Are Epitalon and NAD+ the same type of compound?

No. Epitalon is a synthetic tetrapeptide, Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly; NAD+ is a dinucleotide coenzyme central to redox reactions and energy metabolism.

What has the Epitalon literature measured in cultured cells?

Reported endpoints include activation of ribosomal genes and decondensation of heterochromatin in cultured lymphocytes, and, with a fluorescent label, entry of the peptide into the cytoplasm, nucleus and nucleolus of HeLa cells.

How does the NAD+ literature connect to senescence research?

The literature describes NAD+ as influencing DNA repair, chromatin remodelling and cellular senescence through NAD+-dependent enzymes, and reports a gradual decline in tissue NAD+ levels with age in several model organisms.

Do findings for one apply to the other?

No. The Epitalon record reports gene-expression and chromatin endpoints for a peptide in culture, while the NAD+ record concerns a cofactor's metabolism; sharing a research area does not make their findings interchangeable.

Research comparison

Epitalon vs NAD+: what the research literature compares

Updated 5 November 2026Ouralus research desk

Short answer

Epitalon is a synthetic four-residue peptide (Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly) examined mainly for gene-expression and chromatin endpoints in cultured cells, while NAD+ is a dinucleotide redox coenzyme examined through its metabolism. Both appear in cellular-senescence research, but through different molecular questions.32019204 33353981

This page does not say which is preferable for any purpose, and nothing on this site does.

Compound identifiers, side by side

Property	Epitalon	NAD +
What it is	Synthetic 4–amino-acid peptide (tetrapeptide)	Dinucleotide redox coenzyme — not a peptide
CAS	307297-39-8	53-84-9
Molecular formula	C14H22N4O9	C21H27N7O14P2
Molar mass	390.35 g/mol	663.43 g/mol
Research areas in the literature	Telomere biology, Cellular senescence	Mitochondrial biology, Metabolic signalling, Cellular senescence

Shared research areas: Cellular senescence. A shared area means the two are examined in the same field of study — not that they are examined through the same mechanism, and not that findings for one transfer to the other.

What each literature examines

The characterization below reflects published research literature only. It describes what that literature examines; it is not a statement about use in people. Both compounds are investigational research material and neither is an approved product.

Epitalon

Epitalon is examined in telomere-biology and cellular-senescence models, with reported endpoints in gene expression and protein synthesis, chromatin condensation and ribosomal-gene activity, and entry of the labelled peptide into the nucleus.32019204 14647006 22117547 40141333

Study material

Cultured cells — including cultured lymphocytes and HeLa cells — and cell-free DNA-binding assays, with an overview surveying the wider pineal-peptide literature the compound sits in.14647006 22117547 32019204 40141333

Full Epitalon reference →

NAD +

NAD+ is examined as a redox cofactor and as a substrate for sirtuins, CD38 and PARPs, with the literature tracing its levels across ageing in model organisms and the regulation of its biosynthesis and breakdown.33353981 33930322 39026037 40693873

Study material

Literature syntheses across model systems, alongside biochemical characterisation of the biosynthetic pathway in a bacterial system.33353981 33930322 39026037 40693873

Full NAD + reference →

Purity, and how to check both yourself

Purity here is a measurement, not a position. The lot currently shipping of each was analysed by an independent laboratory for purity and net content. We do not test our own material.

No assayed purity figure is published for NAD +, so none is claimed here and no purity row appears below for it. Its certificate is published; the purity figure is not, and an absent row never implies a value.

Measurement	Epitalon	NAD +
Testing laboratory	Janoshik	Janoshik
Lot	Green	Green
Verify key	4371ZNKCLG9H	VC63IEZ7H6YF

Enter either verify key at janoshik.com/verify and the laboratory returns the report it issued for that batch. You are confirming the result with them, not with us. Full certificates: Epitalon · NAD +

We report assayed purity and net content only. We do not run heavy-metal, microbial, endotoxin, or sterility analysis, and we do not claim it anywhere on this site.

Frequently asked questions

Are Epitalon and NAD+ the same type of compound?: No. Epitalon is a synthetic tetrapeptide, Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly; NAD+ is a dinucleotide coenzyme central to redox reactions and energy metabolism.22117547 33353981
What has the Epitalon literature measured in cultured cells?: Reported endpoints include activation of ribosomal genes and decondensation of heterochromatin in cultured lymphocytes, and, with a fluorescent label, entry of the peptide into the cytoplasm, nucleus and nucleolus of HeLa cells.14647006 22117547
How does the NAD+ literature connect to senescence research?: The literature describes NAD+ as influencing DNA repair, chromatin remodelling and cellular senescence through NAD+-dependent enzymes, and reports a gradual decline in tissue NAD+ levels with age in several model organisms.33353981 33930322
Do findings for one apply to the other?: No. The Epitalon record reports gene-expression and chromatin endpoints for a peptide in culture, while the NAD+ record concerns a cofactor's metabolism; sharing a research area does not make their findings interchangeable.32019204 39026037

Cited literature

AEDG Peptide (Epitalon) Stimulates Gene Expression and Protein Synthesis during Neurogenesis: Possible Epigenetic MechanismKhavinson V, et al. · Molecules · 2020PMID 32019204 ↗
NAD+ metabolism and its roles in cellular processes during ageingCovarrubias AJ, et al. · Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology · 2021PMID 33353981 ↗
Peptide Epitalon activates chromatin at the old ageKhavinson VKh, et al. · Neuro Endocrinology Letters · 2003PMID 14647006 ↗
Penetration of short fluorescence-labeled peptides into the nucleus in HeLa cells and in vitro specific interaction of the peptides with deoxyribooligonucleotides and DNAFedoreyeva LI, et al. · Biochemistry (Moscow) · 2011PMID 22117547 ↗
Overview of Epitalon — Highly Bioactive Pineal Tetrapeptide with Promising PropertiesAraj SK, et al. · International Journal of Molecular Sciences · 2025PMID 40141333 ↗
Evolving concepts in NAD+ metabolismChini CCS, et al. · Cell Metabolism · 2021PMID 33930322 ↗
Regulation of and challenges in targeting NAD+ metabolismMigaud ME, et al. · Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology · 2024PMID 39026037 ↗
Characterization of the Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide Biosynthesis Pathway and Regulatory Mechanisms in Streptococcus mutansYu H, et al. · The FASEB Journal · 2025PMID 40693873 ↗

Research-literature characterization, provided for research context only. For laboratory research use only. Not for human consumption.