Argireline
Status
Cosmetic ingredient. No FDA-approved drug labeling exists. Acetyl hexapeptide-8 is used as a cosmetic ingredient in the United States, meaning it is not reviewed by the FDA before sale; a product claiming to affect the structure or function of the body would be regulated as a drug.
What it is
A topical hexapeptide marketed for line appearance around the eyes.
What published research measured
Acetyl hexapeptide-8, a cosmetic peptide modelled on the SNAP-25 protein and proposed to interfere with the SNARE complex that mediates neurotransmitter release at the neuromuscular junction — the topical botulinum analogy that gives it its reputation. Small manufacturer-associated and independent studies report modest reductions in wrinkle depth over weeks of application, generally in the range of a few per cent to around thirty per cent by image analysis, with considerable variability between studies. The unresolved question is delivery: it is a charged hydrophilic hexapeptide and the stratum corneum is an effective barrier to exactly that kind of molecule, so how much reaches the dermal-epidermal junction from a cream is uncertain. It is a cosmetic ingredient, not a drug, and no injectable use has been studied.
Source
Wang Y et al. 2013 — The anti-wrinkle efficacy of argireline, a synthetic hexapeptide, in Chinese subjects: a randomized, placebo-controll… · Wang Y et al. 2013 — The anti-wrinkle efficacy of Argireline · Grosicki M et al. 2014 — The study of cellular cytotoxicity of argireline - an anti-aging peptide
Sources
No linked primary source is on file for this entry yet.
Educational use only, never medical advice. No doses.