Dihexa
An angiotensin IV analog designed as an anti-dementia drug; very potent at growing new synapses in rats.
Not approved for human use; sold as a research chemical.
Used for
- Memory and cognition
How it works
Said to boost hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) signaling through its receptor c-Met, driving new synapse formation. The key paper for this mechanism has been retracted, so how (or whether) it works is unsettled.
What the research shows
- Improved learning in rat models of dementia (McCoy 2013). No human trials.
- Benoist 2014, the study tying its effects to HGF/c-Met, is marked retracted in PubMed (2025). Treat claims about Dihexa as speculative.
Dosing
Dosing isn’t listed on the public site. In the app, each published option is shown with its source (a drug label, a clinical guideline, a trial or community reports) and can be turned into a protocol you review.
Work out the units to draw for your vial →Side effects
- Unknown in people
Cautions
- HGF/c-Met drives many cancers: a real concern with a growth signal this strong.
- No human safety data.
- Research-chemical vials have no quality control: purity, dose and sterility vary. Third-party testing helps but is no guarantee.
Storage
Unmixed powder: freezer or fridge, away from light.
Once mixed with bacteriostatic water: fridge; the common rule is to use it within 28 days.
There is no label or published stability data for this one, so treat these as habits, not limits.
Reference only, not medical advice. Written for this app from the cited research. Doses marked community-reported are not from trials.