Melanotan I Reconstitution Calculator

Yes, for one disease. Melanotan I is afamelanotide ([Nle⁴,D-Phe⁷]-α-MSH), the active drug in SCENESSE, approved as a 16 mg subcutaneous implant for erythropoietic protoporphyria (EPP); a pivotal RCT showed increased pain-free sun exposure and quality of life (RCT). It is not approved for tanning or any cosmetic use. Unlicensed melanocortins are sold as lifestyle products in an unregulated manner, outside the licensed channel,.

Both are synthetic α-MSH analogues, but receptor profiles differ: MT-I retains high melanocortin-1 receptor (MC1R) selectivity, while MT-II has increased MC4R affinity (mechanistic). MC4R activity drives MT-II's extra erectile/libido and appetite effects (and priapism reports, case reports),. Unregulated melanotan use has caused rhabdomyolysis, renal infarction, and priapism (systematic review), plus a melanoma-in-situ case diagnosed 4 weeks after MT-II initiation from a compounding pharmacy (case report). Licensed-dose MT-I (16 mg implants) shows only mild, transient side effects, with 91% of patients continuing treatment (observational).

Licensed: 16 mg implant every 2 months (observational),. An early tanning RCT used 0.16 mg/kg/day subcutaneously for 10 days/month for 3 months, producing significant melanin increases, strongest in Fitzpatrick I–II skin (RCT). Unregulated tanning protocols typically use 0.25–1 mg subcutaneous daily for 1–3 weeks, then 1–2×/week maintenance (community protocol), doses far below the therapeutic implant with no safety data.

MC1R agonism drives eumelanin (brown-black pigment) synthesis without UV (mechanistic). In 9 healthy humans, one 16 mg implant raised melanin density by 2.4–2.9% and reduced UVR-erythema dose-response within 6 days; median minimal erythema dose rose from 21 to 29.9 mJ/cm² (human experimental). Sun/UV exposure amplifies tanning (community protocol). It does not replace sunscreen for skin-cancer protection (practitioner consensus).

Pigmentation develops over days to weeks of administration (RCT). The licensed depot is reimplanted every 60 days. Community protocols: loading phase of 7–14 days, then taper; tan fades over weeks after stopping (community protocol).

In EPP cohorts on 16 mg implants, adverse effects were only mild and transient (observational). Immunogenicity is low: 23/26 patients developed no anti-drug antibodies after up to 6 years of treatment. Risk concentrates in unregulated use: rhabdomyolysis, renal infarction, priapism, and melanoma-in-situ reported after MT-II use (case report). Users of unregulated product should undergo periodic skin/mole surveillance (practitioner consensus).

No human pregnancy or lactation data exist for Melanotan I; approval covers adult patients only. Use during pregnancy or breastfeeding is not recommended (practitioner consensus).

Afamelanotide degrades under acidic, basic, oxidative, UV-light, and heat (60°C) stress, generating at least 14 degradation products via oxidation, truncation, methylation, and deacetylation (in-vitro). Unregulated lyophilized vials: store refrigerated, reconstitute with bacteriostatic water, discard after ~30 days (community protocol). The licensed 16 mg implant is stored and inserted by healthcare professionals.