Anxiolytic effects of Gly-His-Lys peptide and its analogs.
Bobyntsev. I I II; Chernysheva. O I OI; Dolgintsev. M E ME; Smakhtin. M Yu MY; Belykh. A E AE
Key Findings
- Low‑dose (0.5 µg/kg) GHK gave the strongest anxiolytic effect in the elevated plus‑maze test.
- Increasing the dose to 5 or 50 µg/kg reduced the calming benefit.
- Replacing L‑lysine with D‑lysine or adding D‑alanine to the peptide diminished or changed the anxiolytic response.
Practical Outcomes
- For biohackers, the data suggest GHK might have anxiety‑reducing properties, but the effective dose is extremely low and was delivered by injection in rats, making it hard to apply to humans. There’s no clear guidance on oral or topical dosing, safety, or long‑term effects, so more research is needed before trying it as a supplement for mood.
Summary
A study in male rats found that a tiny dose (0.5 µg/kg) of the tripeptide Gly‑His‑Lys (GHK) reduced anxiety‑like behavior, but higher doses were less effective. Changing the peptide’s shape (using D‑lysine or adding D‑alanine) weakened or altered the calming effect. The work was done by injecting the peptide directly into the animals' bodies, not by oral or topical use.
Abstract
Intraperitoneal administration of tripeptide Gly-His-Lys to male rats in doses of 0.5, 5, and 50 μg/kg 12 min before the start of the experiment produced an anxiolytic effect in the elevated plus maze test manifested in an increase in the time spent in open arms and shortened time spent in the closed arms. The anxiolytic effect was most pronounced after injection of 0.5 μg/kg peptide and decreased with increasing the dose of the peptide. Replacement of L-lysine with D-lysine in the tripeptide molecule was accompanied by a significant weakening of the neurotropic effects in all studied doses. Attachment of D-alanine to N- or C-terminus of Gly-His-Lys peptide leveled its anxiolytic action in all doses; significant changes in some measures of increased anxiety after administration at 50 μg/kg were found.
Study Information
pubmed
2015
2015-04-23T00:00:00.000Z
10.1007/s10517-015-2847-3
14
15