Use search to browse all 100+ peptides
Cathelicidin, hCAP-18, FALL-39, CAP-18
An antimicrobial peptide of the cathelicidin family that provides innate immune defense by killing pathogens and modulating inflammation and wound healing.
Schaller. M M; Gonser. L L; Belge. K K; Braunsdorf. C C; Nordin. R R; Scheu. A A; Borelli. C C
A small study showed that applying 1% ivermectin cream (Soolantra) once a day for at least 12 weeks dramatically cuts down Demodex mite numbers and lowers skin inflammation markers, including the antimicrobial peptide LL‑37, in people with moderate‑to‑severe papulopustular rosacea.
Mathapathi. Mruthyunjaya Swamy MS; Mallemalla. Prathyusha P; Vora. Shilpa S; Iyer. Vidula V; Tiwari....
A leave‑on skin product with niacinamide (a common cosmetic ingredient) can boost the skin’s natural antimicrobial peptides, including LL‑37, and give lasting protection against bacteria, as shown in mouse studies. This means you can potentially strengthen your skin’s defense by using a niacinamide serum or cream daily without rinsing it off.
Subramanian. Karthik K; Bergman. Peter P; Henriques-Normark. Birgitta B
Taking vitamin D can boost your immune cells' ability to kill the pneumonia‑causing bacteria Streptococcus pneumoniae. It does this by increasing the production of antimicrobial peptides like LL‑37 and HNP1‑3, while also calming down excess inflammation.
Nakatsuji. Teruaki T; Chen. Tiffany H TH; Narala. Saisindhu S; Chun. Kimberly A KA; Two. Aimee M AM;...
Researchers found that friendly skin bacteria produce natural antibiotics that kill Staphylococcus aureus, a bad bug that worsens eczema. These bacterial antibiotics work especially well together with the human peptide LL-37. Adding these helpful bacteria back onto the skin of eczema patients lowered the bad bug's numbers.
Haisma. Elisabeth M EM; Göblyös. Anikó A; Ravensbergen. Bep B; Adriaans. Alwin E AE;...
A peptide called P60.4Ac works best when mixed into a simple gel (hypromellose) rather than creams. In lab skin and airway models it wipes out most MRSA bacteria, even the tougher biofilm form, at low concentrations and doesn’t hurt the cells. The gel stays stable for months, making it a practical way to apply the peptide on skin or mucosal surfaces.
Currie. Silke M SM; Gwyer Findlay. Emily E; McFarlane. Amanda J AJ; Fitch. Paul M PM; Böttcher....
The human peptide LL-37 can directly damage RSV virus particles, stopping them from infecting lung cells in lab tests. Giving extra LL-37 to mice protects them from RSV, especially when given at the same time as the virus. People with higher natural LL-37 in their noses are less likely to get sick from RSV, suggesting the peptide is an important front‑line defender against this common cold‑like infection.
Wang. Jeffrey W JW; Hogan. Patrick G PG; Hunstad. David A DA; Fritz. Stephanie A SA
Kids who don’t have enough vitamin D are more likely to get repeated Staph skin infections because low vitamin D means less of the natural antibiotic peptide LL‑37 in their skin. Keeping vitamin D levels above 30 ng/mL may boost this peptide and help prevent those infections.
Raftery. Tara T; Martineau. Adrian R AR; Greiller. Claire L CL; Ghosh. Subrata S; McNamara. Deirdre...
In a small study of Crohn's patients in remission, taking 2000 IU of vitamin D each day for three months boosted blood levels of the antimicrobial peptide LL‑37, kept the gut lining from getting leakier, lowered inflammation markers, and improved quality of life, especially when vitamin D levels reached at least 75 nmol/L.
Gillum. Trevor L TL; Kuennen. Matthew R MR; Castillo. Micaela N MN; Williams. Nicole L NL; Jordan-Pa...
A short 45‑minute run at about 75% of your max oxygen use boosts key antimicrobial proteins in saliva—like LL‑37, HNP1‑3, lactoferrin and lysozyme—whether you’ve slept well or missed a night. The rise in these proteins suggests stronger mucosal immunity and better inflammation control after exercise, even when you’re short on sleep.
Mily. Akhirunnesa A; Rekha. Rokeya Sultana RS; Kamal. S M Mostafa SM; Akhtar. Evana E; Sarker. Proti...
Taking 500 mg of phenylbutyrate twice a day together with 5,000 IU of vitamin D3 each day raises the body’s antimicrobial peptide LL‑37 in immune cells and makes macrophages better at killing TB bacteria in lab tests, suggesting this combo could be used to boost innate immunity.
Muto. Yumiko Y; Wang. Zhenping Z; Vanderberghe. Matthieu M; Two. Aimee A; Gallo. Richard L RL; Di Na...
The study shows that a skin protein called LL-37 triggers inflammation in rosacea by activating mast cells. Mice that lack mast cells don’t develop rosacea‑like skin changes, and using a mast‑cell stabilizer (cromolyn) reduces inflammation markers. In real patients, a cream with cromolyn lowered skin enzyme activity linked to rosacea after 8 weeks.
Grether-Beck. Susanne S; Felsner. Ingo I; Brenden. Heidi H; Kohne. Zippora Z; Majora. Marc M; Marini...
Applying urea to the skin (like in a cream) boosts the skin's barrier and raises natural antimicrobial proteins such as LL‑37, helping protect against infections and improve conditions like dry or eczema‑prone skin.
van der Does. Anne M AM; Bergman. Peter P; Agerberth. Birgitta B; Lindbom. Lennart L
The human antimicrobial peptide LL-37 helps fight infections and keep the gut lining healthy. The body can make more LL-37 when you take vitamin D3 or butyrate (a short‑chain fatty acid produced from fiber). Boosting LL-37 could be a way to protect against bacterial infections without relying on traditional antibiotics.
Krahulec. Ján J; Hyrsová. Marcela M; Pepeliaev. Stanislav S; Jílková. Jana J; Ce...
Researchers built a cheap E. coli system that can crank out a lot of the human antimicrobial peptide LL‑37, then purified it and showed it kills common bacteria at low concentrations. This gives biohackers a clear recipe to make their own active LL‑37 without needing expensive antibiotics in the growth media.
Jensen. Jens-Michael JM; Ahrens. Kerstin K; Meingassner. Josef J; Scherer. Andreas A; Bräutigam...
In atopic dermatitis, strong steroid creams (betamethasone and triamcinolone) dramatically lower skin antimicrobial proteins like LL-37, making the skin more prone to bacterial infections. The milder calcineurin inhibitor pimecrolimus also reduces these proteins but to a much lesser extent, keeping some defenses above normal levels.
Pasupuleti. Mukesh M; Schmidtchen. Artur A; Chalupka. Anna A; Ringstad. Lovisa L; Malmsten. Martin M
Adding short strings of the hydrophobic amino acids tryptophan (W) or phenylalanine (F) to the ends of very small antimicrobial peptides makes them kill bacteria much better, while staying safe for human cells under normal body conditions. This trick works even when the core peptide is only 4‑7 amino acids long, and the modified peptides stay stable against enzymes that would normally break them down. The approach was shown to work on real skin tissue infected with common bacteria.
Nakatsuji. Teruaki T; Kao. Mandy C MC; Zhang. Liangfang L; Zouboulis. Christos C CC; Gallo. Richard...
The study shows that certain skin oils—specifically lauric, palmitic, and oleic acids—can boost the skin's natural antimicrobial peptide hBD‑2 in sebocyte cells. This increase makes the skin better at killing acne‑causing bacteria. The effect works through a cell‑surface transporter (CD36) and the NF‑kappaB signaling pathway.
Huang. Ling C LC; Jean. Daniele D; McDermott. Alison M AM
The study found that two common preservative‑free eye drops (Refresh Plus and TheraTears) that contain carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) dramatically blunt the natural antibacterial action of the body's own peptides LL‑37 and hBD‑2 against eye‑infecting bacteria, while drops without CMC (Visine Tears, Tears Naturale Free) do not.
Wirth. P J PJ; Henderson Berg. M H MH; Sadick. N N
A small real‑world study found that using a 15% azelaic acid gel on the face significantly cuts down the red bumps and pimples of moderate rosacea, and the improvement sticks around even after you stop using it. The gel works by lowering the skin’s over‑production of the LL‑37 peptide that drives inflammation. This makes azelaic acid a practical, over‑the‑counter option for anyone looking to manage rosacea without prescription meds.
Eladl. Omar O
Researchers made a new version of the natural peptide LL‑37 that folds into a helix when it touches bacterial membranes and then punches holes in them. It kills a wide range of drug‑resistant bacteria, including E. coli and the tough ESKAPE bugs, while sparing human cells at the same doses. The study also shows the bacteria get stressed and shut down key metabolism when exposed to the peptide.