AHK-CU
Also known as
Copper complex of the alanyl-histidyl-lysine tripeptide studied for hair growth and skin effects. Preliminary evidence — a single ex-vivo follicle study; no published human clinical trials.
Evidence
Animal or in-vitro only
Risk band
Serious AEs reported or theoretical
Research goals
Summary
AHK-Cu is the copper complex of the tripeptide alanyl-histidyl-lysine (L-alanyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine-Cu2+), investigated for hair-growth effects [1]. In the single available study, AHK-Cu at picomolar-to-nanomolar concentrations stimulated elongation of human hair follicles ex vivo and proliferation of cultured dermal papilla cells, and it raised the Bcl-2/Bax ratio and reduced cleaved caspase-3 and PARP, although the decrease in apoptotic dermal papilla cells did not reach statistical significance [1]. All findings derive from ex vivo follicle and cultured-cell experiments rather than treatment of living subjects. With no human clinical trials in the provided literature, the evidence for AHK-Cu as an administered therapeutic is preliminary and confined to in-vitro work.
Sources
- 1. The effect of tripeptide-copper complex on human hair growth in vitro Archives of pharmacal research, 2007.
For educational purposes only.