Neurotensin vs Leu-enkephalin

Head-to-head comparison of Neurotensin (Neurotensin) and Leu-enkephalin (Tyr-Gly-Gly-Phe-Leu) — benefits, dosing, side effects, research data, and where to buy.

Research Score

PropertyNeurotensinLeu-enkephalin
CategoryPain ManagementPain Management
Full NameNeurotensinTyr-Gly-Gly-Phe-Leu
Molecular Weight1672.94555.63 Da
Half-Lifeminutes1-5 minutes in plasma
Amino Acids135
Typical DoseN/A|N/A0.1-5 ug per animal
RouteIntranasal/experimental injectionIntrathecal / intracerebroventricular
Purity≥98%≥98%
Studies Count811000
Research StatusPre-clinicalPre-clinical

Neurotensin Benefits

  • antinociceptive signaling
  • descending pain modulation
  • preclinical pain research

Leu-enkephalin Benefits

  • delta-opioid activity
  • endogenous analgesic model
  • receptor-selective pharmacology
  • nociception pathway research

Neurotensin Dosing

N/A|N/A

Leu-enkephalin Dosing

Intrathecal 0.1-5 ug per animal|Intracerebroventricular 0.1-2 ug per animal|In vitro 1-100 nM

Neurotensin Side Effects

  • hypotension
  • nausea
  • hypothermia

Leu-enkephalin Side Effects

  • sedation
  • constipation-like opioid effects
  • very short plasma stability

Research Overview

Neurotensin

Neurotensin has reproducible analgesic and neuromodulatory effects in preclinical studies, especially in inflammatory and neuropathic pain paradigms. It is not a standard clinical analgesic, but it is a real non-opioid peptide with pain-relevant biology.

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.

Ready to buy?

Find both peptides from our verified, lab-tested vendors with purity certificates and third-party testing.

Common Stacking Partners

Neurotensin stacks with:

NTS

Leu-enkephalin stacks with:

gabapentinketamine
non-opioidneuropeptideanalgesicopioid-peptideenkephalindelta-opioidanalgesia