VIP

Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide · Aviptadil

ImmuneNot ApprovedAnimalResearchSubQIntranasalIV

Popular for:CIRS/mold illness (Shoemaker protocol), pulmonary hypertension, neuroinflammation

N/A

Registered Trials

112

Trial Publications

8,347

PubMed References

Animal

Evidence Level

Overview

VIP (Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide) is a 28-amino acid neuropeptide with broad immunomodulatory, neuroprotective, and vasodilatory effects. The short version: people usually care about it for cirs/mold illness (shoemaker protocol), pulmonary hypertension, neuroinflammation, but the strength of the evidence depends heavily on indication and study type.

VIP (Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide) is a 28-amino acid neuropeptide with broad immunomodulatory, neuroprotective, and vasodilatory effects. It is naturally produced throughout the body, particularly in the gut, brain, and immune tissues.

VIP is central to the Shoemaker protocol for Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (CIRS) caused by mold/biotoxin exposure. Dr. Ritchie Shoemaker identified VIP deficiency as a key marker in CIRS patients and developed intranasal VIP replacement as the final step in his treatment protocol. Beyond CIRS, VIP has been studied as Aviptadil (IV formulation) for pulmonary hypertension and received emergency use consideration during COVID-19 for ARDS.

Research Snapshot

What the evidence says

Animal

VIP currently shows N/A registered trials from ClinicalTrials.gov, 112 PubMed trial publications (60 RCT-tagged), and 8,347 PubMed references matching the stored source query. Treat PubMed references as literature surface area, not a count of clinical trials.

Known vs uncertain

Known signals

  • ClinicalTrials.gov registered-trial count is marked N/A when the available intervention query would be too broad or misleading.
  • 112 PubMed clinical-trial publications are indexed.
  • 60 PubMed randomized controlled trial publications are indexed.
  • 8,347 PubMed references are tracked separately from trial counts and can include animal, in-vitro, review, mechanism, or clinical records.

Open questions

  • Evidence strength may vary by indication, route, formulation, and population.
  • Public anecdotes can highlight interest or concern but do not establish clinical efficacy.
  • Regulatory status and compounding access can change independently from the research literature.

Mechanism of Action

VIP acts through VPAC1 and VPAC2 receptors to modulate immune function, vasodilation, and neuroprotection.

Key Research Benefits

Central to Shoemaker CIRS/mold illness protocol
Studied for pulmonary hypertension (Aviptadil)
Broad anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects
Neuroprotective properties
Researched for COVID-19 ARDS
Extensive human research data (40+ clinical studies)

Clinical Evidence Summary

Research Pipeline

Preclinical
Animal
Phase I
Phase II
Phase III
Approved

N/A

Registered Trials

112

Trial Publications

60

RCT Publications

8,347

PubMed References

ClinicalTrials.govPubMed ESearchCurated alias queryChecked May 3, 2026

Registered trials are ClinicalTrials.gov intervention records. Trial publications are PubMed records tagged as clinical trials or randomized controlled trials. PubMed references are broader source-query matches and can include animal studies, in-vitro work, reviews, mechanism papers, and trial publications.

N/A

Registered trials

112

Trial publications

60

RCT publications

8,347

PubMed references

751

Reviews

1

Meta-analyses

Registered trials source

Jun 1, 2026

No reliable public query configured.

ClinicalTrials.gov intervention query disabled for this compound because the term is too broad or produces misleading registry matches.

Publication counts source

May 3, 2026

Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide, Aviptadil

Avoids bare VIP acronym matches, which can include unrelated abbreviation noise.

View source

Not FDA-approved as VIP. Aviptadil (IV VIP) has been in clinical trials for pulmonary hypertension and ARDS. Intranasal VIP available through compounding pharmacies for CIRS protocol.

Key PubMed References

8,347 PubMed references · showing top 25 by relevance

View all on PubMed

Myopia pathogenesis and vasoactive intestinal peptide: Molecular mechanisms, experimental models, and clinical implications.

Review

Grubsic C, Céspedes R, Tapia F, et al. · Experimental eye research · 2026

PMID: 41421442

Aviptadil in Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome-Promise or Mirage?

Review

Chanchalani G · Indian journal of critical care medicine : peer-reviewed, official publication of Indian Society of Critical Care Medicine · 2025

PMID: 41368453

Suprachiasmatic Nucleus Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide Neurons Mediate Light-induced Transient Forgetting.

Review

Su X, Tang Y, Zhong Y, et al. · Neuroscience bulletin · 2025

PMID: 40670769

Investigation of vasoactive intestinal peptide expression and significance in a congenital diaphragmatic hernia animal model.

Animal Study

Chen J, Xu H, Yang L, et al. · Pediatric surgery international · 2025

PMID: 41342973

Carcinoid heart findings in vasoactive intestinal peptide-secreting tumour.

Human Study

Joshi M, Aldea D, Ngo P, et al. · BMJ case reports · 2024

PMID: 39510606

Anecdotes & Sentiment

Public discussion, not clinical evidence

This section summarizes what people are talking about in public sources. It can be useful for spotting questions, hype cycles, and recurring concerns, but it is separate from the evidence sections above.

No curated public-discussion themes are live for VIP yet.

Side Effects & Safety

- Diarrhea (most common — VIP promotes GI secretion) - Facial flushing - Hypotension (vasodilatory effect) - Nasal irritation (intranasal route) - Headache

Diarrhea (most common — VIP promotes GI secretion)
Facial flushing
Hypotension (vasodilatory effect)
Nasal irritation (intranasal route)
Headache

Known Interactions

No curated interaction entry is live for VIP yet.

Until the interaction table is fully populated, use the interaction checker and related peptides below to explore adjacent compounds and likely research pairings.

Comparison Pages

Comparison pages

All

No comparison page is linked yet.

Frequently Asked Questions

Research Disclaimer

This page is for research and educational purposes only. The information presented is based on published scientific literature and does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment recommendations. Regulatory status can vary by compound, formulation, indication, and jurisdiction. Check official labeling, registry records, and qualified professional guidance before making any health-related decision. The studies referenced are linked to their original PubMed sources for verification.