Skin, hair & tanning
Melanotan II: published research
Also known as MT-II (a synthetic α-MSH analogue)
A synthetic version of α-MSH, the body's own signal that tells skin cells to make the pigment melanin. It acts on several melanocortin receptors, so research covers both skin pigmentation and other melanocortin effects such as appetite and sexual function.
Evidence at a glance
6 studies 1996–2024
- 3 Human trial
- 3 Animal study
What researchers look at
- Skin pigmentation
- Melanocortin receptors
- Appetite signalling
- Sexual function
What is still unknown
Human trials were small and from the 1990s–2000s; it has not been developed into an approved product.
Studies in people
3- Human trial
In a double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study in ten men with organic erectile dysfunction, melanotan II initiated erections and raised reported sexual desire; nausea was more frequent than placebo.
Wessells H, et al. Effect of an alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone analog on penile erection and sexual desire in men with organic erectile dysfunction. Urology. 2000. PMID 11018622
- Human trial
In a double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study in ten men with psychogenic erectile dysfunction, melanotan II initiated erections in eight; transient nausea, yawning and reduced appetite occurred.
Wessells H, et al. Synthetic melanotropic peptide initiates erections in men with psychogenic erectile dysfunction: double-blind, placebo controlled crossover study. Journal of Urology. 1998. PMID 9679884
- Human trial
In a small single-blind, placebo-controlled pilot phase I study in three healthy men, melanotan II increased skin pigmentation; nausea, stretching/yawning and spontaneous erections were reported.
Dorr RT, et al. Evaluation of melanotan-II, a superpotent cyclic melanotropic peptide in a pilot phase-I clinical study. Life Sciences. 1996. PMID 8637402
Animal studies
3- Animal study
In male rats under chronic unpredictable stress, daily Melanotan-II injections (tested in a separate group from Semax) reversed or reduced stress-induced anhedonia, adrenal enlargement, loss of hippocampal BDNF and slowed weight gain; forced-swim immobility was unaffected.
Inozemtseva LS, et al. Antidepressant-like and antistress effects of the ACTH(4-10) synthetic analogs Semax and Melanotan II on male rats in a model of chronic unpredictable stress. European Journal of Pharmacology. 2024. PMID 39442746
- Animal study
In OLETF rats, a model of obesity and type 2 diabetes, Melanotan-II infused under the skin reduced food intake and body weight, increased insulin sensitivity versus freely fed and pair-fed rats, and improved glucose tolerance.
Banno R, et al. The melanocortin agonist melanotan II increases insulin sensitivity in OLETF rats. Peptides. 2004. PMID 15350695
- Animal study
In male rats, 7-day brain infusion of Melanotan-II briefly suppressed feeding and reduced fat-pad weight; co-infused with neuropeptide Y (NPY), it curbed NPY-driven overeating, fat gain, and insulin and leptin rises, but not NPY's suppression of reproductive and growth-hormone axes.
Raposinho PD, et al. The melanocortin agonist Melanotan-II reduces the orexigenic and adipogenic effects of neuropeptide Y (NPY) but does not affect the NPY-driven suppressive effects on the gonadotropic and somatotropic axes in the male rat. Journal of Neuroendocrinology. 2003. PMID 12535159
Short summaries of published studies, with links to the original papers. Results in animals or cells may not apply to people. This is not medical advice and not a guide to use.