The short version of Melanotan II fits in a sentence. The long version — which is the one that helps — is below.
This page was last updated on 2026-03-05 and is reviewed periodically as new material appears.
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.
Melanotan-2 is a synthetic cyclic heptapeptide designed as a structural analogue of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone, the endogenous tridecapeptide that regulates pigment production. Two modifications distinguish it from the natural hormone: norleucine replaces methionine at the N-terminus, which limits oxidation, and a D-phenylalanine substitution raises receptor affinity. The ring is closed through an aspartate-lysine lactam bridge, giving the molecule a constrained conformation. The free base has a molecular mass near 1024 daltons, and commercial material is usually supplied as an acetate salt. It appears in the literature as a research peptide rather than an approved therapeutic agent.
Receptor studies place melanotan-2 among non-selective melanocortin agonists, binding MC1R, MC3R, MC4R and MC5R rather than a single subtype. Activation of MC1R on cutaneous melanocytes raises tyrosinase activity and shifts pigment synthesis toward eumelanin, which is darker and more photostable than pheomelanin. Central receptors, particularly MC4R, are associated with appetite suppression and with reported effects on sexual function. Because subtype selectivity is low, the same molecule engages pigment, metabolic and vascular pathways at once, and this breadth is a common explanation offered for the range of adverse events described in user reports.
| 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 that acts as an agonist at melanocortin receptors. It was designed as a structural analogue of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone, the endogenous peptide involved in pigment production. The analogue carries a lactam bridge that constrains the ring and slows enzymatic breakdown relative to the native hormone. In research literature it appears under several abbreviations, and naming conventions are not fully standardized. Published descriptions usually place it within the broader melanocortin agonist family.
Receptor binding at MC1R on melanocytes raises intracellular cyclic AMP and increases expression of tyrosinase and related enzymes. The downstream result is greater synthesis of eumelanin, the dark pigment, without ultraviolet exposure acting as the trigger. The compound is not selective, however, and also engages MC3R, MC4R and MC5R, which are expressed in the central nervous system and elsewhere. That lack of selectivity is the explanation usually offered for effects reported outside pigmentation, including appetite suppression and nausea. Selectivity remains a central theme in comparative studies of related peptides.
The compound was developed in the late 1980s and 1990s by academic researchers investigating photoprotection. The rationale held that stimulating melanin production might reduce ultraviolet damage to skin and lower skin cancer risk. Early work examined receptor binding, pigment response, and short-term tolerability in small studies. That program did not produce an approved drug, and formal development stalled after early-phase trials. Whether induced pigmentation confers meaningful photoprotection remains an open question.
Outside regulated medicine, melanotan II circulates through online vendors as a research chemical, often marketed for tanning. Products sold this way vary widely in purity, concentration, and labeling accuracy, and independent testing has documented discrepancies. Published reports describe both pigment effects and adverse reactions, including nausea, flushing, and darkening of existing moles. Long-term safety data are sparse, and no large controlled trial has established a risk profile. Questions about cumulative effects on melanocytes remain unresolved in the literature.
As of 2014, it has 450 employees working at 3 locations, including distribution centers in North Las Vegas, NV; Shiremanstown, PA; and Bedfordshire, U.K. The corporate headquarters is also located in Boise, along with the company's customer service call center. In 2013, the company donated the equipment for Boise's first outdoor gym, located in Ann Morrison Park. In September 2015, Ryan Deluca suddenly announced he would be stepping down from his position as CEO. In November, Liberty Interactive spun off Bodybuilding.com and its stake in Expedia into a new company, Liberty Expedia Holdings. After Bodybuilding.com laid off 90 people in December 2016, it reorganized to form 4 different companies/brands. In February 2019, hackers accessed some part of Bodybuilding.com's corporate IT systems, and may have retrieved personal data of the site's users. Sometime in the next few months, the company discovered this, but did not publicize it right away, instead hiring a security company to assess what their vulnerability had been. It was found that at least one of Bodybuilding.com's 450 employees had been susceptible to a phishing email sent in July 2018. It was not determined if the hackers accessed user data. In April 2019, Bodybuilding.com publicized the breach, saying its consequences were unknown, and reset all the passwords of the site's users.
Member of Parliament refers to elected members of the Parliament of Singapore, the appointed Non-constituency Member of Parliament from the opposition, as well as the Nominated Members of Parliament, who may be appointed from members of the public who have no connection to any political party in Singapore.
Modern protective gloves called "gauntlets" continue to be worn by metal workers and welders when handling hot or molten metals or in contexts where sparks are common. These gauntlets no longer sport the metal plates of the originals, but instead are highly insulating against heat. Similar varieties of gauntlet are worn by automotive technicians to protect their hands when handling car components, and meat and fishery butchers often wear chain mail gauntlets to protect their hands from the sharp edges of knives. Motorcyclists wear gauntlets made of leather to protect their hands from abrasion during an accident, and snowmobile drivers wear fingerless gauntlets made of nylon to protect their hands from wind and cold temperatures while driving their vehicles. Falconers wear leather gauntlets to protect their hands from the sharp claws of the birds of prey that they handle, and lastly, modern competitors in fencing, particularly those competing with the épée, routinely wear fingered gauntlets to protect their hands from possible cuts and puncture wounds from their opponents' weapons.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
== Standard, ensign and coat of arms == After the personal union with the United Kingdom ended in 1837 with the accession of Queen Victoria, Hanover kept the British royal arms and standard, only introducing a new Crown, after the British model. The centre of this coat of arms and royal standard included the original arms of Hanover, which consisted of the two lions of the Brunswick, the rampant lion with hearts of Lüneburg and the horse of Hanover, surmounted by the Imperial Crown of the Holy Roman Empire for the Holy Roman office of Archbannerbearer/Archtreasurer. As Hanover was no longer ruled by the British monarchs, the arms of Hanover were simultaneously removed from the British coat of arms and royal standard, so it was no longer identical with that of the Kingdom of Hanover.
Antidiabetic effects of naproxen and cromolyn: In normal animal models, both drugs have shown dose-dependent reduction in blood glucose levels and rise in glycogen levels. In chronic type II diabetic model, glucose levels were also reduced, and glycogen level and insulin levels were elevated in a dose-dependent manner with a reduction in plasma glucose. Anti-obesity effects of naproxen and cromolyn: Both drugs showed significant anti-obesity effects as they reduce body weight, resistin, and glucose levels in a dose-dependent manner. They were also found to elevate adiponectin, insulin, and C-peptide levels in a dose-dependent manner.
The War of the Fifth Coalition ended with the Treaty of Schönbrunn (14 October 1809). In the east, only the Tyrolese rebels led by Andreas Hofer continued to fight the French-Bavarian army until finally defeated in November 1809. In the west, the Peninsular War continued. Economic warfare between Britain and France continued: The British continued a naval blockade of French-controlled territory. Due to military shortages and lack of organisation in French territory, many breaches of the Continental System occurred and the French Continental System was largely ineffective and did little economic damage to Great Britain. Both sides entered further conflicts in attempts to enforce their blockade. As Napoleon realised that extensive trade was going through Spain and Russia, he invaded those two countries; the British fought the United States in the War of 1812 (1812–1815). In 1810, the French Empire reached its greatest extent. Napoleon married Marie-Louise, an Austrian Archduchess, with the aim of ensuring a more stable alliance with Austria and of providing the Emperor with an heir (something his first wife, Joséphine, had failed to do). As well as the French Empire, Napoleon controlled the Swiss Confederation, the Confederation of the Rhine, the Duchy of Warsaw and the Kingdom of Italy. Territories allied with the French included:
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.
No regulatory agency has authorised melanotan-2 as a medicine for any indication. It circulates mainly as a research chemical or through unregulated channels. As a result, identity, purity and content are not independently guaranteed.