Pair page
GHK-Cu with Syn-Ake
Mechanism-tag overlap and published literature for GHK-Cu and Syn-Ake, 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-snake-venom-mimetic
Co-administration notes from the literature
Verbatim summary text pulled from each compound's profile data. Researchers studying GHK-Cu and Syn-Ake have published these mechanism-level observations. Not a co-administration recommendation.
Copper-chelated tripeptide with broad effects on dermal repair, antioxidant defense, MMP modulation, and matrix synthesis. Used at 0.05–2% in topical formulation. Mechanistically distinct from Syn-Ake. The two are commonly layered in serum routines (alternating AM / PM, or sequential application after waiting for absorption) rather than co-formulated, since copper peptides can interact with certain other cosmetic ingredients.
Quick facts
GHK-Cu
Syn-Ake
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 |
| 2012 | Syn-Ake | Beer K, Waibel J. Botulinum toxin type A enhances the duration of clinical effect of topically applied Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 in patients with blepharospasm. (Pilot Study of Topical Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 in Treatment of Blepharospasm in Patients Receiving Botulinum Neurotoxin Thera… | human pilot |
| 1995 | Syn-Ake | Tsai MC, Hsieh WH, Smith LA, Lee CY. Effects of waglerin-I on neuromuscular transmission of mouse nerve-muscle preparations. Toxicon. 1995;33(3):363-371. PMID: 7638875. PMID 7638875 | preclinical, in vivo |
| 1992 | Syn-Ake | Aiken SP, Sellin LC, Schmidt JJ, Weinstein SA, McArdle JJ. A novel peptide toxin from Trimeresurus wagleri acts pre- and post-synaptically to block transmission at the rat neuromuscular junction. Pharmacol Toxicol. 1992;70(6 Pt 1):459-462. PMID: 1359525. PMID 1359525 | preclinical, in vivo |
| 1991 | Syn-Ake | Weinstein SA, Schmidt JJ, Bernheimer AW, Smith LA. Characterization and amino acid sequences of two lethal peptides isolated from venom of Wagler's pit viper, Trimeresurus wagleri. Toxicon. 1991;29(2):227-236. PMID: 2048140. PMID 2048140 | mechanism / discovery |
| 2025 | Syn-Ake | Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 in Cosmeceuticals — A Review of Skin Permeability and Efficacy. Cosmetics. 2025; PMC12193160. (Recent review of the most-studied class analog, evaluating skin permeation barriers — directly applicable to interpreting realistic Syn-Ake efficacy ceilings.) | review |
| 2022 | Syn-Ake | Anti-ageing peptides and proteins for topical applications: a review. Pharm Dev Technol. 2022;27(1):108-125. PMID: 34957891. (Recent comprehensive review of topical anti-aging peptides including discussion of nAChR-antagonist class members.) PMID 34957891 | review |
| — | Syn-Ake | Wikipedia / scholarly venomic summary: Tropidolaemus wagleri . Note: While T. wagleri 's waglerin-1 selectively blocks the ε-subunit-containing acetylcholine receptor of adult muscle, there is no scientific evidence supporting the manufacturer claim that the much smaller Syn-Ake… | industry documentation |
| 2005 | Syn-Ake | Lupo MP. Cosmeceutical peptides. Dermatol Surg. 2005;31(7 Pt 2):832-836. PMID: 16029675. PMID 16029675 | research article |
| 2002 | Syn-Ake | Molles BE, Tsigelny I, Nguyen PD, Gao SX, Sine SM, Taylor P. Residues in the epsilon subunit of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor interact to confer selectivity of waglerin-1 for the alpha-epsilon subunit interface site. Biochemistry. 2002;41(25):7895-7906. PMID: 12069578. PMID 12069578 | research article |
| 2002 | Syn-Ake | Molles BE, Rezai P, Kline EF, McArdle JJ, Sine SM, Taylor P. Identification of residues at the alpha and epsilon subunit interfaces mediating species selectivity of Waglerin-1 for nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. J Biol Chem. 2002;277(7):5433-5440. PMID: 11724791. PMID 11724791 | research article |
| 2002 | Syn-Ake | Blanes-Mira C, Clemente J, Jodas G, Gil A, Fernández-Ballester G, Ponsati B, Gutierrez L, Pérez-Payá E, Ferrer-Montiel A. A synthetic hexapeptide (Argireline) with antiwrinkle activity. Int J Cosmet Sci. 2002;24(5):303-310. PMID: 18498523. (The pivotal cosmetic-peptide reference… PMID 18498523 | research article |
| 1999 | Syn-Ake | McArdle JJ, Lentz TL, Witzemann V, Schwarz H, Weinstein SA, Schmidt JJ. Waglerin-1 selectively blocks the epsilon form of the muscle nicotinic acetylcholine receptor. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 1999;289(1):543-550. PMID: 10087048. (The pivotal paper establishing waglerin-1's selectiv… PMID 10087048 | research article |
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More research context
Frequently asked
Have GHK-Cu and Syn-Ake been studied together?
Researchers have published mechanistic-level co-administration discussion of GHK-Cu and Syn-Ake. 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 Syn-Ake share?
GHK-Cu and Syn-Ake 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 Syn-Ake?
GHK-Cu: Cosmetic ingredient; Category 2 for injection. Syn-Ake: Cosmetic ingredient (not drug-approved). 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 Syn-Ake?
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 Syn-Ake profile. The Kalios Stack Research Tool hub lists every compound covered.
Last updated: April 2026