P21 Peptide is a nootropic peptide targeting improved neurogenesis. In animal studies, P21 has been shown to boost BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) levels, thus promoting neurogenesis (nerve growth) and inhibiting the formation of Amyloid plaques and Tau proteins seen in Alzheimer's disease. BDNF has been linked not just to enhanced neurogenesis but to the downregulation of certain enzymes responsible for tau and amyloid plaque formation in Alzheimer's brains. P21 has been shown to improve cognition in animal models. The p21 peptide, initially described in Mutoh et al., used here is derived from amino acids 139–164 of the C-terminus of the full-length p21 protein and interferes with proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) function and inhibits cyclin-dependent kinase complex activity[1].
[1] Leslie R Walker. “Fusion of cell-penetrating peptides to thermally responsive biopolymer improves tumor accumulation of p21 peptide in a mouse model of pancreatic cancer.” Drug Design, Development and Therapy (2014): 1649–58.
