Endonasal Cortexin for chronic fatigue syndrome: Melnikova dissertation and companion reports
E. A. Melnikova · 2010 · Candidate of Medical Sciences dissertation, Moscow, 126 pp., RSL 01004662270
Indexed 2026-11-12.
Reported findings and study design
Reported findings
Melnikova’s dissertation excerpts identify endonasal electrophoresis using a Potok-1 device and describe bench tests of Cortexin stability under direct current. The accessible CFS sources do not establish the Cortexin amount, solution concentration or session schedule. A later glaucoma paper citing her method used 10 sessions at 1–2 mA, with 10 minutes for the first three sessions and 15 minutes thereafter. Those settings are documented for glaucoma.
Dose, route and schedule
Melnikova’s dissertation excerpts identify endonasal electrophoresis using a Potok-1 device and describe bench tests of Cortexin stability under direct current. The accessible CFS sources do not establish the Cortexin amount, solution concentration or session schedule. A later glaucoma paper citing her method used 10 sessions at 1–2 mA, with 10 minutes for the first three sessions and 15 minutes thereafter. Those settings are documented for glaucoma.
Protocol source ↗ · Dissertation excerpts and related reports. The 2017 paper supplies arm sizes; the 2013 review supplies comparative percentages.
| Measure | Result | Comparison, timing and statistics |
|---|---|---|
| Author-rated improvement in the 100-person comparison | 88% with Cortexin electrophoresis, 60% with galvanization alone and 44% with sham, as summarized in 2013. | |
| Additional results in the dissertation excerpts | Reduced asthenic and neurotic symptoms in 88% and pain in 90%, with improved neurological status in 92%. The excerpts do not identify the denominator for each measure. | |
| Duration of reported benefit | The 2010 excerpt and 2017 paper describe benefit at one year in all observed treated patients. The 2010 excerpt reports 25% beyond one year. The 2020 abstract says most still benefited at one year. The publications reviewed give no follow-up denominator for this comparison. |
Reported treatment arms and outcomes
| Treatment arm | Participants | Author-rated improvement |
|---|---|---|
| Endonasal Cortexin electrophoresis | 50 | 88% |
| Endonasal galvanization alone | 25 | 60% |
| Sham procedure | 25 | 44% |
Arm sizes come from the 2017 publication and match the 2020 abstract. Percentages come from the 2013 review. The available sources do not establish that the response analysis included every enrolled participant.
The available dissertation material consists of excerpts. Allocation, masking, adverse-event counts, follow-up denominators, and a required post-exertional malaise criterion could not be verified. The comparative percentages reflect the authors’ combined clinical and instrumental assessment. The 2017 paper coauthored by Melnikova cites her 2010 dissertation and reports the same 50/25/25 allocation as the 2020 abstract. Their EEG and cognitive results use nearly identical wording. The reports likely reuse the same cohort and contribute a single 100-person comparison to the evidence summary. Participant-level confirmation is unavailable.
Source for these results ↗ · Reviewed 2026-11-12
For research and education. Consult a qualified clinician for medical advice.
Study limitations and source details
Study limitations
- The available dissertation material consists of excerpts. Allocation, masking, adverse-event counts, follow-up denominators, and a required post-exertional malaise criterion could not be verified. The comparative percentages reflect the authors’ combined clinical and instrumental assessment. The 2017 paper coauthored by Melnikova cites her 2010 dissertation and reports the same 50/25/25 allocation as the 2020 abstract. Their EEG and cognitive results use nearly identical wording. The reports likely reuse the same cohort and contribute a single 100-person comparison to the evidence summary. Participant-level confirmation is unavailable.
Related publications may cover the same research program or participants.
Source access
Melnikova’s dissertation excerpts identify endonasal electrophoresis using a Potok-1 device and describe bench tests of Cortexin stability under direct current. The accessible CFS sources do not establish the Cortexin amount, solution concentration or session schedule. A later glaucoma paper citing her method used 10 sessions at 1–2 mA, with 10 minutes for the first three sessions and 15 minutes thereafter. Those settings are documented for glaucoma.
Source reviewed 2026-11-12.
Source type: Dissertation excerpts and companion publications
Citation and original source
Original source: E. A. Melnikova. Endonasal Cortexin for chronic fatigue syndrome: Melnikova dissertation and companion reports Candidate of Medical Sciences dissertation, Moscow, 126 pp., RSL 01004662270 2010.
Molekul research summary: https://molekul.io/research/cortexin-melnikova-cfs-2010. Cite the original publication for its findings and this page when referring to Molekul’s summary or evidence appraisal.
Bibliography entry