Pair page
Pentapeptide-18 with Syn-Ake
Mechanism-tag overlap and published literature for Pentapeptide-18 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.
cosmetic-peptideenkephalin-analog
cosmetic-snake-venom-mimetic
Co-administration notes from the literature
Verbatim summary text pulled from each compound's profile data. Researchers studying Pentapeptide-18 and Syn-Ake have published these mechanism-level observations. Not a co-administration recommendation.
A synthetic analog of Waglerin-1, a peptide from the venom of the Temple Viper that antagonizes the muscle-type nicotinic acetylcholine receptor at the postsynaptic motor endplate. Mechanistically orthogonal to both Leuphasyl and Argireline: same neuromuscular target but a different node of the pathway. Commonly incorporated in multi-peptide "peptide-cocktail" anti-expression-wrinkle serums alongside Pentapeptide-18 and Argireline.
Quick facts
Pentapeptide-18
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Pentapeptide-18 | Wang Y, Wang M, Xiao S, Pan P, Li P, Huo J. The anti-wrinkle efficacy of argireline, a synthetic hexapeptide, in Chinese subjects: a randomized, placebo-controlled study. Am J Clin Dermatol. 2013 Apr;14(2):147-153. doi:10.1007/s40257-013-0009-9. PMID: 23435580. (Placebo-controll… PMID 23435580 | human trial |
| 2014 | Pentapeptide-18 | Dragomirescu AO, Andoni M, Ionescu D, Andrei F. The Efficiency and Safety of Leuphasyl—A Botox-Like Peptide. Cosmetics. 2014;1(2):75-81. doi:10.3390/cosmetics1020075. (Only peer-reviewed open-label human efficacy paper specific to Pentapeptide-18; manufacturer-adjacent but metho… | human pilot |
| 1999 | Pentapeptide-18 | Acosta CG, López HS. delta opioid receptor modulation of several voltage-dependent Ca(2+) currents in rat sensory neurons. J Neurosci. 1999 Oct 1;19(19):8337-8348. doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.19-19-08337.1999. PMID: 10493736; PMCID: PMC6783030. (Direct electrophysiological evidence th… PMID 10493736 | preclinical, in vivo |
| 2015 | Pentapeptide-18 | Kraeling ME, Zhou W, Wang P, Ogunsola OA. In vitro skin penetration of acetyl hexapeptide-8 from a cosmetic formulation. Cutan Ocul Toxicol. 2015 Mar;34(1):46-52. doi:10.3109/15569527.2014.894521. PMID: 24641245. (Permeation analog study — demonstrates that ~0.22% of topically a… PMID 24641245 | preclinical, in vitro |
| 2002 | Pentapeptide-18 | 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 Oct;24(5):303-310. doi:10.1046/j.1467-2494.2002.00153.x. PMID: 1849852… PMID 18498523 | mechanism / discovery |
| 1975 | Pentapeptide-18 | Hughes J, Smith TW, Kosterlitz HW, Fothergill LA, Morgan BA, Morris HR. Identification of two related pentapeptides from the brain with potent opiate agonist activity. Nature. 1975 Dec 18;258(5536):577-580. doi:10.1038/258577a0. PMID: 1207728. (The landmark Hughes & Kosterlitz p… PMID 1207728 | mechanism / discovery |
| 1977 | Pentapeptide-18 | Hughes J, Kosterlitz HW, Smith TW. The distribution of methionine-enkephalin and leucine-enkephalin in the brain and peripheral tissues. Br J Pharmacol. 1977 Dec;61(4):639-647. doi:10.1111/j.1476-5381.1977.tb07557.x. PMID: 597668. (Follow-up Hughes/Kosterlitz distribution paper… PMID 597668 | pharmacology |
| 2024 | Pentapeptide-18 | Cullen JM, Cascella M. Physiology, Enkephalin. StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024. PMID: 32491696. (Comprehensive physiology review of enkephalin structure, receptor pharmacology, and degradation — useful pharmacology reference for the Leuph… PMID 32491696 | review |
| 2022 | Pentapeptide-18 | Mortazavi SM, Moghimi HR. Skin permeability, a dismissed necessity for anti-wrinkle peptide performance. Int J Cosmet Sci. 2022 Apr;44(2):232-248. doi:10.1111/ics.12770. PMID: 35152433. (Independent review of the skin-permeation bottleneck that constrains all topical anti-wrinkl… PMID 35152433 | review |
| 2012 | Pentapeptide-18 | Reddy B, Jow T, Hantash BM. Bioactive oligopeptides in dermatology: Part I. Exp Dermatol. 2012 Aug;21(8):569-575. doi:10.1111/j.1600-0625.2012.01528.x. PMID: 22775991. (Dermatology-journal review of bioactive cosmetic oligopeptides including the neurotransmitter-affecting peptid… PMID 22775991 | review |
| 2009 | Pentapeptide-18 | Zhang L, Falla TJ. Cosmeceuticals and peptides. Clin Dermatol. 2009 Sep-Oct;27(5):485-494. doi:10.1016/j.clindermatol.2009.05.013. PMID: 19695481. (Foundational dermatology-journal review of cosmeceutical peptides that contextualizes Leuphasyl within the neurotransmitter-affecti… PMID 19695481 | review |
| 2005 | Pentapeptide-18 | Lipotec S.A. LEUPHASYL®: A New Pentapeptide for Expression Wrinkles. Technical dossier / formulator brochure. Barcelona: Lipotec; 2005. (Originator manufacturer dossier, widely re-cited across cosmetic industry literature; source of the 11.64% stand-alone and 24.62% Leuphasyl +… | industry documentation |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 1996 | Syn-Ake | Sellin LC, Mattila K, Annila A, Schmidt JJ, McArdle JJ, Hyvönen M, Rauh JJ, Kuusela P. Conformational analysis of a toxic peptide from Trimeresurus wagleri which blocks the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor. Biophys J. 1996;70(1):3-13. PMID: 8770182. PMID 8770182 | research article |
Related pair pages
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Frequently asked
Have Pentapeptide-18 and Syn-Ake been studied together?
Researchers have published mechanistic-level co-administration discussion of Pentapeptide-18 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 Pentapeptide-18 and Syn-Ake share?
Pentapeptide-18 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 Pentapeptide-18 and Syn-Ake?
Pentapeptide-18: Cosmetic ingredient. 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 Pentapeptide-18 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 Pentapeptide-18 profile and the Syn-Ake profile. The Kalios Stack Research Tool hub lists every compound covered.
Last updated: April 2026