Leu-enkephalin

Tyr-Gly-Gly-Phe-Leu

5 Amino Acids · MW: 555.63 Da

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Amino Acids

Molecular Weight

555.63 Da

Half-life

1-5 minutes in plasma

Research Score

4.5

Studies

1000

Storage

Store lyophilized at -20°C, reconstituted at 2-8°C

What is Leu-enkephalin?

Leu-enkephalin is an endogenous enkephalin that binds opioid receptors and has well-characterized antinociceptive effects. It is widely used in research on delta-opioid signaling, peptide metabolism, and pain modulation.

Key Benefits & Mechanisms

delta-opioid activity

endogenous analgesic model

receptor-selective pharmacology

nociception pathway research

Research Summary

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.

Related Peptides

Met-enkephalin

Tyr-Gly-Gly-Phe-Met

Met-enkephalin is an endogenous opioid pentapeptide that acts at opioid receptors and produces measurable antinociception in classic pain models. It is one of the foundational peptides used to study endogenous pain-control pathways and enkephalin metabolism.

Pain Management

DADLE

[D-Ala2, D-Leu5]-enkephalin

DADLE is a synthetic enkephalin analog designed to improve opioid-receptor activity and analgesic potency relative to natural enkephalins. It is a classic research compound for delta-opioid and spinal analgesia studies.

Pain Management

DPDPE

[D-Pen2, D-Pen5]-enkephalin

DPDPE is a cyclic enkephalin analog with strong delta-opioid selectivity and a long history in analgesia research. The disulfide-constrained structure makes it a valuable probe for studying receptor selectivity and peptide stability.

Pain Management

Endomorphin-1

Tyr-Pro-Trp-Phe-NH2

Endomorphin-1 is an endogenous tetrapeptide with high mu-opioid receptor affinity and potent analgesic activity in laboratory models. It is often studied as a naturally occurring peptide analgesic candidate and as a comparator for synthetic opioid peptides.

Pain Management