AHK-Cu (Copper Peptide)

Also known as: AHK Copper, AHK-Cu2+, L-alanyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine copper(II)

Evidence: Preclinical

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Overview

Copper(II) complex of the tripeptide Ala-His-Lys; one ex vivo study found it lengthened human hair follicles in organ culture and raised dermal papilla cell proliferation.

AHK-Cu is the copper(II) complex of L-alanyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine, a close analog of GHK-Cu (separate catalog entry) with alanine in place of glycine. The one peer-reviewed study found that 1 pM to 1 nM AHK-Cu lengthened isolated human hair follicles in organ culture and increased dermal papilla cell proliferation, with a higher Bcl-2/Bax ratio and less cleaved caspase-3 (Pyo et al., 2007). No animal or human study of hair growth has been published. Claims of better scalp circulation and synergy from copper binding have no published source. The uncomplexed peptide is catalogued separately as AHK.

Benefits

Hair follicle elongation (ex vivo human follicles), dermal papilla cell proliferation and reduced apoptosis markers (in vitro)

Dosing reference

Research dose: Topical only; no published study gives a formulation concentration for skin or scalp. Ex vivo work used 1 pM to 1 nM in culture medium.

Sold for topical scalp use. No human or animal dosing study exists; the ex vivo concentrations (1 pM to 1 nM) do not translate to a formulation strength.

Mechanism

Proposed, from one ex vivo study. In cultured human dermal papilla cells AHK-Cu increased proliferation, raised the Bcl-2/Bax ratio and lowered cleaved caspase-3 and PARP, suggesting reduced apoptosis; it lengthened isolated follicles at 1 pM to 1 nM (Pyo et al., 2007). The same paper cites earlier work on copper tripeptides raising VEGF in dermal fibroblasts, but VEGF was not measured for AHK-Cu itself. Anagen extension, DHT inhibition and pigmentation effects have no published data for this compound.

Evidence

Preclinical: animal or in vitro data only

AHK-Cu at 1 pM to 1 nM lengthened human hair follicles in ex vivo organ culture (Pyo et al., 2007)
Raised dermal papilla cell proliferation in vitro; at 1 nM the Bcl-2/Bax ratio rose and cleaved caspase-3 and PARP fell (Pyo et al., 2007)
Human-trial status: no animal or human study of AHK-Cu has been published; the only peer-reviewed evidence is one ex vivo and cell study

References

The effect of tripeptide-copper complex on human hair growth in vitro. Pyo HK, Yoo HG, Won CH, Lee SH, et al., Archives of pharmacal research, 2007

Side effects

No safety study in animals or humans has been published; the one ex vivo study was not designed to detect harm. No injectable data exist. Commonly reported (anecdotal): scalp irritation and a temporary blue-green tint from copper complexes.

Storage

Storage: Room temperature, away from light
Lyophilized: 2 years at room temp
Reconstituted: N/A (ready to use)

Pharmacology

Half-life: No published pharmacokinetic data in any species
Bioavailability: Not measured in any species; follicle or skin penetration of AHK-Cu has not been studied
Molecular weight: 415.94 Da
Sequence: AHK (Ala-His-Lys), copper(II) complex