A plain-spoken research digest on Melanotan 2 and the melanocortin peptide literature.
Melanotan 2 Chemical

Melanotan 2 References: The Cited Literature

How to read this list

Every numbered citation across the site maps to an entry below. Each links to its PubMed record. Human studies, animal studies, case reports, and reviews are all included so the basis for each claim is checkable. Melanotan 2 has a small controlled human evidence base and a larger record of rodent studies and case reports — the list reflects that mix.

  1. Hadley ME, Dorr RT. Melanocortin peptide therapeutics: historical milestones, clinical studies and commercialization. Peptides. 2006;27(4):921-930. ↗
  2. Strom MA, et al. Alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH): biology, clinical relevance and implication in melanoma. J Transl Med. 2023;21(1):562. ↗
  3. Hadley ME, Hruby VJ, Blanchard J, Dorr RT, Levine N, Dawson BV, al-Obeidi F, Sawyer TK. Discovery and development of novel melanogenic drugs. Melanotan-I and -II. Pharm Biotechnol. 1998;11:575-595. ↗
  4. Dorr RT, Lines R, Levine N, Brooks C, Xiang L, Hruby VJ, Hadley ME. Evaluation of melanotan-II, a superpotent cyclic melanotropic peptide in a pilot phase-I clinical study. Life Sci. 1996;58(20):1777-1784. ↗
  5. Wessells H, Fuciarelli K, Hansen J, Hadley ME, Hruby VJ, Dorr R, Levine N. Synthetic melanotropic peptide initiates erections in men with psychogenic erectile dysfunction: double-blind, placebo controlled crossover study. J Urol. 1998;160(2):389-393. ↗
  6. Eliason NL, Martin L, Low MJ, Sharpe AL. Melanocortin receptor agonist melanotan-II microinjected in the nucleus accumbens decreases appetitive and consumptive responding for food. Neuropeptides. 2022;96:102289. ↗
  7. Cousen P, Colver G, Helbling I. Eruptive dysplastic nevi following melanotan use. [case report]. 2012. ↗
  8. Peters B, Hadimeri H, Wahlberg R, Afghahi H. Melanotan II: a possible cause of renal infarction: review of the literature and case report. CEN Case Rep. 2020;9(2):159-161. ↗
  9. Breindahl T, et al. Identification and characterization by LC-UV-MS/MS of melanotan II skin-tanning products sold illegally on the Internet. 2015. ↗
  10. Cousen P, Colver G, Helbling I. Eruptive dysplastic nevi following melanotan use. 2012. ↗
  11. alpha-Melanocyte-stimulating hormone-induced eruptive nevi. 2009. ↗
  12. Eruptive melanocytic naevi following melanotan injection. 2009. ↗
  13. Eruptive naevi and darkening of pre-existing naevi 24 h after a single mono-dose injection of melanotan II. 2014. ↗
  14. Dermoscopic changes in melanocytic nevi during use of melanotan II. 2012. ↗
  15. Melanoma associated with the use of melanotan-II. 2014. ↗
  16. Melanotan-associated melanoma. 2011. ↗
  17. Melanotan-associated melanoma in situ. 2012. ↗
  18. Changes of melanocytic lesions induced by Melanotan injections and sun bed use in a teenage patient with FAMMM syndrome. 2012. ↗
  19. Change in moles linked to use of unlicensed "sun tan jab". 2009. ↗
  20. Melanotan II injection resulting in systemic toxicity and rhabdomyolysis. 2012. ↗
  21. Peters B, Hadimeri H, Wahlberg R, Afghahi H. Melanotan II: a possible cause of renal infarction: review of the literature and case report. CEN Case Rep. 2020;9(2):159-161. ↗
  22. Melanotan II overdose associated with priapism. 2013. ↗
  23. Melanotan Tanning Injection: A Rare Cause of Priapism. 2021. ↗
  24. Melanotan-induced priapism: a hard-earned tan. 2019. ↗
  25. Melanotan and the posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome. 2013. ↗
  26. Hemodynamic actions and mechanisms of systemically administered alpha-MSH analogs in mice. 2012. ↗
  27. Systemic but not central nervous system nitric oxide synthase inhibition exacerbates the hypertensive effects of chronic melanocortin-3/4 receptor activation. 2011. ↗
  28. Assessment of the aversive consequences of acute and chronic administration of the melanocortin agonist, MTII. 2003. ↗
  29. Identification and characterization by LC-UV-MS/MS of melanotan II skin-tanning products sold illegally on the Internet. 2015. ↗
  30. LC-HRMS characterization of the skin pigmentation and sexual enhancers melanotan II and bremelanotide sold on the black market of performance and image enhancing drugs. 2021. ↗
  31. Operation resistance: A snapshot of falsified antibiotics and biopharmaceutical injectables in Europe. 2016. ↗
  32. Falsification of biotechnology drugs: current dangers and/or future disasters? 2018. ↗
  33. Risks of unregulated use of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone analogues: a review. 2017. ↗
  34. The unregulated use of melanotan-II is of public health interest to Australian dermatologists. 2017. ↗
  35. Melanotropic peptides: more than just 'Barbie drugs' and 'sun-tan jabs'? 2010. ↗
  36. Risks of unregulated use of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone analogues: a review. 2017. ↗
  37. Afamelanotide for Erythropoietic Protoporphyria. 2015. ↗
  38. Long-term observational study of afamelanotide in 115 patients with erythropoietic protoporphyria. 2015. ↗
  39. PT-141: a melanocortin agonist for the treatment of sexual dysfunction. 2003. ↗
  40. Lan EL, Ugwu SO, Blanchard J, Fang X, Hruby VJ, Sharma S. Preformulation studies with melanotan-II: a potential skin cancer chemopreventive peptide. J Pharm Sci. 1994;83(8):1081-1084. ↗
  41. Change in moles linked to use of unlicensed "sun tan jab". 2009. ↗
  42. The 'Barbie Drug'-marketing and perceptions of melanotan on social media. 2025. ↗
  43. Lan EL, Ugwu SO, Blanchard J, Fang X, Hruby VJ, Sharma S. Preformulation studies with melanotan-II: a potential skin cancer chemopreventive peptide. J Pharm Sci. 1994;83(8):1081-1084. ↗
  44. Allard J, Giuliano F. Central nervous system agents in the treatment of erectile dysfunction: how do they work? Curr Urol Rep. 2001;2(6):488-494. ↗
  45. Paiva L, Sabatier N, Leng G, Ludwig M. Effect of Melanotan-II on Brain Fos Immunoreactivity and Oxytocin Neuronal Activity and Secretion in Rats. J Neuroendocrinol. 2017;29(2):e12454. ↗
  46. Bonchev A. Changes in Oral Mucosa Associated with Melanotan II Injections: A Case Report. Life (Basel). 2026;16(2):265. ↗
  47. Strom MA, et al. Alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH): biology, clinical relevance and implication in melanoma. J Transl Med. 2023;21(1):562. ↗
  48. Ugwu SO, Blanchard J, Nguyen LD, Hadley ME, Dorr RT. A comparison of HPLC and bioassay methods for plasma melanotan-II (MT-II) determination: application to a pharmacokinetic study in rats. Biopharm Drug Dispos. 1994;15(5):383-394. ↗
  49. Skin pigmentation and pharmacokinetics of melanotan-I in humans. 1997. ↗
  50. Lan EL, Ugwu SO, Blanchard J, Fang X, Hruby VJ, Sharma S. Preformulation studies with melanotan-II: a potential skin cancer chemopreventive peptide. J Pharm Sci. 1994;83(8):1081-1084. ↗
  51. Oosterom J, Nijenhuis WA, Schaaper WM, Slootstra J, Meloen RH, Gispen WH, Burbach JP, Adan RA. Conformation of the core sequence in melanocortin peptides directs selectivity for the melanocortin MC3 and MC4 receptors. J Biol Chem. 1999;274(24):16853-16860. ↗