Selegiline in dogs: the evidence
What the aging-research databases and the canine literature hold for Selegiline (names searched: Selegiline, L-deprenyl, deprenyl, Anipryl, L deprenyl, L‐deprenyl). Compiled from DrugAge, the canine aging corpus and FDA CVM FOI summaries; nothing here is inferred.
Lifespan experiments in other species (DrugAge)
12 experiments recorded, by species: Rattus norvegicus 5, Mus musculus 4, Mesocricetus auratus 2, Canis lupus familiaris 1.
Other DrugAge rows (sample)
| Species | Strain | Dose | Age at start | Duration | Sex | Mean lifespan Δ% | Mean sig. | Max lifespan Δ% | Max sig. | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mesocricetus auratus | 0.05 mg/kg/day | Male | NS | 4 | NA | PMID 9258898 | ||||
| Mesocricetus auratus | 0.05 mg/kg/day | Female | S | 16.4 | NA | PMID 9258898 | ||||
| Mus musculus | B6D2F1 | 0.25 ppm bodyweight 3x/week subcutaneous injection | 26 months | until death | Female | 9 | S | -1 | NA | PMID 8914495 |
| Mus musculus | B6D2F1 | 0.25 ppm bodyweight 3x/week subcutaneous injection | 26 months | until death | Male | 9 | S | 15 | NA | PMID 8914495 |
| Mus musculus | B6CBAF1 | 0.25 ppm bodyweight 3x/week subcutaneous injection | 18.5 months | until death | Female | 7 | S | 31 | NA | PMID 8914495 |
| Mus musculus | B6CBAF1 | 0.25 ppm bodyweight 3x/week subcutaneous injection | 18.5 months | until death | Male | 6 | S | 7 | NA | PMID 8914495 |
| Rattus norvegicus | Fischer 344 | 0.0025 | Unknown | 16.7 | S | 17 | NA | PMID 2118586 | ||
| Rattus norvegicus | F344/DuCrj | 0.5 mg/kg. 3 times a week | Male | 5.6 | S | 1 | NA | PMID 8030852 | ||
| Rattus norvegicus | F344/DuCrj | 0.5 mg/kg. 3 times a week | Male | 15.1 | S | NA | PMID 8423709 | |||
| Rattus norvegicus | F344/DuCrj | 0.25 mg/kg. 3 times a week | Female | 6.7 | S | NA | PMID 16463106 | |||
| Rattus norvegicus | F344/DuCrj | 0.25 mg/kg. 3 times a week | Male | 8.1 | S | NA | PMID 16463106 |
Lifespan experiments in dogs (DrugAge)
| Species | Strain | Dose | Age at start | Duration | Sex | Mean lifespan Δ% | Mean sig. | Max lifespan Δ% | Max sig. | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canis lupus familiaris | Beagles | 1 mg/kg | Unknown | NA | NA | PMID 9307048 |
Dog-equivalent doses (allometric starting points, not recommendations)
Method: FDA 2005 Km body-surface-area conversion; starting-point heuristic only.
| Species | Reported dose | mg/kg | Km factor | Dog-equivalent mg/kg | ITP | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mesocricetus auratus | 0.05 mg/kg/day | 0.05 | 0.25 | 0.0125 | No | PMID 9258898 |
| Rattus norvegicus | 0.5 mg/kg. 3 times a week | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.15 | No | PMID 8030852 |
| Rattus norvegicus | 0.25 mg/kg. 3 times a week | 0.25 | 0.3 | 0.075 | No | PMID 16463106 |
Canine aging literature (Europe PMC corpus)
19 corpus records mention this compound.
Records matching randomized or placebo-controlled trial vocabulary
- Treatment with L-deprenyl prolongs life in elderly dogs. (Life sciences, 1997). PMID 9307048
…When survivorship for all dogs in the study was analyzed there was no significant difference between the L-deprenyl and placebo treated groups, most… - L-deprenyl extends lifespan across mammalian species: A meta-analysis of 22 longevity experiments. (Ageing research reviews, 2025). PMID 40816452
…To evaluate the effect of L-deprenyl on lifespan in mammals we performed a random-effects meta-analysis on 22 rodent lifespan experiments. The… - Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors for Alzheimer's Disease: A Systematic Review of Clinical Trials and Epidemiology with a Mechanistic Rationale. (Journal of Alzheimer's disease reports, 2020). PMID 32715279
…Vinpocetine, cilostazol, and nicergoline trials are mixed. Deprenyl/selegiline trials show only short-term benefits. Broad-spectrum phosphodiesterase inhibitor propentofylline has been shown in… - The canine model of human cognitive aging and dementia: pharmacological validity of the model for assessment of human cognitive-enhancing drugs. (Progress in neuro-psychopharmacology & biological psychiatry, 2005). PMID 15795058
…two acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, (2) an ampakine, (3) selegiline hydrochloride, two drugs that have failed human AD trials, and (4) adrafinil, a putative CET. Our… - Therapeutic agents for the treatment of cognitive dysfunction syndrome in senior dogs. (Progress in neuro-psychopharmacology & biological psychiatry, 2005). PMID 15795056
…use in dogs with cognitive dysfunction and, in some cases clinical trials have validated their efficacy. Furthermore, the testing of products currently licensed and…
Top hits in the core tier
- Management of canine pituitary-dependent hyperadrenocorticism with l-deprenyl (Anipryl). (The Veterinary clinics of North America. Small animal practice, 1997). PMID 9076907
- Treatment with L-deprenyl prolongs life in elderly dogs. (Life sciences, 1997). PMID 9307048
- L-deprenyl extends lifespan across mammalian species: A meta-analysis of 22 longevity experiments. (Ageing research reviews, 2025). PMID 40816452
- Therapeutic actions of L-deprenyl in dogs: a model of human brain aging. (Advances in pharmacology (San Diego, Calif.), 1998). PMID 9327904
- Effects of L-deprenyl on manifestations of aging in the rat and dog. (Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1994). PMID 8030851
- Use of L-deprenyl for retarding deterioration due to aging (, 1992).
- Deprenyl (selegiline): the history of its development and pharmacological action. (Acta neurologica Scandinavica. Supplementum, 1983). PMID 6428148
- Why (--)deprenyl prolongs survivals of experimental animals: increase of anti-oxidant enzymes in brain and other body tissues as well as mobilization of various humoral factors may lead to systemic anti-aging effects. (Mechanisms of ageing and development, 2002). PMID 12044958
- Do antioxidant strategies work against aging and age-associated disorders? Propargylamines: a possible antioxidant strategy. (Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 2001). PMID 11795516
- Pharmacological interventions in aging and age-associated disorders: potentials of propargylamines for human use. (Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 2002). PMID 11976204
- Assessing the effects of deprenyl on longevity and antioxidant defenses in different animal models. (Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1998). PMID 9928438
- The canine model of human cognitive aging and dementia: pharmacological validity of the model for assessment of human cognitive-enhancing drugs. (Progress in neuro-psychopharmacology & biological psychiatry, 2005). PMID 15795058
FDA CVM FOI summaries for dog products
- Anipryl® (NADA 141-080, Original approval, May 30, 1997; species flag dog; foi_id 2554) · FDA PDF · structured record
- Anipryl® (NADA 141-080, Supplemental approval, December 10, 1998; species flag dog; foi_id 614) · FDA PDF · structured record
Evidence gaps reported by the dossier tool
- No NIA Interventions Testing Program result flagged in DrugAge.
Reproduce: intervention_dossier(compound="Selegiline") in dog-geroscience-mcp.