Cartalax is the name given to the tripeptide Ala-Glu-Asp (AED), one of the short “bioregulator” peptides from the Khavinson research program in St. Petersburg. Within that series it is the member associated with cartilage and connective tissue.
The research on it is limited and almost entirely preclinical: cell-culture studies of chondrocytes, stem cells and skin fibroblasts, mostly from the originating group.
At a glance
| Also known as | AED peptide |
| Sequence | Ala-Glu-Asp (AED) |
| Length | 3 residues |
| Peso molecular | ≈333 Da |
| Series | Khavinson short peptides (bioregulators) |
| Tissue association | Cartilage and connective tissue |
| Receptor | None identified |
| US status | Not FDA-approved; research use only |
The Khavinson bioregulator series
Short peptides of this kind come from a research program led by Vladimir Khavinson at the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology. The program began with polypeptide extracts from animal organs, then identified short di-, tri- and tetrapeptides within those extracts and produced them synthetically, each associated with a particular tissue.
No receptor has been identified for any member of the series. The group’s working model is that these very small peptides enter the cell nucleus and interact with DNA and histone proteins at specific sites, influencing gene expression and DNA methylation. That model is set out in a 2021 systematic review in Molecules, but it comes largely from the originating group and has seen little independent replication.
Relationship to Epitalon and Cardiogen
AED is the first three residues of Epitalon (Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly) and of Cardiogen (Ala-Glu-Asp-Arg). The three share a core but are distinct molecules, each studied in a different tissue context, so they should not be treated as interchangeable.
What the research has looked at
Chondrocyte proliferation. A 2023 study cultured chondrocytes from young (3-month) and old (20-month) rats and tested AED alongside a polypeptide complex extracted from bovine cartilage. At 200 ng/mL, AED increased chondrocyte numbers over five days by roughly 1.4–1.8 times in cultures from young animals and 1.6–2.1 times in cultures from old animals, compared with controls. The authors reported a larger effect in cells from older animals.
Gene expression in aging cell cultures. A 2020 study in Molecular Biology Reports examined gene expression in aging cultures of human mesenchymal stem cells and reported that short peptides from the series, including AED, modulated the expression of genes associated with differentiation and aging. Related work from the same group has looked at differentiation markers in human skin fibroblasts during replicative aging.
Limits of the evidence
The published work on Cartalax is small, comes mostly from one research network, and is largely in cell culture and animal models, with much of it in Russian-language journals. How a peptide this short would reach the nucleus intact is the weakest link in the proposed mechanism. Findings should be read as early, preliminary research rather than established biology.
Handling in the lab
Cartalax is supplied as a lyophilized powder. Lyophilized peptides are normally kept frozen, dry and away from light, and once reconstituted are kept refrigerated and used within a short window. See our reconstitution protocol para technique, and bacteriostatic vs sterile water para diluent choice.
Frequently asked questions
What is Cartalax?
The tripeptide Ala-Glu-Asp (AED), a Khavinson-series bioregulator associated with cartilage and connective tissue, studied mainly in cell culture.
Is Cartalax the same as Epitalon?
No. Epitalon is the tetrapeptide Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly. Cartalax shares its first three residues but lacks the terminal glycine.
Does Cartalax have a receptor?
None has been identified. The proposed mechanism is direct interaction with DNA and histones in the nucleus, a model that has not been independently confirmed.
Is Cartalax FDA approved?
No. It is not approved by the FDA. Isla Longevity supplies it for laboratory research only.
Purity and certificates
Every batch ships with a third-party certificate of analysis, published by batch number in our Banco de COA. View Cartalax and its current COA. New to reading certificates? Start with how to read a certificate of analysis.
Related reading: Peptide bioregulators explained · What is Cardiogen? · What is Vesugen? · What is Epitalon?
References
- Myakisheva SN, Linkova NS, Polyakova VO, Ryzhak GA. Peptides of cartilage tissue: regulation of chondrocyte proliferation, geroprotection and prospects for use in osteoarthrosis. Vrach. 2023;34(10):46–49. doi:10.29296/25877305-2023-10-09.
- Ashapkin V, Khavinson V, Shilovsky G, et al. Gene expression in human mesenchymal stem cell aging cultures: modulation by short peptides. Mol Biol Rep. 2020;47(6):4323–4329.
- Khavinson VKh, Popovich IG, Linkova NS, Mironova ES, Ilina AR. Peptide regulation of gene expression: a systematic review. Molecules. 2021;26(22):7053.
Solo para uso en investigación
Isla Longevity supplies this compound for laboratory research use only. It is not approved by the FDA for human or veterinary use and is not for human consumption. This article summarises published research and is not medical guidance.
