Khavinson BioregulatorTarget: CartilageMusculoskeletal

Cartalax

Ala-Glu-Asp · AED · Cartilage Bioregulator · Kartalax · Карталакс

Cartalax is synthetic Ala-Glu-Asp (AED), the cartilage cytogen. Sigumir is the joint Cytomax complex. AED is not BPC-157 and not a hyaluronic-acid shot.

Not FDA-approved - research chemical

Quick answer

What it is: Cartalax is synthetic Ala-Glu-Asp (AED), the cartilage cytogen.

Class and target: Cytogen (synthetic short peptide) · Cartilage · sequence AED

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 (tripeptide)
Common vials
5 mg / 10 mg
CAS
N/A
Molecular weight
351.32 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.

  • Injury & tissue3/10

    Musculoskeletal aisle. Not BPC-157 and not an arthritis drug.

Compound card

Sequence
AED
Class
Khavinson cytogen (AED)
Formula
C13H21N3O9
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

Cartalax (Ala-Glu-Asp) is a tripeptide bioregulator targeting cartilage and connective tissue gene expression. It promotes chondrocyte activity, collagen synthesis, and cartilage matrix protein production. Khavinson studies demonstrate improved cartilage regeneration and joint function in animal models and elderly patients with osteoarthritis.

Source: PMID: 11713572

Khavinson map

Canonical 41
Class
Cytogen (synthetic short peptide)
Organ
Cartilage
Target
Cartilage
System
Musculoskeletal
Sequence
AED · Ala-Glu-Asp
Pair
Sigumir (joint/spine Cytomax)
Карталакс

Used in bioregulator stacks

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

The Khavinson school

Cartalax is filed here as cytogen (synthetic short peptide), targeting the cartilage. 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

Chondrocytes live in a tissue with no blood supply worth mentioning, which is why every healing peptide wants this market. Khavinson’s bet is transcriptional: collagen II, proteoglycans, chondrocyte identity. Cartalax is the tripeptide. Sigumir is the complex.

Gotratix is muscle. Different cells. Intra-articular injection of a research cytogen is a leap the papers do not authorize just because the knee hurts.

Caveats

A defined sequence is not an FDA indication. Cartilage 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

  • ✓AED identity vs Sigumir
  • ✓Not an osteoarthritis treatment page

Dosing

PhaseDoseFrequencyNotes
Khavinson Protocol1–2 capsules/day or 1–2 mg SCDaily for 10–30 day courses, 2-3x per yearJoint/cartilage bioregulator. Often paired with Sigumir (bone) for comprehensive musculoskeletal aging support.

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.

Cartalax: oral vs SubQ

Cytomed oral capsule
Bioavailability
No published human F% for this SKU. Di- and tripeptides can ride PEPT1/LAT; that is transporter biology, not proof the capsule treats the named organ. Cytomed cytogen capsules are swallowed.
Dose note
Cartalax 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: Sigumir is the joint/spine Cytomax. Gotratix is muscle (different cells). Not BPC-157 and not a hyaluronic-acid shot.
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.
  • Swallowed AED is the Cytomed presentation. Cartilage has almost no blood supply; that does not turn the capsule into an OA drug.
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.
  • Cartalax is AED, the cartilage cytogen. Intra-articular injection of a research cytogen is a leap the papers do not authorize just because the knee hurts.
  • Gym neighborhood with Gotratix is two tissues (muscle complex + cartilage cytogen), not one stack trial.
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: Sigumir is the joint/spine Cytomax. Gotratix is muscle (different cells). Not BPC-157 and not a hyaluronic-acid shot.
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 AED (Ala-Glu-Asp).
  • Not a Western Phase 3. Russian experimental-gerontology literature is real and concentrated.
  • Not a sublingual tablet and not a Cytomax complex.
  • Cartalax is AED, the cartilage cytogen. Intra-articular injection of a research cytogen is a leap the papers do not authorize just because the knee hurts.
  • Not a labeled viscosupplement. Oral or SubQ research use is already ahead of the evidence; intra-articular is further ahead.
  • No structural OA trial versus placebo MRI like a sprifermin study.
Recommendation: Two SKUs. Swallow Cytomed Cartalax 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: Sigumir is the joint/spine Cytomax. Gotratix is muscle (different cells). Not BPC-157 and not a hyaluronic-acid shot. Cartalax is AED, the cartilage cytogen. Intra-articular injection of a research cytogen is a leap the papers do not authorize just because the knee hurts. Russian literature is real; Western Phase 3 is not. BPC-157 is a Zagreb 15-mer. AED is a Khavinson tripeptide. Different programs.

Timeline

Day 1-10 (course)
Chondrocyte gene expression restoration initiated.
Month 3-6
Improved cartilage matrix markers and joint comfort with repeat courses.

Who it is for

Cartilage / Joint Aging

Low

Cartilage-specific bioregulator. Restores chondrocyte gene expression and collagen synthesis in aging joints.

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

Cartalax is the synthetic AED cytogen for Cartilage. 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

School cycling language is not a US OA label.

Synergies & Common Stacks

+ Sigumir →

Cytogen vs Cytomax. Same aisle, two classes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Cartalax vs Sigumir vs BPC-157?▼
Cartalax = AED cytogen. Sigumir = joint Cytomax. BPC-157 = Zagreb pentadecapeptide, different program.
Inject into the joint?▼
Not a labeled viscosupplement. Oral/SC research use is already ahead of the evidence; intra-articular is further ahead.
Sequence?▼
Ala-Glu-Asp (AED).
Pair with Gotratix?▼
Muscle complex + cartilage cytogen is a gym neighborhood, two tissues.
Oral capsule or injection?▼
Two SKUs. Cytomed Cartalax 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. AED cartilage, not BPC-157, not a hyaluronic-acid shot. Do not treat intra-articular use as labeled.
How does Cartalax help cartilage?▼
Cartalax restores gene expression in chondrocytes suppressed by aging. This improves cartilage matrix protein production, reduces osteoarthritic degradation, and supports joint regeneration. Often recommended alongside Sigumir (bone bioregulator) for comprehensive musculoskeletal anti-aging.

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

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