AHK-CU 100mg (10 Vials / Kit)

AHK-Cu at a glance

AHK-Cu combines the tripeptide Ala-His-Lys with a copper(II) ion, giving the complex the molecular formula C₁₅H₂₄ClCuN₆O₄ and a molecular weight of 451.39 g/mol, a figure that includes a chloride counter-ion. Its cosmetic ingredient name is copper tripeptide-3. Structurally it resembles GHK-Cu, the copper peptide found in human plasma, but with alanine in place of glycine at the first position. Unlike most catalogue items, it is sold as bulk powder rather than in vials.

Price and availability

TFC Peptides lists this kit of 10 vials at 100mg each (1000 mg in total), shipped from Tianjin, China. At $65.00 for the kit, that works out to $0.065 per mg. Of the 2 AHK-Cu listings on the marketplace, from 2 brands, this is the lowest price per mg. Funds stay in escrow and are released to TFC Peptides only when you mark the order as received.

What it is studied for

The histidine side chain and nearby backbone nitrogens hold the copper ion in a stable complex. Copper itself is a cofactor for enzymes such as lysyl oxidase, which cross-links collagen and elastin, and superoxide dismutase, an antioxidant enzyme. Research on AHK-Cu reports increased collagen production and proliferation in cultured dermal fibroblasts, and hair-follicle studies describe effects on dermal papilla cell growth and follicle elongation in organ culture. Whether the peptide acts mainly by delivering copper or through signaling of its own is an open question.

Research and regulatory status

AHK-Cu appears mainly in cosmetic science. Laboratory studies use fibroblast cultures, skin-equivalent models and isolated hair follicles, and the ingredient is found in some topical cosmetic formulations. Controlled clinical evidence is sparse, and published human data, where they exist, come mostly from small cosmetic studies. It is not an approved drug, and its research literature is far thinner than that for GHK-Cu.

Checking the lab data

For a bulk copper complex, a report should confirm peptide identity by mass spectrometry and quantify copper content, for example by atomic absorption or ICP analysis, to show the complex is correctly formed. HPLC purity of the peptide portion and moisture content are useful because bulk powders absorb water. Expect a blue to blue-violet powder; an off-color tint is worth questioning with the vendor.

No independent report is attached to this listing yet. You can compare brands that publish one on the marketplace or browse the lab reports directory.

Listing details

Compound

AHK-Cu

Synonyms

Copper Tripeptide-3, Alanyl-Histidyl-Lysine-Copper

Class

Copper-binding tripeptide complex

Format

Raw powder (bulk, not in vials)

Molecular formula

C₁₅H₂₄ClCuN₆O₄

Molecular weight

451.39 g/mol

Vial strength

100mg

Vials per kit

10

Total content

1000 mg

Price per mg

$0.065

Sold by

TFC Peptides

Ships from

Tianjin, China

Lab report

Not yet published

Storage and preparation

Freeze-dried peptide keeps best sealed, cold and dark. Once it has been dissolved, refrigerate it, avoid repeated warming and follow the stability limits in your study protocol.

Concentration arithmetic: one 100 mg vial dissolved in 2 mL gives 50 mg/mL, or 100 mg/mL in 1 mL. The Research Lab calculator in your dashboard handles any other volume.

Buyer questions

Supplied for laboratory research only. Not for human or veterinary use, and not a substitute for any prescription medicine. Nothing on this page is medical advice.