Peptide List API
Programmatic access to the catalog for partners, researchers, and tool builders.
This is the same evidence-graded data that powers peptidelist.org, just served as JSON. It's read-only, edge-cached, and free — designed for folks building peptide-related tools, comparison sites, research dashboards, or AI assistants that need a structured, citable source. Responses come straight from the same files that generate the public site, so the API and the site stay in lockstep.
Getting an API key
Keys are free. Email hello@peptidelist.org with a quick note about what you're building and we'll send you one. Keep it server-side — please don't embed it in browser code or public repositories. Using a key means you've read and agreed to our Terms of Service.
Authentication
Every request requires an API key. Send it on the Authorization header as a bearer token, or as the X-API-Key header — either is accepted.
Authorization: Bearer <your-key> # — or — X-API-Key: <your-key>
List peptides
GET /api/peptides returns slim metadata for every peptide in the catalog. Use this to discover slugs before fetching full details.
curl -H "Authorization: Bearer $KEY" \ https://peptidelist.org/api/peptides
Sample response (truncated):
{
"count": 216,
"peptides": [
{
"slug": "bpc-157",
"name": "BPC-157",
"altNames": ["Body Protection Compound-157", "Pentadecapeptide"],
"shortDescription": "A synthetic peptide derived from a protective protein found in gastric juice…",
"tags": ["Recovery", "Gut Health", "Tissue Repair"],
"evidenceLevel": "emerging",
"safetyLevel": "moderate-data",
"goalSlugs": ["recovery", "gut-health"],
"peptideClass": "Synthetic",
"popularity": 9,
"updatedDate": "2026-04-12",
"attributionUrl": "https://peptidelist.org/peptides/bpc-157"
}
/* …more peptides… */
]
}Get peptide details
GET /api/peptides/{slug} returns the full peptide record, including optional fields such as dosing, timelineOfEffects, legalStatus, references, and myths when present.
curl -H "Authorization: Bearer $KEY" \ https://peptidelist.org/api/peptides/bpc-157
Returns 404 if no peptide matches the slug.
Full sample response for BPC-157 (scroll to view all fields — this is exactly what the API returns):
{
"slug": "bpc-157",
"name": "BPC-157",
"altNames": [
"Body Protection Compound-157",
"Pentadecapeptide"
],
"shortDescription": "A synthetic peptide derived from a protective protein found in gastric juice, widely discussed for tissue repair and recovery.",
"tags": [
"Recovery",
"Gut Health",
"Tissue Repair",
"Anti-Inflammatory"
],
"evidenceLevel": "emerging",
"safetyLevel": "moderate-data",
"tier": "C",
"goalSlugs": [
"recovery-and-repair",
"gut-and-inflammation"
],
"updatedDate": "2026-06-02",
"popularity": 10,
"peptideClass": "Gastric Peptide",
"whatItIs": "BPC-157 is a synthetic peptide consisting of 15 amino acids. It is derived from a protein found naturally in human gastric juice called Body Protection Compound. Researchers have studied it extensively in animal models for its potential role in tissue healing, gut protection, and recovery from various types of injury. While human clinical trial data remains limited, BPC-157 is one of the most widely discussed peptides in the wellness and recovery space.",
"whyPeopleTalkAboutIt": [
{
"useCase": "Tendon and ligament recovery",
"evidenceLevel": "emerging"
},
{
"useCase": "Gut lining protection and healing",
"evidenceLevel": "emerging"
},
{
"useCase": "Muscle injury recovery",
"evidenceLevel": "preliminary"
},
{
"useCase": "Joint support",
"evidenceLevel": "preliminary"
},
{
"useCase": "Reduction of inflammation",
"evidenceLevel": "emerging"
}
],
"useCasesSummary": "BPC-157 is primarily investigated for soft tissue recovery — tendons, ligaments, muscles, and the gut lining — with hundreds of animal studies showing consistent healing effects across these domains. The strongest preclinical evidence is for tendon and ligament repair and gut protection (particularly against NSAID-induced damage). Joint and anti-inflammatory uses have more variable preclinical support. Human clinical data is sparse but no longer entirely absent: a 2024 Lee et al. pilot study in interstitial cystitis (Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, n = 12) reported substantial symptom resolution in a small open-label cohort, and a handful of small case series in orthopedic settings have appeared, but no published human RCT has completed and the IC pilot does not have a placebo arm. Enthusiasts extrapolate from the animal data; skeptics argue the absence of rigorous human trials after two decades is itself a signal. The honest framing: strong preclinical rationale, very early human pilot signals, no controlled trial validation.",
"commonQuestions": [
{
"q": "Is BPC-157 FDA-approved?",
"a": "No. BPC-157 is not FDA-approved for any medical condition. It is available as a research compound and through compounding pharmacies under clinician supervision."
},
{
"q": "How is BPC-157 typically used?",
"a": "BPC-157 is most commonly discussed in the context of subcutaneous injection near the site of injury, though oral forms also exist. Specific protocols should be discussed with a qualified clinician."
},
{
"q": "Are there known side effects?",
"a": "In animal studies, BPC-157 has shown a favorable safety profile. However, human safety data is limited. Some users report mild injection site reactions."
},
{
"q": "Does BPC-157 actually work in humans?",
"a": "The honest answer is: we don't really know. The animal evidence base is enormous and mechanistically coherent — hundreds of preclinical studies show tendon, ligament, gut, and bone healing effects. But no Phase II or III human RCT has ever been completed and published. The only published human work is a 2024 open-label pilot study in interstitial cystitis (n = 12, no placebo arm) and scattered case series. People reporting benefits are extrapolating from animal data and trusting their own experience; that's not the same as proven human efficacy."
},
{
"q": "What's the difference between oral and injectable BPC-157?",
"a": "Route is chosen by application target. Oral makes sense for gut-localized issues — gastric ulcer, IBD-type inflammation, leaky-gut symptoms — where first-pass gut exposure is exactly the point. Injectable (subcutaneous) is what the preclinical musculoskeletal protocols use, typically administered near the injured tendon, ligament, or joint to get local tissue exposure. The systemic bioavailability of oral BPC-157 in humans has not been rigorously characterized, so oral and injectable are not interchangeable for non-GI applications."
},
{
"q": "Is BPC-157 banned in sports?",
"a": "Yes. BPC-157 is explicitly prohibited under the 2026 WADA Prohibited List, named under both S0 (non-approved substances) and S2 (peptide hormones, growth factors, and mimetics). It is banned at all times — in and out of competition. Multiple athletes have already faced sanctions for BPC-157 use. Any athlete subject to WADA, USADA, UKAD, or equivalent testing must avoid it."
},
{
"q": "Can BPC-157 be stacked with TB-500?",
"a": "TB-500 (a synthetic fragment of thymosin beta-4) and BPC-157 are commonly stacked in wellness protocols, with the rationale that they target complementary repair pathways — BPC-157 driving angiogenesis and growth-factor signaling, TB-500 supporting actin/cytoskeletal organization and cell migration. There is no human trial data on the combination. The stack is a recovery-community convention rather than an evidence-based protocol; both peptides are also WADA-prohibited and FDA-unapproved."
}
],
"safetyNotes": {
"commonSideEffects": [
"Injection site irritation",
"Mild nausea (oral form)",
"Dizziness (rare)"
],
"cautions": [
"Not FDA-approved",
"Limited human clinical data",
"Should be used under clinician guidance",
"Quality varies significantly between sources"
],
"unknowns": "Long-term safety in humans has not been established through clinical trials. The effects of prolonged use are not well characterized."
},
"mechanismSimple": "BPC-157 appears to support the body's natural healing processes by promoting blood vessel formation (angiogenesis) and modulating growth factor activity in damaged tissues. Think of it as potentially helping your body's repair crew work more efficiently.",
"mechanismDetailed": "BPC-157 exerts its effects through multiple pathways. It upregulates growth factor expression including VEGF, EGF, and FGF, promoting angiogenesis and tissue granulation. It modulates the nitric oxide (NO) system, which plays a role in blood flow and inflammation. Studies suggest it interacts with the dopamine system, GABAergic pathways, and the opioid system. It has demonstrated cytoprotective effects on gastric mucosa and has shown the ability to counteract organ damage induced by NSAIDs and alcohol in animal models. The peptide also appears to influence tendon fibroblast growth and collagen organization.",
"evidenceSnapshot": {
"humanClinical": "Very limited. A small number of human studies exist, primarily for inflammatory bowel disease. Most evidence comes from animal models.",
"animalPreclinical": "Extensive. Hundreds of animal studies demonstrate effects on tendon healing, muscle repair, gut protection, bone healing, and neuroprotection.",
"mechanisticRationale": "Strong. Multiple well-characterized pathways including angiogenesis, growth factor modulation, and NO system interaction.",
"overallConfidence": 50
},
"formsAndAdministration": "BPC-157 is available in injectable (subcutaneous) and oral forms. The injectable form is most commonly discussed for musculoskeletal applications, while oral forms are discussed for gut-related applications. Specific protocols and dosing should be determined by a qualified clinician.",
"references": [
{
"title": "Emerging Use of BPC-157 in Orthopaedic Sports Medicine: A Systematic Review",
"url": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40756949/",
"type": "Systematic Review",
"summary": "First systematic review of BPC-157 in orthopaedic sports medicine, synthesizing preclinical evidence across tendon, ligament, muscle, and bone injury models while highlighting the near-total absence of human clinical trials."
},
{
"title": "Effect of BPC-157 on Symptoms in Patients with Interstitial Cystitis: A Pilot Study",
"url": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39325560/",
"type": "Clinical Trial",
"summary": "Lee E and colleagues, Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine 2024. Small open-label pilot study (n = 12) reporting substantial reduction in interstitial cystitis symptom scores following BPC-157 administration. Among the first published human pilot studies for any BPC-157 indication — meaningful as a signal but not placebo-controlled and the cohort is too small for efficacy claims."
},
{
"title": "Therapeutic peptides in gerontology: mechanisms and applications for healthy aging",
"url": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42021992/",
"type": "Review",
"summary": "Mavrych V, Shypilova I, and Bolgova O, Frontiers in Aging 2026. Recent comprehensive review covering nine peptides including BPC-157 in the healthy-aging context — useful single reference summarizing the preclinical-vs-clinical evidence asymmetry that defines BPC-157's current evidence base."
},
{
"title": "Pentadecapeptide BPC 157 and anaphylactoid reaction in rats and mice after intravenous dextran and white egg administration",
"url": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24486708/",
"type": "Comparative Study"
},
{
"title": "Over-dose insulin and stable gastric pentadecapeptide BPC 157. Attenuated gastric ulcers, seizures, brain lesions, hepatomegaly, fatty liver, breakdown of liver glycogen, profound hypoglycemia and calcification in rats",
"url": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20388953/",
"type": "Comparative Study"
},
{
"title": "Abdominal aorta anastomosis in rats and stable gastric pentadecapeptide BPC 157, prophylaxis and therapy",
"url": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20388960/",
"type": "Comparative Study"
},
{
"title": "The antidepressant effect of an antiulcer pentadecapeptide BPC 157 in Porsolt's test and chronic unpredictable stress in rats. A comparison with antidepressants",
"url": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10791689/",
"type": "Comparative Study"
},
{
"title": "Osteogenic effect of a gastric pentadecapeptide, BPC-157, on the healing of segmental bone defect in rabbits: a comparison with bone marrow and autologous cortical bone implantation",
"url": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10071911/",
"type": "Comparative Study"
},
{
"title": "Tendon, Ligament, and Muscle Injury, Osteotendinous, Myotendinous, and Muscle-to-Bone Junction Therapy Perspectives with Growth Factors and Stable Gastric Pentadecapeptide BPC 157-A Review",
"url": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41754849/",
"type": "Review",
"summary": "Comprehensive review covering BPC-157's effects across the full spectrum of musculoskeletal soft tissue injuries, detailing its interactions with growth factors (VEGF, EGF, FGF) and mechanisms of tendon, ligament, and muscle-to-bone junction healing."
},
{
"title": "Conventional Antiarrhythmics Class I-IV, Late INa Inhibitors, IKs Enhancers, RyR2 Stabilizers, Gap Junction Modulators, Atrial-Selective Antiarrhythmics, and Stable Gastric Pentadecapeptide BPC 157 as Useful Cytoprotective Therapy in Arrhythmias",
"url": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41754776/",
"type": "Review"
},
{
"title": "Multifunctionality and Possible Medical Application of the BPC 157 Peptide-Literature and Patent Review",
"url": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40005999/",
"type": "Review"
},
{
"title": "Regeneration or Risk? A Narrative Review of BPC-157 for Musculoskeletal Healing",
"url": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40789979/",
"type": "Review"
},
{
"title": "Stable Gastric Pentadecapeptide BPC 157 as a Therapy and Safety Key: A Special Beneficial Pleiotropic Effect Controlling and Modulating Angiogenesis and the NO-System",
"url": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40573323/",
"type": "Review"
},
{
"title": "Acute Compartment Syndrome and Intra-Abdominal Hypertension, Decompression, Current Pharmacotherapy, and Stable Gastric Pentadecapeptide BPC 157 Solution",
"url": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40573261/",
"type": "Review"
},
{
"title": "Challenge of Corneal Ulcer Healing: A Novel Conceptual Framework, the \"Triad\" of Corneal Ulcer Healing/Corneal Neovascularization/Intraocular Pressure, and Avascular Tendon Healing, for Evaluation of Corneal Ulcer Therapy, Therapy of Neovascularization, Glaucoma Therapy, and Pentadecapeptide BPC 157 Efficacy",
"url": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41471311/",
"type": "Review"
},
{
"title": "Stable Gastric Pentadecapeptide BPC 157 and Intestinal Anastomoses Therapy in Rats-A Review",
"url": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39204186/",
"type": "Review"
},
{
"title": "The Stable Gastric Pentadecapeptide BPC 157 Pleiotropic Beneficial Activity and Its Possible Relations with Neurotransmitter Activity",
"url": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38675421/",
"type": "Review"
},
{
"title": "New studies with stable gastric pentadecapeptide protecting gastrointestinal tract. significance of counteraction of vascular and multiorgan failure of occlusion/occlusion-like syndrome in cytoprotection/organoprotection",
"url": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38980576/",
"type": "Review"
},
{
"title": "Stable Gastric Pentadecapeptide BPC 157-Possible Novel Therapy of Glaucoma and Other Ocular Conditions",
"url": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37513963/",
"type": "Review"
},
{
"title": "Stable Gastric Pentadecapeptide BPC 157 May Recover Brain-Gut Axis and Gut-Brain Axis Function",
"url": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37242459/",
"type": "Review"
},
{
"title": "Stable Gastric Pentadecapeptide BPC 157 as Useful Cytoprotective Peptide Therapy in the Heart Disturbances, Myocardial Infarction, Heart Failure, Pulmonary Hypertension, Arrhythmias, and Thrombosis Presentation",
"url": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36359218/",
"type": "Review"
},
{
"title": "Pentadecapeptide BPC 157 and the central nervous system",
"url": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34380875/",
"type": "Review"
},
{
"title": "Stable Gastric Pentadecapeptide BPC 157 and Striated, Smooth, and Heart Muscle",
"url": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36551977/",
"type": "Review"
},
{
"title": "Fistulas Healing. Stable Gastric Pentadecapeptide BPC 157 Therapy",
"url": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32329684/",
"type": "Review"
},
{
"title": "BPC 157 Rescued NSAID-cytotoxicity Via Stabilizing Intestinal Permeability and Enhancing Cytoprotection",
"url": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32445447/",
"type": "Review"
},
{
"title": "Stable Gastric Pentadecapeptide BPC 157, Robert's Stomach Cytoprotection/Adaptive Cytoprotection/Organoprotection, and Selye's Stress Coping Response: Progress, Achievements, and the Future",
"url": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31158953/",
"type": "Review"
},
{
"title": "Gastric pentadecapeptide body protection compound BPC 157 and its role in accelerating musculoskeletal soft tissue healing",
"url": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30915550/",
"type": "Review",
"summary": "Widely cited review consolidating evidence from dozens of animal studies showing BPC-157 accelerates healing of tendons, ligaments, muscles, and bones through angiogenesis promotion and growth factor upregulation."
},
{
"title": "BPC 157 and Standard Angiogenic Growth Factors. Gastrointestinal Tract Healing, Lessons from Tendon, Ligament, Muscle and Bone Healing",
"url": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29998800/",
"type": "Review",
"summary": "Key mechanistic review establishing how BPC-157 interacts with standard angiogenic growth factors (VEGF, FGF, EGF) to promote healing across GI tract, tendon, ligament, muscle, and bone tissues — a foundational paper for understanding BPC-157's multi-tissue repair pathways."
},
{
"title": "Novel Cytoprotective Mediator, Stable Gastric Pentadecapeptide BPC 157. Vascular Recruitment and Gastrointestinal Tract Healing",
"url": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29879879/",
"type": "Review"
},
{
"title": "Stress in Gastrointestinal Tract and Stable Gastric Pentadecapeptide BPC 157. Finally, do we have a Solution?",
"url": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28228068/",
"type": "Review"
},
{
"title": "Brain-gut Axis and Pentadecapeptide BPC 157: Theoretical and Practical Implications",
"url": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27138887/",
"type": "Review"
},
{
"title": "Stable Gastric Pentadecapeptide BPC 157 and Wound Healing",
"url": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34267654/",
"type": "Review"
},
{
"title": "Pentadecapeptide BPC 157 Enhances the Growth Hormone Receptor Expression in Tendon Fibroblasts",
"url": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25415472/",
"type": "Preclinical"
},
{
"title": "A Peptide, a Secretive Scientist, and a Debate Over Evidence (Talpos, Undark / STAT, May 29, 2026)",
"url": "https://undark.org/2026/05/29/stress-test-bpc-157-history/",
"type": "Investigative Journalism",
"summary": "Long-form investigation into BPC-157's history and evidence base: traces the discovery from Sikiric's 1975 hypothesis through the 1989 isolation, the PLIVA/Parke-Davis and abandoned GSK development arc, and the unresolved scientific debate over whether the peptide is genuinely produced by the human body (no identified receptor; sequence absent from the human genome/microbiome) against its surging gray-market and MAHA-driven popularity."
}
],
"relatedPeptideSlugs": [
"tb-500",
"ghk-cu",
"pentosan-polysulfate"
],
"compareSlugs": [
"bpc-157-vs-tb-500",
"kpv-vs-bpc-157"
],
"dosing": {
"typicalRange": "Protocols commonly discussed for subcutaneous injection run 200–500 mcg per dose, with some clinicians using up to 1,000 mcg in specific tissue-repair contexts. Oral BPC-157 capsules are typically formulated at 500 mcg or 750 mcg, and oral dosing often lands at 500 mcg once or twice daily. Note that systemic bioavailability of oral BPC-157 in humans has not been rigorously characterized, so equivalence to injected doses is not established.",
"frequency": "For injectable protocols targeting localized musculoskeletal injury, once-daily dosing (often morning, with injection near the affected site) is the most frequently described cadence. Some protocols split into twice-daily dosing to maintain more stable exposure. Oral dosing for gut applications is typically once or twice daily with meals. Intra-articular and topical formulations exist but are much less standardized.",
"cycleLength": "The most commonly described protocol length is 4 weeks on, followed by a 2–4 week break to reassess. For persistent injuries, some clinicians extend to 6–8 weeks of continuous use. There is no established maximum duration from the human literature — long-term continuous use has not been studied in humans.",
"notes": "Injection-site considerations: BPC-157 is water-soluble and most compounded preparations come as a lyophilized powder requiring reconstitution in bacteriostatic water. Typical reconstitution is 5 mg of peptide in 2 mL of bacteriostatic water, yielding 2,500 mcg/mL, which means 200 mcg = 0.08 mL on an insulin syringe. Subcutaneous injection into the abdominal fat pad is the most common route for systemic effects; for localized injury, injection into tissue immediately adjacent to (not into) the affected tendon, ligament, or joint is what the animal protocols typically use.\n\nOral vs. injected route is determined by application target: oral for GI symptoms (gastric ulcer, IBD-type inflammation, leaky gut contexts) where first-pass gut exposure is the point; injected for musculoskeletal repair where systemic or localized tissue exposure matters.\n\nProtocol variations across clinicians are significant. This reflects the absence of human dose-ranging trials rather than any single 'correct' regimen. If you are working with a clinician, they will choose based on their experience; if you are researching independently, understand that the precision implied by specific numbers is not matched by the underlying clinical evidence.",
"timing": {
"timeOfDay": "No strict time of day. Split dosing (morning + evening) is the most common pattern for systemic protocols; single daily doses work well for localized injection near an injury.",
"relativeToMeals": "Injectable BPC-157: no meal timing required. Oral (stable-arginate) BPC-157: fasted absorption is typical, though human bioavailability data remains limited.",
"relativeToExercise": "For musculoskeletal-injury protocols, timing one dose 30–60 minutes before training or immediately after is commonly discussed — the rationale is that the peptide is present during the repair-signaling window when trained tissue is most responsive."
},
"disclaimer": "These numbers are not a prescription. BPC-157 is not FDA-approved for any medical condition. Any actual use should be under the direct supervision of a qualified healthcare provider who can evaluate individual risk factors."
},
"historyAndDiscovery": "BPC-157's origin traces to a hypothesis rather than a molecule. As recounted in a May 2026 Undark/STAT investigation (Talpos), Predrag Sikiric — then a medical student at the University of Zagreb — conceived the idea in 1975 while listening to a lecture on stress and the adrenal glands, reasoning that the stomach must produce its own 'anti-stress' protective substance. By 1981 he had assembled a team that collected gastric juice from hospitals and slaughterhouses and screened it for protective activity, and in 1989 the group reported isolating what they believed was the active principle: a 15-amino-acid peptide they named Body Protection Compound 157. The parent activity was pharmacological — protection of the stomach lining against ethanol, NSAID, and stress-induced ulceration — and the synthesized pentadecapeptide fragment was reported to retain or exceed those cytoprotective effects.\n\nThe molecule did have a genuine drug-development arc. In 1993 Sikiric signed a contract with the Croatian pharmaceutical company PLIVA, which partnered with Parke-Davis on animal studies, and PLIVA ran two early-stage human trials in ulcerative colitis around the early 2000s — but the second did not reach statistical significance. When GlaxoSmithKline acquired PLIVA in 2006 the program was transferred and then abandoned. A 2015 trial in Tijuana is listed as canceled in U.S. databases, though Sikiric's team has described the peptide as safe and well tolerated without publishing full data. No BPC-157 human RCT has ever been completed and published.\n\nThe Undark investigation also surfaces a foundational provenance debate that the wellness marketing rarely mentions: several peptide scientists question whether BPC-157 is in fact produced by the human body at all. Patricia Brubaker (University of Toronto) notes the amino-acid sequence has not been found in the human genome or microbiome and no dedicated receptor has been definitively identified — unusual, since most peptides require receptors to act. Anna Mapp (University of Michigan; American Peptide Society president) observes that the original patent lacked demonstration of molecular weight and purity sufficient to confirm a single pure isolated substance. Collaborator Sandor Szabo has speculated the original team may have misinterpreted an amino-acid sequence decades ago when analytical techniques were cruder. Over three decades the Zagreb group and collaborators have nonetheless published hundreds of preclinical studies extending the peptide across tendon, ligament, muscle, bone, vascular, and CNS healing — a body of work unusual in breadth but heavily concentrated in one research orbit, with human trials lagging far behind.\n\nBPC-157 entered the sports and wellness landscape in the 2010s through compounding pharmacies and research-chemical suppliers, well ahead of any regulatory evaluation. That gray-market status is now a live policy question: an FDA advisory committee is slated to consider in 2026 whether pharmacies should be permitted to compound seven unapproved peptides, BPC-157 among them — a debate sharpened by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s position that some such peptides might be treated more like supplements than drugs requiring clinical trials.",
"timelineOfEffects": {
"onset": "Most user-reported benefits for localized musculoskeletal applications (tendon, ligament, joint) are described as emerging within 1–2 weeks of initiating a daily protocol, though subjective pain reduction is sometimes reported within days. For gut-related applications, self-reports suggest several days to a week before noticeable change in symptoms. These timelines come almost entirely from anecdotal sources; no human trials have characterized onset curves rigorously.",
"peak": "Anecdotally, peak effect is commonly described in the 4–8 week range of continuous daily use, which is also where most published animal protocols have been run. Whether pharmacokinetic accumulation, tissue-specific remodeling, or both drive this curve is not established. Published preclinical work typically uses 14–28 day dosing windows and does not extend to long time-courses in a single model.",
"afterDiscontinuation": "BPC-157's plasma half-life in rodent models is short — minutes to a few hours — but its tissue effects appear to outlast its circulating presence, consistent with a mechanism of promoting structural repair rather than sustaining a receptor-driven state. Most users who report benefit describe those benefits persisting after cessation as long as the underlying injury has healed; effects on acute inflammation or gut irritation tend to recede more quickly once dosing stops. Rebound effects have not been systematically described."
},
"legalStatus": {
"us": "BPC-157 is not FDA-approved for any medical indication and has not completed Phase II or III human trials. Its US regulatory status is in active flux as of April 2026: on April 15, 2026, HHS Secretary Kennedy directed the FDA to remove BPC-157 — alongside 11 other peptides including TB-500, GHK-Cu, MOTS-c, DSIP, Dihexa, MK-677, Melanotan II, KPV, Semax, LL-37, and Epitalon — from Category 2 (bulk drug substances presenting significant safety risks), effective April 22, 2026. This removal is not authorization to compound. BPC-157 has been referred to the Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee (PCAC) for review at its July 23–24, 2026 meeting, and any addition to the 503A Bulks List would require further notice-and-comment rulemaking. Until that review completes, compounding pharmacies operate in an ambiguous middle ground: no longer formally categorized as a safety risk, but not yet sanctioned for compounding. Research-chemical suppliers continue to sell BPC-157 labeled 'not for human consumption,' which is not an authorized channel for human use.",
"international": "Regulatory treatment varies. The European Medicines Agency has not authorized BPC-157 as a medicine. The UK MHRA has not licensed it. Australia's TGA classifies it as a Schedule 4 prescription-only substance and has taken enforcement action against its unapproved sale. Canadian and most EU member-state positions mirror the US in treating it as an unapproved investigational agent. Importing personal-use quantities is restricted or prohibited in several jurisdictions.",
"sports": "BPC-157 is explicitly prohibited under the 2026 WADA Prohibited List, which names it under both S0 (non-approved substances) and S2 (peptide hormones, growth factors, related substances and mimetics) — a change from prior years where its prohibition was implicit under S0 alone. Prohibited at all times, both in and out of competition. Multiple athletes have faced sanctions for BPC-157 use. Athletes subject to WADA code, USADA, UKAD, or equivalent bodies must avoid it."
},
"contraindications": [
"Pregnancy — no human pregnancy safety data exists; the peptide's angiogenic activity raises theoretical concerns about fetal development that have not been studied.",
"Breastfeeding — no data on transfer into breast milk or effects on nursing infants.",
"Active or recent-history cancer — because BPC-157 upregulates VEGF and other angiogenic growth factors, clinicians generally advise against its use in patients with active malignancy or recent cancer history, where promoting new blood vessel formation could theoretically support tumor vascularization.",
"Pediatric use (under 18) — no studies in pediatric populations; development-related signaling effects are unknown.",
"Known hypersensitivity to peptide therapeutics or compounded preparations, including reactions to excipients used in compounded products.",
"Uncontrolled bleeding disorders or concurrent high-dose anticoagulation — the NO-system modulation raises a theoretical bleeding-risk concern that is not quantified in humans."
],
"drugInteractions": "Documented clinical drug interactions for BPC-157 are essentially absent because human pharmacology studies are absent; what follows is theoretical and derived from mechanistic overlap with known drug classes.\n\nThe most discussed theoretical concern is with anti-angiogenic oncology therapies (bevacizumab, tyrosine kinase inhibitors targeting VEGF pathways): BPC-157's upregulation of VEGF and FGF would be expected to oppose the intended effect of those agents. Co-administration should be avoided. A related concern applies to patients taking anti-angiogenic agents for ophthalmologic indications such as wet macular degeneration.\n\nBecause BPC-157 modulates the nitric oxide system, theoretical interactions exist with nitrate medications (nitroglycerin, isosorbide), phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors, and anticoagulants — though the magnitude in humans is unknown. NSAIDs are commonly discussed as a favorable pairing in animal models (BPC-157 appears to counteract NSAID-induced gut injury in rats), but this protective effect has not been demonstrated in humans and should not be assumed clinically. Patients on any regular medication should disclose BPC-157 use to their prescribing clinician, as absence of documented interaction is not the same as absence of interaction.",
"researchGaps": [
"Long-term human safety — no published trials extend beyond short observational windows, and chronic-use data at any time scale is absent.",
"Optimal human dosing — published animal protocols span an enormous range (10 µg/kg to 10 mg/kg), and no dose-ranging study has been performed in humans to identify minimum effective or maximum tolerated doses.",
"Pharmacokinetics in humans — absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion have been characterized in rodents but not in humans, so route-comparative bioavailability (oral vs. subcutaneous vs. intramuscular) is unresolved.",
"Carcinogenicity — the peptide's angiogenic activity and growth-factor upregulation raise a theoretical concern about tumor promotion that has not been addressed by long-duration rodent carcinogenicity studies or human pharmacovigilance.",
"Reproducibility across research groups — a large majority of preclinical publications originate from the same Croatian research program. Independent replication in other labs is thin and would strengthen confidence in effect sizes.",
"Mechanism specificity — while multiple pathways are implicated (VEGF, NO, dopamine, GABA, opioid systems), it remains unclear which of these are primary drivers of the observed healing effects versus secondary correlates."
],
"myths": [
{
"myth": "BPC-157 is FDA-approved for injury recovery.",
"reality": "It is not approved for any indication. It has not been through Phase II or III human trials. Its availability in the US has historically been via compounding pharmacies rather than as an approved drug, and that access channel has tightened following the FDA's 2023 review."
},
{
"myth": "BPC-157 heals virtually any injury quickly because the animal data is so broad.",
"reality": "The animal literature is genuinely broad and mechanistically interesting, but animal effect sizes do not predict human outcomes reliably. Human data is very limited and dominated by self-reports rather than controlled trials. Treating BPC-157 as a proven universal healing agent overstates what the evidence actually supports."
},
{
"myth": "BPC-157 is a steroid or behaves like one.",
"reality": "It is a short peptide fragment derived from a gastric juice protein and has no structural or pharmacological relationship to anabolic-androgenic steroids. It does not bind androgen receptors, does not suppress endogenous testosterone, and does not require post-cycle therapy."
},
{
"myth": "Oral BPC-157 is as effective as injected BPC-157 for muscle and joint injuries.",
"reality": "The systemic bioavailability of oral BPC-157 in humans has not been rigorously characterized, and animal work suggests route matters. Gut applications are the most defensible use case for oral administration; for localized musculoskeletal applications, injection near the affected tissue is what the preclinical protocols typically use."
},
{
"myth": "BPC-157 is safe to use during pregnancy or while breastfeeding because it is 'natural.'",
"reality": "There is no safety data in pregnancy or lactation. 'Derived from a naturally occurring human protein' is not the same as 'safe during pregnancy' — the angiogenic and growth-factor effects that make BPC-157 interesting for healing are exactly the kind of activity that requires rigorous reproductive-toxicology study before use in pregnant patients. That study has not been done."
},
{
"myth": "BPC-157 is something your body already makes, so it's basically endogenous.",
"reality": "This is the foundational marketing claim and it is actively contested by peptide chemists outside the original research orbit. The 15-amino-acid sequence has not been identified in the human genome or microbiome; no dedicated receptor has been definitively characterized, which is unusual since most peptides require receptors to act; and the original 1989 isolation patent did not include molecular-weight and purity demonstrations adequate to confirm a single pure isolated substance. The peptide is real and synthesizable — but the inference that humans produce it themselves rests on thinner ground than the wellness framing implies, and 'endogenous' should not be read as a safety guarantee even if it were settled."
},
{
"myth": "BPC-157 has a flawless safety profile because animal studies show no toxicity.",
"reality": "Animal toxicology in the published BPC-157 literature is genuinely encouraging at the doses tested, but the inference 'safe in rats = safe long-term in humans' is not warranted. The published preclinical work concentrates on short-duration dosing windows (typically 14–28 days), comes overwhelmingly from a single research orbit that independent labs have not fully replicated, and does not include long-duration rodent carcinogenicity studies — which is the standard regulatory bar for a compound that upregulates VEGF and other angiogenic growth factors. Human pharmacovigilance at scale does not exist. A clean short-term animal record is a reason to take the molecule seriously, not a reason to treat chronic human use as risk-free."
}
],
"monitoring": {
"biomarkers": [
"hs-CRP — the cheapest systemic inflammation marker; useful when the injury context is inflammatory (tendinopathy, IBD, post-surgical recovery)",
"ESR — complements hs-CRP for slower-moving inflammatory processes",
"CBC — rules out occult anemia or infection that could mimic non-response",
"Comprehensive metabolic panel including ALT/AST — baseline only, to anchor any later concern about hepatic processing during multi-month use"
],
"functionalTests": [
"Standardized pain score (VAS 0–10 or NRS) on the target tissue, recorded daily",
"Goniometer-measured range of motion for the affected joint (or the clinical equivalent your physiotherapist uses)",
"Sport- or task-specific functional test (e.g. single-leg hop distance for a knee injury, pain-free grip strength for an elbow, walking distance for a lower-back issue)",
"Diagnostic ultrasound or MRI at baseline and end-of-cycle for structural injuries — not required, but the only way to objectively document tissue-level change"
],
"timing": "Symptom and ROM tracking daily. hs-CRP and CBC at baseline and 4–6 weeks. Imaging at baseline and at the end of a 4-week cycle if you have access.",
"notes": "BPC-157's healing effect is slow and tissue-local, so the measurement job is different from a systemic-hormone drug: you're not chasing a bloodwork number, you're documenting functional recovery against a baseline that would otherwise stagnate. The most credible at-home setup is a disciplined pain-and-function log (daily VAS plus one standardized functional test) paired with an initial and end-of-cycle imaging study for anything structural. hs-CRP is the one blood marker that moves reliably in genuinely inflammatory contexts — a 30–50% drop at 4–6 weeks alongside symptom improvement is a reasonable responder signal, but CRP can be stable in patients whose injury isn't systemically inflammatory. No validated serum biomarker tracks tendon or ligament repair directly. Basic panels are available direct-to-consumer via LabCorp, Quest, Marek Health, and Ulta Lab Tests; imaging typically requires a clinician order."
},
"attributionUrl": "https://peptidelist.org/peptides/bpc-157"
}Response schema
An OpenAPI 3.0.3 specification is published at /openapi.json. Use it to generate typed clients in your language of choice or to drive request validation.
Errors
All errors are returned as JSON with a uniform shape:
{ "error": { "code": "not_found", "message": "No peptide found for slug \"xyz\"." } }401 unauthorized— missing or invalid API key.404 not_found— slug does not exist in the catalog.405 method_not_allowed— onlyGETis supported.
Attribution
Every response includes an attributionUrl field pointing to the canonical page for that peptide on peptidelist.org. If you publish anything sourced from the API, please link back to that URL so readers can see our citations and updates — and use the field directly so your links stay correct as we add or rename pages.
One small ask: keep attribution links as plain, crawlable hyperlinks. Please skip rel attributes (noreferrer, nofollow, noindex, sponsored, etc.) and robots meta directives. Those backlinks are part of how we keep the API free.
The site's Terms of Service also cover API use — in particular, content is educational and is not medical advice.