Peptides Recovery & Healing Preclinical (animal) data

Dermorphin

29 min

Half-life

5–20 mcg

Typical dose

Potent amphibian-derived opioid peptide; research compound for analgesia.

Key takeaways

Frog-skin opioid peptide: mu-selective and many times more potent than morphine in animal tests.
No human trials or PK data; plotter numbers are research-derived estimates.
Carries the full opioid risk profile: respiratory depression, tolerance, dependence, overdose.
Known as a racehorse doping agent; no approved medical use anywhere.

🚧 Expanded guide coming soon. This compound has PK data and a source — a full overview, mechanism, and dosing guide is pending editorial review.

Pharmacokinetic summary

Model tier: Simple (t½ + F, Tmax estimated)
Half-life: 29 min
Bioavailability: 40%
Typical dose: 0.005–0.02 mg

Frequently asked questions

Is dermorphin approved for any human use?

No. It has never been an approved medication in any country. The literature is animal pharmacology plus anti-doping forensics from horse racing, where it turned up as an illegal analgesic.

How potent is dermorphin compared to morphine?

In rodent antinociception tests it is many times more potent than morphine, depending on the route. That figure comes from animal assays; there is no human potency data, and potency at this level makes unsupervised exposure dangerous.

Why does a peptide act like an opioid?

Dermorphin's sequence lets it bind the mu-opioid receptor directly, the same receptor morphine targets. Being a peptide doesn't make it gentler: receptor selectivity drives the pharmacology, and mu activation means the full opioid effect profile.

References

Estimated — Amphibian opioid peptide; potent μ-opioid agonist, very short acting.
Montecucchi et al., Int J Pept Protein Res 1981 — dermorphin isolation and sequence — Original characterization of dermorphin from Phyllomedusa sauvagei skin.
Broccardo et al., Eur J Pharmacol 1985 — tolerance and dependence in rats — Chronic dermorphin in rats induced classic opioid tolerance and physical dependence.

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