Immune · Research Phase
Tuftsin
No lawful US pathway
01 · Overview
Tuftsin is a naturally occurring tetrapeptide (Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg) released by enzymatic processing from the Fc domain of the immunoglobulin G heavy chain (PMID 2667894). It binds specific receptors on phagocytic cells and potentiates phagocytosis, motility, and bactericidal and tumoricidal activity in experimental systems (PMID 2667894).
Release of tuftsin depends partly on the spleen, and reduced tuftsin levels after splenectomy or splenic dysfunction have been linked to recurrent infections (PMID 385971).
02 · Research summary & key findings
In patients with liver cirrhosis, tuftsin activity was reduced and associated with more bacterial infections, and adding synthetic tuftsin to patient neutrophils in the lab normalized their impaired phagocytic activity (PMID 11950821). Many tuftsin analogs and conjugates have been developed for anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and vaccine uses (PMID 28745220), and a tuftsin-phosphorylcholine conjugate has shown benefit in mouse models of autoimmunity (PMID 39159711). No controlled clinical trials of tuftsin itself were found and no product has been approved.
03 · Regulatory status
Tuftsin is in the research phase with limited clinical data in humans. Current evidence is primarily derived from preclinical (animal or in vitro) studies.
No lawful pathway today
Tuftsin is not FDA-approved and does not currently have a lawful prescription or compounding pathway in the United States, so we do not sell it and will not book a consultation for it. That can change: in 2026 FDA began reviewing several peptides for compounding.
See the 1 FDA-approved compound in Immune
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04 · Administration routes
- Subcutaneous injection
- Intravenous
References
- [1]Impaired tuftsin activity in cirrhosis: relationship with splenic function and clinical outcome Gut, 2002. PMID 11950821
- [2]Tuftsin: its chemistry, biology, and clinical potential Crit Rev Biochem Mol Biol, 1989. PMID 2667894
- [3]Tuftsin - Properties and Analogs Curr Med Chem, 2017. PMID 28745220
- [4]The clinical and physiological aspects of tuftsin deficiency syndromes exhibiting defective phagocytosis Klin Wochenschr, 1979. PMID 385971
- [5]Helminth derivative tuftsin-phopshorylcholine to treat autoimmunity Autoimmun Rev, 2024. PMID 39159711
Primary literature
- PubMed: "Tuftsin"
Peer-reviewed literature indexed by the National Library of Medicine.
- ClinicalTrials.gov: "Tuftsin"
Registered interventional and observational studies, including status and phase.
- PubChem: "Tuftsin"
Chemical structure, molecular properties, and bioactivity data.
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