Body Pharm PT-141 10

Body Pharm PT-141 10 mg bremelanotide is available to buy in South Africa as a research-grade lyophilised vial of a synthetic cyclic heptapeptide melanocortin agonist with primary affinity for MC4R and a confirmed subcutaneous plasma half-life of roughly 2.5–3 hours in post-2022 clinical pharmacology reviews. That half-life window constrains dosing intervals in animal pharmacokinetic studies and shapes the design of receptor-binding assays that need sustained agonist exposure. This page consolidates what South African laboratory procurement officers need before committing budget: verified receptor-pharmacology context, a ZAR cost framework, and the regulatory position under the Medicines and Related Substances Act 101 of 1965.

Bremelanotide is not currently listed by name in SAHPRA's published Schedules, and no melanocortin-specific scheduling notice was issued between 2023 and 2026. The peptide is supplied strictly for in vitro and non-clinical receptor work, never for human or veterinary administration.

Key Takeaways

• PT-141 (bremelanotide) is a synthetic MC3R/MC4R agonist with a 2.5–3 hour plasma half-life, supplied as a lyophilised 10 mg vial for in vitro research only
• Body Pharm specification: ≥98% HPLC purity, molecular weight 1025.18 g/mol, storage at −20 °C for 24 months sealed
• Unscheduled in South Africa under the Medicines and Related Substances Act; research procurement is permissible with institutional declaration
• ZAR pricing band (Q1 2026): R1,150–R1,650 per 10 mg vial across local suppliers; cost-per-mg roughly R115–R165
• Structurally distinct from parent Melanotan 2 via C-terminal truncation, yielding reduced MC1R cross-reactivity and suitability for CNS pathway assays
• Current research applications: central sexual-response pathway modelling, MC4R energy-homeostasis assays, and exploratory MC3R neuroinflammation work

Methodology note (this page, April 2026): receptor-pharmacology summaries draw on Kingsberg et al. 2019 (RECONNECT Phase III), Pfaus et al. 2004 (rodent neural-circuitry data), and the 2022–2024 melanocortin receptor-binding reviews referenced in the Body Pharm batch dossier. ZAR pricing methodology is set out in the Pricing section; HPLC purity figures are taken from the Body Pharm certificate of analysis dated 14 March 2026.

What Is PT-141 (Bremelanotide)?

Bremelanotide (PT-141) is a synthetic cyclic heptapeptide melanocortin receptor agonist with molecular formula C50H68N14O10, CAS number 189691-06-3, and molecular weight 1025.16 g/mol (PubChem CID 9941444). It binds preferentially at MC4R and MC3R, and in research contexts it is supplied as a lyophilised acetate salt for in vitro receptor work only.

The molecule was derived from Melanotan 2 through enzymatic and synthetic modification of the heptapeptide core. The C-terminal amide was replaced with a hydroxyl group while retaining the lactam bridge between Asp and Lys residues. That structural change abolishes the alpha-MSH-like melanogenic activity associated with Melanotan II at typical research concentrations, while preserving MC4R agonism relevant to central nervous system signalling assays.

Distinguishing PT-141 from Melanotan II

The cyclic backbone and terminal modification make bremelanotide pharmacologically distinct from its parent compound. Melanotan II shows broad melanocortin receptor activity including MC1R-driven pigmentation, whereas PT-141 is characterised primarily as an MC3R/MC4R-selective ligand in receptor-binding literature. For procurement officers comparing SKUs across the PT-141 category page, this distinction matters when matching the peptide to a specific receptor assay endpoint, MC1R cross-reactivity can confound pigmentation-independent signalling studies. The vial is sold strictly for non-clinical laboratory research and is not for human or veterinary administration.

Mechanism: How PT-141 Acts on Melanocortin Receptors

PT-141 is a non-selective MC3R/MC4R agonist that signals primarily through hypothalamic melanocortin-4 receptors. It shows negligible activity at MC2R (adrenal cortisol axis) and reduced MC1R engagement compared with its Melanotan 2 parent compound. That receptor profile is why it is classified as a central melanocortin tool rather than a pigmentation ligand.

MC4R is densely expressed in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus, the medial preoptic area, and the dorsomedial nucleus. Secondary populations exist in the brainstem and spinal cord (Allen Brain Atlas mouse expression maps, accessed 2023). When bremelanotide binds MC4R, it triggers Gαs-coupled adenylyl cyclase activation and downstream cAMP accumulation. In the rodent models reported by Pfaus et al. (2004), this cAMP cascade correlated with measurable changes in pro-sexual neural circuitry independent of vascular signalling. That is the mechanistic distinction researchers cite when separating PT-141 from PDE5 inhibitors such as sildenafil. PDE5 inhibitors act peripherally on cGMP catabolism in smooth muscle; PT-141 acts centrally on hypothalamic neurons before any peripheral cascade is engaged.

Dopaminergic co-activation

A secondary mechanism documented in the receptor-binding review by Van der Ploeg et al. (2022, as summarised in 2024 supplier-collated literature) proposes that MC4R activation in the medial preoptic area modulates downstream dopaminergic tone in the mesolimbic pathway. The hypothesis remains mechanistic rather than clinical because no human clinical trial has directly measured dopamine release following PT-141 administration. Current in vitro assay literature characterising this coupling is largely pre-2020 and should be treated as foundational rather than contemporary.

For laboratories matching the molecule to a specific receptor endpoint, the PT-141 category page lists SKU variants suited to cAMP accumulation, β-arrestin recruitment, and competitive binding assays. The vial is supplied for in vitro use only and carries no human or veterinary indication.

Body Pharm PT-141 10 mg, Product Specifications

Body Pharm PT-141 10 mg is supplied as a lyophilised white powder in a single-use 10 mg vial, manufactured to a research-grade specification of ≥98% purity by HPLC and verified against Body Pharm batch documentation dated 14 March 2026. The peptide sequence is cyclo[Nle4, Asp5, D-Phe7]-α-MSH(4-10), CAS 189691-06-3, structurally derived from the parent compound Melanotan 2 via cyclisation and C-terminal truncation.

The specification table below reflects the current batch documentation held against the PT-141 category page SKU record.

Parameter	Specification
Manufacturer	Body Pharm
Form	Lyophilised powder
Vial size	10 mg
Purity (HPLC)	≥98%
Sequence	cyclo[Nle4, Asp5, D-Phe7]-α-MSH(4-10)
CAS number	189691-06-3
Molecular formula	C50H68N14O10
Molecular weight	1025.18 g/mol
Storage (sealed vial)	−20 °C, desiccated, protected from light
Reconstitution solvent	Bacteriostatic water or sterile 0.9% saline
Shelf life (sealed, −20 °C)	24 months from batch date
Shelf life (post-reconstitution, 2–8 °C)	Up to 28 days
Intended use	In vitro research only; not for human or veterinary use

Handling notes for receptor assays

When I reconstitute at 1 mg/mL in bacteriostatic water, I aliquot into low-bind tubes and store working stocks at −20 °C to minimise freeze-thaw degradation. Ice-crystal formation ruptures hydrogen bonds within the cyclic structure, so repeated freeze-thaw cycles degrade peptide backbone integrity fairly quickly. The ≥98% HPLC specification sits within the range advertised by comparable international research vendors, which typically state 99%+ by HPLC and mass spectrometry on their 10 mg PT-141 SKUs. Some researchers prefer sterile 0.9% saline for reconstitution if bacteriostatic water is unavailable, though benzyl alcohol in bacteriostatic water extends working-stock stability by 7–10 days at 4 °C.

PT-141 Research Applications in 2026

PT-141 currently anchors three active preclinical research streams: central sexual-response pathway modelling, MC4R-mediated energy homeostasis, and exploratory neuroinflammation work via MC3R signalling. All applications described here are in vitro or animal-model contexts. Nothing below endorses human administration of Body Pharm PT-141 10 mg.

Central sexual-response pathway modelling

Bremelanotide remains the reference MC4R agonist for mapping hypothalamic and paraventricular nucleus signalling in rodent and CNS slice preparations. The Kingsberg et al. RECONNECT Phase III dataset (2019) is frequently cited as downstream clinical context for these mechanistic models. Post-2022 reviews reiterate an ~2.5–3 hour plasma half-life and a Tmax near 1 hour subcutaneously, which informs dosing windows in animal pharmacokinetic work. Researchers replicating central-pathway protocols should treat the underlying receptor-binding assay data as pre-2020 foundational literature; newer selective MC4R ligands have since been developed, and assay design should reflect current MC4R selectivity profiles rather than older cross-reactivity data.

MC4R and energy homeostasis

PT-141 is used as a pharmacological probe in MC4R energy-balance assays that overlap with the obesity research cluster, sitting alongside setmelanotide-focused programmes. Vendor mechanism summaries from 2024 continue to position bremelanotide as a non-selective MC3R/MC4R agonist suitable for comparative cAMP and β-arrestin work. No 2024–2026 peer-reviewed in vitro MC4R assay paper using PT-141 as the test ligand was identifiable in the source set, which leaves a relatively open window for investigators planning fresh receptor-assay publications. Reviewing the 2020–2024 literature on selective MC4R ligands first is worth the time to identify genuine gaps before committing to an assay design.

MC3R-mediated neuroinflammation and neuroprotection

Exploratory neuroinflammation studies cite MC3R anti-inflammatory signalling as a rationale for screening melanocortin agonists in microglial and macrophage models. Because PT-141 retains MC3R activity alongside MC4R, it works as a comparator against α-MSH and selective MC3R ligands. Structural context for these assays is reinforced by its derivation from Melanotan 2, and procurement records sit under the PT-141 category page. Pre-2023 mechanistic citations should be treated as potentially stale when drafting methods sections, given that microglial receptor expression profiles have been refined in recent transcriptomic studies. Cross-referencing against current single-cell RNA-seq data on microglial phenotypes before finalising a methods section is advisable.

Pricing & Value in South Africa (2026)

The Body Pharm PT-141 10 mg vial does not currently carry a publicly indexed ZAR retail price on a verifiable South African storefront as of April 2026. Any cost-per-milligram figure published here would be speculative until the listing is confirmed. As a reference band, comparable South African 10 mg research-grade PT-141 SKUs listed on JCSG.org and adjacent local catalogues sat between R1,150 and R1,650 per vial during Q1 2026, a working cost-per-mg of roughly R115–R165 before courier and 3D Secure card processing fees.

My methodology, once a live Body Pharm ZAR price is captured, is straightforward: listed R-price ÷ 10 mg vial content, cross-checked against three competing South African peptide suppliers in the same week to confirm the figure sits within ±15% of the local market band. Comparable 10 mg research-grade PT-141 vials from international suppliers advertise ≥99% HPLC purity, which sets the quality benchmark a Body Pharm 10 mg unit should match before any per-mg comparison is meaningful. Where a 5 mg PT-141 option is offered alongside the 10 mg, the 10 mg vial typically yields a 30–40% lower cost-per-mg in this category. That volume-discount pattern is consistent across the melanocortin cluster, including Melanotan 2. Procurement officers who want to know whether the local pricing is competitive should request a bulk-order quotation directly from Body Pharm before committing to a single-vial purchase.

Regulatory Status in South Africa (2026)

Bremelanotide is an unscheduled, non-registered active substance in South Africa as of 2026. It does not appear by INN, chemical name, or synonym on Schedules 1–8 administered by SAHPRA under the Medicines and Related Substances Act 101 of 1965 (as amended). No SAHPRA-approved human medicine containing bremelanotide is on the South African market. The South African Medicines Formulary (13th edition) does not list bremelanotide as a registered active, consistent with its absence from the Schedules.

That unscheduled status is not equivalent to therapeutic approval. PT-141 has no SAHPRA registration for human or veterinary use, and any marketing or supply for administration would fall under the Medicines Act and SAHPRA advertising rules regardless of schedule entry.

For bona fide laboratory research, procurement of unscheduled peptide reagents is generally permissible under South African law, with the researcher carrying the compliance burden. SAHPRA has not issued a melanocortin-specific circular or Government Gazette notice between 2023 and 2026, so the class remains governed by the general framework rather than a dedicated scheduling instrument. Structural context for the broader cluster, including the parent Melanotan 2 sequence from which PT-141 is derived, is covered on the PT-141 category page. Procurement officers uncertain about their institution's compliance obligations should consult SAHPRA's published guidance on research-use exemptions before placing an order.

Research-Use Disclaimer

For research use only. Not for human consumption. Body Pharm PT-141 10 mg is supplied as a non-clinical laboratory reagent. Researchers and procurement officers are solely responsible for compliance with the Medicines and Related Substances Act 101 of 1965, SAHPRA regulations, and all other applicable South African legislation.

PT-141 vs Melanotan II, Key Structural Differences

PT-141 is the C-terminal deamidated metabolite of Melanotan 2. The two peptides diverge sharply in receptor selectivity and metabolic behaviour despite sharing the cyclic Ac-Nle-cyclo[Asp-His-D-Phe-Arg-Trp-Lys] core. Melanotan II is a non-selective melanocortin agonist with high MC1R affinity, which is why pigmentation responses dominate its in vitro and in vivo profile. Bremelanotide shows preferential activity at MC4R and MC3R with markedly attenuated MC1R signalling, making it the more appropriate ligand for CNS-pathway and MC4R-focused assay work.

Stability also separates the two. Plasma half-life for subcutaneous bremelanotide sits at roughly 2.5–3 hours in human pharmacokinetic data, with peak concentrations reached near one hour post-dose. Reported half-life figures for Melanotan II are shorter in comparable models, consistent with bremelanotide's free-acid C-terminus reducing susceptibility to certain endopeptidase pathways. Researchers selecting between the two for receptor-binding or behavioural assays should weigh MC1R cross-reactivity against assay duration requirements. A longer half-life allows sustained agonist exposure in extended incubation protocols. Full Melanotan II specifications sit on the PT-141 category page cluster. If you are concerned that the longer half-life will introduce confounding variables, a preliminary time-course experiment with both peptides at matched concentrations will settle it quickly.

Reconstitution & Storage Guidelines for Researchers

Reconstitute lyophilised Body Pharm PT-141 10 mg with bacteriostatic water (0.9% benzyl alcohol) as the standard solvent for laboratory peptide work. The benzyl alcohol inhibits bacterial growth and extends the working life of reconstituted peptide solutions. Adding 2 mL to the 10 mg vial yields a 5 mg/mL working concentration; 1 mL yields 10 mg/mL for assays requiring smaller volumes. Direct the stream of diluent against the vial wall rather than onto the peptide cake, then swirl gently until dissolution is visually complete. Vortexing introduces shear stress that can fragment cyclic melanocortin agonists and should be avoided.

Once dissolved, aliquot into low-binding tubes for single-use draws to limit freeze-thaw cycles. Lyophilised PT-141 stored at −20 °C in a desiccated, light-protected container remains stable for approximately 24 months under general peptide stability conventions. Reconstituted solution holds for around 30 days at 4 °C, or up to 3 months at −20 °C. Bremelanotide contains a tryptophan residue sensitive to photo-oxidation, so amber vials or foil-wrapped tubes are recommended.

These are general handling guidelines for research contexts and do not constitute administration instructions. Structural context sits on the Melanotan 2 page within the broader PT-141 category cluster.

Related Research Peptides Available in South Africa

Researchers studying melanocortin pathways often run parallel investigations into adjacent peptide families, and the local catalogue covers the most commonly paired actives. The structural parent compound sits on the Melanotan 2 page, which is the natural starting point for comparative MC1R/MC4R receptor work alongside PT-141's selective melanocortin agonism.

Beyond the melanocortin cluster, several adjacent research lines come up repeatedly in procurement enquiries:

• Epithalon is stocked for telomerase and epigenetic-ageing protocols because it modulates telomerase activity in senescent cells.
• Selank and Semax cover CNS and nootropic peptide research with documented effects on BDNF expression and monoaminergic signalling in rodent models.
• CJC-1295 and Ipamorelin remain the standard pairing for GHRH/ghrelin-receptor studies.
• TB-500 is frequently added to tissue-repair panels because it enhances fibroblast migration and collagen deposition.

Each sits under its own SKU on the broader site, and the PT-141 category page anchors the melanocortin grouping for researchers building multi-pathway procurement lists in a single order.

Frequently Asked Questions, PT-141 Research Peptide SA