Thymosin Alpha 1

Eradicates Bacteria, Viruses, and Fungi

Thymosin alpha 1 possesses strong antimicrobial properties that can help ward off infection:

1. In patients with severe sepsis (presence of harmful microorganisms in the blood), thymosin alpha 1 administration improved clinical outcomes without any adverse effects. [1]
2. In patients with chronic hepatitis B and C, thymosin alpha 1 administration for 6 months normalized liver enzyme levels, which is suggestive of improved liver function. [2]
3. In mice with a fungal infection, thymosin alpha 1 increased the production of phagocytes, which are cells capable of engulfing and absorbing bacteria. [3]
4. Thymosin alpha 1-based immunomodulatory therapy was associated with a significant reduction in mortality in septic patients. [4]
5. Thymosin alpha 1 administration in septic patients was also associated with increased survival rate, alleviation of illness, and short ICU stay and mechanical ventilation time. [5]

Boosts the Function of Certain Immune Cells

By affecting the production of certain immune cells, thymosin alpha 1 exerts its immune-boosting properties:

1. Thymosin alpha 1 is known to augment T-cell function. [6-7]
2. Thymosin alpha 1 also helps regulate both the innate and adaptive immune systems. [8-9]
3. Thymosin alpha has the ability to increase CD4+/CD8+ ratio. [10-11]
4. By activating and stimulating certain signaling pathways, thymosin alpha 1 boosts the production of immune-related cytokines. [12]
5. By selectively stimulating the release of luteinizing hormone (LH), thymosin alpha 1 indirectly strengthens the immune function. [13]
6. A study found that thymosin alpha 1 can boost the response of the immune system to inactivated vaccines. [14]
7. In patients with blood infection (sepsis), thymosin alpha 1 reduced the mortality rate by increasing the production of white blood cells known as monocytes. [15]
8. Studies suggest that thymosin alpha 1 can inhibit HIV-1 and human T lymphotropic virus 1 infection by potentiating the release by CD8 (+) cells of soluble factors. [16-17]

Suppresses Cancer and Tumor Growth

There’s also increasing evidence supporting the anti-cancer and antitumor properties of thymosin alpha 1:

1. By regulating cytokine secretion and repairing the damaged immune system, thymosin alpha 1 may help reduce cancer incidence. [18]
2. In the stage IV human breast cancer model, thymosin alpha 1 treatment was associated with significantly slow tumor growth. [19]
3. In patients with metastatic melanoma and advanced non-small cell lung cancer, thymosin alpha 1 treatment prolonged survival. [20]
4. In patients with hepatitis B virus-associated liver cancer, thymosin alpha 1 therapy improved liver function and significantly prolonged recurrence‑free and overall survival. [21]
5. Thymosin alpha 1 exerts its anti-tumor effects mainly by increasing the secretion of various T cell lymphokines, activating T4 helper cells to promote lymphocyte activity, and increasing the cytotoxicity of natural killer cells. [22-24]
6. Administration of thymosin alpha 1 in cancer patients was associated with reduced risk of death and improved disease‐/progression‐free survival. [25]
7. In patients with metastatic lung cancer, thymosin alpha 1 treatment was associated with the complete disappearance of lesions. [26]
8. A cell study found that exposure of human breast cancer cells to thymosin alpha 1 induced apoptosis (programmed cell death). [27]
9. The administration of thymosin alpha 1 in cancer patients increased the anti-tumor effect of chemotherapy while markedly reducing the side effects of the treatment. [28]
10. In tumor-bearing mice, thymosin alpha 1 significantly delayed tumor growth and prolonged survival time. [29]
11. In mice with breast cancer, thymosin alpha 1 exerted anti-tumor activity by increasing the levels of CD4 and CD8 cells. [30]
12. In patients with cancer that had spread to other body parts, thymosin alpha 1 administration increased the survival rate. [31]
13. In a human lung cancer cell line, thymosin alpha 1 inhibited cellular proliferation, cell migration, and an increase in the level of damaging free radicals. [32]
14. Studies show that thymosin alpha 1 can enhance the anti-cancer effects of chemotherapeutic drugs. [33-34]

Accelerates the Wound Healing Process

Studies also show that thymosin alpha 1 can accelerate tissue recovery:

1. In rat kidney cells, thymosin alpha 1 prevented programmed cell death and renal scarring. [3]
2. When given either topically or in the form of injections, thymosin alpha 1accelerated wound healing in mice. [35]
3. A cell-based study found that thymosin alpha 1 accelerates wound healing by promoting the formation of new blood vessels and cell migration at the site of injury. [36]
4. In neonatal mice, thymosin alpha 1 promoted the formation of new nerve cells or neurons (neurogenesis) by countering lipopolysaccharide-induced impairment. [37]
5. In patients with traumatized permanent front teeth, thymosin alpha 1 treatment for 12 months resulted in significant healing of gum tissues. [38]

Fights Inflammation

There’s also a good deal of evidence suggesting that thymosin alpha 1 has potent anti-inflammatory properties:

1. In rats with acute liver failure, thymosin alpha 1 reduced liver inflammation. [39]
2. Thymosin alpha 1 may help prevent tissue injury by reducing the release of inflammatory factors and cytokines, and the levels of IL-10 to control inflammation. [40-42]
3. Thymosin alpha 1 also reduces inflammation by suppressing pro-inflammatory TNF-α. [43-46]
4. A cell-based study also found that thymosin alpha 1 protects against inflammatory allergy. [47]
5. In mice with cystic fibrosis, an inherited disease that causes build-up of sticky, thick mucus in the organs and chronic inflammation, thymosin alpha 1 reduced inflammation and associated symptoms. [48]
6. In rodents, thymosin alpha 1 reduced the activation of inflammatory responses. [49]

Increases Vaccine Effectiveness

Thymosin alpha 1 is the ultimate immune system booster. Studies show that this peptide can naturally enhance the effectiveness of certain vaccines:

1. In patients who are susceptible to infection, thymosin alpha 1 administration enhanced the immunogenicity (ability to provoke an immune response) of the pandemic influenza vaccine. [50]
2. In elderly patients, administration of thymosin alpha 1 together with influenza vaccine enhanced vaccine responses. [51-52]
3. In animal models, thymosin alpha 1 enhanced the efficacy of the classical swine fever vaccine. [53]