At a glance
Effects
- Profound analgesia: Extremely potent pain relief via mu-opioid receptors; reported as the most potent peptide analgesic known in early animal work, far exceeding morphine.[6][2]
- Euphoria / sedation: Classic mu-opioid effects including euphoria, sedation and impaired consciousness.[5][3]
- Respiratory depression: Dose-dependent suppression of breathing through the same mechanism as morphine — but at much lower doses.[3][5]
- Masking of fatigue/injury: In horse-racing abuse it suppressed pain and the feeling of exhaustion, letting animals run through injury.[7]
Mu-opioid receptor agonist (frog-derived heptapeptide)
~30–40x morphine
Injectable (parenteral); not orally established
Banned Class 1 doping agent in racing; research-use-only
High (full mu agonist)
About Dermorphin
Every point here is drawn from public medical and harm-reduction sources. A bracketed number after a claim — like [1]— is a reference: tap it to open the exact source it's based on (numbered list at the bottom). It is not a rating or score. Educational information, not medical advice.
Product specifics
- Est. delivery
- 3–7 business days · EU tracked
Product details as stated by the vendor (claims, not independently verified). Delivery is our standard EU estimate.
What it is
Dermorphin is a naturally occurring opioid heptapeptide (sequence H-Tyr-D-Ala-Phe-Gly-Tyr-Pro-Ser-NH2) first isolated from the skin of South American Phyllomedusa tree frogs in 1981; it is a potent, highly mu-selective opioid-receptor agonist used as a research tool and pharmacophore, not an approved human medicine.[1][2][3] It is roughly 30–40 times more potent than morphine as an analgesic.[2][3]
How it works
Dermorphin is a selective agonist at the mu-opioid receptor (MOR), with greater than 1000-fold selectivity for mu over delta and kappa receptors.[4] Like morphine, MOR activation produces Gi/o-mediated inhibition of adenylyl cyclase, potassium-channel opening and calcium-channel closing in pain-processing neurons, blunting pain signalling and producing euphoria and respiratory depression.[5] Its unusual D-alanine at position 2 — extremely rare in vertebrate peptides — makes it highly resistant to enzymatic breakdown and locks it into a shape that fits the mu receptor exceptionally well, accounting for both its stability and its extreme potency.[1][3]
Risks & side effects
Most important: As a full mu-opioid agonist roughly 30–40 times stronger than morphine, dermorphin can cause life-threatening respiratory depression, and its extreme potency means microgram-level dosing errors can be fatal.[2][3] There is no established human dose and product purity/strength is typically unknown, so overdose risk is very high.[3]
Common
Serious
- Severe respiratory depression — potentially fatal at much lower doses than morphine[3][5]
- High addiction and physical-dependence potential as a full mu agonist[8][4]
- Tolerance and naloxone-precipitated withdrawal on chronic use[9]
- Fatal overdose from microgram-level dosing errors with unknown purity[3]
Rare
- Respiratory arrest and death from overdose[3]
Safety & harm reduction
- Anyone — there is no approved human use; sold research-use-only and not for human administration[3]
- People with respiratory compromise (e.g. COPD, sleep apnea) — opioids worsen breathing[5]
- Anyone with opioid dependence or in recovery, given high addiction potential[8]
- Competition horses/athletes — a banned Class 1 doping substance in racing[7]
Dosage context
There is no established or approved human dose for dermorphin; it is sold for research use only and is not intended for human administration.[3] Because it is roughly 30–40 times more potent than morphine, any active amounts are in the microgram range, and dosing errors at this scale can be fatal — no figure here should be read as a prescription or a safe human dose.[2][3]
Sources
- 1.Wikipedia — Dermorphin
- 2.Sanctuary Treatment Center — Dermorphin (with Nature/PubChem references) (link unavailable)
- 3.Peptide Reference — Dermorphin
- 4.Wikipep — Dermorphin
- 5.Peptide Reference — Dermorphin (mechanism)
- 6.PubMed — [3H]dermorphin mu-opioid binding (Negri et al.)
- 7.BloodHorse — Harsh penalties for Dermorphin (horse doping)
- 8.Sanctuary Treatment Center — dependence/abuse potential (link unavailable)
- 9.PMC — Pharmacological data on dermorphins (tolerance/dependence)
This information is provided for educational and harm-reduction purposes only. It is not medical advice. These substances can carry serious health risks; effects and safe use vary by individual. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before use. Legal status varies by country — it is your responsibility to know your local law. We do not encourage misuse.