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preclinicalLongevity & Cellular Health

Cardiogen

Also known as: Ala-Glu-Asp-Arg, AEDR tetrapeptide, Cardiac bioregulator

Cardiogen (Ala-Glu-Asp-Arg) is a synthetic tetrapeptide bioregulator developed by Khavinson to target cardiovascular tissue. Preclinical studies report that Cardiogen modulates gene expression in cardiomyocytes, enhancing cellular survival pathways and reducing oxidative stress damage. It is part of the Khavinson family of tissue-specific peptide bioregulators, each proposed to interact with DNA in organ-specific cells to maintain or restore function.

3 cited references·3 researched benefits

Quick Answer

Cardiogen (Ala-Glu-Asp-Arg) is a synthetic tetrapeptide bioregulator targeting heart tissue gene expression. Part of Khavinson's tissue-specific peptide family, preclinical research suggests it enhances cardiomyocyte survival, reduces oxidative stress, and modulates cardiovascular gene expression. Studied primarily in aged animal models showing improvements in cardiac function markers. It represents a novel peptide-based approach to cardiac bioregulation.

Key Facts

Mechanism
Cardiogen is proposed to interact with regulatory DNA sequences in cardiomyocyte-specific genes, modulating expression of proteins involved in cardiac contractility, calcium handling, and cellular stress responses. Preclinical studies suggest upregulation of cardioprotective pathways (Bcl-2, heat shock proteins) and downregulation of pro-apoptotic signals in cardiac cells. The tetrapeptide may modulate chromatin accessibility in cardiomyocyte nuclei, similar to Livagen's effects in hepatocytes.
Research Status
preclinical
Half-Life
~1–2 hours (estimated)
Molecular Formula
C₁₆H₂₈N₆O₈
Primary Use
Longevity & Cellular Health
Table of Contents

Benefits

  • Cardioprotective potential — enhances cardiomyocyte survival and reduces apoptosis in preclinical modelspreliminary
  • Oxidative stress reduction — decreases markers of oxidative damage in cardiac tissuepreliminary
  • Gene expression modulation — targets cardiac-specific gene regulatory elementspreliminary

Dosage Protocols

RouteDosage RangeFrequencyNotes
Research use only10–100 mcgVariablePreclinical research compound. No approved therapeutic dosing.

Medical disclaimer

Dosage information is provided for educational reference only. Always follow your prescriber's instructions and consult a qualified healthcare provider before starting any peptide protocol.

Side Effects

  • No significant adverse effects reported in preclinical studiesrare

Frequently Asked Questions

Has Cardiogen been tested in humans?
Cardiogen has primarily been studied in cell culture and animal models. Some Russian clinical observations have been reported, but no rigorous randomized controlled trials have been published. It remains a preclinical research compound without regulatory approval in any country.
How does Cardiogen compare to established cardiac peptides?
Established cardiac peptides like BNP (brain natriuretic peptide) and ANP (atrial natriuretic peptide) are endogenous hormones with well-characterized mechanisms in heart failure. Cardiogen is a synthetic peptide proposed to regulate gene expression rather than acting as a hormone. These are fundamentally different approaches — BNP/ANP are acute physiological regulators, while Cardiogen is proposed as a chronic gene expression modulator.

References

  1. 1
    Cardioprotective effects of tetrapeptide Ala-Glu-Asp-Arg in experimental models(2010)
  2. 2
    Peptide bioregulators: tissue-specific effects on gene expression(2014)PubMed ↗
  3. 3
    Short peptides in cardiovascular protection: a review(2011)PubMed ↗

Latest Research

Last updated: 2026-02-19