PT-141(Bremelanotide)
Research peptide commonly studied in non-clinical laboratory settings related to neuroendocrine pathways.
Mechanism of action
PT-141 (bremelanotide) is a synthetic melanocortin receptor agonist with activity at MC3R and MC4R. Published research describes central activation of melanocortin pathways in the brain associated with sexual desire and arousal responses. Unlike PDE5 inhibitors (e.g. sildenafil) which act on vascular smooth muscle, PT-141 acts on central nervous system signaling, making it a distinct mechanism in the literature on sexual-response research.
PT-141 works in the brain, not on blood vessels. It flips a switch (the MC4R receptor) in pathways the body uses to generate sexual desire and arousal. That's the key difference from older compounds like sildenafil, which only affect blood flow — PT-141 acts on the desire signal itself.
Research areas
- · How the brain generates sexual desire and arousal signals
- · A specific brain receptor system (MC4R) involved in libido
- · How brain-based pathways differ from blood-flow-based ones
History & discovery
Originally derived from research on Melanotan II at the University of Arizona in the 1990s, then developed further by Palatin Technologies. Bremelanotide was approved by the FDA in 2019 (as Vyleesi) for hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) in premenopausal women, and has also been studied in the literature for male erectile response.
Reconstitution & handling
Lyophilized peptides are typically reconstituted with bacteriostatic water and stored refrigerated after reconstitution. Use the dosing calculator to work out concentrations for your research preparation.
Open reconstitution calculatorAssay & QC notes
Each lot is tested by reversed-phase HPLC for purity, confirmed by mass spectrometry for identity, and screened for endotoxin contamination.