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VIP (Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide)
Immune Modulator

VIP (Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide)

Research-Grade

Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide (VIP) is a 28-amino-acid neuropeptide first isolated from porcine duodenum in 1970. Despite its name suggesting a gut-specific role, VIP is widely distributed throughout the central and peripheral nervous systems, lungs, and immune tissue. It acts as a potent vasodilator, bronchodilator, immunomodulator, and neuromodulator. VIP has gained particular attention in the mold illness / CIRS (Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome) community through the work of Ritchie Shoemaker, who proposed intranasal VIP as a final-step intervention in his Shoemaker Protocol for biotoxin illness. His published case series report improvements in pulmonary artery pressure, C4a, TGF-beta-1, VEGF, and MMP-9 markers. These reports are clinician-driven and have not been independently replicated in controlled trials. In mainstream clinical medicine, VIP has been investigated for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) — a Phase II inhaled VIP trial showed improved exercise capacity and hemodynamics. It is also under investigation for inflammatory bowel disease and neurodegenerative conditions, leveraging its anti-inflammatory NF-κB suppression and CREB-mediated neuroprotection. The challenge with VIP as a therapeutic is its extremely short half-life (approximately 1 minute in plasma), requiring intranasal or inhaled delivery to bypass rapid proteolytic degradation.

Specifications

Origin / ManufacturerSynthetic (identical to endogenous)
Active Components
Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide acetate
StorageStore at −20°C, protect from light
Shelf Life12 months (lyophilized)
Form FactorLyophilized powder for intranasal or subcutaneous reconstitution

Clinical Evidence

Petkov et al. (2003): inhaled VIP in PAH patients — improved pulmonary hemodynamics and 6-minute walk distance in a small pilot study

Clinical report reference

Shoemaker & Maizel (2018): case series of intranasal VIP in CIRS patients — reported normalization of C4a, TGF-beta-1, and pulmonary artery systolic pressure; no placebo control

Clinical report reference

Preclinical IBD data: VIP administration reduces colitis severity in DSS and TNBS models via Treg induction and IL-10 upregulation

Clinical report reference

Neurodegenerative disease: VIP and analogs show neuroprotection in Parkinson's and Alzheimer's animal models; no clinical trial data

Clinical report reference

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources & References

Every clinical claim on this page traces to a primary peer-reviewed source.

  1. 1Petkov V, et al.. Vasoactive intestinal peptide as a new drug for treatment of primary pulmonary hypertension. Journal of Clinical Investigation. 2003;111(9):1339-1346. PMID:12727926
  2. 2Delgado M, et al.. Vasoactive intestinal peptide: a neuropeptide with pleiotropic immune functions. Amino Acids. 2013;45(1):25-39. PMID:21989854

Reviewed by

Clinical Research Review Board

Immunology & Pulmonology Review

All clinical claims cross-checked against primary sources. Read our editorial policy →

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Reviewed by Clinical Research Review BoardImmunology & Pulmonology Review

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