Description
Melanotan II is a synthetic melanocortin peptide analog that exhibits thermogenic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-atherosclerotic activities; it non-selectively binds melanocortin receptors. Melanotan II was originally designed to promote skin pigmentation, but has since been shown to induce arousal and increase body temperature in clinical settings and animal models. Melanotan II also decreases fluorodeoxyglucose uptake in atherosclerotic plaques, decreases pro-inflammatory cytokine levels, and increases aortic vasorelaxation in animal models of atherosclerosis.
References
Monge-Roffarello B, Labbé SM, Lenglos C, et al. The medial preoptic nucleus as a site of the thermogenic and metabolic actions of Melanotan II in male rats. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 2014 May 7. [Epub ahead of print]. PMID: 24808495.
Rinne P, Silvola JM, Hellberg S, et al. Pharmacological Activation of the Melanocortin System Limits Plaque Inflammation and Ameliorates Vascular Dysfunction in Atherosclerotic Mice. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2014 May 1. [Epub ahead of print]. PMID: 24790139.
Hjuler KF, Lorentzen HF. Melanoma associated with the use of melanotan-II. Dermatology. 2014;228(1):34-6. PMID: 24355990.
Hadley ME. Discovery that a melanocortin regulates sexual functions in male and female humans. Peptides. 2005 Oct;26(10):1687-9. PMID: 15996790.
