What it is
Vilon is a peptide made of 2 amino acids: lysine and glutamic acid. It is made in a lab. It comes from Vladimir Khavinson's group in St. Petersburg, Russia. It is one of the known active parts of Thymalin, a mixture of peptides from calf thymus. In some papers it is called AB-O. It is sold in Russia as a supplement. See the Thymalin entry for the mixture it comes from. Other names: KE, Lys-Glu, AB-O.
What researchers study it for
- T cell development in thymus cells
- Inflammation signals in human blood cells
- Tightly packed DNA in white blood cells from older people
- Aging and tumors in mice
What the studies found
1. It pushed young thymus cells toward becoming helper T cells.
A 2013 study added Vilon to human and rat thymus cells in a dish. It raised CD5, a marker of developing immune cells. It pushed young cells to become CD4 helper T cells. A second test peptide in the same study had a stronger effect. Lab cells only.
2. It lowered inflammation signals in human blood cells.
A 2023 study made human blood cells inflamed in a dish. Vilon lowered three inflammation signals: IL-1 beta, IL-6, and TNF-alpha. For TNF-alpha, Vilon alone worked better than the whole Thymalin mixture. Computer models showed it attaching to the DNA pattern GCGC. Lab cells and computer data.
3. It lowered inflammation signals in human immune cells grown in a lab.
A 2022 study by Italian and Russian scientists used a line of human immune cells called THP-1. Vilon and related peptides lowered TNF and IL-6 in inflamed cells. Fewer immune cells stuck to blood vessel lining cells. Lab cells only.
4. It loosened tightly packed DNA in white blood cells from older people.
A 2023 study treated white blood cells from people aged 75 to 88 with four short peptides, including Vilon. Tightly packed DNA loosened. Genes for ribosomes, the cell's protein factories, became more active. Human cells in a lab only.
5. Mice were more active and had fewer lung tumors, but did not live longer.
A 2001 study gave female mice Vilon, Epithalon, or salt water for their whole lives. Mice on Vilon were more active. They had fewer lung tumors that formed on their own. They did not live longer. Epithalon mice in the same study did live longer. Mouse data only.
How much research exists
A small set of lab and mouse studies. Almost all come from the Khavinson network. No human trial of Vilon by itself has been published.
Facts
- Formula: C11H21N3O5
- Weight: about 275 g/mol
- CAS number: 45234-02-4 (could not confirm)
- Sequence: Lys-Glu
- Time in the blood: never measured
- Storage: powder in the freezer.
Legal status
Not approved by the FDA or any other agency as a drug. Sold as a supplement in Russia.
For research use only. Not for human use. Nothing here is medical advice.