Peptide library / Brain & sleep / Ziconotide
Ziconotide
A synthetic cone snail toxin injected into the spinal fluid for severe chronic pain.
Effects studied or claimed
What it is used or promoted for, and where each effect has actually been seen
- Severe chronic pain not helped by other treatmentsFDA approved
How it is thought to work
Ziconotide blocks N-type calcium channels on pain-signaling nerves in the spinal cord, interrupting pain transmission.
What the evidence shows
Controlled trials showed pain relief in some patients, often with slow dose titration.
Safety and unknowns
A boxed warning covers serious psychiatric symptoms and neurological impairment, so it needs careful monitoring.
Regulatory status
FDA-approved as Prialt in 2004. It must be delivered intrathecally by pump.
Regulatory status changes quickly. This entry was last reviewed on 27 October 2026. Confirm current status with the FDA before relying on it.
More in Brain & sleep
Cerebrolysin
Wellness and performanceA mixture of peptides made from pig brain, used in parts of Europe and Asia after stroke and head injury.
Cibinetide
In clinical trialsAn 11 amino acid peptide derived from erythropoietin that calms inflammation without raising red blood cells.
Trofinetide
FDA-approvedA synthetic analog of a small brain peptide approved for Rett syndrome.
General information, not medical advice. Do not buy or inject unregulated peptides.