KPV peptide: what the animal studies show, why no human dose exists, and how it compares
What 138 indexed publications and 0 randomized trials actually state about kpv, sentence by sentence, each tied to its source and labeled by the kind of evidence it is.
At a glance
What KPV is and how it acts
KPV is a peptide in the repair & anti inflammatory class (alpha-MSH C-terminal tripeptide; anti-inflammatory, receptor unclear). Europe PMC indexes 138 publications naming it or a listed alias in a title or abstract, including 0 randomized controlled trials and 0 clinical trials of any design, as of . The strongest evidence tier in that literature is animal studies only, with no indexed human study.
This page reports what those studies state, sentence by sentence, with each statement tied to its source and labeled by the kind of evidence it is. It does not recommend use, and it does not translate study doses into anything personal.
What the evidence level means
Publication counts show what is indexed, not how strong the evidence is. The ledger below separates human clinical records from preclinical, analytical, and in-vitro work.
Interpretation boundary: An indexed publication count is a discovery measure. It does not establish efficacy, safety, approval, or a personal treatment plan.
KPV in two minutes
What it is. The three-amino-acid tail of the pigmentation hormone α-MSH, which carries the hormone's anti-inflammatory activity without its other effects.
What the research actually shows. 138 indexed publications, all animal and cell work: colitis models in mice, skin and eye inflammation, and recently fat tissue. No human study exists. The gut-health reputation rests on a 2008 mouse study in which oral KPV reduced chemically induced colitis.
Status. Not approved anywhere; not named on the WADA list.
Where the evidence is thinnest. Everything in people: absorption, dose, effect and safety.
Editorial synthesis Written from general pharmacology, the development record and what is commonly reported; not a cited finding. Cited findings on this page carry their own tier.
How KPV is thought to work
Written from general pharmacology and the development record, and marked as editorial synthesis; the measurements behind it are quoted in the biomarker section.
- Editorial synthesis from general knowledge
- Editorial synthesis from general knowledge
- Editorial synthesis from general knowledge
What did the studies find?
Reported outcomes in mice and cells, not benefits in people. No human study exists. One row per primary study in this record's ledger. Fields are read from each paper's indexing and abstract. "Analytical method" marks papers about detecting or measuring the compound rather than about its effects.
| Study | Design | n | Species | Dose | Route | Duration | Reported outcome | Tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| An 2026 | Animal study | — | Mice | — | oral | — | In addition, KPV decreased the expression of key adipogenic markers, including peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) and fatty acid synthase (FAS). | Animal, preclinical |
| Cheng 2026 | Animal study | — | Mice | — | — | — | In colitis mice, the KPV-based conjugate (proKPV) achieved a 3.8-fold greater colonic accumulation than free KPV, with enhanced efficacy even at a 20-fold lower dose. | Animal, preclinical |
| Zeng 2026 | Animal study | — | Mice | — | — | — | In healthy melanocytes, NLRP3 expression is upregulated when subjected to oxidative stress, along with an increase in the E3 ligase β-TrCP1, which enhances the K27-linked ubiquitination of NLRP3 and further strengthens… | Animal, preclinical |
| Zhang 2024 | Animal study | — | Mice | — | — | — | In vivo and in vitro, KPV-RAPA NPs significantly inhibit VC in mice compared to the other treatment groups. | Animal, preclinical |
| Zhang 2024 | Animal study | — | Mice | — | — | — | Furthermore, treating by NPs revealed a notable reduction of the expressions of CD68 and CD3, restoring the expression levels of tight junction proteins (Claudin-5, Occludin-1, and ZO-1) were significantly restored,… | Animal, preclinical |
| Berr 2023 | Animal study | — | Mice | — | — | — | KPV -/- cells have reduced glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) levels, resulting in the accumulation of toxic lipid peroxides and increased ferroptosis. | Animal, preclinical |
| Zhao 2022 | Animal study | — | Rats | — | — | — | Moreover, the alleviating effect of KPV on rats with TNBS-induced colitis was significantly improved by PMSP after intracolonic administration. | Animal, preclinical |
| Shao 2021 | Animal study | — | Rats | — | oral | — | Treatment with KPV@PPP_2%E hydrogel greatly improved the food intake and body weight recovery of rats with chemotherapy-induced oral mucositis. | Animal, preclinical |
| Sun 2021 | Animal study | — | Rats | — | — | — | Besides, the KPV/SH-PGA hydrogel treatment prevented the colon shortening of TNBS-infused rats and decreased the colonic myeloperoxidase level. | Animal, preclinical |
| Xiao 2017 | Animal study | — | Mice | — | oral | — | — | Animal, preclinical |
| Viennois 2016 | Animal study | — | Mice | — | — | — | When administered to PepT1-KO mice, KPV did not trigger any of the inhibitory effect on tumorigenesis observed in WT mice. | Animal, preclinical |
| Dalmasso 2008 | Animal study | — | Mice | — | oral | — | Nanomolar concentrations of KPV inhibit the activation of NF-kappaB and MAP kinase inflammatory signaling pathways, and reduce pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion. | Animal, preclinical |
| Luger 2007 | Animal study | — | Mice | — | — | — | — | Animal, preclinical |
| Bonfiglio 2006 | Animal study | — | Rabbits | — | topical | 4 days | The mean percent epithelial defect remaining each time was significantly smaller in animals treated with KPV or SP in comparison to controls. | Animal, preclinical |
| Montagnon 1981 | Animal study | — | — | — | — | — | As the increasing shortage of monkeys is a reality, the application of an alternative cell substrate for large-scale production of Killed Poliomyelitis Vaccine (KPV) was studied. | Animal, preclinical |
| Jeong 2025 | In vitro study | — | Humans | — | — | — | — | Mechanistic, in vitro |
| Songok 2018 | In vitro study | — | — | — | — | — | In a model system, the ε-amine of Ts-Lys-OMe was reductively alkylated with a glucose derivative to afford a dihydroxylated piperidine in place of the amine. | Mechanistic, in vitro |
| Zeng 2017 | In vitro study | — | Humans | — | — | — | — | Mechanistic, in vitro |
| Wang 2012 | In vitro study | — | — | — | — | — | — | Mechanistic, in vitro |
KPV doses in studies
Every figure here was given to mice or cells. No human dose exists.
| Model | Route | Duration | Finding |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mouse colitis (2008) | Oral, in drinking water or gavage | Days | Reduced colitis severity; uptake via PepT1 |
| Mouse colitis, conjugates and nanoparticles (2024 to 2026) | Oral formulations designed to reach the colon | Days | Greater colonic accumulation than free KPV; reduced inflammation |
| Mouse diet-induced obesity (2026) | Oral | Weeks | Reduced adipogenic markers |
| Human cell cultures | Micromolar concentrations | Hours | Reduced inflammatory signalling |
Figures for this compound circulate on forums and vendor pages. None has been tested in a human study, so none is reproduced here; the table above holds every dose a study actually administered.
Editorial synthesis Written from general pharmacology, the development record and what is commonly reported; not a cited finding. Cited findings on this page carry their own tier.
Adverse events and frequency
Events and their frequency as each study reported them, with the denominator where the abstract gives one.
-
Furthermore, oral administration of KPV reduces the incidence of DSS- and TNBS-induced colitis indicated by a decrease in pro-inflammatory cytokine expression.
Sourcepmid-18061177· quoted verbatim from the abstract
Who KPV is discussed for, and the cautions that recur
The interest. Inflammatory bowel conditions, eczema and psoriasis, and diffuse inflammation, because those are the mouse models with results and because oral dosing is possible.
- Inflammatory bowel disease under treatment. Swapping or adding an untested peptide to a managed condition is the specific risk communities discuss least.
- Melanocortin biology. The parent hormone affects pigmentation, appetite and sexual function; KPV is reported not to, but that reassurance comes from animal work.
- Pregnancy, children, immune suppression. No data of any kind.
- Product identity. An unregulated tripeptide sold by mass; a certificate of analysis is the only check.
Editorial synthesis Written from general pharmacology, the development record and what is commonly reported; not a cited finding. Cited findings on this page carry their own tier.
Biomarkers measured in studies
Laboratory and clinical measures the studies report tracking, including which hormones did and did not change.
-
Specifically, treatment with 100 μg/mL KPV reduced Oil Red O staining intensity by approximately 55% and intracellular triglyceride content by approximately 38% compared with the MDI-treated group.
Sourcepmid-42585803· quoted verbatim from the abstract -
Finally, luciferase-expressing KPV +/+ , KPV -/- , or KPV Y117L cells were implanted into the flanks of athymic mice to track cancer metastasis to the lung.
Sourcepmid-37161053· quoted verbatim from the abstract -
Treatment with KPV@PPP_2%E hydrogel greatly improved the food intake and body weight recovery of rats with chemotherapy-induced oral mucositis.
Sourcepmid-34846053· quoted verbatim from the abstract -
The KPV/SH-PGA hydrogel presented higher elastic modulus ( G ') than the corresponding viscous modulus ( G ″) at 0.01-10 Hz, exhibiting good mechanical stability.
Sourcepmid-34547895· quoted verbatim from the abstract -
Oral administration of HA-KPV-NPs encapsulated in a hydrogel (chitosan/alginate) exhibited a much stronger capacity to prevent mucosa damage and downregulate TNF-α, thus they showed a much better therapeutic efficacy against UC in a mouse model, compared with a KPV-NP/hydrogel system.
Sourcepmid-28143741· quoted verbatim from the abstract -
Human intestinal epithelial cells Caco2-BBE, HT29-Cl.19A, and human T cells (Jurkat) were stimulated with pro-inflammatory cytokines in the present or absence of KPV.
Sourcepmid-18061177· quoted verbatim from the abstract
Reported interactions
Sentences in which the compound is studied alongside another agent. Read the quotation: the word interaction can also be statistical.
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KPV (Lys-Pro-Val) as a model drug was easily captured by PMSP through electrostatic interactions, thus retaining its bioactivity for a longer time under high temperature conditions.
Sourcepmid-35245681· quoted verbatim from the abstract -
The diagnostic fluorescent probe bestows a specific receptor-targeted interaction with PepT1 through the KPV moiety, possessing several beneficial characteristics, such as efficient long emission, low photobleaching, negligible cytotoxicity, and high cytocompatibility in living cells.
Sourcepmid-28349696· quoted verbatim from the abstract
Reported timelines
Onset, peak and duration figures as each study reported them.
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Only 30% of KPV was released from the KPV/SH-PGA hydrogel within 20 min, followed by a sustained-release behavior.
Sourcepmid-34547895· quoted verbatim from the abstract
What is measured over time, and what is not
In mice, colitis scores change over days of dosing. Nothing has been measured in people over any period, and the reports of gut symptom change over weeks that circulate are uncontrolled self-report for conditions that fluctuate on their own.
Editorial synthesis Written from general pharmacology, the development record and what is commonly reported; not a cited finding. Cited findings on this page carry their own tier.
Study durations
Treatment and follow-up periods as stated in each abstract.
- Durations stated: 4 days
Rabbits were topically treated with KPV 1, 5 or 10 mg/ml (30 microl), two drops four times in a day, for 4 days, starting immediately after corneal abrasion, while control animals received topical phosphate-buffered saline as vehicle.
Sourcepmid-16965771· quoted verbatim from the abstract, emphasis added
Oral and other routes in the studies
Routes of administration named in each study.
- administration by oral route reported
In addition, in a high-fat diet-induced obesity mouse model, oral administration of KPV alleviated body weight gain, white adipose tissue expansion, liver mass increase, and obesity-associated dyslipidemia, including elevated plasma total cholesterol levels.
Sourcepmid-42585803· quoted verbatim from the abstract - administration by oral route reported
Treatment with KPV@PPP_2%E hydrogel greatly improved the food intake and body weight recovery of rats with chemotherapy-induced oral mucositis.
Sourcepmid-34846053· quoted verbatim from the abstract - administration by oral route reported
Oral administration of HA-KPV-NPs encapsulated in a hydrogel (chitosan/alginate) exhibited a much stronger capacity to prevent mucosa damage and downregulate TNF-α, thus they showed a much better therapeutic efficacy against UC in a mouse model, compared with a KPV-NP/hydrogel system.
Sourcepmid-28143741· quoted verbatim from the abstract - administration by oral route reported
Furthermore, oral administration of KPV reduces the incidence of DSS- and TNBS-induced colitis indicated by a decrease in pro-inflammatory cytokine expression.
Sourcepmid-18061177· quoted verbatim from the abstract - administration by topical route reported
This study was undertaken to investigate the effects of topical administration of the COOH-terminal tripeptide sequence of alpha-MSH (alpha-MSH(11-13), KPV) on corneal epithelial wound healing in rabbits and the possible role of nitric oxide (NO) in these effects.
Sourcepmid-16965771· quoted verbatim from the abstract
What people report outside the literature
What circulates in user communities and clinic marketing, reported so a reader knows the figures and their origin. None of it has been tested in a trial, and none of it is a suggestion.
- Editorial synthesis from general knowledge
Reconstitution mathematics
Lyophilised peptide is supplied as a mass in a vial and dissolved in a stated volume of diluent. Two figures follow from that and nothing else:
- Concentration = mass in vial ÷ diluent volume. A 5 mg vial in 2 mL is 2.5 mg/mL, or 2,500 mcg/mL.
- Volume for a given mass = that mass ÷ concentration. 250 mcg at 2,500 mcg/mL is 0.1 mL. On a U-100 insulin syringe, where 1 mL is 100 units, that is 10 units.
Study doses on this page are quoted as published, in the units the authors used. Converting between mcg, mg and IU, or between a mass and a syringe volume, is arithmetic; deciding a mass is not, and this page does not do it. The reconstitution calculator performs the conversion with the formula shown.
Reading a certificate of analysis
A certificate of analysis is a laboratory report on one batch. Reading it means checking four things in order.
- Identity. Mass spectrometry should report an observed molecular mass matching the peptide's theoretical mass within the instrument's stated tolerance. A certificate with no mass spectrometry, or one that lists only the expected value, has not confirmed identity.
- Purity. HPLC purity is the area of the main peak as a share of all peaks, at a stated wavelength. It says nothing about what the other peaks are, and it is not a measure of quantity.
- Quantity. Net peptide content, by amino acid analysis or UV, is the fraction of the vial's mass that is peptide rather than counter-ions and water. A 5 mg vial at 80% net content holds 4 mg of peptide, and every concentration figure above changes accordingly.
- Provenance. The batch number on the certificate should match the vial, the laboratory should be named and independent of the seller, and the test date should be recent.
This page rates no supplier and links to none. It describes how to read the document.
Equipment described in studies
Published human studies of injectable peptides report the same small set of materials: single-use insulin syringes with fixed needles, most often U-100 with 29 to 31 gauge needles; bacteriostatic water or sterile water for injection as diluent, with the choice stated in the methods; alcohol swabs; and refrigerated storage of reconstituted solution. Animal studies more often report intraperitoneal or intragastric administration and state the vehicle used. Where a study in this record's ledger names its materials or vehicle, that sentence appears under storage or routes above; where it does not, nothing is assumed here.
Storage and handling
Powder refrigerated or frozen away from light; reconstituted solution refrigerated and used within about four weeks; capsules as labelled. Discard cloudy or discoloured solution.
Editorial synthesis Written from general pharmacology, the development record and what is commonly reported; not a cited finding. Cited findings on this page carry their own tier.
Common mistakes in how KPV is discussed
- Reading the 2008 mouse study as a human gut trial. It is the origin of the oral-dosing idea and it was in mice.
- Calling it a melanocortin agonist. It does not bind those receptors; that is the point of the fragment.
- Treating "anti-inflammatory" as a clinical outcome. Lower cytokines in a dish or a mouse is a mechanism, not a result in a person.
- Assuming the four-peptide healing stack was studied. None of its combinations has been.
Editorial synthesis Written from general pharmacology, the development record and what is commonly reported; not a cited finding. Cited findings on this page carry their own tier.
KPV vs BPC-157, TB-500 and GHK-Cu
| Compound | Mechanism (proposed) | Human evidence | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| KPV | α-MSH fragment; anti-inflammatory, receptor unclear | None | Not approved |
| BPC-157 | Gastric-protein fragment; nitric oxide, growth factors | 3 uncontrolled pilots | Not approved; FDA compounding Category 2; WADA S0 |
| TB-500 | Thymosin β4 fragment; actin binding | Trials of the parent protein | Not approved; WADA S2 |
| GHK-Cu | Copper tripeptide; collagen, gene expression | Topical trials | Cosmetic ingredient; not a drug |
Class records: BPC-157, TB-500, GHK-Cu; the repair and anti-inflammatory class page lists them together.
Editorial synthesis Written from general pharmacology, the development record and what is commonly reported; not a cited finding. Cited findings on this page carry their own tier.
Other compounds in its class
Same class in the registry: BPC-157, GHK-Cu, TB-500. Each row shows what that compound's own record states; nothing is inferred across rows.
| Compound | Tier | Publications | RCTs | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KPV | Animal, preclinical | 138 | 0 | draft |
| BPC-157 | Observational, human | 228 | 0 | draft |
| GHK-Cu | Human clinical trial | 169 | 1 | draft |
| TB-500 | Human clinical trial | 1,257 | 7 | draft |
Studied in combination
Whether any indexed study tested KPV together with the compounds it is commonly combined with. A count of zero is the finding, not a gap in this page.
- No indexed study tested KPV with GHK-Cu and BPC-157 and TB-500. GHK-Cu + KPV + BPC-157 + TB-500
Regulatory status
Registry facts only. Jurisdiction-level status, compounding categories and sport prohibitions need their own cited documents before they appear here.
- Editorial synthesis from general knowledge · primary document to be added to the ledger
Open questions and limitations
What is genuinely unknown, stated plainly. A missing field is not evidence that the outcome is safe, effective, or established.
- No study in this record's ledger reports doses used for KPV.
- No study in this record's ledger reports weight-normalized doses for KPV.
- No study in this record's ledger reports dose-escalation schedules for KPV.
- No study in this record's ledger reports exclusion criteria for KPV.
- No randomized controlled trial of KPV is indexed in Europe PMC.
- Whether any finding about KPV holds in humans is untested.
Questions people ask
What are the side effects of KPV?
Unknown: no human study exists. Community reports describe few effects beyond injection-site reactions.
What is KPV peptide?
The last three amino acids of the hormone α-MSH, lysine-proline-valine. It keeps the hormone's anti-inflammatory activity and is studied in mice and cells for gut, skin and eye inflammation.
What does KPV do?
In mice and cell cultures it lowers inflammatory signalling and reduces chemically induced colitis. No human study has measured any effect.
Has KPV been tested in humans?
No. The human entries in the evidence table are cell experiments. There is no human trial, pilot or case series.
Is there a KPV dose?
No human dose has been studied. Figures circulate online; none has been tested, and this page does not reproduce them.
Can KPV be taken orally?
In mice, yes: a 2008 study found oral KPV reduced colitis, taken up by the intestinal transporter PepT1. Whether oral KPV does anything in people is unknown.
What are the side effects of KPV?
Unknown. No human study exists. Community reports describe few effects beyond injection-site reactions.
Is KPV FDA approved?
No, not for any route. It is a research chemical and, topically, a cosmetic ingredient in some products.
Does KPV affect skin colour like α-MSH?
Animal work says no: the fragment does not bind the melanocortin receptors that drive pigmentation. That has not been confirmed in people.
Is KPV good for gut health?
In mouse colitis models it reduces inflammation. In people, untested.
KPV vs BPC-157: what is the difference?
Different origins and mechanisms: KPV is a hormone fragment acting on inflammatory signalling; BPC-157 is a gastric-protein fragment acting on nitric oxide and growth factors. BPC-157 has three uncontrolled human pilots; KPV has none.
Is KPV banned in sport?
It is not named on the WADA Prohibited List.
How should KPV be stored?
Powder refrigerated or frozen; solution refrigerated and used within about four weeks; capsules as labelled.
What receptor does KPV act on?
Unsettled. It does not bind melanocortin receptors; direct uptake into cells via PepT1 is the leading explanation.
Is KPV in the healing stack with BPC-157, TB-500 and GHK-Cu?
Communities combine them. No study has tested any of those combinations.
How many KPV studies exist?
138 indexed publications, all animal and cell work; 17 primary studies are tabulated on this page.
Why is KPV called a gut peptide?
Because the best-known study reduced colitis in mice after oral dosing. That is one mouse study.
Sources
Full citations. Every claim above links to one of these by its id.
- 1KPV attenuates adipogenesis and lipid metabolism through modulation of ROS-mediated AKT/mTORC1/PPARγ signaling.
pmid-42585803· · peer-reviewed - 2Inflammation-triggered self-immolative conjugates enable oral peptide delivery by overcoming gastrointestinal barriers.
pmid-41533788· · peer-reviewed - 3NLRP3 autophagic degradation disruption in melanocytes contributes to vitiligo development.
pmid-40935835· · peer-reviewed - 4
- 5KPV and RAPA Self-Assembled into Carrier-Free Nanodrugs for Vascular Calcification Therapy.
pmid-39252648· · peer-reviewed - 6
- 7A nanoparticle platform for combined mucosal healing and immunomodulation in inflammatory bowel disease treatment.
pmid-37859689· · peer-reviewed - 8The Melanocortin System in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases: Insights into Its Mechanisms and Therapeutic Potentials.
pmid-37508552· · peer-reviewed - 9Vimentin is required for tumor progression and metastasis in a mouse model of non-small cell lung cancer.
pmid-37161053· · peer-reviewed - 10A KPV-binding double-network hydrogel restores gut mucosal barrier in an inflamed colon.
pmid-35245681· · peer-reviewed - 11
- 12
Show the remaining 14 sources
- 13Structural modification of the tripeptide KPV by reductive "glycoalkylation" of the lysine residue.
pmid-29953505· · peer-reviewed - 14Peptide Receptor-Targeted Fluorescent Probe: Visualization and Discrimination between Chronic and Acute Ulcerative Colitis.
pmid-28349696· · peer-reviewed - 15
- 16
- 17Simultaneous analysis of seven oligopeptides in microbial fuel cell by micro-fluidic chip with reflux injection mode.
pmid-23141346· · peer-reviewed - 18
- 19Terminal signal: anti-inflammatory effects of α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone related peptides beyond the pharmacophore.
pmid-21222263· · peer-reviewed - 20
- 21alpha-MSH related peptides: a new class of anti-inflammatory and immunomodulating drugs.
pmid-17934097· · peer-reviewed - 22PepT1-mediated tripeptide KPV uptake reduces intestinal inflammation.
pmid-18061177· · peer-reviewed - 23Effects of the COOH-terminal tripeptide alpha-MSH(11-13) on corneal epithelial wound healing: role of nitric oxide.
pmid-16965771· · peer-reviewed - 24New insights into the functions of alpha-MSH and related peptides in the immune system.
pmid-12851308· · peer-reviewed - 25Mechanisms of antiinflammatory action of the neuroimmunomodulatory peptide alpha-MSH.
pmid-9629264· · peer-reviewed - 26
Reference card
- Compound
- KPV, repair and anti inflammatory
- Evidence tier
- Animal, preclinical
- Indexed publications
- 138 · 0 RCTs · 0 other clinical trials
- Approval
- no registered development programme found
- Routes reported
- oral, topical
- Reviewed
- Adam Mirando, PharmD,
Study figures are as published in each source and are not recommendations. Print or save this card with its date.
Last reviewed and what changed
Newest first. These are the record's own revision dates, and the same dates feed the sitemap.
- · Reviewed by Adam Mirando, PharmD, on 2026-09-25.
- · Reverted 1 of those label changes after tightening the rule: 'urine' had matched inside 'murine' and 'screening' had matched a zebrafish drug screen. pmid-27458604 back to Animal study
- · Label correction: 1 evidence rows built from detection and doping-control papers carried study designs such as animal or in-vitro work. They are relabelled Analytical method, the label scripts/draft_claims.py has applied since the rule was added; these rows predate it. pmid-27458604 (Animal study -> Analytical method)
- · Written guide, FAQ to 16, mechanism, reported-use (no circulating figures reproduced) and regulatory editorial sections; intent-driven H1 and title.
- · Claims drafted extractively from 26 ledger sources by scripts/draft_claims.py: 20 claims, 19 evidence-table rows. Status researched -> draft.
- · Claims drafted extractively from 26 ledger sources by scripts/draft_claims.py: 28 claims, 19 evidence-table rows. Status researched -> draft.
- · Evidence fetched from Europe PMC and ChEMBL by scripts/fetch_evidence.py; claims not yet written.