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RX MT2

Melanotan 2 References: Papers Behind the Claims

What papers support the findings

Which papers support the Melanotan 2 (MT-II) claims? You'll find them in the published papers listed below. When you see a number in square brackets in the text, it points to a paper on this list, and each paper keeps its number everywhere. A DOI link is a permanent web address that opens the paper at its journal. A PMID link opens the paper's summary on PubMed, the government's free library of medical papers. Each entry was checked against its paper before it went on the list.

  1. Dorr RT, Lines R, Levine N, Brooks C, Xiang L, Hruby VJ, Hadley ME. Evaluation of melanotan-II, a superpotent cyclic melanotropic peptide in a pilot phase-I clinical study. Life Sciences. 1996;58(20):1777-1784. ↗
  2. Wessells H, Fuciarelli K, Hansen J, Hadley ME, Hruby VJ, Dorr R, Levine N. Synthetic melanotropic peptide initiates erections in men with psychogenic erectile dysfunction: double-blind, placebo controlled crossover study. Journal of Urology. 1998;160(2):389-393. ↗
  3. Wessells H, Levine N, Hadley ME, Dorr R, Hruby V. Melanocortin receptor agonists, penile erection, and sexual motivation: human studies with Melanotan II. International Journal of Impotence Research. 2000;12 Suppl 4:S74-S79. ↗
  4. Peters B, Hadimeri H, Wahlberg R, Afghahi H. Melanotan II: a possible cause of renal infarction: review of the literature and case report. CEN Case Reports. 2020;9(2):150-153. ↗
  5. Cote I, Sakarya Y, Kirichenko N, Morgan D, Carter CS, Tumer N, Scarpace PJ. Activation of the central melanocortin system chronically reduces body mass without the necessity of long-term caloric restriction. Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology. 2017;95(2):206-214. ↗
  6. Eliason NL, Martin L, Low MJ, Sharpe AL. Melanocortin receptor agonist melanotan-II microinjected in the nucleus accumbens decreases appetitive and consumptive responding for food. Neuropeptides. 2022;96:102289. ↗
  7. Gilhooley E, Daly S, McKenna D. Melanotan II User Experience: A Qualitative Study of Online Discussion Forums. Dermatology. 2021;237(6):966-975. ↗
  8. Sivyer GW. Changes of melanocytic lesions induced by Melanotan injections and sun bed use in a teenage patient with FAMMM syndrome. Dermatology Practice and Concept. 2012;2(3):202a10. ↗
  9. Hjuler KF, Lorentzen HF. Melanoma associated with the use of melanotan-II. Dermatology. 2014;228(1):34-36. ↗
  10. Mallory CW, Lopategui DM, Cordon BH. Melanotan Tanning Injection: A Rare Cause of Priapism. Sexual Medicine. 2021;9(1):100298. ↗
  11. Thurston L, Hunjan T, Mills EG, et al. Melanocortin 4 receptor agonism enhances sexual brain processing in women with hypoactive sexual desire disorder. Journal of Clinical Investigation. 2022;132(19):e152341. ↗
  12. Heijboer AC, van den Hoek AM, Pijl H, et al. Intracerebroventricular administration of melanotan II increases insulin sensitivity of glucose disposal in mice. Diabetologia. 2005;48(8):1621-1626. ↗
  13. Ter Laak MP, Brakkee JH, Adan RA, Hamers FP, Gispen WH. The potent melanocortin receptor agonist melanotan-II promotes peripheral nerve regeneration and has neuroprotective properties in the rat. European Journal of Pharmacology. 2003;462(1-3):179-183. ↗
  14. Raposinho PD, White RB, Aubert ML. The melanocortin agonist Melanotan-II reduces the orexigenic and adipogenic effects of neuropeptide Y (NPY) but does not affect the NPY-driven suppressive effects on the gonadotropic and somatotropic axes in the male rat. Journal of Neuroendocrinology. 2003;15(2):173-181. ↗
  15. Paiva L, Sabatier N, Leng G, Ludwig M. Effect of Melanotan-II on Brain Fos Immunoreactivity and Oxytocin Neuronal Activity and Secretion in Rats. Journal of Neuroendocrinology. 2017;29(2):e12453. ↗
  16. Ugwu SO, Blanchard J, Nguyen LD, Hadley ME, Dorr RT. A comparison of HPLC and bioassay methods for plasma melanotan-II (MT-II) determination: application to a pharmacokinetic study in rats. Biopharmaceutics and Drug Disposition. 1994;15(6):487-499. ↗
  17. Deville M, Charlier C. Barbie drug identification: Not a child's play. Journal of Forensic Sciences. 2024;69(6):2192-2199. ↗
  18. Hadley ME. Discovery that a melanocortin regulates sexual functions in male and female humans. Peptides. 2005;26(10):1687-1689. ↗
  19. Orr E, Grechin C, Kearney N, Yoo L, O'Meara C, Watchorn R. The 'Barbie Drug' — marketing and perceptions of melanotan on social media. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology. 2025;39(3):e308-e310. ↗
  20. Hueso-Gabriel L, Mahiques Santos L, Terrádez Mas L, Santonja López N. Eruptive dysplastic nevi following melanotan use. Actas Dermosifiliogr. 2012;103(8):740-742. ↗