GHK-CU

GHK-Cu is a copper(II) complex of the tripeptide glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine (GHK). The GHK tripeptide was first isolated from human plasma by Loren Pickart in 1973, and it binds copper ions with high affinity. GHK-Cu is widely studied in laboratory and cosmetic-science research.

Copper(II) ions are blue. In GHK-Cu, a copper(II) ion is held by the histidine and the peptide backbone, and this complex absorbs light at the red end of the spectrum, so the powder and its solutions look blue or blue-violet. A blue color is normal. A green or brown tint can suggest degradation or a different copper species and is worth checking against the Certificate of Analysis.

BPC-157 is a synthetic 15-amino-acid peptide with no metal attached. GHK-Cu is a copper(II) complex of the tripeptide Gly-His-Lys, which occurs naturally in human plasma. BPC-157 research centers on nitric oxide and growth-factor signaling, while GHK-Cu research centers on copper transport, gene expression and extracellular-matrix components such as collagen in cell culture, and it is widely used in cosmetic science. Both appear, with TB-500, in the multi-peptide blends we sell.

Published research on GHK-Cu has been mainly preclinical, in cell culture and rodent models, much of it following Loren Pickart's original work. It has examined copper transport, the synthesis of extracellular-matrix components such as collagen and glycosaminoglycans by fibroblasts, tissue-repair models, and gene-expression profiling. It is also widely studied in cosmetic science under the ingredient name copper tripeptide-1. Findings in cells or animals do not establish effects in people.

No. GHK-Cu is not an FDA-approved drug. It is used in cosmetic products under the ingredient name copper tripeptide-1, but cosmetics do not go through FDA drug approval, and that use does not make it an approved medicine. The material sold here is a research reagent for laboratory use only.

Yes. GHK-Cu is a copper peptide: the tripeptide glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine (GHK) bound to a copper(II) ion. The peptide part is three amino acids long, with a molecular weight of about 340 Da, and the copper is held by the N-terminal amino group, a backbone nitrogen and the histidine side chain. Strictly, it is a peptide-metal complex.

For storage, yes. Keep the lyophilized powder sealed, dry and refrigerated at 2–8 °C, or frozen at −20 °C for long-term storage, and protect it from light. Reconstituted GHK-Cu should also be kept refrigerated. A shift from the expected blue color toward green or brown can signal degradation and is worth checking against the lot's Certificate of Analysis.

GHK-Cu is highly water-soluble. Let the sealed vial reach room temperature, add a sterile diluent such as bacteriostatic water or sterile water slowly down the inside wall of the vial, and swirl gently until the blue powder dissolves; do not shake. The concentration is the labeled mass divided by the volume added. Label the vial with the date and concentration and keep it refrigerated.

Both are copper(II) complexes of tripeptides. GHK-Cu uses glycyl-histidyl-lysine, a sequence found naturally in human plasma; AHK-Cu substitutes alanine for glycine (alanyl-histidyl-lysine) and is a synthetic analogue. AHK-Cu has been studied mainly in cell models of hair-follicle biology, while GHK-Cu has a much larger research literature. We sell GHK-Cu, not AHK-Cu.

They are unrelated peptides used in cosmetic-science research. SNAP-8 (acetyl octapeptide-3) is an eight-amino-acid peptide modeled on the N-terminal end of the protein SNAP-25 and studied for its interaction with the SNARE complex that controls neurotransmitter release. GHK-Cu is a copper complex of the tripeptide Gly-His-Lys, studied in copper transport and extracellular-matrix research. SNAP-8 is not a component of the GHK-Cu blends we sell.

Both are tripeptides, but they differ in sequence and chemistry. GHK-Cu is Gly-His-Lys bound to a copper(II) ion, which makes it blue. Glutathione is γ-Glu-Cys-Gly, with an unusual gamma peptide bond and a free thiol group that makes it the main redox buffer in cells; it is a white powder. GHK-Cu research centers on copper transport and the extracellular matrix, glutathione research on redox biochemistry.

GHK-Cu is the single compound. GLOW is the name commonly used for a vial of BPC-157 10 mg + TB-500 10 mg + GHK-Cu 50 mg, and KLOW is the name commonly used for the same three peptides plus KPV 10 mg. GHK-Cu is the largest component of both blends, which is why they are blue. We sell GHK-Cu on its own and both blends, listed by their contents.

Both are tripeptides, but they are unrelated. KPV (Lys-Pro-Val) is the C-terminal fragment of α-MSH and is studied in inflammation models. GHK-Cu is Gly-His-Lys bound to copper(II), a complex first isolated from human plasma and studied in copper transport and extracellular-matrix research. Both are components of the four-peptide blend we sell.

GHK-CU: molecular formula C14H22CuN6O4; molecular weight 401.9 g/mol (copper complex); 340.4 g/mol (free GHK tripeptide); CAS number 89030-95-5. Sequence: GHK (glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine) complexed with Cu(II). Match these identifiers against the Certificate of Analysis for the lot.

Yes. Each lot has its own Certificate of Analysis, linked on this page for the current lot of each size: 50mg (99.54% HPLC purity); 100mg (99.58% HPLC purity). Past certificates are archived in the COA library; contact us with the lot number on the vial label if a certificate is missing.

99.54% (HPLC, current lot). Purity is measured by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and reported on the lot's Certificate of Analysis.

GHK-CU is supplied as lyophilized powder in a sealed vial in 2 sizes: 50mg, 100mg. In stock and dispatched in 1–2 business days. Quantity pricing applies automatically at 5+ and 10+ vials of the same size.

Store sealed at −20 °C, dry and protected from light.