Khavinson BioregulatorTarget: HeartCardiovascular

Cardiogen

Ala-Glu-Asp-Arg · AEDR · Heart Bioregulator · Кардиоген

Cardiogen is synthetic Ala-Glu-Asp-Arg (AEDR), the myocardial cytogen. Chelohart is the heart Cytomax. AEDR is not SS-31 (elamipretide) and not a beta-blocker.

Not FDA-approved - research chemical

Quick answer

What it is: Cardiogen is synthetic Ala-Glu-Asp-Arg (AEDR), the myocardial cytogen.

Class and target: Cytogen (synthetic short peptide) · Heart muscle · sequence AEDR

Typical research dose: 1–2 capsules/day (Cytomed) or 1–2 mg SC (research vial)

Reconstitution calculator ↓What it is & the evidence on The Bioregulator Atlas →

Research summary, not medical advice.

Reviewed by Kymata Health Editorial Team
Last updated: August 2026Evidence: Low3 peer-reviewed citations
Typical research dose
1–2 capsules/day (Cytomed) or 1–2 mg SC (research vial)
Frequency
1× daily for 10-30 day cycles
Half-life
Short (tetrapeptide)
Common vials
5 mg / 10 mg
CAS
N/A
Molecular weight
517.5 g/mol

Use-case scores

0–10 against the evidence we have, not a gym ranking. Hidden domains do not apply here.

  • Longevity / aging3.5/10

    Khavinson-school tissue peptide. Single-lab concentration after haircut. Not a Western Phase 3 geroprotector.

Compound card

Sequence
AEDR
Class
Khavinson cytogen (AEDR)
Formula
C18H31N9O9
Status
Not FDA-approved · research use
Dose it
5 mg + 2.5 mL BAC water → 2 mg/mL · 1000 mcg ≈ 50 units (U-100)
Open in calculator

How it works

Cardiogen (Ala-Glu-Asp-Arg) is a tetrapeptide bioregulator targeting myocardium (heart muscle). It stimulates the proliferation and differentiation of myocardial cells and restores expression of cardiac-specific proteins. Khavinson research demonstrates improvements in cellular metabolism of cardiomyocytes, reduced hypertrophy, and enhanced recovery following ischemia or myocardial infarction.

Source: PMID: 11713572

Khavinson map

Canonical 41
Class
Cytogen (synthetic short peptide)
Organ
Heart muscle
Target
Heart
System
Cardiovascular
Sequence
AEDR · Ala-Glu-Asp-Arg
Pair
Chelohart (heart Cytomax); Vesugen/Ventfort are vessels
Кардиоген

Used in bioregulator stacks

Manufacturer-style organ combinations - not FDA protocols. Every name is a live leaf.

The Khavinson school

Cardiogen is filed here as cytogen (synthetic short peptide), targeting the heart muscle. Khavinson's St. Petersburg group moved from organ extracts (Cytamins) to capsule complexes (Cytomaxes) to synthetic short peptides (Cytogens); most of the evidence comes from that one group, with little independent Western replication.

Read the full background, the proposed epigenetic mechanism, the literature limits, and how we count the canonical 41 on the Khavinson bioregulators index.

History of this molecule

Myocardium versus endothelium again. Cardiogen is muscle cells. Vesugen is KED vessels. Cortagen is AEDP cortex - one letter from AEDR and a different organ. That letter is the whole job.

Szeto’s SS-31 binds cardiolipin. Khavinson’s AEDR is an organ-identity tetrapeptide. Stealing BENEFIT-HF language is theft.

Caveats

A defined sequence is not an FDA indication. Myocardium cytogens sit in a Russian experimental-gerontology literature with limited Western replication. “Oral bioavailability because PEPT1” is real peptide-transport biology; it is not proof this SKU treats the organ disease. Gray-market identity is a live problem - HPLC is the only way to know the vial is the sequence on the label.

Full 41-map: Khavinson bioregulators index · Bioregulator stacks

Research Use Cases

  • ✓AEDR identity vs Chelohart vs Vesugen
  • ✓Not a post-infarction recovery protocol

Dosing

PhaseDoseFrequencyNotes
Khavinson Protocol1–2 capsules/day or 1–2 mg SCDaily for 10–30 day courses, 1-2x per yearCardiac bioregulator course. Often paired with Vesugen (vascular).

Administration

Route / form
Two real SKUs: Cytomed oral capsules (swallowed) or a lyophilized research vial reconstituted for subcutaneous injection. Nobody manufactures these as sublingual tablets.
Timing
Capsules: morning, about 30 minutes before meals. Research vial (SubQ): food does not change the injection.
Empty stomach?
Capsules: yes - Swallow on an empty stomach, about 30 minutes before meals. Reconstituted vial (SubQ): food does not change the injection. Cytomed boxes sometimes print “with food” because they are labeled as supplements; the manufacturer user-guide preference is before meals.

Cardiogen: oral vs SubQ

Cytomed oral capsule
Bioavailability
No published human F% for this SKU. PEPT1 is a di-/tripeptide transporter story; a tetrapeptide swallow is a longer, weaker oral argument, not a certificate. Cytomed cytogen capsules are still swallowed.
Dose note
Cardiogen Cytomed cytogen capsules: 1–2 capsules/day, typically 10–30 day courses. No reconstitution. Swallow; do not melt under the tongue. Swallowed with water. Morning, about 30 minutes before meals, is manufacturer user-guide folklore. Cytomed boxes sometimes print “with food” because they are labeled as supplements. That is not a published absorption RCT for this SKU. Pair: Chelohart is the heart Cytomax. Vesugen/Ventfort are vessels. Cortagen is AEDP cortex (one residue apart).
Advantages
  • Official Cytomed cytogen SKU is a swallowed capsule. No BAC water, no syringe.
  • Matches how Cytomed ships the poster line.
  • Nobody manufactures this as a sublingual tablet.
Considerations
  • Capsule milligrams are not 1–2 mg SC. Do not convert a research-vial protocol into capsule counts by arithmetic theater.
  • Empty-stomach timing is user-guide folklore plus PEPT1 logic, not a cited human PK study for this SKU.
  • Cardiogen is AEDR myocardium. It is not Vesugen (KED endothelium), not Cortagen (AEDP brain), and not SS-31 (elamipretide). Some tables print AEDK; prefer COA.
  • A tetrapeptide capsule is still a swallow, still not a sublingual tablet, still not a heart-failure drug.
Research vial SubQ
Bioavailability
No published human PK curve for this cytogen. Research-chem SubQ is the gray-market route. Class estimate is minutes-to-hours, not a depot ester.
Dose note
Research lyophilized vial: reconstitute with bacteriostatic water, sterile technique, SubQ. Class pattern is about 1–2 mg daily for on the order of 10 days, not a 12-week GLP-1 titration. Food does not change the injection. Do not convert Cytomed capsule counts into vial milligrams. Pair: Chelohart is the heart Cytomax. Vesugen/Ventfort are vessels. Cortagen is AEDP cortex (one residue apart).
Advantages
  • Vial math is checkable if the COA matches the sequence on the label.
  • Food timing is irrelevant for SubQ.
  • Short pulsed courses match how the school used defined synthetics.
Considerations
  • Gray-market identity: HPLC is the only way to know the cake is AEDR (Ala-Glu-Asp-Arg).
  • Not a Western Phase 3. Russian experimental-gerontology literature is real and concentrated.
  • Not a sublingual tablet and not a Cytomax complex.
  • Cardiogen is AEDR myocardium. It is not Vesugen (KED endothelium), not Cortagen (AEDP brain), and not SS-31 (elamipretide). Some tables print AEDK; prefer COA.
  • Not a beta-blocker. Not PARADIGM-HF. GDMT stays. Stealing BENEFIT-HF language is theft.
Recommendation: Two SKUs. Swallow Cytomed Cardiogen capsules (no recon, not sublingual) or BAC-reconstitute a research vial for SubQ at the 1–2 mg / ~10-day class pattern. Food does not change the shot. Pair: Chelohart is the heart Cytomax. Vesugen/Ventfort are vessels. Cortagen is AEDP cortex (one residue apart). Cardiogen is AEDR myocardium. It is not Vesugen (KED endothelium), not Cortagen (AEDP brain), and not SS-31 (elamipretide). Some tables print AEDK; prefer COA. Russian literature is real; Western Phase 3 is not. Myocardium versus endothelium again. That letter on AEDP vs AEDR is the whole job.

Timeline

Day 1-10 (course)
Cardiomyocyte gene expression restoration initiated.
Month 3-6
Improved cardiac function markers and stress tolerance with repeat courses.

Who it is for

Cardiac / Heart Aging

Low

Myocardial bioregulator. Targets age-suppressed cardiac gene expression.

Reconstitution

VialWaterConcentrationExample dose
Lyophilized cytogen (if the SKU is a vial)Follow the COA fillDo the mathCapsules skip this step. Cytomax complexes are not this molecule.

Change vial size or water volume? Open the reconstitution calculator.

Safety & Considerations

Research peptide. Extensively used in Russian clinical protocols. Russian clinic history is not a US safety NDA.

Regulatory & Legal Status

FDA Status (US)
Research Only
WADA Status (2026)
Not Listed

Not currently on the WADA 2026 Prohibited List. Policies may change - verify before competition.

Classification

Research Chemical

US Compounding: Not eligible / not available

⚠️ This information is for educational purposes only and may not reflect the most current regulatory updates. Always verify with official FDA, WADA, and jurisdiction-specific sources before use.

Limits of current evidence

  • A defined sequence is not an FDA indication.
  • Gray-market identity is a live problem. HPLC beats a blog table.
  • Do not paste a sibling cytogen’s papers onto this SKU.
  • This site will not treat the named organ disease from a peptide page.

Verdict

Cardiogen is the synthetic AEDR cytogen for Heart muscle. Khavinson’s group published in this family. That is a concentrated literature, not a Western Phase 3. Capsules and vials are different SKUs.

Interactions & Contraindications

This site will not treat heart disease from a peptide page.

Synergies & Common Stacks

+ Chelohart →

Cytogen vs Cytomax. Same organ, two classes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Cardiogen vs Chelohart vs Vesugen vs SS-31?▼
Cardiogen = AEDR heart cytogen. Chelohart = heart Cytomax. Vesugen = KED vessels. SS-31 = Szeto mitochondrial tetrapeptide, different program.
Vs Cortagen?▼
Cortagen is AEDP (brain cortex). Cardiogen is AEDR (heart). One residue apart, different organs.
Heart-failure drug?▼
No. GDMT stays.
Sequence?▼
Ala-Glu-Asp-Arg (AEDR). Some tables print AEDK - another catalog fight. Prefer COA.
Oral capsule or injection?▼
Two SKUs. Cytomed Cardiogen is a swallowed cytogen capsule (1–2/day, typical 10–30 day courses, morning empty-stomach folklore, no reconstitution, not a sublingual tablet). Research vials are BAC-reconstituted SubQ at about 1–2 mg for on the order of 10 days; food does not change the shot. AEDR myocardium, not Vesugen (KED), not Cortagen (AEDP), not Chelohart (Cytomax), not SS-31. GDMT stays.
How does Cardiogen differ from Chelohart?▼
Cardiogen is a specific synthetic tetrapeptide (AEAD), while Chelohart is a Cytomax - a broader polypeptide extract derived from animal heart tissue. Cardiogen provides targeted signaling, whereas extracts provide a wider spectrum of cardiac peptides.

References

  1. Khavinson VKh et al. “Tissue-specific effects of peptides.” Bulletin of Experimental Biology and Medicine (2001). PMID: 11713572
  2. Khavinson VKh, Lin’kova NS, Tarnovskaya SI “Short peptides regulate gene expression.” Bulletin of Experimental Biology and Medicine (2016). PMID: 27909961
  3. Khavinson VKh, Morozov VG “Peptides of pineal gland and thymus prolong human life.” Neuroendocrinology Letters (2003). PMID: 14523363

📚 Related Articles

Epitalon: The Science of Telomerase Activation, Khavinson's Legacy, and Longevity Peptides
14 min read • Longevity
Where to get itOral bioregulator

Affiliate links: we earn a commission if you buy, at no extra cost to you.

Kardium is Vita-Stream's US-made heart bioregulator (Vita Peptides' own house line), a different product from Cardiogen. No trial has tested it.

Browse Kardium

Use code KymataLabs at checkout

See all sources and our full review

← Back to Peptide Library·Bioregulator stacks