Dihexa Mechanism of Action
How Dihexa works: receptor targets, signalling pathways, and molecular profile.
An Angiotensin IV Analog Targeting HGF/c-Met
Dihexa is a metabolically stabilized analog of angiotensin IV, engineered to survive oral administration and activate the HGF/c-Met (hepatocyte growth factor / c-Met receptor) signaling pathway in the brain — a pathway involved in synaptogenesis and neuronal growth, distinct from the BDNF/TrkB mechanism used by nootropic peptides like Semax.
Not a Peptide
Despite its origin as an angiotensin peptide fragment analog, dihexa itself is a small molecule, engineered specifically for oral bioavailability and blood-brain barrier penetration — structurally quite different from the injectable peptides in this catalog.
References
- Evaluation of Metabolically Stabilized Angiotensin IV Analogs as Procognitive/Antidementia Agents · McCoy AT, et al. · 2013