Leu-enkephalin vs P11-4
Head-to-head comparison of Leu-enkephalin (Tyr-Gly-Gly-Phe-Leu) and P11-4 (Self-assembling peptide P11-4 (Ac-QQRFEWEFEQQ-NH2)) — benefits, dosing, side effects, research data, and where to buy.
Research Score
| Property | Leu-enkephalin | P11-4 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Pain Management | Dental & Oral |
| Full Name | Tyr-Gly-Gly-Phe-Leu | Self-assembling peptide P11-4 (Ac-QQRFEWEFEQQ-NH2) |
| Molecular Weight | 555.63 Da | 1466 Da |
| Half-Life | 1-5 minutes in plasma | local activity for hours; peptide degraded over time |
| Amino Acids | 5 | 11 |
| Typical Dose | 0.1-5 ug per animal | 0.5-5 mg per lesion |
| Route | Intrathecal / intracerebroventricular | Topical/Intraoral |
| Purity | ≥98% | ≥98% |
| Studies Count | 1000 | 40 |
| Research Status | Pre-clinical | Clinical |
Leu-enkephalin Benefits
- ✓delta-opioid activity
- ✓endogenous analgesic model
- ✓receptor-selective pharmacology
- ✓nociception pathway research
P11-4 Benefits
- ✓enamel remineralization
- ✓early caries arrest
- ✓biomimetic scaffold formation
- ✓minimally invasive repair
Leu-enkephalin Dosing
Intrathecal 0.1-5 ug per animal|Intracerebroventricular 0.1-2 ug per animal|In vitro 1-100 nM
P11-4 Dosing
topical application to cleaned lesion|single-visit in-office application|repeat at follow-up if indicated
Leu-enkephalin Side Effects
- ⚠sedation
- ⚠constipation-like opioid effects
- ⚠very short plasma stability
P11-4 Side Effects
- ⚠transient tooth sensitivity
- ⚠local irritation
- ⚠taste disturbance
Research Overview
Leu-enkephalin
Leu-enkephalin is a standard tool in opioid receptor and pain-transmission research because it helps distinguish delta- from mu-preferring signaling. Its research value is high, but its clinical utility is limited by rapid enzymatic breakdown and delivery challenges.
P11-4
P11-4 has been studied for its ability to penetrate initial carious lesions and self-assemble into a fibrillar matrix that nucleates hydroxyapatite. Human and preclinical studies support its role in non-invasive enamel repair.
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