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For research use only. Not for human or veterinary use. Not a drug, food, or dietary supplement.
AMIRAVOResearch Library
Skin · Dosing reference

Melanotan II dosage

What the human evidence does and does not show, how long studies ran, and the arithmetic for working with vials.

Not approved — research use onlyBLimited human dataNone established
Full research pageCycle-length evidenceComparePrefer Amiravo on Google
Regulatory status
Not approved — research use only
Human amounts
None established in humans
Route studied
—
Frequency
Not established
Half-life
Not established
Evidence grade
Grade B · Limited human data
Vial sizes on the market
10 mg
Other forms seen
—

What Melanotan II is

Melanotan II is a synthetic cyclic analog of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone that activates several melanocortin receptors, studied in small early human trials for skin pigmentation and erectile function. It has never been approved as a medicine, and its further development moved to related compounds such as bremelanotide (PT-141). Current literature on its safety consists mainly of case reports from unregulated use.

Melanotan II is a lactam-bridged cyclic heptapeptide derived from the alpha-MSH sequence and was characterized as a superpotent melanotropic agonist in vitro 1. Reports from receptor pharmacology describe that four mammalian melanocortin receptors (MC1R, MC3R, MC4R, MC5R) recognize alpha-MSH and potent agonists of this cyclic class, so the compound is not receptor-selective 6. Pigmentation Reviews attribute the… How it works →

Key evidence

  • Dorr et al., Life Sciences · 1996 · Humans (3 healthy male volunteers)
    Reported nausea, a stretching and yawning complex associated with spontaneous erections, somnolence and fatigue at the higher exposure level, and increased pigmentation in two of three subjects 1. 1
  • Wessells et al., Journal of Urology · 1998 · Humans (10 men with psychogenic erectile dysfunction)
    Clinically apparent erections developed in 8 of 10 men; mean duration of tip rigidity above 80% was 38.0 minutes versus 3.0 minutes with placebo (p = 0.0045); nausea, stretching, yawning and decreased appetite were more frequent with the drug 2. 2
  • Wessells et al., Urology · 2000 · Humans (10 men with erectile dysfunction and organic risk factors)
    Subjectively reported erections followed 12 of 19 drug injections versus 1 of 21 placebo administrations, sexual desire was reported higher after the drug, and 4 of 19 injections were associated with severe nausea 3. 3
All studies on the research page

What the human evidence shows

No approved or established human dose

We searched PubMed and ClinicalTrials.gov and found no human studies that administered Melanotan II. The research described on its page is from cells or animals, and animal amounts do not translate to people.

How long did human studies run?

No human study durations are recorded for Melanotan II.

Cycle-length evidence for Melanotan II

Side effects reported in studies

  • Nausea
    Reported more often than placebo in all three human studies; severe in 4 of 19 injections in one study · Small trials in men (n = 3 to 10) 3
  • Stretching and yawning
    More frequent than placebo; not quantified in the abstracts · Men with erectile dysfunction and healthy volunteers 2
  • Spontaneous penile erections
    Reported intermittently after drug administration in the pilot study · 3 healthy men 1
  • Somnolence and fatigue
    Grade II in one of two subjects at the highest exposure level · 3 healthy men 1
  • Increased pigmentation
    2 of 3 subjects · 3 healthy men (face, upper body, buttock) 1
  • Priapism (case report)
    Single case · One man after subcutaneous injection of melanotan 10
Full adverse-event data

Melanotan II draw calculator

Pick the vial strength and the water added, enter an amount, and see the concentration, the units to draw and how many draws the vial holds. Arithmetic only.

1 · Vial strength
sizes on the market
2 · Water added
3 · Amount per draw
4 · Syringe
Your mix
10 mg + 2 mL water = 5 mg/mL
10 units holds 0.5 mg (500 mcg)
Draw toEnter an amount in step 3
0102030405060708090100
U-100 syringe · 100 units = 1 mL

Computed from your inputs. Not a dose or a recommendation.

Compare water volumes for this vialShow

More water = lower concentration = a larger, easier-to-measure draw. Tap a row to use it.

Watermg/mLDraw
0.5 mL20—
1 mL10—
1.5 mL6.667—
2 mL5—
2.5 mL4—
3 mL3.333—
5 mL2—

Supplies and handling

  • Lyophilized vial
    Sealed vial with the freeze-dried cake. Check the label, lot and the certificate of analysis before opening.
  • Sterile diluent
    The diluent named on the product documentation. Bacteriostatic water contains benzyl alcohol; sterile water does not.
  • Graduated syringes
    Sized to the volume being measured. U-100 insulin syringes are graduated in units where 100 units = 1 mL.
  • Alcohol prep pads
    For wiping vial stoppers before each puncture.
  • Nitrile gloves
    Clean gloves for aseptic handling.
  • Sharps container
    Puncture-resistant container for used needles.
Step-by-step reconstitution guideStorage and transport accessories

Storage

Handling of research-grade lyophilized peptide generally follows the supplier's documentation, which should be treated as authoritative. No storage guidance from a regulated product exists because no approved product exists.

  • Lyophilized (unmixed) vials: typically stored cold and dry, away from light, as the documentation directs. Many are stable longer frozen.
  • Reconstituted vials: typically refrigerated (about 2–8 °C), protected from light and not frozen.
  • Bacteriostatic water contains benzyl alcohol, which inhibits bacterial growth in multi-use vials; sterile water has no preservative.

Handling mistakes and troubleshooting

Added the wrong volume of diluent
The concentration changes, not the amount of compound in the vial. Recalculate with the volume actually added and relabel the vial.
Shook the vial and it foamed
Let it settle in the refrigerator. Foam is a sign of agitation; some peptides aggregate when shaken. Note it on the label.
The solution is cloudy or has particles
Do not use it. Cloudiness can indicate incomplete dissolution, contamination or degradation. Record the lot and contact the supplier with the certificate of analysis.
The powder cake looks melted or shrunken before reconstitution
This can indicate the vial was exposed to heat or moisture. Record the lot and condition on arrival.
Liquid sprayed back when the needle was removed
Pressure built up in the vial. Withdraw a small volume of air while adding diluent to keep pressure neutral.

Regulatory status

Status
Not approved by the FDA for any use: no drug label for melanotan II was found in DailyMed, and FDA Import Alert 66-41 lists melanotan I and II tanning injectables as appearing to be unapproved new drugs 15,18.
United States (FDA)
Melanotan II is not an FDA-approved drug; no label was found in DailyMed, and FDA Import Alert 66-41 includes entries for melanotan I and II tanning injectables described as appearing to be unapproved new drugs 15,18. A related but distinct melanocortin analog, afamelanotide, is the only alpha-MSH analogue described in a 2017 review as approved for medical use, in limited indications 7.
Sport (WADA)
The 2026 WADA Prohibited List text reviewed does not name melanotan II 16. Its S0 class covers pharmacological substances with no current approval by any governmental regulatory health authority for human therapeutic use, which on its wording appears to describe melanotan II; athletes should confirm status with their anti-doping organization 16.

Status varies by country and changes over time. How we describe regulatory status.

Melanotan II compared with related compounds

CompoundStatusEvidenceHuman amountsHalf-life
Melanotan IINot approved — research use onlyBNone established—
Melanotan INot approved — research use only—None established—
PT-141FDA-approvedAFDA labelMean terminal half-life of about 2.7 hou
CerebrolysinApproved outside the USAEx-US labelNot directly measurable (peptide mixture
VesugenNot approved — research use onlyCNone established—
AfamelanotideFDA-approvedAFDA labelApproximately 15 hours (apparent, from t

Frequently asked questions

What doses of Melanotan II have been studied in humans?
None that establish an amount. Melanotan II is not approved anywhere and we found no human studies that administered it. Amiravo does not publish community or vendor figures.
Is there an established Melanotan II cycle length?
No. We found no human studies that report treatment duration for Melanotan II.
How much bacteriostatic water should be added to a Melanotan II vial?
There is no compound-specific volume. The diluent volume only sets the concentration: concentration = mass in the vial ÷ volume added (for example, 10 mg in 2 mL gives 5 mg/mL). The calculator on this page shows the arithmetic for any combination.
How many units is a given amount on an insulin syringe?
On a U-100 syringe, 100 units = 1 mL. Units for an amount = amount ÷ (concentration per unit). The calculator converts any amount you enter at the concentration you choose; a unit is a volume mark, not an amount of compound.
Is Melanotan II FDA-approved?
Not approved — research use only. Not approved by the FDA for any use: no drug label for melanotan II was found in DailyMed, and FDA Import Alert 66-41 lists melanotan I and II tanning injectables as appearing to be unapproved new drugs 15,18.

References

  1. Evaluation of melanotan-II, a superpotent cyclic melanotropic peptide in a pilot phase-I clinical study Life Sci. 1996
  2. Synthetic melanotropic peptide initiates erections in men with psychogenic erectile dysfunction: double-blind, placebo controlled crossover study J Urol. 1998
  3. Effect of an alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone analog on penile erection and sexual desire in men with organic erectile dysfunction Urology. 2000
  4. Melanocortin peptide therapeutics: historical milestones, clinical studies and commercialization Peptides. 2006
  5. Role of melanocortinergic neurons in feeding and the agouti obesity syndrome Nature. 1997
  6. Cyclic lactam alpha-melanotropin analogues of Ac-Nle4-cyclo[Asp5, D-Phe7,Lys10] alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone-(4-10)-NH2 with bulky aromatic amino acids at position 7 show high antagonist potency and selectivity at specific melanocortin receptors J Med Chem. 1995
  7. Risks of unregulated use of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone analogues: a review Int J Dermatol. 2017
  8. Melanoma associated with the use of melanotan-II Dermatology. 2014
  9. Atypical melanocytic naevi following melanotan injection Ir Med J. 2013
  10. Melanotan-induced priapism: a hard-earned tan BMJ Case Rep. 2019
  11. [The risks of tanning with the Barbie drug] Ned Tijdschr Geneeskd. 2022
  12. Identification and characterization by LC-UV-MS/MS of melanotan II skin-tanning products sold illegally on the Internet Drug Test Anal. 2015
  13. Melanotan II nasal spray: a possible risk factor for oral mucosal malignant melanoma? Int J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2025
  14. Changes in Oral Mucosa Associated with Melanotan II Injections: A Case Report Life (Basel). 2026
  15. Import Alert 66-41: Detention Without Physical Examination of Unapproved New Drugs Promoted in the U.S. FDA. 2026
  16. WADA Prohibited List US Food and Drug Administration. 2026
  17. Melanotan II (CID 92432) PubChem. 2026
  18. DailyMed drug label search for melanotan II (zero labels returned on 22 Oct 2026) DailyMed (NLM). 2026

Last reviewed October 22, 2026 by the Amiravo editorial team. Editorial policy · Report an error