Peptides / Brain and mood

Natural peptide · 7 amino acids · 802.9 Da

Dermorphin

Not approvedNot banned in sport

Dermorphin is a seven-amino-acid opioid peptide from frogs, not approved for human or animal use in the US. Studies in people tested it on pain and on hormones, including prolactin, stress hormones and growth hormone. PepBank shows 33 results on dermorphin from 12 studies in people, and 274 from animal and lab studies. The strongest evidence is a randomized trial in people. Data as of 2026-10-30.

Also known as dermorphine

7 amino acids, from first to lastYAFGYPS

Evidence level: Some studies in people33 of 307 results come from studies in people.

Results in people

11% of 307 results

Results in animals

252

82% of 307 results

Results in lab cells

7% of 307 results

From computer models

0% of 307 results

Overview

Dermorphin at a glance

What it is	Natural peptide, 7 amino acids
Approval	Not approved for any use
In sport	Not listed as banned by WADA
Studies	72 studies with results. 71 of them gave dermorphin, with 307 results. 33 in people252 in animals22 in lab cells
Best study in people	Randomized controlled trial with 150 people (1985)
Clinical trials	None registered
Community use	Self-experimentation for chronic fatigue symptoms

The science

What is dermorphin?

A frog-derived opioid heptapeptide studied for analgesia and opioid pharmacology.

Amino acids in one chain

Dermorphin structure and chemistry

The key facts about the molecule. Long codes are in the closed section below.

Sequence, 7 amino acidsFrom the first amino acid to the last

Y1AFGY5PS

Darker means more water-repelling+ and − show charge in the bodyOutlined: changed amino acid

Structure

Dermorphin is a natural peptide of 7 amino acids, with no ring, 2 changed amino acids.

Formula

C₄₀H₅₀N₈O₁₀

Molecular weight

802.9 g/mol

CAS number

77614-16-5

Target

OPRM1 (gene OPRM1): agonistEvidence: Primary receptor-binding and functional pharmacology.

Development

Highest phase: unknown.

Identifiers

PubChem 5485199, ChEMBL CHEMBL278789, UNII 2SEC01B703, KEGG C20030, UniProt P05422

Full sequence, SMILES and InChIKey

Three-letter sequence
Tyr-D-Ala-Phe-Gly-Tyr-Pro-Ser-NH2

InChIKey
FHZPGIUBXYVUOY-VWGYHWLBSA-N

SMILES
C[C@H](C(=O)N[C@@H](CC1=CC=CC=C1)C(=O)NCC(=O)N[C@@H](CC2=CC=C(C=C2)O)C(=O)N3CCC[C@H]3C(=O)N[C@@H](CO)C(=O)N)NC(=O)[C@H](CC4=CC=C(C=C4)O)N

See charge, composition and 3D structure on the Scientific page

The evidence

What dermorphin studies show

Results grouped by what the studies measured. Each card shows where its results come from.

Some studies in people33 of 307 results come from studies in people.

Hormones

36 results · 12 in people · 23 animal · 1 lab

In men, dermorphin reduced metyrapone-evoked ACTH release compared with saline infusion. The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism, 1985

Top results

In men, dermorphin reduced metyrapone-evoked ACTH release compared with saline infusion. (The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism, 1985)
In volunteers, dermorphin increased prolactin compared with saline placebo, more consistently in women than men. (The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism, 1983)
In healthy men, dermorphin increased blood thyrotropin levels. (Hormone research, 1986)

Sex hormones and fertility

14 results · 7 in people · 7 animal

In fertile women, dermorphin reduced plasma LH compared with baseline and placebo. Peptides, 1985

Top results

In fertile women, dermorphin reduced plasma LH compared with baseline and placebo. (Peptides, 1985)
In healthy men, dermorphin increased prolactin levels. (Hormone research, 1986)
In pigeons, a single dermorphin dose maximally stimulated the crop sac, with milk-like material and microscopic changes. (General and comparative endocrinology, 1984)

Growth hormone and growth

6 results · 5 in people · 1 animal

In healthy men, dermorphin increased blood growth hormone levels. Neuroendocrinology, 1983

Top results

In healthy men, dermorphin increased blood growth hormone levels. (Neuroendocrinology, 1983)
In patients with prolactin-secreting pituitary tumors, dermorphin increased growth hormone except in those with large tumors. (Metabolism: clinical and experimental, 1985)
In healthy men, dermorphin increased growth hormone levels. (Hormone research, 1986)

Pain

21 results · 4 in people · 17 animal

After surgery, dermorphine provided longer pain relief than intrathecal morphine. Peptides, 1985

Top results

After surgery, dermorphine provided longer pain relief than intrathecal morphine. (Peptides, 1985)
In healthy volunteers, dermorphin raised the threshold for a pain-related reflex, with a lasting effect. (Brain research, 1986)
After surgery, dermorphine provided longer pain relief than routine pentazocine. (Peptides, 1985)

Survival and serious illness

1 result · 1 in people

After surgery, the dermorphine group had a shorter hospital stay than the control group. Peptides, 1985

Top results

After surgery, the dermorphine group had a shorter hospital stay than the control group. (Peptides, 1985)

Heart and blood vessels

40 results · 36 animal · 4 lab

In rats, dermorphin in the caudal anterior hypothalamus increased heart rate by 26%, unlike vehicle. Brain research, 1984

Top results

In rats, dermorphin in the caudal anterior hypothalamus increased heart rate by 26%, unlike vehicle. (Brain research, 1984)
In rats, dermorphin in the caudal anterior hypothalamus increased blood pressure by 8%, unlike vehicle. (Brain research, 1984)
In rats, dermorphin increased hindquarter blood flow. (The Journal of pharmacology and experimental therapeutics, 1989)

All 72 dermorphin studies by area Open the Scientific page

Key dermorphin studies

Studies in people come first, then studies in animals and in the lab.

People
Intrathecal dermorphine in postoperative analgesia
Basso et al. 1985 · Peptides · 150 people · cited by 18
6 results
People
Prolactin-releasing activity of dermorphin, a new synthetic potent opiate-like peptide, in normal human subjects
Degli et al. 1983 · The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism · 11 people · cited by 22
1 result
People
Prolactin and growth hormone responses to dermorphin in patients with prolactin-secreting pituitary adenoma
degli et al. 1985 · Metabolism: clinical and experimental · 11 people · cited by 4
3 results
People
Stimulatory effect of dermorphin, a new synthetic potent opiate-like peptide, on human growth hormone secretion
degli et al. 1983 · Neuroendocrinology · 9 people · cited by 11
1 result
People
Somatostatin inhibits the dermorphin-stimulated thyrotropin release in man
degli et al. 1986 · Hormone research · 7 people · cited by 3
1 result

All 72 Dermorphin studies

Dermorphin clinical trials

ClinicalTrials.gov lists no trial of dermorphin. A trial under another name may exist.

Status and safety

Is dermorphin approved?

FDA

United States

Not approved

No approved medicine contains it.

EMA

European Union

Status unknown

Status unknown.

WADA

Sport

Not banned

Not on the 2026 Prohibited List.

No. Not approved for any use. The FDA and the other sources we use show no approval (as of 27 Oct 2026). Not listed as banned by WADA.

Laws and labels change, so check the regulator for the current status.

Dermorphin side effects and safety

PepBank has 58 safety results from studies of dermorphin. 3 of them come from studies in people.

Safety results from studies (58)

After surgery, urinary retention did not differ significantly among the dermorphine, morphine and pentazocine groups. (Peptides, 1985)
After surgery, vomiting did not differ significantly among the dermorphine, morphine and pentazocine groups. (Peptides, 1985)
After surgery, headache did not differ significantly among the dermorphine, morphine and pentazocine groups. (Peptides, 1985)
In rats, higher dermorphin doses produced catalepsy. (The Journal of pharmacology and experimental therapeutics, 1990)
In mice, higher dermorphin doses induced catalepsy. (European journal of biochemistry, 1990)
In rats, dermorphin caused low oxygen levels. (The Journal of pharmacology and experimental therapeutics, 1983)
In rats, intravenous dermorphin caused apnea. (European journal of pharmacology, 2007)
In rats, tolerance to dermorphin pain relief developed with dose dependence within 48 h. (European journal of pharmacology, 1985)
In rats, dermorphin reduced the breathing response to low oxygen. (Respiratory physiology & neurobiology, 2002)
In horses, excitation occurred only after intravenous dermorphin and subsided after 5 min. (Journal of veterinary pharmacology and therapeutics, 2015)
In rats, dermorphin triggered epileptic discharges only in the ventral hippocampus, amygdala and entorhinal cortex. (Neuroreport, 1994)
In rats under anesthesia, intrathecal dermorphin caused overflow incontinence after voiding stopped. (Journal of the autonomic nervous system, 1989)
In rats, higher dermorphin doses caused respiratory depression. (The Journal of pharmacology and experimental therapeutics, 1989)
In rats, dermorphin in the periaqueductal gray matter produced catalepsy. (Peptides, 1985)
In rats, dermorphin lowered arterial blood pressure. (Research communications in chemical pathology and pharmacology, 1991)
In rats, intravenous dermorphin did not induce seizure-like electrical activity. (Epilepsia, 1995)
In rabbits, dermorphin caused respiratory depression. (Peptides, 1985)
In rabbits, dermorphin slowed heart rate most strongly among the tested peptides. (Neuropsychobiology, 1992)
In rats, intravenous dermorphin caused immediate apnea through mu1-opioid receptor activation. (Toxicology and applied pharmacology, 2026)
In sousliks, conditioned reflex activity showed a substantial delayed disturbance after dermorphin. (Neuroscience and behavioral physiology, 1993)
In rats, higher dermorphin doses depressed breathing. (The Journal of pharmacology and experimental therapeutics, 1990)
In rats, dermorphin caused acidosis. (The Journal of pharmacology and experimental therapeutics, 1983)
In rats, dermorphin caused high carbon dioxide levels. (The Journal of pharmacology and experimental therapeutics, 1983)
In rats, both dermorphin doses caused catalepsy. (The Journal of pharmacology and experimental therapeutics, 1983)

See every safety result on the Scientific page

Doses studied (40 shown)

The doses that these studies used. They are not recommendations.

Dose as reported	Class	Species	Route	Duration	Design	Source
20 micrograms	Human	human	intrathecal	Not reported	Randomized trial in people · n = 150	Basso 1985
5.5 micrograms/kg . min	Human	human	intravenous	30 min	Randomized trial in people · n = 11	Degli 1983
5.5 micrograms/kg/min	Human	human	infusion	30 min	Trial in people without random groups · n = 9	degli 1983
5.5 micrograms/kg X min	Human	human	infusion	30 min	Trial in people without random groups · n = 6	Degli 1985
0.16 mg/kg	Human	human	intravenous infusion	Not reported	Trial in people without random groups	Sandrini 1986
5.5 micrograms/kg X min	Human	human	infusion	30 min	Trial in people without random groups	Degli 1983
5.5 micrograms/kg min	Human	human	infusion	30 min	Trial in people without random groups	Petraglia 1985
5.5 micrograms/Kg/min	Human	human	infusion	30 min	Trial in people without random groups	Roti 1984
9.3 ± 1.0 μg/kg	Animal	horse	intramuscular	Not reported	Study in live animals · n = 3	Robinson 2015
10 to 100 pmol/kg	Animal	rat	intracerebroventricular	Not reported	Study in live animals	Paakkari 1990
40 pmol	Animal	rat	intrahypothalamic injection	Not reported	Study in live animals	Diz 1984
0.1 or 1 nM	Animal	rat	intracerebroventricular	Not reported	Study in live animals	Feuerstein 1983
50 nM	Animal	rat	intracerebroventricular	Not reported	Study in live animals	Feuerstein 1983
1 nM	Animal	rat	intracerebroventricular	Not reported	Study in live animals	Feuerstein 1983
1 or 50 nM	Animal	rat	intracerebroventricular	Not reported	Study in live animals	Feuerstein 1983
0.5 mg/kg	Animal	rat	intravenous bolus	Not reported	Study in live animals	Wojciechowski 2007
threshold 5 pmol . kg-1	Animal	rat	intracerebroventricular	Not reported	Study in live animals	Improta 1982
625 nmol . kg-1	Animal	rat	subcutaneous	Not reported	Study in live animals	Improta 1982
5 ng	Animal	mice	intracerebroventricular	Not reported	Study in live animals	Castellano 1985
50 ng	Animal	mice	intracerebroventricular	Not reported	Study in live animals	Castellano 1985
0.3-30.0 micrograms/kg	Animal	squirrel monkey	intracerebroventricular	Not reported	Study in live animals	Nader 1989
10, 50, 100 ng/rat	Animal	rat	intracerebroventricular	Not reported	Study in live animals	Broccardo 1987
4 mg kg(-1)	Animal	rat	subcutaneous	Not reported	Study in live animals	Colman 2002
0.0001-10 mumol/kg	Animal	rat	intravenous	Not reported	Study in live animals	Feuerstein 1987
up to 6 nmol	Animal	rat	intracerebral	Not reported	Study in live animals	Greco 1994
0.8-80 ng	Animal	rat	intrathecal	Not reported	Study in live animals	Maggi 1989
up to 8 micrograms/kg	Animal	rat	intravenous	Not reported	Study in live animals	Maggi 1989
1.5 mg/kg	Animal	rat	intraperitoneal	Not reported	Study in live animals	Braga 1984
0.1 to 5 mg/kg body weight	Animal	rat	subcutaneous	Not reported	Study in live animals	Giudici 1984
0.25 micrograms/kg	Animal	rat	intraventricular	Not reported	Study in live animals	Giudici 1984
1 microgram/kg	Animal	rat	intraventricular	Not reported	Study in live animals	Giudici 1984
0.1-100 nmol/kg	Animal	rat	intracerebroventricular	Not reported	Study in live animals	Sirén 1989
1-5 mumol/kg	Animal	rat	intracerebroventricular	Not reported	Study in live animals	Sirén 1989
100 nmol/kg	Animal	rat	intracerebroventricular	Not reported	Study in live animals	Sirén 1989
0.5 nM per rat	Animal	rat	subcutaneous	120 min	Study in live animals	Ferré 1986
0.5 nM	Animal	rat	intrathecal	80 min	Study in live animals	Ferré 1986
0.1 nM	Animal	rat	intracerebroventricular	Not reported	Study in live animals	Ferré 1986
40 pmol	Animal	rat	anterior hypothalamic injection	Not reported	Study in live animals	Diz 1984
0.4 nmoles/rat	Animal	rat	microinjection into periaqueductal gray matter	Not reported	Study in live animals	Parolaro 1985
0.4 mg/kg	Animal	rabbit	intravenous	Not reported	Study in live animals	Fontani 1993

From the community

How people use it

What people report online. It comes from forums and guides, not from studies.

Community-reported. Not tested in trials.

The cited source reports this use. The report does not establish clinical efficacy or safety.

Reported routines and cautions

What people use it for

Self-experimentation for chronic fatigue symptomsS1

Reported regimens

Regimens that community sources report for Dermorphin. Community-reported, not tested in trials.
Context	Route	Amount	How often	How long	Agreement	Sources
Self-experimentation for chronic fatigue symptoms	intranasal	100 mcg per dose	Not stated	Not stated	Single source. The report is not independently confirmed.	S1

Reported side effects

The source reports emotional and intellectual flatness, mild insomnia and a later episode described as mild psychosis. The reporter describes prior similar episodes.S1

Community sources

S1Experimental dermorphin use for chronic fatigue syndrome (opens in a new tab)www.bluelight.org

Gaps

The source does not establish product identity, independent outcomes or a safe regimen.

Questions and more

Ask a question about dermorphin

The answer links to every study it uses.

What does the evidence say about dermorphin?Is dermorphin tested in people?Compare with Delta sleep-inducing peptide (DSIP)Compare with Cerebrolysin

Sources

Database: PepBank data for dermorphin (data version 308560)
Regulator: FDA status record
Regulator: WADA status record
Community: community sources (forums and guides), as summarized in the PepBank community file

AI wrote and checked these results. AI can make mistakes, so check important results against the source.

PepBank is a research reference. Talk to a doctor before you use any peptide.

Ask your AI about dermorphin

Curo is a peptide shop. PepBank and Curo have the same owner. See the Curo catalog (opens in a new tab).

Dermorphin

Not approvedNot banned in sport

Also known as dermorphine

What it is

Natural peptide, 7 amino acids

Approval

Not approved for any use

In sport

Not listed as banned by WADA

Studies

72 studies with results. 71 of them gave dermorphin, with 307 results.
33 in people252 in animals22 in lab cells

Best study in people

Randomized controlled trial with 150 people (1985)

Clinical trials

None registered

Community use

Self-experimentation for chronic fatigue symptoms

Dose as reported

Class

Species

Route

Duration

Design

Source

20 micrograms

Human

human

intrathecal

Not reported

Randomized trial in people · n = 150

Basso 1985

5.5 micrograms/kg . min

Human

human

intravenous

30 min

Randomized trial in people · n = 11

Degli 1983

5.5 micrograms/kg/min

Human

human

infusion

30 min

Trial in people without random groups · n = 9

degli 1983

5.5 micrograms/kg X min

Human

human

infusion

30 min

Trial in people without random groups · n = 6

Degli 1985

0.16 mg/kg

Human

human

intravenous infusion

Not reported

Trial in people without random groups

Sandrini 1986

5.5 micrograms/kg X min

Human

human

infusion

30 min

Trial in people without random groups

Degli 1983

5.5 micrograms/kg min

Human

human

infusion

30 min

Trial in people without random groups

Petraglia 1985

5.5 micrograms/Kg/min

Human

human

infusion

30 min

Trial in people without random groups

Roti 1984

9.3 ± 1.0 μg/kg

Animal

horse

intramuscular

Not reported

Study in live animals · n = 3

Robinson 2015

10 to 100 pmol/kg

Animal

rat

intracerebroventricular

Not reported

Study in live animals

Paakkari 1990

40 pmol

Animal

rat

intrahypothalamic injection

Not reported

Study in live animals

Diz 1984

0.1 or 1 nM

Animal

rat

intracerebroventricular

Not reported

Study in live animals

Feuerstein 1983

50 nM

Animal

rat

intracerebroventricular

Not reported

Study in live animals

Feuerstein 1983

1 nM

Animal

rat

intracerebroventricular

Not reported

Study in live animals

Feuerstein 1983

1 or 50 nM

Animal

rat

intracerebroventricular

Not reported

Study in live animals

Feuerstein 1983

0.5 mg/kg

Animal

rat

intravenous bolus

Not reported

Study in live animals

Wojciechowski 2007

threshold 5 pmol . kg-1

Animal

rat

intracerebroventricular

Not reported

Study in live animals

Improta 1982

625 nmol . kg-1

Animal

rat

subcutaneous

Not reported

Study in live animals

Improta 1982

5 ng

Animal

mice

intracerebroventricular

Not reported

Study in live animals

Castellano 1985

50 ng

Animal

mice

intracerebroventricular

Not reported

Study in live animals

Castellano 1985

0.3-30.0 micrograms/kg

Animal

squirrel monkey

intracerebroventricular

Not reported

Study in live animals

Nader 1989

10, 50, 100 ng/rat

Animal

rat

intracerebroventricular

Not reported

Study in live animals

Broccardo 1987

4 mg kg(-1)

Animal

rat

subcutaneous

Not reported

Study in live animals

Colman 2002

0.0001-10 mumol/kg

Animal

rat

intravenous

Not reported

Study in live animals

Feuerstein 1987

up to 6 nmol

Animal

rat

intracerebral

Not reported

Study in live animals

Greco 1994

0.8-80 ng

Animal

rat

intrathecal

Not reported

Study in live animals

Maggi 1989

up to 8 micrograms/kg

Animal

rat

intravenous

Not reported

Study in live animals

Maggi 1989

1.5 mg/kg

Animal

rat

intraperitoneal

Not reported

Study in live animals

Braga 1984

0.1 to 5 mg/kg body weight

Animal

rat

subcutaneous

Not reported

Study in live animals

Giudici 1984

0.25 micrograms/kg

Animal

rat

intraventricular

Not reported

Study in live animals

Giudici 1984

1 microgram/kg

Animal

rat

intraventricular

Not reported

Study in live animals

Giudici 1984

0.1-100 nmol/kg

Animal

rat

intracerebroventricular

Not reported

Study in live animals

Sirén 1989

1-5 mumol/kg

Animal

rat

intracerebroventricular

Not reported

Study in live animals

Sirén 1989

100 nmol/kg

Animal

rat

intracerebroventricular

Not reported

Study in live animals

Sirén 1989

0.5 nM per rat

Animal

rat

subcutaneous

120 min

Study in live animals

Ferré 1986

0.5 nM

Animal

rat

intrathecal

80 min

Study in live animals

Ferré 1986

0.1 nM

Animal

rat

intracerebroventricular

Not reported

Study in live animals

Ferré 1986

40 pmol

Animal

rat

anterior hypothalamic injection

Not reported

Study in live animals

Diz 1984

0.4 nmoles/rat

Animal

rat

microinjection into periaqueductal gray matter

Not reported

Study in live animals

Parolaro 1985

0.4 mg/kg

Animal

rabbit

intravenous

Not reported

Study in live animals

Fontani 1993

Context

Route

Amount

How often

How long

Agreement

Sources

Self-experimentation for chronic fatigue symptoms

intranasal

100 mcg per dose

Not stated

Single source. The report is not independently confirmed.

Dermorphin

Dermorphin at a glance

What is dermorphin?

Dermorphin structure and chemistry

What dermorphin studies show

Hormones

Sex hormones and fertility

Growth hormone and growth

Pain

Survival and serious illness

Heart and blood vessels

Key dermorphin studies

Dermorphin clinical trials

Is dermorphin approved?

Dermorphin side effects and safety

How people use it

What people use it for

Reported regimens

Reported side effects

Community sources

Ask a question about dermorphin

Related peptides

Sources

Dermorphin

Dermorphin at a glance

What is dermorphin?

Dermorphin structure and chemistry

What dermorphin studies show

Hormones

Sex hormones and fertility

Growth hormone and growth

Pain

Survival and serious illness

Heart and blood vessels

Key dermorphin studies

Dermorphin clinical trials

Is dermorphin approved?

Dermorphin side effects and safety

How people use it

What people use it for

Reported regimens

Reported side effects

Community sources

Ask a question about dermorphin

Related peptides

Sources