GHK Basic — EU research guide.
GHK (Tripeptide-1) is the copper-free form of the naturally occurring tripeptide better known bound to copper as GHK-Cu — the base molecule behind one of skincare's longest-studied anti-aging ingredients.
What is GHK Basic?
GHK is a three-amino-acid peptide (Gly-His-Lys) that occurs naturally in human plasma, saliva and urine, and declines with age. Its most-studied biological activity — collagen stimulation, wound healing, antioxidant signalling — is generally attributed to its strong natural affinity for copper, forming GHK-Cu in the body and in most cosmetic formulations.
What does the research show?
Decades of in vitro and cosmetic trial data support GHK-Cu's effects on skin remodelling and wound healing; GHK without copper is less extensively studied on its own, and is largely used as a raw-material precursor or reference compound rather than a standalone finished product.
EU legal status
Sold as a cosmetic raw material and as a research-grade peptide; not a licensed medicine.
Molecular information
Pharmacokinetics
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