Dihexa 10mg Dosage & Mixing Guide

What is Dihexa?

Dihexa (PNB-0408, N-hexanoic-Tyr-Ile-(6)-aminohexanoic amide) is an angiotensin IV analog studied as a hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) potentiator acting at the c-Met receptor. The 10mg vial is the common research size; the 5mg vial follows the same solvent logic at half the scale.

Despite sitting in the cognitive category next to Semax and Selank, Dihexa behaves nothing like them in the vial. It is a lipophilic capped molecule of about 505 Da, and it does not go into water.

Reconstitution

Dihexa is not water soluble. Bacteriostatic water alone will leave the powder cloudy or clumped, so the site’s usual “draw BAC water and swirl” routine does not apply to this compound.

The practice used by RUO suppliers and in the cell-culture literature is a two-stage co-solvent: dissolve in DMSO first, then dilute the clear stock with bacteriostatic water.

For a 10mg vial:

1. Add 1mL DMSO to the vial. That is a 10mg/mL DMSO stock, the concentration most reference protocols use.
2. Once fully clear, add 3mL bacteriostatic water slowly, in stages.
3. Final volume 4mL, final concentration 2.50mg/mL, roughly 25% DMSO by volume.

Add the water gradually and swirl between additions. Adding it all at once is the usual reason a clear stock suddenly goes milky — the compound has dropped back out of solution. More on that failure mode in the dissolution troubleshooting guide.

If you want a more concentrated working solution, keep the 1mL DMSO stock and dilute only the aliquot you need, rather than pushing the whole vial past what the water fraction will hold.

Quick Reference

Reconstitution Guide

Materials Needed

• Dihexa 10mg lyophilized vial
• DMSO (high purity, anhydrous, sealed — DMSO is hygroscopic)
• Bacteriostatic water (BAC water)
• Insulin syringes (U-100, 29-31 gauge)
• Alcohol swabs
• Sharps container

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Prepare workspace — Clean environment, gather materials, thorough handwashing. Wear gloves; DMSO carries dissolved material through skin.
2. Clean vial stoppers — Wipe the Dihexa vial and both solvent containers with alcohol swabs. Allow complete drying.
3. Draw DMSO — Draw 1mL DMSO with a sterile syringe. Use it promptly rather than leaving DMSO sitting in the barrel.
4. Add to peptide — Inject slowly down the inside wall of the vial, not onto the powder directly.
5. Dissolve fully — Swirl gently until completely clear. Do not proceed while anything is still floating. Warming the vial in your hand helps; no shaking.
6. Dilute with BAC water — Add 3mL bacteriostatic water in three roughly equal additions, swirling after each.
7. Verify — Solution should be clear throughout. Cloudiness means partial precipitation.
8. Label and store — Note the reconstitution date, solvent ratio, and final concentration. Refrigerate.

Dosage Protocol

Concentration Calculations

With 10mg peptide in 4mL total volume (1mL DMSO + 3mL BAC water):

• Concentration: 10mg / 4mL = 2.50mg/mL (2500mcg/mL)
• Per unit (U-100 syringe): 2.50 x 1000 / 100 = 25mcg per unit

Total volume is what sets the concentration, DMSO fraction included — but record the ratio alongside the number so anyone repeating the work knows what the vehicle was. Rebuild this table for your own vial and volume with the peptide reconstitution calculator.

Common Dose Calculations

Research Considerations

Mechanism

Dihexa is a metabolically stabilised angiotensin IV derivative, capped at both termini so peptidases cannot degrade it — which is why its reported serum stability runs to hours rather than the parent compound’s couple of minutes. It binds HGF with high affinity and is described as potentiating HGF signalling at c-Met, driving dendritic spine formation and synaptogenesis in hippocampal culture. Rodent studies reported reversal of scopolamine-induced memory deficits and improvement in aged animals.

Two things belong next to those claims. First, the 2014 JPET paper that established the HGF/c-Met mechanism was retracted in April 2025 after a university investigation found falsified figure data, and the 2013 characterisation paper carries a 2021 Notice of Concern from the same journal. Second, c-Met is a growth-signalling receptor with a well-documented role in tumour biology, which is a major reason the compound never reached human testing. There is no human trial and no human pharmacokinetic dataset.

The compound remains an interesting pharmacological tool. It is just a much thinner evidence base than the marketing around it implies.

Sourcing for Research

Source from verified suppliers that provide third-party testing and certificates of analysis (COA) for each batch. For Dihexa, one quick vendor filter: does the product page acknowledge that the compound needs DMSO? A listing that says “reconstitute with bacteriostatic water” has not handled it. Some suppliers include a DMSO ampoule with the vial. Compare purity documentation, shipping conditions, and batch traceability before purchasing research materials.

Storage Requirements

Lyophilized (Powder)

• Temperature: -20°C or colder
• Duration: 2+ years
• Conditions: Dry, dark, tightly sealed and protected from moisture

Reconstituted

• Temperature: 2-8°C (refrigerated)
• Duration: 2-4 weeks
• Conditions: Protected from light, never freeze

Note that neat DMSO solidifies at around 18.5°C, so an undiluted 1mL DMSO stock will set solid in a fridge. Once diluted to roughly 25% DMSO in water the solution stays liquid at 2-8°C. If you are holding pure DMSO stock instead, aliquot it into single-use portions and keep it frozen to avoid repeated freeze-thaw.

Safety Considerations

• Dihexa is a research compound
• Not approved for any indication in any jurisdiction
• Research use only — not for human consumption
• DMSO is a potent solvent carrier — handle with gloves, avoid skin contact
• Use sterile technique; never reuse needles or syringes

Scientific References

1. McCoy AT, et al. Evaluation of metabolically stabilized angiotensin IV analogs as procognitive/antidementia agents. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 2013;344(1):141-154. (Notice of Concern, J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 2021;378(3):313.)
2. Benoist CC, et al. The procognitive and synaptogenic effects of angiotensin IV-derived peptides are dependent on activation of the HGF/c-Met system. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 2014;351(2):390-402. Retracted April 2025.
3. Cognitive Vitality / Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation review of Dihexa: no human data, preclinical stage only.

Last updated: 2026-07-21.

Disclaimer: This information is for educational and research purposes only. Dihexa is a research compound and is not approved for any use. Research-grade peptides are not intended for human consumption. Always follow applicable laws and institutional guidelines.