# Melanotan 2 References: The Cited Literature | Melanotan 2

> The full Melanotan 2 reference list — every study, case report, and review cited across this site, with PubMed links, DOIs, and PMIDs.

Every claim on this site maps to one of the studies below — pilot trials, case reports, and reviews, each with a PubMed link.

## How to use this list

Every bracketed number across this site — [1], [2], and so on — points to an entry here. The list mixes the strongest human evidence (the two small Phase I trials), the documented-harm case reports, and the reviews that frame the regulatory picture. Where a finding comes from the related compounds Melanotan I (afamelanotide) or PT-141 (bremelanotide), the citation says so, because their results do not automatically transfer to Melanotan 2. Click any PubMed link to read the source abstract yourself.

## 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] 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/
[3] 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/
[4] Dorr RT, Ertl G, Levine N, Brooks C, Bangert JL, Powell MB, Humphrey S, Alberts DS. Effects of a superpotent melanotropic peptide in combination with solar UV radiation on tanning of the skin in human volunteers. Arch Dermatol. 2004;140(7):827-835. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15262693/
[5] Hagedorn N, et al. Identification and characterization by LC-UV-MS/MS of melanotan II skin-tanning products sold illegally on the Internet. (Drug Test Anal). 2015. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24771717/
[6] 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/
[7] Operation resistance: A snapshot of falsified antibiotics and biopharmaceutical injectables in Europe. 2016. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26456392/
[8] Falsification of biotechnology drugs: current dangers and/or future disasters? 2018. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30165334/
[9] Cardones AR, Grichnik JM. alpha-Melanocyte-stimulating hormone-induced eruptive nevi. Arch Dermatol. 2009;145(4):441-444. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19380666/
[10] Thestrup-Pedersen K, Søndergaard K. [Melanotan-induced lentigines and nevi]. Ugeskr Laeger. 2011;173:975. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21453640/
[11] Melanotan II User Experience: A Qualitative Study of Online Discussion Forums. 2021. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34464955/
[12] The 'Barbie Drug'-marketing and perceptions of melanotan on social media. 2025. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38808957/
[13] Van Hout MC, Brennan R. An in-depth case examination of an exotic dancer's experience of melanotan. Int J Drug Policy. 2014;25:444-450. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24280586/
[14] Hemodynamic actions and mechanisms of systemically administered α-MSH analogs in mice. 2012. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22982611/
[15] Assessment of the aversive consequences of acute and chronic administration of the melanocortin agonist, MTII. 2003. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12704398/
[16] Eruptive dysplastic nevi following melanotan use. 2012. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22425244/
[17] Eruptive melanocytic naevi following melanotan injection. 2009. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19575725/
[18] 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/
[19] Dermoscopic changes in melanocytic nevi during use of melanotan II. 2012. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23052015/
[20] 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/
[21] Melanotan-associated melanoma. 2011. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21564053/
[22] Melanotan-associated melanoma in situ. 2012. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22724573/
[23] Changes of melanocytic lesions induced by Melanotan injections and sun bed use in a teenage patient with FAMMM syndrome. 2012. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23785612/
[24] Melanotan II injection resulting in systemic toxicity and rhabdomyolysis. 2012. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23121206/
[25] Melanotan II overdose associated with priapism. 2013. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23537392/
[26] Melanotan Tanning Injection: A Rare Cause of Priapism. 2021. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33460908/
[27] Melanotan-induced priapism: a hard-earned tan. 2019. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30796078/
[28] Melanotan and the posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome. 2013. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23648958/
[29] Afamelanotide for Erythropoietic Protoporphyria. 2015. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26132941/
[30] Long-term observational study of afamelanotide in 115 patients with erythropoietic protoporphyria. 2015. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25494545/
[31] PT-141: a melanocortin agonist for the treatment of sexual dysfunction. 2003. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12851303/
[32] 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/
[33] Skin pigmentation and pharmacokinetics of melanotan-I in humans. 1997. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9113347/
[34] Risks of unregulated use of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone analogues: a review. 2017. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28266027/
[35] The unregulated use of melanotan-II is of public health interest to Australian dermatologists. 2017. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28905366/
[36] Brennan R, et al. Melanotropic peptides: more than just 'Barbie drugs' and 'sun-tan jabs'? Br J Dermatol. 2010. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20545686/
[37] 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/
[38] van den Heuvel JK, Eggels L, van Rozen AJ, Fliers E, Kalsbeek A, Adan RA, la Fleur SE. Inhibitory Effect of the Melanocortin Receptor Agonist Melanotan-II (MTII) on Feeding Depends on Dietary Fat Content and not Obesity in Rats on Free-Choice Diets. Front Behav Neurosci. 2015;9:358. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26733840/

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A patient walkthrough of the melanocortin pigmentation literature — a reading guide, not a clinic, a vendor, or a tanning product.