KPV
Lys-Pro-Val (alpha-MSH fragment)
KPV is a three-amino-acid fragment (Lys-Pro-Val) of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone that has been studied in animal and cell models for anti-inflammatory activity in the gut and skin.
Regulatory status: Not approved by the FDA as a drug and not an established dietary ingredient; it is available only as a research-use compound.
Default vial
10 mg
Default mix
2 mL
Reported range
200–500 mcg
Draw (U-100)
8 u
Anti-inflammatory tripeptide used for gut and skin protocols; also run orally or topically rather than injected.
What it is
- A tripeptide corresponding to residues 11–13 of alpha-MSH.
- In some assays it retains the anti-inflammatory activity of the parent hormone without the pigmentation effects associated with melanocortin-receptor activation.
- Studied in murine models of colitis and in human keratinocyte cell culture.
- Experimental routes in the literature include oral and local or topical administration; there is no standardised human dosing.
How it is described to act
- 1
Administered orally or locally in the animal and cell-culture studies that exist; no human dosing standard has been published.
- 2
In colitis models, researchers report that orally dosed KPV reaches inflamed intestinal tissue.
- 3
Keratinocyte studies propose that it acts on NF-kB and related inflammatory signalling rather than through classical melanocortin-receptor activation.
- 4
The observed contexts are murine inflammatory-bowel-disease models and in vitro skin-cell assays, not human clinical trials.
What the research has looked at
Gut inflammation
- In murine models of inflammatory bowel disease, researchers reported that KPV reduced markers of colonic inflammation (Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, 2008).
Skin-cell signalling
- In human keratinocyte cell culture, researchers reported that KPV modulated alpha-MSH and ACTH-related inflammatory signalling (Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2004).
Strength of evidence: Preclinical evidence only
The evidence is confined to rodent disease models and cell culture; no human clinical trials were located.
What is published comes from cell and animal studies. Findings in those models frequently do not carry over to people.
Reported cautions and unknowns
- No human trial safety or adverse-event data were located.
- As an unregulated research compound, sourcing and purity are unverified.
- Effects of chronic or systemic use are undocumented in the literature reviewed.
References
Handling this vial
- Lyophilized vials are generally stored at 2–8 °C and kept out of light; once reconstituted with bacteriostatic water they are refrigerated and commonly discarded after 28 days.
- Mix by aiming water down the vial wall and rolling gently — do not shake — and never re-freeze a reconstituted vial.
- Pep-Tidy cannot verify what is in your vial. Ask your supplier for a current Certificate of Analysis (HPLC/MS).
KPV questions people ask
How do you reconstitute KPV?
A common starting point for a 10 mg vial of KPV is 2 mL of bacteriostatic water, which gives 5 mg per mL. Aim the water down the inside wall of the vial, let it dissolve on its own, and roll gently instead of shaking. Pep-Tidy's reconstitution calculator will recalculate the numbers for any other vial size or water volume you use.
How many units of KPV is one dose?
At 5 mg per mL, that works out to about 8 units on a U-100 insulin syringe for a 400 mcg dose. Change the vial size, water volume, or target dose in the calculator and the syringe reading updates with it. This is arithmetic, not a dosing recommendation.
What dosing schedule is reported for KPV?
Published and community sources describe 200–500 mcg, subcutaneous / oral / topical, every day, typically run 4 weeks on and 2 weeks off. These figures describe what has been reported, not what anyone should take — talk to a licensed clinician first.
How should KPV be stored?
Lyophilized KPV vials are generally kept at 2–8 °C and out of light. Once reconstituted with bacteriostatic water they are refrigerated and commonly discarded after about 28 days. Never re-freeze a reconstituted vial and never shake it.
Read this before you act on anything above
Everything on this page is a summary of what other people have published — it is not medical advice, not a recommendation, and not a dosing instruction. Reported dose ranges describe what appears in the literature or in community protocols, not what anyone should take. Talk to a licensed clinician before using any peptide.