BPC 157 500mcg (60 Capsules)

BPC-157 is a Penta decapeptide (15 amino acids in length) derivative of the much larger, naturally occurring protein known as body protection compound or BPC. The original BPC peptide was isolated from human stomach contents where it is thought to play an important role in maintaining the integrity of the stomach wall against the erosive effects of stomach acid. Research on the protein revealed that the majority of its tissue-healing effects are contained within a small 15-amino-acid section that is now referred to as BPC-157. This smaller fragment is easier to produce synthetically and has become of interest in research settings.

BPC-157 has garnered a great deal of research setting because its healing abilities extend well beyond the lining of the stomach. Studies in animal models indicate that BPC-157 can enhance blood vessel formation (angiogenesis), promote wound healing, stimulate collagen synthesis, modulate the inflammatory response, and protect against oxidative stress. The peptide has shown benefits in animal models of inflammatory bowel disease, GI ulcers, musculoskeletal injury, heart damage, eye injury, and even neurological injury.

BPC-157 can be administered via SubQ admin or orally for research with lab animals. The oral bioavailability of BPC-157 is quite high. Though most research featuring oral administration of BPC-157 has focused on the peptide’s effects in the GI system, it can be absorbed and provide impact in other tissues. Interest in the oral benefits of BPC-157 has steadily increased given the therapeutic potential of the peptide and the rising incidences of both inflammatory bowel disease and heart disease.

Amino Acid Sequence: GEPPPGKPADDAGLV
Chemical Formula: C₆₂H₉₈N₁₆O₂₂
Molecular Weight: 1419.5 g/mol
PubChem CID: 9941957
CAS No: 137525-51-0
Synonyms: Bepecin, PL-14736, PLD-116, Body Protection Compound 15

BPC-157: Stability and Bioavailability

One of the major factors that interests researchers in BPC-157 is its stability in the GI tract. Most medications need to be contained in pills or coated in various ways to allow them to survive the harsh environment of the stomach. This is not the case with BPC-157. While the peptide can be placed in capsules for easy research administration, such precautions are not necessary because the peptide is exceptionally stable in the GI tract. As a result of this stability, BPC-157 can be administered in a variety of ways including dissolving it in water or mixing it with food. This flexibility makes BPC-157 easy to work with in animal models.

BPC-157: Muscle and Tendon Healing

One of the earliest studies on BPC-157 looked at tendon and ligament healing in rat models. Tendons and ligaments, especially ligaments, are notoriously slow to heal due to their poor blood supply and relative lack of stem cells. Tendons and ligaments not only heal slowly as a result of these factors, they often heal in a manner that leaves them weaker than they were prior to injury. Low stem cell activity and limited blood supply both lead to decreased levels of remodeling following initial injury repair. Remodeling in wound healing is necessary to provide structural integrity and to align maximum tissue strength with highest stress loads. Limitations in this step mean weaker tissue strength and higher levels of scarring. When BPC-157 is administered to rats following experimental tendon injury, they not only show faster rates of initial healing, but also display higher levels of remodeling and subsequent improvements in tendon strength as a result[1]. These findings have led to high levels of interest in the role that BPC-157 might play in promoting tendon and ligament injury[2].

What has been especially interesting about animal trials of BPC-157 in muscle and tendon injury is the improved functional outcomes that have been observed. Researchers have seen improved clinical outcomes in rats administered BPC-157. These improved outcomes include factors like increased muscle motor function, decreased levels of joint contracture, and better preservation of walking patterns when compared to controls. These findings appear to directly correlate with the ability of BPC-157 to increase tendon outgrowth and cell survival, which leads to improvements in the microscopic structure of tendons and ligaments that improves functional outcomes[3]. In other words, the ability of BPC-157 to promote tissue remodeling following healing directly translates into measurable improvements in function.

The major way in which BPC-157 improves muscle, tendon, and ligament healing is through an increase in the expression of growth hormone receptors on fibroblasts. Several growth factors are crucial in the healing process. Notable among them are insulin-like growth factor, platelet-derived growth factor, transforming growth factor-β, basic fibroblast growth factor, and vascular endothelial growth factor. BPC-157 appears to modulate levels to all of these growth factors to achieve optimal outcomes in healing, but its major impact appears to be on natural growth hormone signaling. Research shows that growth hormone can enhance tissue regeneration and cell proliferation, particularly in skeletal muscle and bone. Growth hormone also promotes collagen secretion. Its effects are mediated either directly through the activation of tyrosine kinase or indirectly via the induction of insulin-like growth factor. These effects are controlled by binding to the growth hormone receptor on the cell membrane and subsequent changes in DNA expression patterns. BPC 157 has been shown to increase growth hormone receptor expression in tendon fibroblasts, helping to concentrate the benefits of growth hormone precisely where they are needed most. This, of course, is superior to systemic growth hormone administration, which has also been shown to enhance wound healing. The increase in growth hormone receptor expression means a local increase in the effects of growth hormone without systemic side effects like pathological long-bone growth[4]. BPC-157 effectively concentrates that activity of growth hormone thus maximizing benefit and reducing side effects.

BPC-157: Heart Muscle

Heart muscle is fundamentally different from skeletal muscle in several ways, but the wound healing processes share similarities. Researchers have therefore explored whether the benefits of BPC-157 can be extended to the heart. Studies in mice reveal that BPC 157 therapy has a complex effect on heart function. This peptide has been observed to effectively counteract chronic heart failure, normalize elevated endothelin levels, and reduce the long-term effects that occur following myocardial infarction. BPC-157 facilitates recovery by activating collateral pathways to compensate for vascular failure and has demonstrated both preventative and therapeutic effects. Notably, in models of lithium-induced heart muscle weakness, BPC 157 therapy led to a swift recovery of cardiac function alongside the alleviation of muscle weakness.

BPC-157 also appears to be effective against the early stages of multiorgan failure that occur due to heart attack and thus may offer insight into early recovery intervention as multiorgan failure following heart attack leads to a range of severe issues including hypertension, brain swelling, and widespread thrombosis (clot formation). Furthermore, BPC 157 has proven effective in countering various types of arrhythmias in animal models. This includes arrhythmias caused by digitalis overdose, hyperkalemia, hypokalemia, succinylcholine, bupivacaine, lidocaine, neuroleptics, and severe intoxication. It has also shown potential in addressing prolonged QTc intervals and other arrhythmias associated with pulmonary hypertension[5]. These findings all indicate that BPC-157 has a host of beneficial effects in the heart and may be useful not just in the treatment of acute cardiac issues, but in the prevention of cardiac maladies as well.

BPC-157: Wound Healing

BPC 157 is able to speed wound healing because it helps to restore blood flow to damaged tissues. Research shows that BPC 157 also increases the rate of vascular running, which refers to blood vessels growing toward an area of injury[6]. Beyond promoting blood vessel growth, BPC-157 enhances fibroblast activity. Fibroblasts play a crucial role in the repair process, as noted above, by synthesizing extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins, which form the structural framework for tissue repair. By increasing the migration and proliferation of fibroblasts to the site of injury, BPC 157 accelerates the initial phases of wound healing. This helps to quickly establish a scaffold of ECM, which is essential for tissue regeneration and repair. The peptide's effects on blood vessel growth further support this process by improving oxygen and nutrient supply to the damaged tissue, creating a more favorable environment for healing.[7].

BPC 157 is so effective in improving rates of wound repair that it has been investigated in fistula healing. Like tendons, fistulas are notoriously difficult to treat. The average fistula takes more than two and a half years to heal, even with everything that modern medicine has to throw at wound repair. With BPC 157, rates of healing in animal models are reduced to less than a month[8].

Another area in which BPC-157 has been tested is in the setting of chemical burns. Chemical burns tend to penetrate deeper than thermal burns, but cover a smaller area of the body. Treatment options for this type of burn are also more limited and thus there is a push to find solutions. Research on rat models of alkali chemical burns reveals that BPC-157 can accelerate wound closure by increasing rates of granulation tissue formation, collagen deposition, blood vessel formation, and dermal remodeling. In other words, BPC-157 seems to promote the entire tissue regeneration process, helping the body to initiate healing and then progress through the various stages of healing at a faster rate. In these studies, BPC-157 was shown to work, in part, by increasing levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and altering a number of DNA expression pathways that control gene expression patterns. Pathways that were found to be altered by BPC-157 include ERK1/2 and its downstream targets that regulate things like cell growth, cell migration, and angiogenesis[7].

BPC-157: Central Nervous System

While much of the research around BPC-157 has focused on its benefits in the GI tract and musculoskeletal system, the connection between the gut and brain has led researchers to look at how BPC-157 may play a role in the central nervous system.

In rat models of stroke induced by blockage of the carotid arteries, BPC-157 was able to reduce damage to neurons. This, in turn, was manifest as improvements in memory, locomotion, and coordination as compared to control animals. In other words, BPC-157 appears to counteract the negative outcomes associated with reduced blood and oxygen supply to the brain. This benefit appears to be mediated, at least in part, by an upregulation in the nitric oxide system[9]. This system, in particular, is sensitive to levels of L-arginine in the body and helps to improve blood supply by dilating arteries[10].

BPC-157: Eye Health

The eyes are often, and accurately, considered to be part of the central nervous system. That said, they are also a unique element of anatomy that deserve their own mention, in part because there are diseases that are unique to the eyes that affect no other part of the body. Given the ability of BPC-157 to act in the central nervous system, it should come as no surprise that it has shown action in the eyes as well. In particular, BPC-157 has been shown to reverse glaucoma in rats, helping to restore intraocular pressure, recover pupil function, and maintain the health and integrity of the retina[11]. This is no small matter as glaucoma affects more than 64 million people world-wide and is the second leading cause of blindness in the United States.

Rats treated with BPC 157 display normal pupil diameter, well-preserved ganglion cells and optic nerve structure, as well as a healthy fundus. The retinal and choroidal blood vessels, as well as the optic nerve, appeared normal. Key symptoms, such as elevated intraocular pressure, dilated pupils, degeneration of retinal ganglion cells, excavation of the optic nerve head, thinning of the optic nerve, severe irregularities in retinal vessels, faint choroidal vessels, and significant atrophy of the optic nerve disc were all effectively reversed[11].

The mechanism by which BPC-157 works in the eyes appears to differ from other treatment modalities that came before it. This is important because it not only offers a therapeutic option in the setting where conventional therapy has failed, it also opens up avenues for future research and furthers our understanding of the glaucoma disease process. It appears that BPC-157 actually alleviates that occlusive process that leads to glaucoma in the first place. Thus, there is some sense that BPC-157 may be treating the underlying cause of glaucoma. If this turns out to be true, then it will shed new light on a very old disease and may even improve our understanding of how the eyes work at a fundamental level[11].

BPC-157: Gastrointestinal Healing

The natural place to research the function of BPC-157 is in the GI tract; after all, the peptide originates in the stomach. Interestingly, research in muscle and tendon healing may have provided insight into the role of BPC-157 in the GI tract and its ability to overcome tissue injury. Ulceration has been used as model for exploring the way in which BPC-157 promotes healing in the GI tract.

The development of ulcers is actually a poorly understood process. In fact, it wasn’t until about two decades ago that it was understood that bacteria (H. pylori) are responsible for many ulcers and that a combination of antibiotics and bismuth subsalicylate is curative in this particular setting. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that the roles of VEGF and EGF (endothelial growth factor) were not understood well in the setting of the GI tract. BPC-157 has helped to reveal that angiogenesis is a critically important component of healing in the GI tract. The ability of BPC-157 to not only stimulate the growth of new blood vessels by modulating levels of VEGF and EGF, but to improve the resilience of existing blood vessels, is proving to be a potent factor in healing in rat models of GI injury[12]. Never before has it been understood that vascular health in the GI tract is such a critical component of the healing process.

Previous research has shown that BPC-157 can improve healing in colo-cutaneous fistulas. Fistulas form when a connection is between tissues that should not normally be connected (e.g. the colon and the skin). Fistulas are notoriously difficult to heal and are a common consequence of inflammatory bowel disease. In current medical practice, fistulas often lead to multiple surgical interventions and take, on average, almost three years to heal. BPC-157, administered orally, has shown benefit in accelerating the healing of fistulas. It has even shown benefit in the resolution of direct stomach perforation, which is even more difficult to address than fistulas are[13].

It is important to note that BPC 157 plays a crucial role in the interaction between the gut and the central nervous system. Studies in mice suggest that this peptide may act as a novel mediator of the gut's protective mechanisms, potentially signaling the brain when harmful substances are detected and prompting necessary measures to restore or maintain balance. BPC 157 has also shown promise in directly protecting the brain. Although research is still in its early stages and more work is needed, there is compelling evidence that BPC 157 could be valuable both on its own and as a model for future drug development. It has the potential to reduce neurological and gastrointestinal inflammation while simultaneously stimulating tissue repair in both systems. This is noteworthy because BPC 157 seems to mitigate inflammation in both the GI tract and the brain through both direct and indirect mechanisms, supporting the idea that it facilitates communication between these two organ systems.

BPC-157: Summary

BPC-157 is synthetic derivative of a natural peptide isolated from the human GI tract. It has high bioavailability when administered orally or subcutaneously. It is resistant to stomach acid and, as such, can be administered in water or in food. Research in animal models, primarily rats, has shown benefits in heart disease, tendon injury, ligament injury, eye disease, the central nervous system, and inflammatory bowel disease. BPC-157 is helping to further our understanding of the workings of multiple organ systems and has opened up new research avenues into both the treatment and prevention of disease.

The above literature was researched, edited, and organized by Dr. Logan, M.D. Dr. Logan holds a doctorate degree from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and a B.S. in molecular biology.

Predrag Sikiric, Ph.D. is a professor at the Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Croatia. He received his Ph.D. degree at the Medical Faculty, University of Zagreb. He is an honorary doctor of the University of Pécs since 16 November 2017. His research interests include cytoprotection, peptides, gastrointestinal and blood vessel lesions, wounds, and the brain-gut axis. His studies are internationally well-known and accepted.

Predrag Sikiric, Ph.D., is referenced as one of the leading scientists involved in the research and development of BPC-157. In no way is this doctor/scientist endorsing or advocating the purchase, sale, or use of this product for any reason. There is no affiliation or relationship, implied or otherwise, between Peptide Sciences and this doctor. The purpose of citing the doctor is to acknowledge, recognize, and credit the exhaustive research and development efforts conducted by the scientists studying this peptide. Predrag Sikiric, Ph.D., is listed in [6] and [11] under the referenced citations.

1. T. Cerovecki et al., “Pentadecapeptide BPC 157 (PL 14736) improves ligament healing in the rat,” J. Orthop. Res., vol. 28, no. 9, Art. no. 9, Sep. 2010, doi: 10.1002/jor.21107.

2. D. Gwyer, N. M. Wragg, and S. L. Wilson, “Gastric pentadecapeptide body protection compound BPC 157 and its role in accelerating musculoskeletal soft tissue healing,” Cell Tissue Res., vol. 377, no. 2, Art. no. 2, Aug. 2019, doi: 10.1007/s00441-019-03016-8.

3. C.-H. Chang, W.-C. Tsai, M.-S. Lin, Y.-H. Hsu, and J.-H. S. Pang, “The promoting effect of pentadecapeptide BPC 157 on tendon healing involves tendon outgrowth, cell survival, and cell migration,” J. Appl. Physiol., vol. 110, no. 3, Art. no. 3, Mar. 2011, doi: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00945.2010.

4. C.-H. Chang, W.-C. Tsai, Y.-H. Hsu, and J.-H. S. Pang, “Pentadecapeptide BPC 157 enhances the growth hormone receptor expression in tendon fibroblasts,” Molecules, vol. 19, no. 11, Art. no. 11, Nov. 2014, doi: 10.3390/molecules191119066.

5. M. Staresinic et al., “Stable Gastric Pentadecapeptide BPC 157 and Striated, Smooth, and Heart Muscle,” Biomedicines, vol. 10, no. 12, p. 3221, Dec. 2022, doi: 10.3390/biomedicines10123221.

6. P. Sikiric et al., “Novel Cytoprotective Mediator, Stable Gastric Pentadecapeptide BPC 157. Vascular Recruitment and Gastrointestinal Tract Healing,” Curr Pharm Des, vol. 24, no. 18, pp. 1990–2001, 2018, doi: 10.2174/1381612824666180608101119.

7. T. Huang et al., “Body protective compound-157 enhances alkali-burn wound healing in vivo and promotes proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis in vitro,” Drug Des Devel Ther, vol. 9, pp. 2485–2499, 2015, doi: 10.2147/DDDT.S82030.

8. M. Baric et al., “Stable gastric pentadecapeptide BPC 157 heals rectovaginal fistula in rats,” Life Sci, vol. 148, pp. 63–70, Mar. 2016, doi: 10.1016/j.lfs.2016.02.029.

9. J. Vukojević et al., “Pentadecapeptide BPC 157 and the central nervous system,” Neural Regen Res, vol. 17, no. 3, pp. 482–487, Aug. 2021, doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.320969.

10. F. Amam et al., “Bypassing major venous occlusion and duodenal lesions in rats, and therapy with the stable gastric pentadecapeptide BPC 157, L-NAME and L-arginine,” World J Gastroenterol, vol. 24, no. 47, pp. 5366–5378, Dec. 2018, doi: 10.3748/wjg.v24.i47.5366.

11. P. Sikiric et al., “Stable Gastric Pentadecapeptide BPC 157—Possible Novel Therapy of Glaucoma and Other Ocular Conditions,” Pharmaceuticals (Basel), vol. 16, no. 7, p. 1052, Jul. 2023, doi: 10.3390/ph16071052.

12. S. Seiwerth et al., “BPC 157 and Standard Angiogenic Growth Factors. Gastrointestinal Tract Healing, Lessons from Tendon, Ligament, Muscle and Bone Healing,” Curr Pharm Des, vol. 24, no. 18, pp. 1972–1989, 2018, doi: 10.2174/1381612824666180712110447.

13. L. Kalogjera et al., “Stomach perforation-induced general occlusion/occlusion-like syndrome and stable gastric pentadecapeptide BPC 157 therapy effect,” World J Gastroenterol, vol. 29, no. 27, pp. 4289–4316, Jul. 2023, doi: 10.3748/wjg.v29.i27.4289.

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