Overview
A nonapeptide first isolated from rabbit cerebral venous blood during induced slow-wave sleep. It is studied in sleep architecture, stress-response and endocrine regulation models, and its physiological role remains incompletely characterised.
Mechanism of Action
DSIP was identified by its association with delta-wave (slow-wave) sleep, but no single receptor has been definitively identified, which is the central open question in the literature.
Published work reports interaction with the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, including effects on corticotropin and somatotropin release in animal and small human studies.
Studies describe modulation of opioidergic and GABAergic signalling, proposed as a route for its reported sleep and stress-related effects.
Antioxidant and stress-limiting effects have been reported in animal tissue studies, though these findings are not consistently replicated.
Areas Being Studied
- Sleep architecture and slow-wave sleep
- Stress-response and HPA-axis regulation
- Chronic pain research
- Withdrawal and dependence models
Listing a research area does not imply efficacy, approval, or suitability for any use.
Research Summary
- Early animal work reported increases in slow-wave sleep following administration, which gave the peptide its name; subsequent replication has been inconsistent.
- Small human studies from the 1980s and 1990s reported changes in sleep-onset latency and subjective sleep quality in insomnia cohorts, with limited methodology by modern standards.
- Reports exist of effects on hormone release, including growth hormone and luteinising hormone, in small endocrine studies.
- Modern, adequately powered controlled trials are essentially absent; DSIP is best described as historically interesting rather than well established.
Potential Adverse Effects Reported in Research
- Published reports describe few adverse events, though studies are small and short in duration.
- Headache and transient dizziness are noted in some reports.
- Because effects on the HPA axis are reported, reviews caution that endocrine effects are not fully characterised.
- No long-term safety data exist.
Reconstitution Basics
Supplied as a lyophilised powder; laboratory documentation describes reconstitution with bacteriostatic water and refrigerated storage of the resulting solution.
Bacteriostatic water
Sterile water containing roughly 0.9% benzyl alcohol as a preservative, which inhibits bacterial growth in multi-access vials.
Sterile technique
Laboratory documentation describes disinfecting the stopper, using a fresh sterile needle for each access, and avoiding contact with non-sterile surfaces.
After reconstitution
Solutions are refrigerated, protected from light, and not subjected to repeated freeze–thaw cycles.
This section is educational background on laboratory handling. It is not an instruction or protocol.
Open the reconstitution calculator →Dosing & Reconstitution Guide
DSIP research is sparse and mostly historical. Published work used single evening administrations rather than sustained schedules.
Protocol overview
- Administration timing in studies was shortly before the sleep period.
- An extremely short plasma half-life (~7–15 minutes) is inconsistent with sustained exposure.
- Published results were mixed; DSIP is not an established sleep agent.
Dosing protocol — standard titration
| Phase | Reported dose | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Night 1 | Low end of the cited rangeSingle evening administration. | Single evening administration. |
| Nights 2–7 | Cited rangeShort observation course. | Short observation course. |
| After 1 week | Intermittent or discontinueNo sustained-use data exists. | No sustained-use data exists. |
Dosing protocol — gradual titration
| Phase | Reported dose | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Lowest amount, 2–3 nightsNon-consecutive nights. | Non-consecutive nights. |
| Weeks 2–3 | Cited amount, alternate nightsIntermittent pattern. | Intermittent pattern. |
| Week 4+ | BreakEvidence base does not support ongoing schedules. | Evidence base does not support ongoing schedules. |
Schedules summarise what appears in published studies, trial protocols or manufacturer documentation. They are reference material, not a recommendation.
Where to Buy Compounds & Supplies
External link. PepDex does not sell products and does not endorse any supplier.
Supplies needed
Lyophilised peptide vial
Sealed vial with an intact stopper and a legible mass label (mg or mcg).
Bacteriostatic water
Sterile water with ~0.9% benzyl alcohol, used where a vial will be accessed more than once. Sterile water for injection is used for single-access work.
Reconstitution syringe
A 1–3 mL syringe with a larger-gauge needle for drawing and transferring solvent.
Insulin syringe (U-100)
Fine-gauge syringe graduated in units; 100 units = 1 mL. Used for accurate small-volume measurement.
Alcohol prep pads
70% isopropyl swabs for disinfecting both vial stoppers before every access.
Sharps container
Rigid, puncture-resistant container for single-use needle disposal.
Refrigeration and light protection
2–8 °C storage plus an opaque box or the original carton for reconstituted vials.
Labels
Date of reconstitution, resulting concentration and compound name on every vial.
Reconstitution steps
- 01
Bring the vial to room temperature
Lyophilised powder is allowed to equilibrate out of the refrigerator before the stopper is pierced, which reduces condensation inside the vial.
- 02
Disinfect both stoppers
The peptide vial and the bacteriostatic water vial are each swabbed with 70% isopropyl alcohol and allowed to air dry.
- 03
Draw the calculated solvent volume
Solvent volume is chosen to produce a convenient concentration — the reconstitution calculator converts vial mass and solvent volume into concentration and syringe units.
- 04
Add the solvent slowly down the vial wall
The stream is directed against the glass rather than onto the powder cake. Peptides are shear-sensitive and direct jetting is avoided.
- 05
Dissolve without shaking
The vial is left to stand, then gently swirled or rolled. Shaking introduces foam and mechanical stress that can denature peptide chains.
- 06
Inspect the solution
Documentation describes checking for a clear, particle-free solution. Cloudiness, visible particulate or discolouration is treated as a failed preparation.
- 07
Label and refrigerate
The vial is labelled with compound, concentration and date, then stored at 2–8 °C protected from light.
Storage instructions
- Before reconstitution: lyophilised powder is kept sealed, dry and away from light; most suppliers specify refrigeration at 2–8 °C, with freezer storage for long-term holding.
- After reconstitution: refrigerated at 2–8 °C and used within the window described in the literature (commonly cited as ~14–30 days refrigerated).
- Protection from light: the vial is kept in its carton or an opaque container; repeated exposure to daylight is avoided.
- Handling: repeated freeze–thaw cycles are avoided, and vials are not left at room temperature between accesses.
- Integrity checks: any solution that becomes cloudy, discoloured or shows particulate is discarded rather than filtered.
Half-Life
~7–15 minutes
Plasma clearance is very rapid; reported behavioural effects considerably outlast measurable plasma concentrations, which remains unexplained in the literature.
Storage
- Before reconstitution
- Lyophilised powder stored frozen at −20 °C.
- After reconstitution
- Refrigerated at 2–8 °C after reconstitution.
- Light protection
- Protected from light.
- Shelf-life considerations
- Typically described as usable for a few weeks refrigerated.
Frequently Asked Questions
References
Related peptides
Selank
A synthetic heptapeptide derived from the immune peptide tuftsin, developed in Russia and studied predominantly in anxiety, stress-response and cognitive models. It is most often described in the literature as an anxiolytic-type research peptide without sedative properties.
Semax
A synthetic heptapeptide based on the ACTH(4-10) fragment with a Pro-Gly-Pro extension. It is studied primarily in neuroprotection, ischaemic stroke recovery and attention or memory endpoints, and carries no corticotropic hormonal activity.
Oxytocin
A nine-amino-acid neurohypophysial hormone produced in the hypothalamus and released from the posterior pituitary. It is one of the best-characterised peptides in this database, with an established clinical role in obstetrics and an extensive research literature in social and behavioural neuroscience.
Educational reference only. Figures are compiled from published research literature. PepDex does not provide medical advice, dosing recommendations, or instructions for use.