Cartalax

Identity and composition

Cartalax (AED, Ala-Glu-Asp) is a short tripeptide of the Khavinson family of bioregulators, derived from peptide complexes isolated from cartilaginous tissue, that is studied in experimental models of chondrogenic differentiation and cartilage biology. It is a compound for preclinical/in vitro research use.

Product for research use.

As for its reference chemical identity:

• Name / sequence: Ala-Glu-Asp (H-Ala-Glu-Asp-OH), a tripeptide made up of alanine, glutamic acid, and aspartic acid.
• Molecular formula: C12H19N3O8.
• Molecular weight: 333.29 g/mol.
• Synonyms: Cartalax, AED, T-31 peptide, alanyl-glutamyl-aspartic (L-alanyl-L-glutamyl-L-aspartic).

No confirmed CAS number is available: PubChem does not list a CAS for this compound and in supplier catalogs conflicting values circulate among themselves, so it is not reported here to avoid ambiguity. The reference presentation of this data sheet corresponds to 20 mg of lyophilized material.

Mechanism of action

Cartalax belongs to the short bioregulator oligopeptides, to which a tissue-specific regulatory action on gene expression is attributed. The peptide AED (Ala-Glu-Asp) derives from a cartilage peptide complex and is discussed in the context of chondrogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) (Linkova/Khavinson, IJMS 2023; PMID 37176122).

In that review, the AED peptide is associated with the modulation of gene expression related to MSC aging processes, mentioning pathways and factors such as NFκB and IGF1, within the regulation of differentiation toward the chondrogenic lineage.

It is important to frame the scope of this evidence:

• The hypothesis that Cartalax would directly induce type II collagen (COL2A1) y aggrecan in chondrocytes appears mainly in supplier literature and could not be confirmed with quantitative data in open-access peer-reviewed sources.
• Therefore, this effect should be treated as mechanistic hypothesis, not as a measured and verified effect.

Pharmacokinetics

No pharmacokinetic data are available for Cartalax in the reviewed literature. No values for half-life, absorption, distribution, or clearance that could be reported verifiably were located. As is appropriate for a research compound at the preclinical/in vitro stage, its pharmacokinetic profile remains uncharacterized in accessible sources and should not be assumed from other peptides of the same class.

Scientific evidence

The available evidence on Cartalax is preliminary and essentially preclinical/in vitro. The accessible peer-reviewed body is limited in practice to a review on the peptide regulation of chondrogenic differentiation (Linkova/Khavinson, IJMS 2023; PMID 37176122), which supports the sequence identity and the mechanistic framework in a hedged manner.

Key points to consider:

• No registered clinical trials were located on ClinicalTrials.gov for Cartalax/AED for any indication; there is no established clinical phase.
• Much of the original work of the Khavinson school is in Russian and not indexed, which limits independent verification.
• The quantitative efficacy figures cited by sales catalogs (percentages of gene overexpression, cartilage thickness, glycosaminoglycan retention, regulation of MMPs/ADAMTS) are not supported by verifiable sources and are not reported in this data sheet.

Overall, the evidence suggests a conceptual role in cartilage biology within an experimental framework, without demonstrated clinical results.

Research applications

Product for research use.

Cartalax is oriented toward experimental laboratory work. According to the available research context:

Ideal for (in research):

• In vitro studies of chondrogenic differentiation and mesenchymal stem cell biology.
• Conceptual exploration of tissue-specific gene expression regulation in connective tissue/cartilage matrix models.
• Comparative research within the family of Khavinson short bioregulatory peptides.

Not applicable for:

• clinical use, food, cosmetic or therapeutic use.
• Diagnosis, treatment, or prevention of any condition in humans or animals.
• Any clinical application: it is not an approved drug and there is no established clinical phase.

Research protocols

No validated dosing protocols for Cartalax are available in peer-reviewed sources. The accessible literature is of a mechanistic/review nature and does not report verifiable study doses that can be cited here.

The doses and schedules (for example, in vitro concentrations or in vivo doses in mcg/kg) that appear in supplier catalogs are not supported by verifiable sources and are therefore deliberately omitted.

The design of any experimental protocol is at the discretion of the qualified researcher, under the appropriate practices and controls of their laboratory.

Reconstitution

As a general standard laboratory guide for lyophilized peptides, Cartalax is usually reconstituted with bacteriostatic water (sterile water with approximately 0.9% benzyl alcohol as a preservative), which is suitable for preparations intended for multiple withdrawals.

General technique recommendations:

• Add the diluent slowly, letting it run down the vial wall rather than directing it straight onto the powder.
• Do not shake vigorously; swirl the vial gently until completely dissolved to avoid mechanical stress on the peptide.
• Handle under aseptic conditions.

The volume of diluent is chosen according to the working concentration desired for the 20 mg presentation. This guide is general laboratory handling and does not constitute an indication for use in humans.

Stability and storage

As a general laboratory handling practice for peptides of this type:

• Lyophilized (powder): is the most stable form. It is usually stored at freezing temperatures and protected from light and humidity for prolonged storage.
• Reconstituted (in solution): is less stable and is generally kept refrigerated, being used within a relatively short period.

General recommendations:

• Avoid repeated freeze-thaw cycles, which can degrade the peptide; aliquot when appropriate.
• Minimize exposure to room temperature and light during handling.

These ranges correspond to general laboratory handling knowledge and not to specific stability data published for this compound.

Safety profile

No safety notes, toxicology data, or documented adverse events were identified for Cartalax in the accessible peer-reviewed literature. There is, therefore, a absence of safety data characterized.

Practical implications:

• It is not an approved drug and has no established safety profile or documented contraindications.
• The lack of data should not be interpreted as absence of risk.
• It must be handled with the standard precautions applicable to research reagents, by qualified personnel and with appropriate protective equipment.

Product for research use.

Comparative context

Cartalax falls within the family of short bioregulatory peptides by Khavinson, a group of low-molecular-weight oligopeptides to which a tissue-specific regulatory action on gene expression is attributed. In comparative prose:

• It is analogous, by class, to peptides such as Epitalon (AEDG, associated with pineal gland tissue), Vesugen y Vilon, among others.
• It shares with them the characteristic of being a short oligopeptide with a supposed tissue-specific epigenetic action.
• Its distinctive trait within the class is its orientation toward cartilaginous/chondrogenic tissue, while other members are conceptually associated with other tissues.

The relative potency comparisons against other peptides of the class are not supported by verifiable data and are not asserted here.

History and development

Cartalax comes from the research line of Khavinson peptide bioregulators, developed largely by the Russian school of gerontology and peptide regulation. The compound was obtained in the framework of the study of peptide complexes isolated from cartilaginous tissue, from which short synthetic peptides such as the tripeptide AED (Ala-Glu-Asp) are derived.

Its discussion in accessible peer-reviewed sources is recent and limited: the Linkova/Khavinson review stands out (IJMS 2023; PMID 37176122) on peptide regulation of chondrogenic differentiation. A large part of the original work in this line is published in Russian and not indexed in the international databases, which explains the scarcity of verifiable open-access data. As far as is recorded in accessible sources, it remains as research compound, with no registered clinical development.

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Scientific references (5)

Peer-reviewed literature on Cartalax, with its PubMed identifier when available:

• Peptide Regulation of Cells Renewal Processes in Kidney Tissue Cultures from Young and Old Animals (Chalisova, et al. · Bulletin of Experimental Biology and Medicine · 2015) PMID 26033601.
• Peptide Regulation of Skin Fibroblast Functions during Their Aging In Vitro (Lin'kova, et al. · Bulletin of Experimental Biology and Medicine · 2016) PMID 27259496.
• [The influence of peptides on the chondrogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells during replicative aging.]. (Myakisheva SN, et al. · Adv Gerontol · 2023) PMID 37782646.
• [Peptides prevent the forming of secretory phenotype of chondrocytes associated with the aging.]. (Myakisheva SN, et al. · Adv Gerontol · 2023) PMID 37356100.
• Comparison of the Effects of KE and AED Peptides on Functional Activity of Human Skin Fibroblasts during Their Replicative Aging. (Fridman NV, et al. · Bull Exp Biol Med · 2020) PMID 33231794.

Other related research peptides

• Chonluten
• Cortagen
• Crystagen
• Livagen
• Ovagen
• Pancragen
• Prostamax
• Testagen
• Thymalin
• Vesugen