How AHK-Cu works
A copper peptide used in scalp serums, with laboratory findings and weak patent-only human data.
Also called: Ala-His-Lys copper complex, L-alanyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine copper(II), Copper tripeptide-3.
Healing and repair peptides · Copper-bound tripeptide.
In isolated follicles, AHK-Cu changed growth and cell-survival signals. Higher concentrations inhibited growth. These experiments do not show how a scalp serum works in people.
- Dermal papilla cells: Changes growth and cell-survival signals in culture.
- Bcl-2/Bax balance: Shifted toward cell survival; measured cell-death reduction was not significant.
Half-life: No measured human half-life was located.
Related to AHK-Cu
- BPC-157: An experimental repair peptide with mostly animal evidence and a few small human reports.
- TB-500: A short piece of thymosin beta-4 with no proven repair benefit in humans.
- GHK-Cu: A copper-binding skin peptide with small topical studies and untested systemic injections.
- Thymosin beta-4: A peptide studied for eye conditions and skin wounds; tendon-repair injections lack controlled human evidence.
- ARA-290: Experimental peptide studied for small-fiber nerve damage, with uncertain pain relief and safety.
- Ac-SDKP: An experimental repair peptide with old human studies, but no proven healing dose.
Sources
- 21 CFR 216.23 — Bulk drug substances that can be used to compound drug products in accordance with section 503A of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act., Office of the Federal Register · eCFR · 2026
- 503B Bulk Drug Substances List, FDA · FDA · 2026
- Bulk Drug Substances Nominated for Use in Compounding Under Section 503A of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, FDA · FDA · 2026
- Medicines, European Medicines Agency · European Medicines Agency · 2026
- MHRA Products | Home, MHRA · MHRA · 2026
- The 2026 Prohibited List, World Anti-Doping Agency · WADA · 2026
- Therapeutic Goods (Poisons Standard—October 2026) Instrument 2026, Australian Government · 2026
- Bulk Drug Substances Nominated for Use in Compounding Under Section 503B of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, FDA · FDA · 2025
- Allergens in Cosmetics, U.S. Food and Drug Administration · FDA
- Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG), Therapeutic Goods Administration · TGA
- Drug Product Database: Access the database, Health Canada · Health Canada
- Drugs@FDA: FDA-Approved Drugs, FDA · FDA
- Eye Cosmetic Safety, US Government
- FYs 2013-2017 Regulatory Science Report: Complex Mixtures and Peptides, FDA · FDA
- Is It a Cosmetic, a Drug, or Both? (Or Is It Soap?), FDA
Sources checked: 2026-10-18.
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