# Melanotan 2 References: The Cited Literature

> The full Melanotan 2 reference list — every peer-reviewed study, case report, and review cited across this research digest, with PubMed links.

## About these sources

Every quantitative claim and every named finding on this site traces to one of the entries below. Sources are peer-reviewed journals, clinical-trial reports, dermatology case reports, and review articles, each linked to its PubMed record. This site adds editorial summary and plain-English framing; it does not add data. Where the human evidence is thin — as it is for much of this compound — the citations make that visible rather than hiding it.

## References

[1] 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. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8637402/
[2] 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. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9679884/
[3] Molinoff PB, Shadiack AM, Earle D, Diamond LE, Quon CY. PT-141: a melanocortin agonist for the treatment of sexual dysfunction. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2003;994:96-102. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12851303/
[4] Hueso-Gabriel L, Mahiques Santos L, Terrádez Mas L, Santonja López N. Eruptive dysplastic nevi following melanotan use. Actas Dermosifiliogr. 2012;103(4):329-331. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22425244/
[5] Eruptive naevi and darkening of pre-existing naevi 24 h after a single mono-dose injection of melanotan II. 2014. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24334249/
[6] Eruptive melanocytic naevi following melanotan injection. 2009. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19575725/
[7] Paurobally D, Jason F, Dezfoulian B, Nikkels AF. Melanoma associated with the use of melanotan-II. Dermatology. 2014;228(1):34-36. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24355990/
[8] Melanotan-associated melanoma. 2011. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21564053/
[9] Melanotan-associated melanoma in situ. 2012. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22724573/
[10] Dermoscopic changes in melanocytic nevi during use of melanotan II. Hautarzt. 2012;63(11):880-884. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23052015/
[11] Sivyer GW. Changes of melanocytic lesions induced by Melanotan injections and sun bed use in a teenage patient with FAMMM syndrome. Dermatol Pract Concept. 2012;2(3):10. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23785612/
[12] Identification and characterization by LC-UV-MS/MS of melanotan II skin-tanning products sold illegally on the Internet. 2015. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24771717/
[13] Langan EA, Ramlogan D, Jamieson LA, Rhodes LE. Change in moles linked to use of unlicensed "sun tan jab". BMJ. 2009;338:b277. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19174439/
[14] Melanotan II injection resulting in systemic toxicity and rhabdomyolysis. 2012. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23121206/
[15] 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. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31953620/
[16] Melanotan II overdose associated with priapism. 2013. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23537392/
[17] Melanotan Tanning Injection: A Rare Cause of Priapism. 2021. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33460908/
[18] Melanotan-induced priapism: a hard-earned tan. 2019. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30796078/
[19] Melanotan and the posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome. 2013. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23648958/
[20] Hemodynamic actions and mechanisms of systemically administered α-MSH analogs in mice. 2012. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22982611/
[21] Systemic but not central nervous system nitric oxide synthase inhibition exacerbates the hypertensive effects of chronic melanocortin-3/4 receptor activation. 2011. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21263126/
[22] Melanotan II User Experience: A Qualitative Study of Online Discussion Forums. 2021. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34464955/
[23] The 'Barbie Drug' — marketing and perceptions of melanotan on social media. 2025. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38808957/
[24] 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. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33245851/
[25] Hadley ME, Dorr RT. Melanocortin peptide therapeutics: historical milestones, clinical studies and commercialization. Peptides. 2006;27(4):921-930. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16412534/
[26] Operation resistance: A snapshot of falsified antibiotics and biopharmaceutical injectables in Europe. 2016. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26456392/
[27] Risks of unregulated use of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone analogues: a review. 2017. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28266027/
[28] The unregulated use of melanotan-II is of public health interest to Australian dermatologists. 2017. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28905366/
[29] Melanotropic peptides: more than just 'Barbie drugs' and 'sun-tan jabs'? 2010. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20545686/
[30] Langendonk JG, et al. Afamelanotide for Erythropoietic Protoporphyria. N Engl J Med. 2015. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26132941/
[31] Long-term observational study of afamelanotide in 115 patients with erythropoietic protoporphyria. 2015. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25494545/
[32] Hadley ME, Dorr RT. Melanocortin peptide therapeutics: historical milestones, clinical studies and commercialization. Peptides. 2006;27(4):921-930. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16412534/
[33] The 'Barbie Drug' — marketing and perceptions of melanotan on social media. 2025. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38808957/
[34] Discovery and development of novel melanogenic drugs. Melanotan-I and -II. 1998. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9760697/
[35] 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. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36155088/
[36] Ryakhovsky VV, Khachiyan GA, Kosovova NF, Isamiddinova EF, Ivanov AS. The first preparative solution phase synthesis of melanotan II. Beilstein J Org Chem. 2008;4:39. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19043625/
[37] Bonchev A. Changes in Oral Mucosa Associated with Melanotan II Injections: A Case Report. Life (Basel). 2026;16(2):265. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41752902/
[38] O'Leary RE, Diehl J, Levins PC. Update on tanning: More risks, fewer benefits. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2014;70:562-568. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24388421/

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A measured digest of the published record on Melanotan 2 — an archive to be read, not a remedy to be followed.