Dihexa the science.

Dihexa (N-hexanoic-Tyr-Ile-(6) aminohexanoic amide) is a small synthetic peptide derived from angiotensin IV, an endogenous fragment of the angiotensin system that has drawn interest for effects in the brain that are distinct from blood-pressure regulation. It was engineered to be metabolically stable and lipophilic so that it could be used as a research probe of central nervous-system signaling.

The research rationale centers on the HGF / c-Met system — a growth-factor pathway involved in cell growth, survival, and the formation of connections between neurons. Dihexa is studied as a tool for asking how modulating this pathway affects synaptic structure in laboratory models.

Most dihexa research is organized around the HGF / c-Met axis and its downstream effects:

• HGF / c-Met signaling — dihexa is studied for how it interacts with hepatocyte growth factor and its receptor c-Met, a system implicated in neural growth and plasticity.
• Synaptogenesis — the formation of new synaptic connections between neurons, examined in cultured-neuron and rodent models.
• Procognitive endpoints in animals — behavioral models of learning and memory used to probe the consequences of this signaling.

Published dihexa research is preclinical — carried out in cultured cells and laboratory rodents:

• Synaptogenic mechanism (2014). A study in the Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics reported that the procognitive and synaptogenic effects of angiotensin IV-derived peptides appeared dependent on activation of HGF / c-Met signaling in laboratory models.
• Pathway reviews (2015). Review articles have discussed the brain HGF / c-Met receptor system as a research target in the context of neurodegeneration, summarizing animal and cell findings.

These are observations in cells and animals. They are not evidence of safety, efficacy, or benefit in humans.

The evidence base for dihexa is entirely preclinical. As of this writing there are no published human clinical trials, and no human safety, dosing, or efficacy has been established. Findings in rodents and cell cultures frequently do not translate directly to people. Dihexa is supplied strictly as a research material for in-vitro and laboratory investigation.