Melanotan 1 (also referred to as Afamelanotide) is a synthetic peptide variant of a peptide hormone, called alpha-Melanocyte stimulating hormone or MSH that is naturally produced in the body and is responsible for stimulating melanogenesis, a peptide process for pigmentation of the skin. Alpha-MSH activates certain melanocortin receptors in the process of exerting its effects. Indeed, MSH also exerts potent influence over lipid metabolism, appetite, and sexual libido via these melanocortin receptors. As a result, Melanotan-1 sunless skin tanning effects. While Melanotan 2 and PT-141 have been studied at length as a potential remedies for the treatment of sexual dysfunction, Melanotan-1 has been researched extensively for use in protecting against the harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation from sunlight due to its melanogenesis-stimulating properties.
Both Melanotan-1 and Melanotan-2 are analogs of the peptide hormone alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-MSH) that tend to induce skin tanning. Unlike Melanotan 1, Melanotan 2 has been shown to have aphrodisiac properties, the additional effect of increasing libido. Melanotan-1 is a non selective agonist of the melanocortin receptors (MC1R,MC3-5R). As an analogue of α-MSH, its mechanism of action is biomimicry of the natural mammalian tanning process.
