Pair page
GHK Basic with GHK-Cu
Mechanism-tag overlap and published literature for GHK Basic and GHK-Cu, 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.
matrikine-cosmetic-signaling-peptidetripeptide
connective-tissuecopper-tripeptide-skin
Co-administration notes from the literature
Verbatim summary text pulled from each compound's profile data. Researchers studying GHK Basic and GHK-Cu have published these mechanism-level observations. Not a co-administration recommendation.
The natural comparator and the more evidence-backed alternative. Users sometimes sequentially trial copper-free GHK and GHK-Cu to compare response. Concurrent stacking is uncommon and largely redundant since both forms converge in vivo after copper coordination.
Quick facts
GHK Basic
GHK-Cu
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | GHK Basic | Choi HR, Kang YA, Ryoo SJ, Shin JW, Na JI, Huh CH, Park KC. Stem cell recovering effect of copper-free GHK in skin. J Pept Sci. 2012;18(11):685-690. doi:10.1002/psc.2455. (Key paper for copper-free GHK: stem-cell preservation in human skin equivalents without copper coordination… | human study |
| 2011 | GHK Basic | 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. (Topical penetration data — relevant to cosmetic copper-free formulations.) PMID 20835751 | preclinical, in vitro |
| 1988 | GHK Basic | 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. (Foundational collagen-stimulation paper… PMID 3169264 | preclinical, in vitro |
| 2017 | GHK Basic | 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 |
| 2008 | GHK Basic | Beretta G, Arlandini E, Artali R, Anton JM, Maffei Facino R. Acrolein sequestering ability of the endogenous tripeptide glycyl-histidyl-lysine (GHK): characterization of conjugation products by ESI-MSn and theoretical calculations. J Pharm Biomed Anal. 2008;47(3):596-602. | mechanism / discovery |
| 1973 | GHK Basic | 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 isolation of GHK from human plasma.) PMID 4351857 | mechanism / discovery |
| 2026 | GHK Basic | WADA Prohibited List 2026. World Anti-Doping Agency. wada-ama.org. | regulatory / registry |
| 2025 | GHK Basic | FDA. Bulk Drug Substances Nominated for Use in Compounding — 503A and 503B Categories. FDA.gov. Updated 2025-2026. | regulatory / registry |
| 2018 | GHK Basic | 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. (Comprehensive modern review; notes copper-dependent vs copper-independent activities.) PMID 29986520 | research article |
| 2015 | GHK Basic | 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 | GHK Basic | Pickart L, Vasquez-Soltero JM, Margolina A. The human tripeptide GHK-Cu in prevention of oxidative stress and degenerative conditions of aging. Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2012;2012:324832. PMID: 22666521. PMID 22666521 | research article |
| 2012 | GHK Basic | Trapaidze A, Hureau C, Bal W, Winterhalter M, Faller P. Thermodynamic study of Cu²⁺ binding to the DAHK and GHK peptides by isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) with the weaker competitor glycine. J Biol Inorg Chem. 2012;17(1):37-47. PMID: 21748269. (Quantifies the very high c… PMID 21748269 | research article |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 2009 | GHK-Cu | Kang YA, Choi HR, Na JI, Huh CH, Kim MJ, Youn SW, Kim KH, Park KC. Copper-GHK increases integrin expression and p63 positivity by keratinocytes. Arch Dermatol Res. 2009;301(4):301-306. PMID: 19129717. PMID 19129717 | research article |
| 2008 | GHK-Cu | Mazurowska L, Mojski M. Biological activities of selected peptides: skin penetration ability of copper complexes with peptides. J Cosmet Sci. 2008;59(1):59-69. PMID: 18350230. PMID 18350230 | research article |
Related pair pages
More research context
Frequently asked
Have GHK Basic and GHK-Cu been studied together?
Researchers have published mechanistic-level co-administration discussion of GHK Basic and GHK-Cu. 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 Basic and GHK-Cu share?
GHK Basic and GHK-Cu 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 Basic and GHK-Cu?
GHK Basic: Cosmetic ingredient only. GHK-Cu: Cosmetic ingredient; Category 2 for injection. 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 Basic and GHK-Cu?
Full citation lists, dosing tables from the literature, reconstitution data, and the FDA / WADA status are on the individual compound profiles: the GHK Basic profile and the GHK-Cu profile. The Kalios Stack Research Tool hub lists every compound covered.
Last updated: April 2026