If you have been reading about melanocortin receptor and want a single page that covers the useful parts, this is it: definitions, context, how it is studied, and the questions that come up repeatedly.
Updated 2026-07-07. Numbers and descriptions here follow the published literature rather than marketing material.
Melanotan II is a synthetic cyclic heptapeptide analogue of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone, a naturally occurring peptide involved in pigmentation signalling. Its structure substitutes a lactam bridge between side chains to increase stability relative to the native hormone. The compound is also known by the shorthand MT-II and by several non-proprietary synonyms used in research catalogues. It is not an approved therapeutic product in any major jurisdiction; material sold under this name is typically offered as a laboratory reagent rather than as a medicine.
Activity is attributed to agonism at melanocortin receptors, particularly MC1R and MC4R. Activation of MC1R on melanocytes increases melanin synthesis, which underlies the reported tanning effect. MC4R engagement in the central nervous system is linked to appetite suppression and to effects on sexual arousal reported in early clinical studies. Those studies were small and were not designed to establish efficacy or long-term safety. Receptor selectivity among the melanocortin subtypes is not absolute, which complicates attribution of any effect to a single pathway.
Regulatory treatment varies between countries. Several national medicines agencies have classified the peptide as unapproved, and customs authorities in some jurisdictions seize shipments on that basis. A few jurisdictions channel supply through prescription-only frameworks that do not list the substance by name. Because the material circulates mainly through online vendors, composition and purity are rarely verified before sale. Surveys of unapproved peptide products have reported labels that did not match measured content in a substantial fraction of samples.
The material is commonly handled as a lyophilized powder in sealed vials. The solid dissolves readily in water and in polar organic solvents, producing a clear solution after reconstitution. Light, heat and repeated freeze-thaw cycles are the concerns most often raised in handling guidance, because peptide bonds and the constrained ring can degrade. Working solutions are generally prepared fresh, and material left in solution is treated as less stable than the dry form. These properties shape how laboratories store and aliquot reference material.
Identity and purity are assessed mainly by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection, often paired with mass spectrometry. Retention time supports identity, while the mass spectrum confirms the molecular weight of the intact peptide. Purity is frequently reported as a percentage of total peak area, a figure that depends on the wavelength, column and gradient used. Impurity profiling may also look for truncated sequences, oxidised forms and residual counterions. Amino acid analysis and peptide mapping provide orthogonal confirmation when required.
Regulatory status varies by jurisdiction, and the substance is frequently described as unapproved for therapeutic use. Some authorities classify it alongside prescription-only medicines or controlled categories, while others address it through general consumer protection rules. Analytical surveys have reported mismatches between label claims and measured content in products sold online, although the scope of such testing is limited. Whether these discrepancies are widespread remains an open question. Discussion in the literature therefore tends to combine chemistry, supply-chain observation and policy analysis.
| Property | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Chemical class | Synthetic cyclic heptapeptide | Analogue of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone |
| Common synonyms | MT-II; melanotan 2 | No internationally accepted non-proprietary name |
| Typical presentation | Lyophilised powder in a sealed vial | Often supplied alongside a separate diluent |
| Regulatory status | Unapproved therapeutic substance | Customs seizure reported in several jurisdictions |
| Reported route in use | Subcutaneous injection | Self-administered outside clinical settings |
Melanotan II is a synthetic cyclic heptapeptide with the sequence Ac-Nle-cyclo[Asp-His-D-Phe-Arg-Trp-Lys]-NH2, corresponding to a molecular formula of C50H69N15O9 and a monoisotopic mass near 1024 daltons. It was designed as a structural analogue of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone, a peptide hormone produced by cleavage of proopiomelanocortin. A lactam bridge between the aspartate and lysine side chains closes the ring, and the C-terminal amide removes a free carboxyl group. Both modifications increase resistance to enzymatic degradation compared with the linear parent hormone. Four substitutions distinguish it from afamelanotide, the linear analogue studied under the name melanotan I.
Receptor-binding studies classify melanotan II as a non-selective melanocortin agonist. It interacts with MC1R, MC3R, MC4R and MC5R, with reported affinities in the low nanomolar range and no strong subtype preference. Activation of MC1R on dermal melanocytes shifts pigment synthesis toward eumelanin, the dark polymer deposited in melanosomes and transferred to keratinocytes. Because the same peptide engages MC4R in the hypothalamus, it also appears in animal work on food intake and erectile response, which is why it is discussed in both pigment and metabolic research. Which receptor populations dominate after systemic exposure in humans is not fully established.
Quality assessment of research-grade peptide rests mainly on reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography for purity and on mass spectrometry for identity confirmation. A single main peak above a stated threshold, commonly ninety-eight percent by peak area, is the usual release criterion applied by suppliers. Independent analyses commissioned by laboratories and consumer organisations have repeatedly reported discrepancies between label claims and measured content, including truncated sequences, residual trifluoroacetate, and lower-than-declared peptide mass. Those findings do not establish that every supplier is unreliable, but they indicate that purity figures printed on a vial are claims requiring verification rather than settled facts.
Regulatory treatment varies by jurisdiction and has changed over time. In several countries the peptide is handled as an unapproved prescription medicine, and import or sale for human use is restricted, while elsewhere it falls under poisons or controlled-substance schedules. Enforcement activity against online vendors has been reported in Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States. Scholarly writing discusses melanotan-2 chiefly as an experimental tool and as a case study in unregulated peptide supply, and its precise legal position in any given country should be checked against current national schedules.
=== Veterinary use === The use of progesterone tests in dog breeding to pinpoint ovulation is becoming more widely used. There are several tests available, the most reliable being a blood test with the blood sample drawn by a veterinarian and sent to a lab for processing. Results can usually be obtained within 24 to 72 hours. The rationale for using progesterone tests is that increased numbers begin close to the preovulatory surge in gonadotrophins and continue through ovulation and estrus. When progesterone levels reach certain levels they can signal the stage of estrus the female is. Prediction of birth date of the pending litter can be accurate if ovulation date is known. Puppies deliver within a day or two of nine weeks gestation in most cases. Determining pregnancy using progesterone tests once a breeding has taken place is not possible, however. This limitation is due to the fact that, in dogs, progesterone levels remain elevated throughout the estrus period.
Melanocortin receptors are members of the rhodopsin family of 7-transmembrane G protein-coupled receptors. There are five known members of the melanocortin receptor system each with differing specificities for melanocortins:
=== Health === DHIS2 is currently in use as a Health Management Information System in more than 75 low- and middle-income countries. 69 of these countries have deployed DHIS2 at national scale. DHIS2 is also used by national health authorities and international health programs and organizations for management of health programs related to specific diseases, such as HIV, TB, and Malaria, among others, as well as for general public health programs such as disease surveillance, routine immunization, and maternal and child health. In 2025, Bangladesh implemented an electronic health information system using the DHIS2 Tracker to manage and evaluate its national cervical screening program. In addition, during the COVID-19 pandemic, 55 countries rapidly deployed or extended DHIS2 for national pandemic response and/or vaccination.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
== Bibliography == Cécile Allegri, Claire Brosse, Federico Oldenburg and Hervé Robert, La Pomme de terre, saveurs méditerranéennes, Éditions du Bottin Gourmand, coll. « Les essentiels du goût », 2003, 99 p. (ISBN 2-913306-61-6). Joseph Bonjean, Monographie de la pomme de terre envisagée dans ses rapports agricoles, scientifiques et industriels et comprenant l'histoire générale de la maladie des pommes de terre en 1845, Paris, Germer Baillière, 1846, 306 p. Collective, La Pomme de terre. Histoire et recettes gourmandes, Grenoble, Glénat, 2009, 160 p. (ISBN 2-7234-7319-8). Collective, La Pomme de terre, un tour du Monde en 200 recettes, Geneva, United Nations, 2008, 360 p. (ISBN 92-1-200373-7). Lucienne Desnoues, Toute la pomme de terre, Paris, Mercure de France, 1978, 302 p. Qu Dongyu et Xie Kaiyun, How the Chinese Eat Potatoes, Singapour, World Scientific Publishing Company, 2009, 432 p. (ISBN 981-283-291-2). Jean Ferniot (pref. Joël Robuchon), Chère pomme de terre, First, 1996, 301 p. (ISBN 978-2-87691-327-1). Martine Jolly, Merci M. Parmentier, ou La gloire de la pomme de terre en 200 recettes, Robert Laffont, 1985, 224 p. (ISBN 2-221-04653-6). Mme Mérigot, La Cuisinière républicaine, qui enseigne la manière simple d'accommoder les pommes de terre; avec quelques avis sur les soins nécessaires pour les conserver Archived July 12, 2023, at the Wayback Machine, Paris, Chez Mérigot jeune, 1794–1795, 42 p. C. Monteros, J. Jiménez, Gavilanes, La Magia de la Papa Nativa. Recetario Gastronómico, Quito, INIAP, 2006, 71 p.
In 1993, Ice-T, along with other rappers and the three Yo! MTV Raps hosts Ed Lover, Doctor Dré, and Fab 5 Freddy starred in the comedy Who's the Man?, directed by Ted Demme. In the film, he is a drug dealer who gets really frustrated when someone calls him by his real name, "Chauncey", rather than his street name, "Nighttrain".
"During the first three days there was continuous torture. I was beaten with an aluminum rod and with cables. ? Then I was told to sign a statement with my hands tied behind my back, so I didn't even see the paper and I don't know what I signed."
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
No. No major regulatory agency has granted a marketing authorisation for melanotan II as a medicine. Products sold under this name are generally presented as laboratory reagents and are not subject to the batch-release testing applied to approved drugs.
It was developed in the 1980s by researchers investigating analogues of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone for pigmentation and related endpoints. Early work included small human studies during the 1990s. Development did not progress to licensing, and the compound remained a research and grey-market item.
Peptides are prone to truncation, oxidation and aggregation during synthesis and handling. Without independent testing, a buyer cannot confirm the identity or the content of a vial. Analytical surveys of unapproved peptide products have repeatedly found discrepancies between label claims and measured composition.
The dry powder is more stable during transport and storage than a solution. It also allows a known amount of material to be reconstituted at a chosen concentration.