Melanotan II

What it is claimed to help

These are the uses attached to Melanotan II in research, clinical practice, or marketing. Listing a claim is not endorsing it — tap any of them to see every other compound carrying the same claim.

What the human evidence actually is

Small early studies confirmed tanning and erectile effects — that is why it exists. But it was never developed as a medicine, and the accumulated case literature is the point: reports of new and changing melanoma, dysplastic naevi, rhabdomyolysis, posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome and priapism following use. Multiple national regulators have issued explicit safety warnings and banned sale.

How it is supposed to work

Non-selective agonist at MC1R (pigmentation) through MC5R, hence the mix of tanning, sexual and appetite effects.

Safety

This is the entry on the site with the most documented human harm. Existing moles darken and change, which both mimics and may mask melanoma. Nausea, flushing, spontaneous erections. Sold almost entirely through unregulated channels.

Storage and handling

Lyophilised peptide is generally stored at 2–8 °C, or below −20 °C for long-term storage. Reconstituted in bacteriostatic water (0.9% benzyl alcohol) a solution is typically treated as usable for about 28 days refrigerated, versus roughly 24 hours for plain sterile water, which has no preservative. Add the water slowly down the vial wall and swirl — never shake, which shears peptide chains and foams the solution.