Also known as: Copper tripeptide, HY-P0063, EX-A13486, CS-0015088, Gly-His-Lys-Cu(II), Copper Peptide(GHK-Cu)
GHK-Cu (Copper tripeptide, HY-P0063, EX-A13486) is classified under copper & cosmetic signal peptides, sold for research use only and not approved for human consumption.
Aggregated from the cited literature below. We summarize sources — we don't author claims.
GHK-Cu (copper tripeptide; Gly-His-Lys-Cu(II)) is the Cu(II) chelate/complex of the tripeptide GHK (glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine). Reviews of therapeutic peptides in orthopaedics note that GHK-Cu has shown promise in wound healing and anti-inflammatory effects, while also stating that no clinical data support its use for musculoskeletal conditions. Additional reviews describe GHK (and formation of GHK-Cu) as a molecule with tissue-repair and anti-inflammatory/tissue-remodeling properties, with most cited evidence focused on preclinical and in vitro contexts and with limited clinical data for GHK-Cu specifically in the skin/cosmetic area.
Mechanism (as reported)
Mechanistic claims in the provided sources describe GHK-Cu/GHK as involving copper binding/chelation and regulation of biological pathways linked to tissue remodeling and inflammation resolution. One review states that GHK forms a chelate with copper and that the peptide and its Cu(II) chelate have anti-inflammatory and tissue remodeling properties (PMIDs: 35083444). Another source states GHK can stimulate processes related to tissue repair (e.g., collagen/elastin/glycosaminoglycan synthesis and dermal fibroblast function) and describes anti-inflammatory and cell-protective actions attributed to GHK’s diverse biological activities (PMIDs: 29986520). A skin-regeneration focused review further describes copper-complex-related wound-healing/skin repair proposals, modulation of collagen and glycosaminoglycan synthesis and metalloproteinase systems (PMIDs: 26236730).
Key findings (each cites a source)
Narrative review of injectable peptide therapy in orthopaedics reported that GHK-Cu showed promise in wound healing and anti-inflammatory effects, but noted that no clinical data support its use for musculoskeletal conditions. [PMID 41476424]
Orthopaedic therapeutic-peptide review described wound-healing peptides, including GHK-Cu, as promoting angiogenesis and integrin-mediated extracellular matrix remodeling and fibroblast activation, while also stating there is a current lack of clinical trials. [PMID 41490200]
Review research reported that GHK (and its Cu(II) chelate formation) is associated with anti-inflammatory and tissue remodeling properties, including reported skin remodeling and wound healing/regeneration plus antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects in in vitro and in vivo studies. [PMID 35083444]
Review research described GHK’s biological actions as including stimulation of blood vessel and nerve outgrowth and increased collagen/elastin/glycosaminoglycan synthesis, and also described anti-inflammatory/cell-protective actions attributed to GHK. [PMID 29986520]
Skin-regeneration-focused review stated that GHK is proposed to function as a complex with copper 2+ that accelerates wound healing and skin repair, including effects on collagen and glycosaminoglycan synthesis and modulation of metalloproteinases and their inhibitors. [PMID 26236730]
Anti-wrinkle/cosmetic-focused review reported that GHK-Cu and Pal-GHK are metal complex derivatives used in cosmetic market products but found that published information and clinical studies using GHK-Cu were lacking; it also summarized that cell studies support GHK as an anti-wrinkle ingredient and discussed formulation/permeation enhancement issues. [PMID 39963574]
Liposome-carrier research reported preparation of GHK-Cu-loaded liposomes (about 100 nm) and in vitro assays, including elastase inhibition and tyrosinase-related findings (that GHK-Cu did not significantly affect tyrosinase activity in that study), concluding the liposomes can be used as carriers and reporting elastase inhibition that supports reduced elastin degeneration rate in the context of the assay. [PMID 37896245]
Coordination-chemistry research reported that GHK and cis-urocanic acid can both coordinate Cu(II) and that a ternary Cu(II) complex species [GHK][Cu(II)][cis-urocanic acid] may be partly responsible for biological effects attributed to GHK and urocanic acid described in the literature. [PMID 32867146]
Vendor test rankings (87)
Vendors ranked by their independent third-party test grade for GHK-Cu, attributed to Finnrick. The grade is their verdict, not ours.
Real third-party HPLC results aggregated from Peptigrity, each attributed to the lab that ran it — average purity 99.6% across 703 tests. Not our verdict.
Pickart L, Vasquez-Soltero JM, Margolina A · BioMed research international · 2015 · PMID 26236730
FAQ
What is GHK-Cu?
GHK-Cu (Copper tripeptide, HY-P0063, EX-A13486) is classified under copper & cosmetic signal peptides, sold for research use only and not approved for human consumption. Research goals associated with it include recovery & tissue repair, skin, hair & pigmentation.
Is GHK-Cu FDA-approved?
No. GHK-Cu is sold for research use only and is not approved for human consumption.
What does the research on GHK-Cu say?
peptideone aggregates 10 references from PubMed for GHK-Cu. The summary on this page digests them with citations; we summarize sources and make no efficacy claims.