BPC-157
Also known as PL 14736
Synthetic pentadecapeptide derived from a protective protein in gastric juice. Studied for soft-tissue and GI repair.
Evidence
Animal or in-vitro only
Risk band
Serious AEs reported or theoretical
Research goals
Summary
BPC-157 is a synthetic pentadecapeptide ('body protection compound') derived from a gastric protein, studied chiefly for tissue and wound healing [1,4]. Preclinical and review literature suggest broad regenerative activity, including accelerated healing of musculoskeletal soft tissues such as tendon, ligament, and muscle, and effects across gastrointestinal tract, bone, nerve, cornea, and blood vessels, with proposed actions in ischemia/reperfusion [2,4]. However, these effects are largely from animal models and have not been confirmed in humans, and a systematic review in orthopaedic sports medicine notes there is no clinical safety data in humans [2,3]. BPC-157 is not approved by the FDA or other regulators due to the absence of sufficient comprehensive human clinical studies, and concerns exist around unregulated production [1,3]. Overall, despite promising preclinical signals, robust human interventional evidence is lacking, so its therapeutic standing remains preliminary.
Sources
- 1. Multifunctionality and Possible Medical Application of the BPC 157 Peptide-Literature and Patent Review Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland), 2025.
- 2. Gastric pentadecapeptide body protection compound BPC 157 and its role in accelerating musculoskeletal soft tissue healing Cell and tissue research, 2019.
- 3. Emerging Use of BPC-157 in Orthopaedic Sports Medicine: A Systematic Review HSS journal : the musculoskeletal journal of Hospital for Special Surgery, 2025.
- 4. Stable Gastric Pentadecapeptide BPC 157 and Wound Healing Frontiers in pharmacology, 2021.
For educational purposes only.