinson bioregulator family, marketed as a cartilage/connective-tissue-targeted agent. Proposed (unproven) mechanism is tissue-specific modulation of gene expression supporting cartilage and bone cells.

Half-life

uncertain / limited human pharmacokinetic data; presumed rapid clearance for a tripeptide but no rigorous human PK exists.

Regulatory status

Not FDA-approved; research chemical / gray-market in the US. Not an FDA-approved drug; sold within Russia in the bioregulator/supplement context only.

Safety

Human safety data are minimal and largely Russian-sourced. Low-risk presumption from rapid clearance is not equivalent to controlled safety data. Gray-market purity/identity unverified.

Evidence

Weak/limited evidence base: predominantly Russian preclinical/cell-culture work from a small number of groups, with little independent Western human data.

Sources

Linkova NS, Drobintseva AO, Orlova OA, et al. Peptide Regulation of Skin Fibroblast Functions during Their Aging In Vitro. Bulletin of Experimental Biology and Medicine. 2016;161(1):175-178. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27259496/
Khavinson VKh, Lin'kova NS, Polyakova VO, et al. Peptides regulate expression of signaling molecules in kidney cell cultures during in vitro aging. Bulletin of Experimental Biology and Medicine. 2014. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24958378/
Khavinson VKh, Tarnovskaia SI, Lin'kova NS, et al. Tripeptides slow down aging process in renal cell culture. Advances in Gerontology. 2014;27(4):651-656. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25946838/
Khavinson VK, Popovich IG, Linkova NS, Mironova ES, Ilina AR. Peptide Regulation of Gene Expression: A Systematic Review. Molecules. 2021;26(22):7053. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34834147/

PepWise is an informational and educational tracking tool, not medical advice and not a medical device. Cartalax may be experimental, restricted, or prescription-only; many research peptides are not FDA-approved. Consult a licensed healthcare provider before starting, changing, or stopping any protocol. Operated by STC Consulting, Inc.