At a glance
Type
Copper tripeptide (GHK-Cu)
Molecular weight
≈401.9 g/mol
Studied for
Skin & collagenWound healingAntioxidantTissue remodelling
GHK-Cu (copper tripeptide-1) is a small, naturally occurring peptide — glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine bound to copper — first isolated from human plasma in 1973. Its levels fall with age, which is part of why it is so heavily studied for skin, wound healing and tissue remodelling.
How GHK-Cu works
GHK-Cu is a copper carrier and signalling molecule. It binds copper(II) with an affinity similar to the body’s own copper-transport site and delivers it into cells, where it stimulates fibroblasts to produce collagen, elastin, proteoglycans and glycosaminoglycans — the building blocks of skin and connective tissue. It also shows antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity and broadly modulates gene expression, which is the basis for much of the regenerative research around it.
What the research shows
- Gene-level regenerative actions (Pickart & Margolina, 2018). A review documenting GHK-Cu’s stimulation of tissue repair, collagen and DNA repair, and its long cosmetic-use safety record.
- Skin-regeneration pathways (Pickart et al., 2015). GHK modulates many human genes and multiple cellular pathways driving skin regeneration and remodelling.
- Wound healing & gene expression (Pickart et al., 2014). GHK improves wound healing, raises collagen and GAG synthesis, supports angiogenesis and nerve outgrowth, and shows antioxidant effects.
- Tissue remodelling (Pickart, 2008). GHK-Cu accelerated wound healing across animal models and human studies and improved hair-transplant success.
Candour on the evidence: the strongest human evidence for GHK-Cu is topical (skin-aging cosmetics and wound healing) and in-vitro/animal work; data on injected or systemic use in humans is limited. Use belongs under a physician’s guidance.
Molecular specification
| Type | Copper-binding tripeptide (GHK-Cu) |
| Sequence | Gly-His-Lys + copper(II) |
| Molecular formula | C14H22CuN6O4 (complex) |
| Molecular weight | ≈401.9 g/mol (complex) |
| CAS number | 89030-95-5 (GHK-Cu) |
Quality and sourcing
Every batch of Azzurri Wellness GHK-Cu is compounded through a Registered 503B outsourcing facility under GMP-compliant processes, HPLC-tested for purity and potency, and third-party lab verified. Shipped cold-pack when needed to protect stability.
References
- 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. PubMed
- 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. PMC
- Pickart L, Vasquez-Soltero JM, Margolina A. GHK and DNA: Resetting the Human Genome to Health. Biomed Res Int. 2014;2014:151479. PubMed
- Pickart L. The Human Tri-Peptide GHK and Tissue Remodeling. J Biomater Sci Polym Ed. 2008;19(8):969–988. PubMed
Compiled by the Azzurri Wellness Research Team and checked against the cited literature. Educational only — not medical advice.
