Ovagen
Khavinson Tripeptide (EDL) | Renal Bioregulator
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What is Ovagen?
Ovagen is a lab-made three-amino-acid peptide (called a bioregulator) developed by Russian researchers, studied mainly in rat models of kidney injury and kidney-cell aging. All of the published primary research looks at kidney endpoints, even though some marketing describes it differently. It's sold here strictly as a research chemical for laboratory study, not for use in people or animals.
Key terms:
Ovagen is a synthetic short peptide (khavinson bioregulator class).
Ovagen is a lab-made peptide of three amino acids, with the sequence Glu-Asp-Leu (EDL). Vladimir Kh. Khavinson and colleagues developed it at the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology. In Russia it is sold as a biologically active food supplement (BAFS) under the Cytogen / Garmonia commercial line. Marketing frequently calls it a hepatoprotective (liver-protecting) or gastrointestinal bioregulator. Yet every PubMed-indexed primary research paper on EDL studies kidney endpoints, not liver. The Khavinson-group publications document EDL effects on senescence markers (p16, p21, p53, SIRT-6) in rat renal cell culture, and on MMP-14 gene expression in kidney cells. They also report protective effects in rat models of cisplatin nephrotoxicity, gentamicin nephropathy, and ischemia-reperfusion kidney injury.
Key research areas
- Proposed renal bioregulator with rat-model nephroprotection in cisplatin, gentamicin, and ischemia-reperfusion injury
Researched dosing
This table reflects dosing used in rat research protocols for Ovagen — no published human dosing protocol exists, so this is research-methodology reference only, not usage instructions.
| Phase | Dose | Frequency | Route |
|---|---|---|---|
| Renal-protection models (animal) | Not established for humans | Daily (rat protocols) | Subcutaneous injection |
Commonly cycled 2 weeks on, 0+ weeks off.
How it works
At the cell level, Ovagen research looks at how the peptide may bind DNA and affect kidney-cell aging markers — the terms below are the biology names researchers use for those cellular processes.
Synthetic tripeptide Glu-Asp-Leu. Biophysical evidence shows minor-groove DNA binding at the ctcc motif. In rat kidney cell culture, EDL reduces senescence markers p16, p21, and p53, increases SIRT-6, and specifically activates MMP-14 gene expression. In rat in vivo models, EDL normalizes diuresis, creatinine, glomerular filtration rate, and antioxidant enzyme activity after acute renal injury. The mechanism of membrane penetration is acknowledged as unclear by the source authors. No molecular receptor target identified at structural resolution.
Molecular data
These figures — molecular weight, chain length, sequence — are the chemistry ID researchers use to confirm an Ovagen sample is the three-amino-acid EDL sequence it's meant to be.
- Weight
- 375.37 Da
- Length
- 3 amino acids
- Type
- Synthetic short peptide (Khavinson bioregulator class)
Glu-Asp-Leu (H-E-D-L-OH)
Pharmacokinetics
This chart is a modeled estimate, not a measured human pharmacokinetic study — no human PK data for Ovagen has been published, so treat the curve as a research reference point only.
- Peak
- 0.033 hr
- Half-life
- 0.25 hrs
- Cleared
- ~1.3 hrs
Zamorskii et al. 2017 Bull Exp Biol Med (PMID 28744634)
Research applications
This section summarizes the research areas — kidney-injury recovery and kidney-cell aging — that rat studies have looked at for Ovagen; it's a summary of animal research, not medical claims about people.
Recovery
Normalization of diuresis, creatinine, GFR, and sodium handling in rat cisplatin AKI model. Prevention of oliguria and azotemia, decreased proteinuria, improved antioxidant enzyme activity in gentamicin nephropathy and ischemia-reperfusion rat models.
Longevity
EDL treatment of primary kidney cell cultures from aged Wistar rats increased proliferation and reduced expression of senescence markers p16, p21, and p53. SIRT-6 was increased. Authors propose EDL binds DNA in the minor groove to modify gene expression encoding aging markers.
Dosage reference
- Doses used in research
- Rat kidney models used injected doses not stated in English abstracts; the Russian oral capsule has no published dosing.
- Frequency in studies
- Daily during course in rat protocols. BAFS oral capsule dosing follows the consumer product label.
- Handling
- Reconstituted solution — research use only; not for administration
- Timeline reported in studies
- Rat in vivo renal function endpoints over days to 2 weeks. Ex vivo cell-culture senescence markers shift within 3-7 days.
- Storage
- Lyophilized: 2-8°C. Reconstituted: 2-8°C, use within 7-10 days.
- Cycle length
- Days to 2 weeks in rat AKI models
- Break between cycles
- No published evidence-based interval
Interactions
This list shows which other peptides and medication classes researchers flag alongside Ovagen, and why.
Reconstitution & storage
This is the standard laboratory method for turning freeze-dried Ovagen powder into a liquid research solution.
- Allow vial to reach room temperature for 5-10 minutes
- Add solvent (0.9% sterile sodium chloride or bacteriostatic water) slowly down the vial wall; do not shake
- Gently swirl until fully dissolved (solution should be clear)
- No published human dosing protocol exists; reconstitution volume is operator-dependent
- Use reconstituted solution within 7-10 days; store at 2-8°C between uses
Lyophilized: 2-8°C, use within Until expiration date on vial
Reconstituted: 2-6°C, use within 7-10 days
Open the Ovagen reconstitution calculatorQuality indicators
These are the checks — powder appearance, solution clarity, sequence verification via lab report — researchers use to confirm an Ovagen sample is correctly identified, since it's easily confused with unrelated products sharing the same name.
White lyophilized powder - Legitimate research-grade Ovagen appears as a white to off-white lyophilized powder.
Sealed vial with batch and expiry - Inspect the seal, batch number, and expiry date. Vials without batch documentation should not be used.
Clear reconstituted solution - Reconstituted Ovagen should be completely clear and colorless.
Verify sequence is EDL (Glu-Asp-Leu) - The Khavinson short-peptide family contains many similar 3- and 4-residue sequences. Demand a COA that specifies Glu-Asp-Leu. CAS numbers in vendor channels are conflicting; PubChem CID 444128 is the reliable chemical identifier.
Disambiguate from other Russian products named Ovagen - A separate Russian small-molecule product is sometimes also called Ovagen in hepatology contexts and is unrelated to the Khavinson peptide. Confirm you are sourcing the EDL tripeptide.
Cloudy, yellow, or particulate solution - Discard. Indicates degradation, contamination, or incorrect reconstitution.
Safety notes
This section covers handling cautions for Ovagen — no dedicated human safety studies have been published, and this is research-use-only scope, not medical advice.
- No dedicated safety, tolerability, or adverse event studies have been published for EDL in any peer-reviewed source
- Contraindications, drug interactions, and special-population data are not characterized
- Commercial framing as hepatoprotective or GI bioregulator is not supported by primary experimental literature; do not rely on Ovagen for hepatic or GI risk mitigation
- Not FDA approved, not EMA approved, no verified Russian pharmaceutical drug registration
- Not FDA approved, not EMA approved, no verified Russian pharmaceutical drug registration
Regulatory status
- Not approved by the FDA for any indication.
- Supplied and described for laboratory research use only — not for human or veterinary use.
Community data
Community Insights
Based on data the community reported. Not clinical proof.
Frequently asked questions
What is Ovagen studied for in research?
Ovagen is a synthetic tripeptide (Glu-Asp-Leu, "EDL") from the Khavinson bioregulator class. Despite frequent "liver" marketing, its indexed primary research studies kidney endpoints — senescence markers and gene expression in rat renal cells and injury models. The evidence is preclinical; it is supplied strictly as a research-use-only reference material.
How is Ovagen reconstituted for laboratory use?
Ovagen is brought to room temperature, then a solvent such as sterile saline or bacteriostatic water is added slowly down the vial wall and swirled — not shaken — until clear. Because no published human dosing exists, reconstitution volume is operator-dependent for the study design. It is labeled and refrigerated afterward.
How should Ovagen be stored?
Lyophilized Ovagen is stored refrigerated at 2-8°C until its expiration date. Once reconstituted, the short tripeptide is typically used within about 7-10 days at 2-8°C. Cold storage between uses limits degradation across the research window, and any cloudy solution is discarded rather than used.
Does Ovagen support the liver, as marketed?
The marketing frames Ovagen as hepatoprotective, but every indexed primary study examines kidney (renal) endpoints, not liver. Reported preclinical effects include normalized creatinine and reduced senescence markers in rat kidney models. This is a good example of why researchers should check the actual literature behind a bioregulator’s label.
References
EDL demonstrated nephroprotective effects in rat models of gentamicin-induced nephropathy and renal ischemia-reperfusion injury. Outcomes included prevention of oliguria and azotemia, decreased proteinuria, improved antioxidant enzyme activity, suppression of lipid peroxidation, and normalized renal energy metabolism.
EDL produced a potent nephroprotective effect in rats with cisplatin-induced acute renal failure, normalizing diuresis, creatinine, glomerular filtration rate, and sodium resorption, and reducing proteinuria.
EDL treatment of primary kidney cell cultures from aged Wistar rats increased proliferation and reduced expression of senescence markers p16, p21, and p53. SIRT-6 was increased. Authors propose EDL binds DNA in the minor groove to modify gene expression encoding aging markers.