Melanotan II
Also called MT-II, MT2, Melanotan 2, Melanotan-II
Educational only, not medical advice. Dosaly reports what has been studied; it isn't a recommendation to use Melanotan II or any amount of it. Talk to a clinician.
Not approved as a medicine by the FDA or EMA (as of October 2026); it is a different compound from afamelanotide (Scenesse), which is approved.
Research applications
- Skin tanning (small pilot phase 1 study in men)
- Erections in psychogenic erectile dysfunction (small crossover study)
- Melanocortin receptors MC1R, MC3R and MC4R
- Serious adverse events with unregulated products (case reports)
What studies have looked at, not proven uses.
What it is
Melanotan II is a lab-made peptide that copies a hormone involved in skin tanning. It was tested in a few small studies, and unregulated products have been linked to serious side effects.
More detail
Melanotan II is a synthetic cyclic peptide developed at the University of Arizona as a more potent, longer-lasting analog of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone. It activates several melanocortin receptors, including MC1R in pigment cells and MC3R and MC4R in the brain. A small pilot phase 1 study in men measured skin tanning, and a small crossover study examined erections in men with psychogenic erectile dysfunction. Development later moved to related compounds (afamelanotide and bremelanotide). Case reports describe serious adverse events in people using unregulated products, and controlled research on melanotan II itself remains small.
Evidence listed here
- 3 human studies
- 1 review
Results from cells and animals often don't carry over to people. How to read peptide research
Molecular info
- Class
- Cyclic peptide (alpha-MSH analog)
- Length
- 7 amino acids
- Sequence
- Ac-Nle-cyclo[Asp-His-D-Phe-Arg-Trp-Lys]-NH2
- Research areas
- Pigmentation, Sexual health
Six of its amino acids form a ring; differs from PT-141 by ending in an amide.
Research
- Human studyCEN Case Rep · 2020Melanotan II: a possible cause of renal infarction: review of the literature and case report.
Case report of renal infarction with a literature review.
- Human studyJ Urol · 1998Synthetic melanotropic peptide initiates erections in men with psychogenic erectile dysfunction: double-blind, placebo controlled crossover study.
Small double-blind crossover study in psychogenic erectile dysfunction.
- Human studyLife Sci · 1996Evaluation of melanotan-II, a superpotent cyclic melanotropic peptide in a pilot phase-I clinical study.
Small pilot phase 1 study measuring skin tanning.
- ReviewPeptides · 2006Melanocortin peptide therapeutics: historical milestones, clinical studies and commercialization.
History of melanocortin analogs, clinical studies and commercialization.