COPPER TRIPEPTIDE-1

Copper tripeptide, also known as GHK-Cu, consists of three amino acids (Glycyl-L-Histidyl-L-Lysine) that form a chelate complex with a copper ion. It is a signal and carrier peptide and is one of the most intensively researched peptides. It has a proven strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effect. (1) GHK-Cu has also been shown to have a positive effect on fibroblasts, which are key cells involved in the regeneration and renewal processes of the skin. (2) Since copper is an important trace element that plays a key role in the production of collagen and elastin, GHK-Cu can be a natural source of copper in connective tissue synthesis. (3) It supports and thus stimulates the body's own collagen, elastin, and proteoglycan synthesis, which can improve skin elasticity and smoothness. (4) (5)

(1) Pickart, L., & Margolina, A. (2018). Regenerative and Protective Actions of the GHK-Cu Peptide in the Light of the New Gene Data. International journal of molecular sciences, 19(7), 1987. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms19071987

(2) Liu, T., Hu, L., Lu, B., Bo, Y., Liao, Y., Zhan, J. & Zhang, J. (2023). A novel delivery vehicle for copper peptides. New Journal of Chemistry, 47(1), 75-83.

(3) Dou, Y., Lee, A., Zhu, L., Morton, J., & Ladiges, W. (2020). The potential of GHK as an anti-aging peptide. Aging pathobiology and therapeutics, 2(1), 58–61. https://doi.org/10.31491/apt.2020.03.014

(4) Schagen SK. Topical Peptide Treatments with Effective Anti-Aging Results. Cosmetics. 2017; 4(2):16. https://doi.org/10.3390/cosmetics4020016

5) Leyden, J.J.; Stevens, T.; Finkey, M.B.;Barkovic, S. Skin care benefits of copper peptide containing facial cream. In Proceedings of the American Academy of Dermatology 60th Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA, USA, 22–27 February 2002; p. 29.