Healing & Recovery

KPV

Lysine-Proline-Valine · Alpha-MSH Fragment

KPV is the C-terminal tripeptide of α-MSH (Lys-Pro-Val). Mouse colitis papers (Dalmasso 2008, Kannengiesser 2008) are the evidence base. It is not a Crohn’s or ulcerative-colitis drug, not a psoriasis label, and not a substitute for gastroenterology care. Oral vs SubQ research-chem use is community practice on top of animal work.

Not FDA-approved - research chemical

Reviewed by CalcMyPeptide Editorial Team

·Last updated: September 2026·Evidence: Strong preclinical·4 peer-reviewed citations

Typical research dose

200-500 mcg/day

Frequency

1-2× daily (or topical/oral)

Half-life

Minutes-class tripeptide; SKU PK unpublished

Common vials

5 mg / 10 mg

CAS

N/A (confirm the salt on the COA; do not trust a copied CAS)

Molecular weight

~342 Da class (salt forms differ)

Use-case scores

0–10 against the evidence we have, not a gym ranking. Hidden domains do not apply here.

Injury & tissue4/10
Two independent mouse colitis groups in 2008. Ceiling 5.5 for multi-lab animal; haircut for zero human IBD RCT and community oral dosing without PK.
Immune3.5/10
NF-κB / cytokine suppression in models. Not a systemic immunomodulator drug. Not Tα1.

Compound card

Sequence: KPV (Lys-Pro-Val)
Class: α-MSH C-terminal tripeptide (not a melanotan)
Formula: C16H30N4O4 (free tripeptide; vendor salts vary)
Status: Not FDA-approved · research use

Dose it

5 mg + 2.5 mL BAC water → 2 mg/mL · 200 mcg ≈ 10 units (U-100)

Open in calculator

How it works

KPV is residues 11–13 of α-MSH. It keeps anti-inflammatory pharmacology of the parent without the tanning job. Dalmasso et al. 2008 (Gastroenterology, PMID 18061177) showed PepT1-mediated uptake and reduced DSS/TNBS colitis in mice. Kannengiesser et al. 2008 (Inflamm Bowel Dis, PMID 18092346) independently reported benefit in DSS and CD45RBhi transfer colitis. Those are murine models. They are not Crohn’s or UC approvals.

Vendor pages stretch that into oral IBD protocols. Oral delivery is chemically plausible for a tripeptide. It is not a human bioavailability package we will print as fact. This is not BPC-157 and not a leaky-gut product name.

Source: PMID: 10817504

Not an IBD drug

Mouse colitis ≠ Crohn’s or ulcerative colitis care. Oral SKUs do not go in the reconstitution calculator.

Goal context

Gut inflammation as a mouse result

DSS and TNBS are standard IBD models. They license a research conversation. They do not license stopping mesalamine.

KPV vs BPC-157

Different molecules. BPC is a 15-mer with Zagreb animal repair literature. KPV is an MSH fragment with mouse colitis papers. Complementary marketing is not a combination RCT.

Background & History

KPV is the C-terminal tripeptide of α-MSH. Dalmasso 2008 and Kannengiesser 2008 are mouse colitis papers, not Crohn’s or UC approvals. Oral SKUs are formulation marketing plus animal gut work, not a human PK package. Not melanotan, not BPC-157.

Research Use Cases

✓α-MSH fragment identity (anti-inflammatory models)
✓Not a gastroenterology indication
✓Injectable vs oral SKU: do not mix the math

Dosing

Phase	Dose	Frequency	Notes
Injectable research-chem (unlabeled)	200–500 mcg	1–2× daily SC	This leaf’s typical range. Not a label.
Oral SKU (vendor)	Vendor-dependent	Daily	Community IBD folklore. Not a bioavailability figure we will print as fact.

Administration

Route / form

SC from a lyophilized vial, or swallowed if the SKU is oral. Do not mix those jobs.

Timing

No PK mandate.

Empty stomach?

No - Food timing is not critical.

KPV: oral vs SubQ

Subcutaneous vial

Bioavailability

No dedicated human PK. Parenteral research-chem use is a systemic pulse of a minutes-class tripeptide. That is not “oral BPC.”

Dose note

Typical research-chem band on this leaf: 200–500 mcg SC, 1–2× daily, from a reconstituted cake. BAC water. Capsules skip this step. Food does not change the shot.

Advantages

Vial math is checkable when the bottle is lyophilized KPV.
Separates the injectable SKU from gut-capsule folklore.

Considerations

Dalmasso 2008 and Kannengiesser 2008 are mouse colitis papers (PMID 18061177, 18092346), not a Crohn’s protocol.
Not a melanotan. Not a psoriasis label.

Oral / gut-targeted SKU

Bioavailability

Oral is local GI folklore plus a real PepT1 conversation in mice (Dalmasso 2008). Nanoparticle and “gut only” vendor copy is not a human systemic F%. Do not print one.

Dose note

If the SKU is a capsule or oral solution, swallow it. Do not recon a capsule. Vendor milligrams are not 200 mcg SC. Empty-stomach stories are not a PK study.

Advantages

A tripeptide can be a PepT1 substrate. That is transporter biology, not a gastroenterology indication.
No syringe if you actually bought oral product.

Considerations

Mouse DSS/TNBS is not ulcerative colitis care. Do not stop mesalamine.
Nanoparticle talk is formulation marketing.
This is not oral BPC-157. Different molecule, different papers.

Recommendation: KPV: SubQ if the bottle is a cake. Oral if the SKU is a capsule aimed at gut. Oral is local GI folklore / PepT1 mouse talk, not systemic F% theater. Neither route is a Crohn’s drug.

Timeline

Mouse papers

Days of DSS protocol, not a patient calendar.

Human consumer use

No honest IBD symptom timeline.

Who it is for

α-MSH fragment identity

Moderate

This is KPV. Biology is anti-inflammatory in mice.

Named IBD treatment

Low

Wrong tool.

Reconstitution

Vial	Water	Concentration	Example dose
5 mg (injectable SKU)	2.5 mL BAC	2 mg/mL	200 mcg = 0.10 mL = 10 units on a U-100 syringe. Capsules are not this math.

Change vial size or water volume? Open the reconstitution calculator.

Safety & Considerations

Research tripeptide. Rapidly metabolized in principle. That is not a human safety database. Not a substitute for IBD care. Confirm oral vs injectable before you draw a syringe.

Regulatory & Legal Status

FDA Status (US)

Research Only

WADA Status (2026)

Not Listed

Not currently on the WADA 2026 Prohibited List. Policies may change - verify before competition.

Classification

Research Chemical

US Compounding: Not eligible / not available

⚠️ This information is for educational purposes only and may not reflect the most current regulatory updates. Always verify with official FDA, WADA, and jurisdiction-specific sources before use.

Limits of current evidence

PMID 18061177 and 18092346 are murine colitis, not human IBD trials.
The previous citation on this leaf (PMID 18319299, journal Gut) was the wrong paper. Do not reuse it.
Oral research-chem doses are not a PepT1 human PK study.
No pigmentation does not mean no melanocortin biology. It means this fragment was selected to drop tanning, not to become a food.

Human evidence

Strong preclinical · mouse colitis, not an IBD drug

PMID 18061177 and 18092346 are murine colitis, not human IBD trials.
Oral research-chem doses are not a PepT1 human PK study.

Verdict

KPV is a real α-MSH tripeptide with real mouse colitis papers. It is not a Crohn’s drug, not a psoriasis label, and not “oral BPC.” Use it as identity plus vial math. Take IBD to gastroenterology.

Interactions & Contraindications

Not a documented drug-interaction file at research-chem doses. Do not stop IBD meds because a tripeptide page exists.

Synergies & Common Stacks

+ BPC-157 →

Different molecules, different papers. Complementary gut marketing is not a combination RCT.

Appears in goal guides

Goal guides are maps, not clinic protocols. A mention here is not a treatment plan.

Gut Repair & Microbiome Restoration

BPC-157 and KPV identity for GI-adjacent research. Mouse and gastric-cytoprotection papers are not a leaky-gut, IBS, Crohn’s, or UC protocol.

View Protocol →

Immune Resilience & Post-Viral Stack

Thymosin α1 and Thymalin identity. Zadaxin is not a US NDA. This is not a viral-pathogenesis or thymic-regeneration treatment page.

View Protocol →

Immune Optimization Protocol

Thymic cytomax (Vladonix) plus Endoluten and Bonomarlot, then Thymosin Alpha-1 and Selank, with LL-37/KPV as acute experimental tools.

View Protocol →

Frequently Asked Questions

SubQ or oral for gut?▼

SubQ if you bought a cake. Oral if you bought a capsule aimed at gut. Oral is local GI folklore plus mouse PepT1 work (Dalmasso 2008), not a human systemic bioavailability number. Neither route is a Crohn’s or UC drug.

Does KPV treat Crohn’s or UC?▼

No human indication we will print. Dalmasso 2008 and Kannengiesser 2008 are mouse colitis papers.

Can I take it orally?▼

Vendors sell oral SKUs because it is a tripeptide. That is formulation marketing plus mouse oral/gut work, not a human PK package.

How do I reconstitute a 5 mg injectable vial?▼

Default here is 5 mg + 2.5 mL BAC = 2 mg/mL. 200 mcg is 0.10 mL (10 units). Capsules skip this step.

Is this melanotan?▼

No. KPV is the tail of α-MSH without the tanning program. MT-1 and MT-2 are different molecules.

KPV vs BPC-157 for “gut healing”?▼

Different mechanisms, different papers, neither is a gastroenterology label. Stacking is folklore.

Is PMID 18319299 the KPV paper?▼

No. That PMID was a bad citation on this leaf. Use 18061177 and 18092346.

Topical use?▼

Cosmetic/skin folklore exists because α-MSH is a skin hormone. Not a psoriasis approval.

FDA-approved?▼

No.

References

Dalmasso G, Charrier-Hisamuddin L, Nguyen HT, et al. “PepT1-mediated tripeptide KPV uptake reduces intestinal inflammation.” Gastroenterology (2008). PMID: 18061177
Kannengiesser K, Maaser C, Heidemann J, et al. “Melanocortin-derived tripeptide KPV has anti-inflammatory potential in murine models of inflammatory bowel disease.” Inflamm Bowel Dis (2008). PMID: 18092346
Luger TA, et al. “Alpha-MSH tripeptide analogs activate the melanocortin receptors and anti-inflammatory pathways.” Ann N Y Acad Sci (2003). PMID: 12846038
Kannengiesser K, et al. “KPV, an α-MSH C-terminal tripeptide, prevents intestinal inflammation via NF-κB pathway inhibition.” J Biol Chem (2008). PMID: 18025089

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