Melanotan-2 (MT-2)
Also called MT-II, MT-2
What to know about Melanotan-2 (MT-2)
Melanotan II is an unlicensed synthetic melanocortin analogue studied in very small early human experiments for pigmentation and sexual-response effects.
- How it may work
- It activates several melanocortin receptor subtypes rather than one selective target, affecting pigment production and central autonomic or sexual-response pathways.
- What research found
- An early pilot involved three men; a later crossover study involved ten. Both are far too small to establish general benefit or uncommon harms.
- What is not settled
- Early studies reported nausea, fatigue, yawning, stretching, and spontaneous erections. FDA also cites serious event reports and immune-reaction or impurity concerns for compounded material.
- Research and product status
- Melanotan II has no licensed U.S. product. It is distinct from licensed bremelanotide despite sharing melanocortin pharmacology.
Research reference
- Research amount range
- 0.7–2.1 mg per administration — not a starting amount
- Reference frequency
- Every other day — catalogue input, not a personal schedule
- Evidence route
- Subcutaneous in the cited evidence; formulation matters. Sites and rotation
- Reported timing context
- The three-person pilot alternated active doses with placebo over two weeks; it did not establish an evening, loading, or maintenance schedule.
- What people report
- Two of three participants had measured pigment change one week after the final active dose.
- Model accumulation timescale
- ~8 hours — about five half-lives with regular repeated exposure; not time to a result
- Storage
- Storage and in-use limits depend on the exact formulation and packaging. A compound name alone cannot establish temperature, diluent, or shelf life. Details
- Reported course context
- No validated schedule
A research and community reference, not medical advice. Figures are descriptive, vary between sources, and are not a recommendation for use.
When results may show
- When change was measured
- The only early tanning study enrolled three men. Two showed increased facial, upper-body, and buttock pigmentation one week after the final MT-2 administration; the study used five active doses on alternating weekdays within a two-week period.
- When to assess
- The published pilot assessed pigmentation one week after dosing ended, not after each administration. With only three participants, it cannot establish a reliable personal timeline or maintenance schedule.
- Conditions and limitations
- The pilot reported tanning activity from MT-2 dosing but did not establish a required UV dose. Added sun or tanning-bed exposure is therefore not an evidence-based prerequisite, and no safe exposure target has been established for this use. Burning is skin injury, not a useful endpoint.
- When to stop
- No validated target-color, maintenance, or quit rule exists. Stop and obtain clinician review for a new or changing dark lesion or any severe or persistent reaction. An erection lasting four hours or more needs urgent care.
Research timing is descriptive, not a promise or personal instruction. A severe or persistent reaction needs prompt clinical review. This is not medical advice.
Combination evidence and cautions
What is known and unknown about Melanotan-2 (MT-2) alongside other compounds or medicines.
Key properties
- Formula
- C50H69N15O9
- Mol. weight
- 1,024.2 Da
- CAS
- 121062-08-6
- PubChem CID
- 92432
External references
Structure note
A diagram is a reference representation of the named chemical structure. It does not establish the composition, purity, or identity of any particular vial.
Vial arithmetic
Published research contexts for Melanotan-2 (MT-2) describe 0.7–2.1 mg per administration. Descriptive only, not a recommendation.
Roughly 1–2 hours, but poorly characterized; published estimates vary.
The one human dosing source is a three-subject 1996 safety pilot (Dorr), not a dose-ranging trial, so the tier-A grade and the schedule below both rest on an n=3 sample and should be read as provisional.
Research schedule reference
Reported schedule context for Melanotan-2 (MT-2); not a plan to start or adjust personal use.
These are commonly-discussed research protocols shared for educational reference. Study amounts apply to the source's population, formulation, and oversight; they do not establish personal suitability. This is not medical advice and is not a substitute for guidance from a qualified professional.
| Phase | Amount | Frequency | Route |
|---|---|---|---|
| Three-person pilot exposureActive dosing alternated with placebo. The sample is far too small to establish a repeatable schedule or stopping rule. | 0.01–0.03 mg/kg (about 0.7–2.1 mg for a 70 kg adult) | Five active doses on alternating weekdays over 2 weeks | SubQ |
Modelled level — every other day
1× is the peak after a single dose.
- Steady-state peak
- 1.00× single dose
- Time to steady state
- 8hours
- Administrations
- 3.5/ week
Read off the modelled curve, not an even-interval formula
About five half-lives
Averaged over two weeks
Where these numbers come from
- Dorr RT et al., Life Sci 1996;58:1777A three-person pilot of melanotan-II at 0.01–0.03 mg/kg; two participants had increased pigmentation one week after dosing ended.