PeptideCompareMelanotan-2 — EU legal status matters here.
Melanotan-2 (MT-2) is a cyclic heptapeptide analogue of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone. It stimulates melanin production (tanning without UV) and has aphrodisiac/libido effects. It is one of the few research peptides where the legal status in the EU has been explicitly addressed in multiple countries — and it is not always the same answer.
EU country-specific legal status
Melanotan-2 is one of the few research peptides that has been explicitly regulated in multiple EU countries. In the UK (post-Brexit) it became a prescription-only medicine in 2015 — illegal to sell without prescription. In Ireland it is also controlled. In the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and most other EU member states it remains in a gray area as a research chemical, but enforcement attention has increased due to its popularity as a cosmetic tanning product.
Molecular information
Pharmacokinetics
Potency retained over time
Each line is one storage condition: it starts at 100% and falls as potency is lost. Above the dashed 80% line the material is considered reliable — hover for exact values.
⚠ Computed from molecular properties (sequence length, cyclisation, residues prone to oxidation or deamidation, light sensitivity), per compound. Indicative only — not lab-measured per batch.
Compare Melanotan-2 prices across EU suppliers
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Frequently asked questions
What is Melanotan-2? ▾
Melanotan-2 is a melanocortin agonist (MC1R and MC4R) studied for skin darkening (tanning) and, via MC4R, sexual function. It is the pathway from which bremelanotide (PT-141) was developed.
Is Melanotan-2 legal in the EU? ▾
It is one of the few research peptides explicitly regulated in several countries: prescription-only in the UK since 2015 and controlled in Ireland, while in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and most other member states it remains a gray-area research chemical.
What does the research show? ▾
It is a potent MC1R agonist that produces skin darkening at low cumulative doses in human studies, with moderate evidence for MC4R-mediated erectogenic effects and limited early-stage data on appetite.
Is Melanotan-2 safe for cosmetic tanning? ▾
No. Several EU health agencies have issued safety warnings, and it has been associated in case studies with adverse changes in existing moles and melanoma reports, though causation is not established. It is for research use only.
How is Melanotan-2 different from PT-141? ▾
PT-141 (bremelanotide) was developed from the MC4R-related sexual-function pathway of Melanotan-2 and is more selective for that effect, whereas MT-2 also strongly activates MC1R and drives pigmentation.
Is Melanotan-2 banned in sport? ▾
Yes. It appears on the WADA prohibited list (S0).
References
- Case report: a man injected 6 mg of internet-bought melanotan II and developed sympathomimetic toxicity and rhabdomyolysis, with creatine kinase peaking near 17,800 IU/L and three days in intensive care. The injected material was confirmed as melanotan II by mass spectrometry. Nelson ME, Bryant SM, Aks SE. Clin Toxicol (Phila). 2012;50(10):1169–1173. DOIPubMed 23121206
- Review contrasting the two compounds directly. Melanotan-II is smaller than afamelanotide, crosses the blood-brain barrier, and carries additional effects including nausea and spontaneous erections. Both melanotan-I and -II sold commercially are unregistered and without regulatory oversight. Kerkhof MW, et al. Expert Rev Clin Pharmacol. 2021;14(2):151–160. DOI