RESEARCH MONOGRAPH · KDC-MN-123

DSIP (Delta Sleep Inducing Peptide)

May 9, 2026 Kodiac biolabs Research Revised May 30, 2026 2 min read

Our opinion on this compound

54/100

Old peptide with persistent claims and persistently thin replication. The name oversells the data

DSIP is a nine-amino-acid peptide first isolated by Schoenenberger and Monnier in Switzerland in 1977, named for the observed effect of inducing delta-wave sleep in EEG recordings of cerebrally-isolated rabbits. The discovery was historically interesting, the subsequent decades have been a long demonstration of how hard it is to replicate the original finding cleanly.

The early Swiss and German literature in the late 1970s and 1980s included claims of sleep induction, pain modulation, stress response modulation, and some anti-addiction effects in animal models. The trouble is that the effect sizes were typically small, the variability across studies was substantial, and the receptor pharmacology never got cleanly worked out. DSIP doesn't have a clearly identified receptor target, which is unusual for a peptide that's been studied for fifty years. The mechanism remains essentially unknown.

Modern peptide-research interest in DSIP picks up in the Russian and Eastern European literature, where small clinical studies have continued through the 1990s and 2000s with claims of sleep quality improvement, pain reduction in chronic pain syndromes, and stress modulation. These trials are mostly small, often single-center, and the methodology is variable. Western replication has been minimal.

What's interesting about DSIP is that the persistent reports from researchers who actually run it tend in similar directions (subjective sleep quality, anxiolysis, some reports of effects on alcohol withdrawal protocols in older Russian literature) even though the mechanism story is so thin. That kind of "consistent anecdote, weak literature" pattern is hard to interpret. Could be a real effect that's been undertested. Could be expectation effects in an unblinded research community. Could be both.

What we like: an old, well-documented peptide with no obvious safety concerns at typical research doses, a real if small literature base, and persistent enough researcher interest that the question hasnt died. As a research tool for studying poorly-characterized peptide effects on sleep architecture, it has a place.

What we dont like is the mechanism vacuum. Fifty years on, we still don't know what DSIP binds to, and the proposed mechanisms (vasopressin-related, opioid-related, GABA-related) have all been individually tested and individually disappointed. That's a long time without resolution.

Sourcing: DSIP is a relatively short and stable peptide, synthesis is straightforward, reputable suppliers can deliver HPLC 98%+ purity material reliably. Reconstitution is standard bacteriostatic-water territory. Storage is normal for short peptides.

Old peptide, unresolved pharmacology, persistent low-volume signal. Honestly we havent run it enough to have a strong opinion, the literature is genuinely thin enough to keep us hedging.

Evidence: 35
Mechanism: 25
Reliability: 45
Safety: 78
Sourcing: 78
Value: 65
Signal: 55
Staying power: 50

Plain-language summary Intrigue 60 / 100

DSIP (delta sleep-inducing peptide) is a 9-amino-acid neuropeptide that consolidates deep slow-wave sleep. Used historically in research as a sleep aid, particularly for opioid withdrawal. Not stocked by Kodiac. This monograph is provided for research and educational reference.

Intrigue 0–100 blends mechanism novelty, evidence strength, and translational potential. Kodiac editorial, not peer-reviewed.

Nonapeptide neuropeptide

An endogenous nonapeptide isolated from rabbit cerebral venous blood with sleep-promoting and stress-modulating activity.

Abstract

DSIP (Trp-Ala-Gly-Gly-Asp-Ala-Ser-Gly-Glu; CAS 62568-57-4; molecular weight 848.81) is a nonapeptide isolated in 1977 by the Schoenenberger-Monnier group from rabbit cerebral venous blood collected during electrically induced slow-wave sleep. The compound is endogenously present in mammalian brain and plasma, with proposed roles in sleep regulation, stress response, and circadian rhythm modulation. Despite the name, the sleep-promoting effect is modest and variable across studies. Mechanism is incompletely characterized; binding sites and downstream signaling have not been definitively established. The compound has been studied in alcohol withdrawal, opioid withdrawal, and chronic pain. Administered subcutaneously or intranasally; oral bioavailability is poor. Reported research dose ranges in the literature use microgram quantities.

Mechanism of action

Incompletely characterized; modulates sleep-wake cycles and stress response. No identified high-affinity receptor.

Reported research dose ranges

Reported research dose ranges in the literature describe microgram quantities administered subcutaneously or intranasally.

References

Schoenenberger GA, Monnier M. Characterization of a delta-EEG-sleep-inducing peptide. PNAS 1977.

Read the full monograph

The full reference document covers compound identification, discovery and developmental history, mechanism of action, pharmacokinetics, reported research dose ranges, sourcing and quality verification, reconstitution and handling, stack interaction considerations, and a curated reference list. Available as a research-use-only PDF download.

KDC-MN-123

The full reference document is provided strictly for research use only. It reports research dose ranges from the published literature, not instructions for use in humans or animals.

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FOR RESEARCH USE ONLY. Not for medical, diagnostic, or therapeutic purposes. Not for human consumption. All information is provided for research and educational purposes only.

Kodiac sells research compounds for investigative use only.

DSIP (Delta Sleep Inducing Peptide)

Abstract

Mechanism of action

Reported research dose ranges

References

Read the full monograph

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Abstract

Mechanism of action

Reported research dose ranges

References

Read the full monograph

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