Selank is a synthetic derivative of the tetrapeptide tuftsin that contains a proline-glycine-proline sequence at the C-terminus and has anxiolytic and anti-inflammatory activities. It increases the amplitude and discharge rate of inhibitory postsynaptic currents of neurons in the rat hippocampal CA1 region when used at a concentration of 1 μM. It decreases the level of affective responses and the number of erroneous escape attempts in rats in an acute stress situation, increases orientational-investigative responses of rats in an unfamiliar situation, and reduces the time mice spend immobile in the forced swim test. It increases locomotor activity of high-anxiety Balb/c, but not C57Bl/6, mice in the open field test. Selank (0.01 mg/kg) decreases verticalization induced by apomorphine in mice. It also decreases expression of the inflammation-related genes Il2rg and Xcr1 in mouse spleen after 90 minutes when administered at a dose of 100 μg/kg.
