Pair page
AHK-Cu with Nonapeptide-1
Mechanism-tag overlap and published literature for AHK-Cu and Nonapeptide-1, 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.
AHK-Cu unique
copper-tripeptidehair
Shared
cosmetic-peptide
Nonapeptide-1 unique
brighteningmc1r-antagonist
Quick facts
AHK-Cu
RouteTopical scalp
Half-lifeNot listed
FDA statusCosmetic ingredient
WADANot listed (N/A topical)
Nonapeptide-1
RouteTopical (cosmetic)
Half-lifeNot listed
FDA statusCosmetic ingredient
WADANot applicable (topical cosmetic)
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 | AHK-Cu | Dhurat R, Sukesh M, Avhad G, Dandale A, Pal A, Pund P. A Randomized Evaluator Blinded Study of Effect of Microneedling in Androgenetic Alopecia: A Pilot Study. Int J Trichology. 2013;5(1):6-11. doi:10.4103/0974-7753.114700. PMID: 23960389. (Microneedling + minoxidil RCT — the pr… PMID 23960389 | human trial |
| 1998 | AHK-Cu | Lachgar S, Charveron M, Gall Y, Bonafe JL. Minoxidil upregulates the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor in human hair dermal papilla cells. Br J Dermatol. 1998;138(3):407-411. doi:10.1046/j.1365-2133.1998.02115.x. PMID: 9580790. (Clinically validated positive-contr… PMID 9580790 | human study |
| 2001 | AHK-Cu | Yano K, Brown LF, Detmar M. Control of hair growth and follicle size by VEGF-mediated angiogenesis. J Clin Invest. 2001;107(4):409-417. doi:10.1172/JCI11317. PMID: 11181640. (Transgenic VEGF overexpression increases perifollicular vascularization, accelerates hair regrowth, and… PMID 11181640 | preclinical, in vivo |
| 2007 | AHK-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. doi:10.1007/BF02978833. PMID: 17703734. (The foundational AHK-Cu in-vitro / ex-vivo paper — dermal papilla… PMID 17703734 | preclinical, in vitro |
| 1988 | AHK-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. doi:10.1016/0014-5793(88)80509-x. PMID: 3169264. (Found… PMID 3169264 | preclinical, in vitro |
| 2018 | AHK-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. doi:10.3390/ijms19071987. PMID: 29986520. (Comprehensive review of copper-peptide gene-expression effects — scaffold for AHK-Cu me… PMID 29986520 | review |
| 2008 | AHK-Cu | 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: 18644225. (Authoritative Pickart review of the copper-peptide tissue-remodeling framework.) PMID 18644225 | review |
| 2015 | AHK-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. doi:10.1155/2015/648108. PMID: 26236730. (Multi-pathway copper-peptide mechanism review — foundational context for… PMID 26236730 | research article |
| 2012 | AHK-Cu | Li W, Man XY, Li CM, Chen JQ, Zhou J, Cai SQ, Lu ZF, Zheng M. VEGF induces proliferation of human hair follicle dermal papilla cells through VEGFR-2-mediated activation of ERK. Exp Cell Res. 2012;318(14):1633-1640. doi:10.1016/j.yexcr.2012.05.003. PMID: 22659165. (Downstream VEG… PMID 22659165 | research article |
| 2012 | AHK-Cu | 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. Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2012;2012:324832. doi:10.1155/2012/324832. PMID: 22666519. (Copper-peptide agi… PMID 22666519 | research article |
| 2000 | AHK-Cu | Siméon A, Wegrowski Y, Bontemps Y, Maquart FX. Expression of glycosaminoglycans and small proteoglycans in wounds: modulation by the tripeptide-copper complex glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine-Cu(2+). J Invest Dermatol. 2000;115(6):962-968. doi:10.1046/j.1523-1747.2000.00166.x. PMID: 1… PMID 11121126 | research article |
| 1999 | AHK-Cu | Simeon A, Monier F, Emonard H, Gillery P, Birembaut P, Hornebeck W, Maquart FX. Expression and activation of matrix metalloproteinases in wounds: modulation by the tripeptide-copper complex glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine-Cu(2+). J Invest Dermatol. 1999;112(6):957-964. doi:10.1046/j.… PMID 10383745 | research article |
| 2019 | Nonapeptide-1 | Austin E, Nguyen JK, Jagdeo J. Topical treatments for melasma: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials. J Drugs Dermatol. 2019;18(11):1156-1163. PMID: 31741361. (Systematic review of RCT evidence for topical melasma treatments — the evidence-quality benchmark that no… PMID 31741361 | systematic review |
| 2009 | Nonapeptide-1 | Hantash BM, Jimenez F. A split-face, double-blind, randomized and placebo-controlled pilot evaluation of a novel oligopeptide for the treatment of recalcitrant melasma. J Drugs Dermatol. 2009;8(8):732-735. PMID: 19663111. (Decapeptide-12 melasma pilot — the closest published pep… PMID 19663111 | human trial |
| 2012 | Nonapeptide-1 | Hantash BM, Jimenez F. Treatment of mild to moderate facial melasma with the Lumixyl topical brightening system. J Drugs Dermatol. 2012;11(5):660-662. PMID: 22527433. (Follow-up decapeptide-12 melasma open-label trial — the peptide brightener with the most published independent… PMID 22527433 | human pilot |
| 1999 | Nonapeptide-1 | Abdel-Malek Z, Suzuki I, Tada A, Im S, Akcali C. The melanocortin-1 receptor and human pigmentation. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1999;885:117-133. PMID: 10816645. (Review of MC1R biology in human cutaneous pigmentation.) PMID 10816645 | human study |
| 1995 | Nonapeptide-1 | Kameyama K, Sakai C, Kuge S, Nishiyama S, Tomita Y, Ito S, Wakamatsu K, Hearing VJ. The expression of tyrosinase, tyrosinase-related proteins 1 and 2 (TRP1 and TRP2), the silver protein, and a melanogenic inhibitor in human melanoma cells of differing melanogenic activities. Pig… PMID 7659683 | human study |
| 1995 | Nonapeptide-1 | Hunt G, Kyne S, Wakamatsu K, Ito S, Thody AJ. Nle4DPhe7 alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone increases the eumelanin:phaeomelanin ratio in cultured human melanocytes. J Invest Dermatol. 1995;104(1):83-85. PMID: 7798647. (NDP-MSH / melanotan-I demonstration of agonist-driven eume… PMID 7798647 | preclinical, in vitro |
| 2012 | Nonapeptide-1 | Kadekaro AL, Chen J, Yang J, Chen S, Jameson J, Swope VB, Cheng T, Kadakia M, Abdel-Malek Z. Alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone suppresses oxidative stress through a p53-mediated signaling pathway in human melanocytes. Mol Cancer Res. 2012;10(6):778-786. PMID: 22622028. (Docum… PMID 22622028 | mechanism / discovery |
| 1996 | Nonapeptide-1 | Suzuki I, Cone RD, Im S, Nordlund J, Abdel-Malek ZA. Binding of melanotropic hormones to the melanocortin receptor MC1R on human melanocytes stimulates proliferation and melanogenesis. Endocrinology. 1996;137(5):1627-1633. PMID: 8612494. (Original characterization of α-MSH / ACT… PMID 8612494 | mechanism / discovery |
| 1994 | Nonapeptide-1 | Kobayashi T, Urabe K, Winder A, Jiménez-Cervantes C, Imokawa G, Brewington T, Solano F, García-Borrón JC, Hearing VJ. Tyrosinase related protein 1 (TRP1) functions as a DHICA oxidase in melanin biosynthesis. EMBO J. 1994;13(24):5818-5825. PMID: 7813420. (Functional characterizat… PMID 7813420 | mechanism / discovery |
| 1992 | Nonapeptide-1 | Tsukamoto K, Jackson IJ, Urabe K, Montague PM, Hearing VJ. A second tyrosinase-related protein, TRP-2, is a melanogenic enzyme termed DOPAchrome tautomerase. EMBO J. 1992;11(2):519-526. PMID: 1537333. (Original characterization of TRP-2 / DCT as the dopachrome tautomerase — part… PMID 1537333 | mechanism / discovery |
| 2025 | Nonapeptide-1 | Austin E, Geisler AN, Nguyen J, Kohli I, Hamzavi I, Lim HW, Jagdeo J. Peptide design for enhanced anti-melanogenesis: Optimizing molecular weight, polarity, and cyclization. Int J Cosmet Sci. 2025;47(1):37-52. PMID: 39896936. (Recent review of anti-melanogenic peptide design pri… PMID 39896936 | review |
| 2021 | Nonapeptide-1 | Herraiz C, Martínez-Vicente I, Maresca V. The α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone/melanocortin-1 receptor interaction: A driver of pleiotropic effects beyond pigmentation. Pigment Cell Melanoma Res. 2021;34(4):748-761. PMID: 33884776. (Current comprehensive review of α-MSH/MC1R sig… PMID 33884776 | review |
Related pair pages
More research context
Frequently asked
Have AHK-Cu and Nonapeptide-1 been studied together?
No co-administration studies between AHK-Cu and Nonapeptide-1 are catalogued on Kalios. The pair page lists only the individual published literature for each compound and any shared mechanism tags.
What mechanisms do AHK-Cu and Nonapeptide-1 share?
AHK-Cu and Nonapeptide-1 share these mechanism tags on their Kalios profiles: cosmetic-peptide. Tags are descriptive and verbatim from each compound profile — not an inference of combined effect.
What is the FDA status of AHK-Cu and Nonapeptide-1?
AHK-Cu: Cosmetic ingredient. Nonapeptide-1: 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 AHK-Cu and Nonapeptide-1?
Full citation lists, dosing tables from the literature, reconstitution data, and the FDA / WADA status are on the individual compound profiles: the AHK-Cu profile and the Nonapeptide-1 profile. The Kalios Stack Research Tool hub lists every compound covered.
Last updated: April 2026