Pair page
GHK-Cu with Pal-AHK
Mechanism-tag overlap and published literature for GHK-Cu and Pal-AHK, pulled verbatim from each Kalios compound profile. Kalios is a literature reference, not a recommendation.
Mechanism overlap
Mechanism tags are verbatim labels on each compound's profile. Generic tags ("peptide", "small-molecule", "research-chemical") are excluded from this overlap view. Tags are descriptive — not an inference about combined effect.
connective-tissuecopper-tripeptide-skin
cosmetic-hair-skin-tripeptidelipidated
Co-administration notes from the literature
Verbatim summary text pulled from each compound's profile data. Researchers studying GHK-Cu and Pal-AHK have published these mechanism-level observations. Not a co-administration recommendation.
The original copper tripeptide isolated by Pickart in 1973 and the most extensively documented compound in the family. Frequently combined with AHK-Cu and / or Pal-AHK in scalp serums and skin-firming products to engage the broader matrikine-signaling and copper-dependent ECM-remodeling literature.
Quick facts
GHK-Cu
Pal-AHK
Literature table
Classified references from each compound profile. Click a column header to sort. Click a PMID to open PubMed. Findings are quoted verbatim from each profile's literature_summary; nothing here is added or interpreted.
| Year | Compound | Source | Finding |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | GHK-Cu | Buffoni F, Pino R, Dal Pozzo A. Effect of tripeptide-copper complexes on the process of healing of cutaneous wounds in mice. Arch Int Pharmacodyn Ther. 1995;330(3):345-360. PMID: 9060874. PMID 9060874 | preclinical, in vivo |
| 1993 | GHK-Cu | Maquart FX, Bellon G, Chaqour B, Wegrowski J, Patt LM, Trachy RE, et al. In vivo stimulation of connective tissue accumulation by the tripeptide-copper complex glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine-Cu²⁺ in rat experimental wounds. J Clin Invest. 1993;92(5):2368-2376. PMID: 8227353. PMID 8227353 | preclinical, in vivo |
| 2011 | GHK-Cu | Hostynek JJ, Dreher F, Maibach HI. Human skin penetration of a copper tripeptide in vitro as a function of skin layer. Inflamm Res. 2011;60(1):79-86. PMID: 20835751. PMID 20835751 | preclinical, in vitro |
| 2007 | GHK-Cu | Pyo HK, Yoo HG, Won CH, Lee SH, Kang YJ, Eun HC, Cho KH, Kim KH. The effect of tripeptide-copper complex on human hair growth in vitro. Arch Pharm Res. 2007;30(7):834-839. PMID: 17702486. PMID 17702486 | preclinical, in vitro |
| 1988 | GHK-Cu | Maquart FX, Pickart L, Laurent M, Gillery P, Monboisse JC, Borel JP. Stimulation of collagen synthesis in fibroblast cultures by the tripeptide-copper complex glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine-Cu²⁺. FEBS Lett. 1988;238(2):343-346. PMID: 3169264. PMID 3169264 | preclinical, in vitro |
| 2017 | GHK-Cu | Pickart L, Vasquez-Soltero JM, Margolina A. The Effect of the Human Peptide GHK on Gene Expression Relevant to Nervous System Function and Cognitive Decline. Brain Sci. 2017;7(2):20. PMID: 28212278. PMID 28212278 | mechanism / discovery |
| 2012 | GHK-Cu | Campbell JD, McDonough JE, Zeskind JE, Hackett TL, Pechkovsky DV, Brandsma CA, et al. A gene expression signature of emphysema-related lung destruction and its reversal by the tripeptide GHK. Genome Med. 2012;4(8):67. PMID: 22937864. PMID 22937864 | mechanism / discovery |
| 1973 | GHK-Cu | Pickart L, Thaler MM. Tripeptide in human serum which prolongs survival of normal liver cells and stimulates growth in neoplastic liver. Nat New Biol. 1973;243(124):85-87. PMID: 4351857. (Original discovery publication.) PMID 4351857 | mechanism / discovery |
| 2026 | GHK-Cu | WADA Prohibited List 2026. World Anti-Doping Agency. wada-ama.org. | regulatory / registry |
| 2025 | GHK-Cu | FDA. Bulk Drug Substances That Raise Significant Safety Risks (Category 2) Under Section 503A / 503B. FDA.gov. Updated 2025-2026. | regulatory / registry |
| 2018 | GHK-Cu | Pickart L, Margolina A. Regenerative and Protective Actions of the GHK-Cu Peptide in the Light of the New Gene Data. Int J Mol Sci. 2018;19(7):1987. PMID: 29986520. doi:10.3390/ijms19071987. (Comprehensive modern review.) PMID 29986520 | research article |
| 2015 | GHK-Cu | Pickart L, Vasquez-Soltero JM, Margolina A. GHK Peptide as a Natural Modulator of Multiple Cellular Pathways in Skin Regeneration. Biomed Res Int. 2015;2015:648108. PMID: 26236730. PMID 26236730 | research article |
| 2005 | Pal-AHK | Robinson LR, Fitzgerald NC, Doughty DG, Dawes NC, Berge CA, Bissett DL. Topical palmitoyl pentapeptide provides improvement in photoaged human facial skin. Int J Cosmet Sci. 2005;27(3):155-160. doi:10.1111/j.1467-2494.2005.00261.x. PMID: 18492182. (12-week double-blind placebo-c… PMID 18492182 | human trial |
| 2014 | Pal-AHK | Choi YL, Park EJ, Kim E, Na DH, Shin YH. Dermal Stability and In Vitro Skin Permeation of Collagen Pentapeptides (KTTKS and palmitoyl-KTTKS). Biomol Ther (Seoul). 2014;22(4):321-327. doi:10.4062/biomolther.2014.053. PMID: 25143811. (Confirms that palmitoylation increases skin pe… PMID 25143811 | preclinical, in vitro |
| 2007 | Pal-AHK | Pyo HK, Yoo HG, Won CH, Lee SH, Kang YJ, Eun HC, Cho KH, Kim KH. The effect of tripeptide-copper complex on human hair growth in vitro. Arch Pharm Res. 2007;30(7):834-839. doi:10.1007/BF02978833. PMID: 17703734. (The single most-cited primary study for the AHK sequence in any ha… PMID 17703734 | preclinical, in vitro |
| 2020 | Pal-AHK | Errante F, Ledwoń P, Latajka R, Rovero P, Papini AM. Cosmeceutical Peptides in the Framework of Sustainable Wellness Economy. Front Chem. 2020;8:572923. doi:10.3389/fchem.2020.572923. (Modern review of cosmeceutical peptides including the GHK / AHK family in the context of cosme… | review |
| 2020 | Pal-AHK | Ferreira MS, Magalhães MC, Sousa-Lobo JM, Almeida IF. Trending Anti-Aging Peptides. Cosmetics. 2020;7(4):91. doi:10.3390/cosmetics7040091. (Open-access review of the cosmetic peptide field; catalogues the palmitoyl tripeptide family on INCI lists of marketed products.) | review |
| 2018 | Pal-AHK | Lima TN, Moraes CAP. Bioactive Peptides: Applications and Relevance for Cosmeceuticals. Cosmetics. 2018;5(1):21. doi:10.3390/cosmetics5010021. (Open-access review of bioactive peptides in cosmeceutical applications; covers signal-peptide, carrier-peptide, and neurotransmitter-af… | review |
| 2016 | Pal-AHK | Aldag C, Nogueira Teixeira D, Leventhal PS. Skin rejuvenation using cosmetic products containing growth factors, cytokines, and matrikines: a review of the literature. Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. 2016;9:411-419. doi:10.2147/CCID.S116158. PMID: 27877059. (Cosmetic-dermatology… PMID 27877059 | review |
| 2012 | Pal-AHK | Pickart L, Vasquez-Soltero JM, Margolina A. The human tripeptide GHK-Cu in prevention of oxidative stress and degenerative conditions of aging: implications for cognitive health. Biomed Res Int. 2012;2012:324832. doi:10.1155/2012/324832. PMID: 22666519. (Review of the human trip… PMID 22666519 | review |
| 2009 | Pal-AHK | Gorouhi F, Maibach HI. Role of topical peptides in preventing or treating aged skin. Int J Cosmet Sci. 2009;31(5):327-345. doi:10.1111/j.1468-2494.2009.00490.x. PMID: 19570099. (Foundational review of topical peptides in aging-skin applications; covers GHK-Cu, pal-KTTKS, palmito… PMID 19570099 | review |
| 2008 | Pal-AHK | Pickart L. The human tri-peptide GHK and tissue remodeling. J Biomater Sci Polym Ed. 2008;19(8):969-988. doi:10.1163/156856208784909435. PMID: 18047928. (Comprehensive review of the GHK / GHK-Cu literature including wound healing, hair-transplant survival, and gene-expression ef… PMID 18047928 | review |
| 2021 | Pal-AHK | Resende DISP, Ferreira MS, Sousa-Lobo JM, Sousa E, Almeida IF. Usage of Synthetic Peptides in Cosmetics for Sensitive Skin. Pharmaceuticals (Basel). 2021;14(8):702. doi:10.3390/ph14080702. PMID: 34451799. (Analysis of 88 facial cosmetics for sensitive skin, showing that palmitoy… PMID 34451799 | research article |
| 2007 | Pal-AHK | Lupo MP, Cole AL. Cosmeceutical peptides. Dermatol Ther. 2007;20(5):343-349. doi:10.1111/j.1529-8019.2007.00148.x. PMID: 18045359. (Categorizes cosmetic peptides into signal, neurotransmitter-affecting, and carrier classes. Frames the rationale for palmitoylation as a delivery s… PMID 18045359 | research article |
Related pair pages
More research context
Frequently asked
Have GHK-Cu and Pal-AHK been studied together?
Researchers have published mechanistic-level co-administration discussion of GHK-Cu and Pal-AHK. No human co-administration trials are catalogued in the Kalios profiles. The pair page lists each compound's classified literature; full citations sit on each individual profile.
What mechanisms do GHK-Cu and Pal-AHK share?
GHK-Cu and Pal-AHK do not share a specific mechanism tag on their Kalios profiles. They appear on the same pair page because at least one profile lists the other in its co-administration data.
What is the FDA status of GHK-Cu and Pal-AHK?
GHK-Cu: Cosmetic ingredient; Category 2 for injection. Pal-AHK: Cosmetic ingredient. FDA-status text is pulled verbatim from each compound profile. See /fda-pcac-2026.html for the broader FDA Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee context.
Where can I find the full research on GHK-Cu and Pal-AHK?
Full citation lists, dosing tables from the literature, reconstitution data, and the FDA / WADA status are on the individual compound profiles: the GHK-Cu profile and the Pal-AHK profile. The Kalios Stack Research Tool hub lists every compound covered.
Last updated: April 2026