N-Acetyl Epitalon

What Is N-Acetyl Epitalon?

N-Acetyl Epitalon is an acetylated form of epitalon, the synthetic tetrapeptide Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly, in which an acetyl group is attached to the free amine of the N-terminal alanine. It is offered as a research chemical and is sometimes labeled N-Acetyl Epithalon Amidate.

N-terminal acetylation is a common modification in synthetic peptide chemistry. It removes the positive charge on the N-terminal amine and is often used to reduce a peptide’s susceptibility to aminopeptidases. Whether this applies to N-acetyl epitalon in practice has not been reported in the peer-reviewed literature.

The analog is a separate molecule from epitalon. Findings reported for the unmodified tetrapeptide cannot be assumed to apply to the acetylated version without direct study.

Chemical Structure and Molecular Identity

N-Acetyl Epitalon consists of the four L-amino acids alanine, glutamic acid, aspartic acid and glycine, with an acetyl cap on the N-terminus and, in the PubChem record, a free carboxylic acid at the C-terminus. PubChem (CID 171390141) lists the molecular formula C16H24N4O10 and a molecular weight of 432.38 g/mol.

Compared with epitalon (C14H22N4O9, 390.35 g/mol), the analog adds one acetyl unit (C2H2O), which accounts for the 42 g/mol difference. The IUPAC name given by PubChem describes the N-terminal residue as a 2-acetamidopropanoyl group, confirming acetylation of the alanine amine.

Key identifiers

• PubChem CID: 171390141
• InChIKey: QXYAPAXZRKPASL-HGNGGELXSA-N
• CAS number: none listed in PubChem
• Synonyms: N-Acetyl Epitalon, N-Acetyl Epithalon, Ac-Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly-OH

A note on the “amidate” name

The commercial name N-Acetyl Epithalon Amidate implies that the C-terminal carboxylic acid has also been converted to a carboxamide. That would be a different molecule from the PubChem record above, with a different formula and a mass about 1 g/mol lower. Because the two forms are easily confused, the exact terminal chemistry of any sample can only be confirmed analytically, for example by mass spectrometry.

What the Published Literature Covers

No peer-reviewed studies specifically on N-acetyl epitalon were found in PubMed as of October 2026. Peer-reviewed data on this analog are effectively absent: its biological activity, stability, pharmacokinetics and safety have not been described in indexed journals.

Searches for the analog return papers about unmodified epitalon and its parent pineal extract, epithalamin. Those studies concern a different molecule, and their findings are not reported here as evidence for the acetylated form. Readers interested in that research can consult the separate epitalon reference page, which summarizes it with the original citations.

Any future work on N-acetyl epitalon would need to establish basic properties first, including whether acetylation changes enzymatic stability, cell uptake or the activities reported for the parent peptide.

Because acetylated and amidated forms differ by small mass shifts, researchers typically confirm identity with HPLC and mass spectrometry certificates of analysis.

Regulatory and Research Status

N-Acetyl Epitalon is not approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for any medical use and has no approved indication in the United States. It is sold only as a research chemical.

Because there is no published characterization of the analog, its research status is best described as unstudied. The PubChem record provides identity data but no linked bioactivity literature, and no CAS number is listed.

Researchers working with this compound should treat it as a distinct chemical entity from epitalon and document its identity, terminal modifications and purity independently.