MT-2 (Melanotan II)
Research highlights
- ✓Non-selective melanocortin receptor agonist (MC1R–MC5R)
- ✓Relevant to pigmentation biology, sexual-behaviour and appetite research
- ✓One of the most studied peptides in melanocortin pathway research
- ✓Extremely cost-effective access to this widely referenced compound
Read Carl's plain-English guide: MT-2 (Melanotan II) on Peptide Carl ›
What is Melanotan II?
Melanotan II is a synthetic analogue of alpha-MSH that non-selectively activates melanocortin receptors. It has been studied for its effects on skin pigmentation, sexual function and feeding behaviour.
What purity is guaranteed?
Where we hold an independent Janoshik report for a compound we publish it in full - batch number, purity and a verification key you can check against the lab yourself. Where we do not hold one the product is marked research grade and we say so, rather than claim a report we cannot produce.
MT-2 (Melanotan II), explained
The short version: MT-2 is a shortened, ring-shaped analogue of alpha-MSH, first tested in people at the University of Arizona. It darkens skin but also acts on sexual-arousal pathways, it has never been approved as a medicine, and dermatologists have published a string of case reports about changing moles.
What it is
Where Melanotan I is a full-length copy of alpha-MSH, MT-2 keeps only seven amino acids and closes them into a ring with a lactam bridge. Its developers described it as superpotent in lab tests, and its effects in people go well beyond pigment.
What has been studied
The only formal human study is a 1996 pilot phase 1 trial from the University of Arizona in three healthy men, alternating injections with saline over two weeks. Two of the men had darker skin on the face, upper body and buttocks a week after the last dose. Mild nausea showed up at most dose levels, one man had marked sleepiness and fatigue at the highest dose tested, and a stretching and yawning pattern came with spontaneous erections lasting hours.
That last effect pushed researchers towards sexual function, and bremelanotide (PT-141) is a variation of MT-2 designed for exactly that.
| Melanotan I | MT-2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | 13 amino acids | 7 amino acids, closed into a ring |
| Approved form | Afamelanotide (Scenesse), for EPP | None |
| Human data | Thoroughly tested as the approved drug | One 1996 pilot in three men, plus case reports |
Where the evidence stops
Three men is not a safety record. The rest of the human picture comes from people using unregulated product. A 2017 review collected case reports of changes in existing moles, new atypical moles, and four melanomas arising in moles during or after melanotan use, while noting the link is not proven. Several national health agencies have issued warnings. A 2012 case report described a man who injected a large overdose of internet-bought MT-2 and needed intensive care for muscle breakdown and kidney problems.
Handling and storage
It arrives as a freeze-dried powder. Once bacteriostatic water goes in, it belongs in the fridge. Our reconstitution and storage guide covers the details, and the calculator does the maths.
It does darken skin. It also does a lot else, and most of what is known about its safety comes from case reports, not trials.
Sources (checked 7 October 2026)
For research use only. Not for human consumption. Nothing on this page is medical advice.
Reviews from people who ordered MT-2 (Melanotan II)
1 review from orders that included MT-2 (Melanotan II). Reviews are of the whole order: service, delivery and what arrived.
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Angie B. · 28 Sep 2026
★ 4.8 across all 16 JP Research reviews, good and bad. See them. Every reviewer gets R100 store credit, whatever they rate.
