Review· 2019
Gastric pentadecapeptide body protection compound BPC 157 and its role in accelerating musculoskeletal soft tissue healing.
Cell and tissue research
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PreclinicalNot FDA-approved
BPC-157
Synthetic pentadecapeptide (15 amino acids)
Also indexed as: Body Protection Compound 157 · PL 14736
What this evidence does not tell us
A review of predominantly rodent studies cannot establish healing benefits in people. Small human reports do not replace adequately controlled trials.
Terms on this page
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10 glossary terms used in this profile
Terms on this page
Unfamiliar word? Open this panel for simple explanations, right here.
10 glossary terms used in this profile
Select a word to see its meaning. You can keep more than one definition open.
Definitions explain the words—not whether a molecule works or is safe. Research education only, not medical advice.
Overview
BPC-157 is a synthetic 15-amino-acid peptide described in the literature as related to a gastric protective protein. It is studied mainly in experimental injury models and is not an approved repair treatment.
Mechanism of action
Repair / angiogenesis
Preclinical experiments investigate changes in angiogenic and growth-factor signaling during tissue repair. These proposed pathways do not establish a clinically validated receptor target or a healing effect in humans.
A biological pathway describes a proposed or observed interaction—not necessarily a demonstrated health outcome.
Decode the terminology in our glossaryPut the research in context
Simplified educational maps—not a treatment pathway or a prediction of benefit.
Scientific evidence
How strong is the evidence?
Early lab & animal research
- Limited evidence
- Early researchCurrent category
- Human research
- Human outcomes
Most support comes from cells or animals. These studies help form questions, but do not prove a treatment works in people.
For this research: A review of predominantly rodent studies cannot establish healing benefits in people. Small human reports do not replace adequately controlled trials.
An editorial guide—not a validated score, a percentage, a safety rating or an approval badge. Regulatory status is separate. More research does not mean fewer risks.
Cell studies
Repair and vascular-signaling experiments inform hypotheses; mechanisms and reproducibility remain under investigation.
Animal experiments
The selected review is dominated by small rodent injury models. Translation to human healing remains unproven.
Human observational studies
Associations, biomarker studies and anecdotes cannot establish treatment causality; no observational result is used here to infer clinical effectiveness.
Human clinical trials
Reliable, independently replicated human outcome evidence is not established by the selected sources in this edition.
Regulatory evidence
No FDA-approved finished drug for this molecule is identified in this edition. Investigational use, published research or compounding does not establish FDA approval.
Potential research applications
Tendon, ligament, muscle and gastrointestinal injury models.
These describe scientific questions, not prescribing recommendations. A research grouping does not establish combination safety or clinical effectiveness.
Explore research by health goalSafety considerations
FDA identifies potential immunogenicity and peptide-impurity risks and insufficient human safety information. Long-term effects and interactions are unknown.
This is not an exhaustive safety or contraindication list. An absence of reported harm is not proof of safety. Pregnancy, breastfeeding, cancer history, endocrine disease and concurrent medicines can materially change risk. Unregulated preparations add identity, contamination and sterility risks.
Read FDA’s compounding safety informationRegulatory status · United States
Not FDA-approved
No FDA-approved finished drug for this molecule is identified in this edition. Investigational use, published research or compounding does not establish FDA approval.
Regulatory status and evidence strength are different. A nomination for compounding, a clinical-trial registration or a “research use only” label is not approval. International rules vary; consult the current regulator and product label.
Selected literature & source transparency
Matched bibliographic records confirm a publication’s identity, not the validity of every claim. Selected sources are not a systematic literature review.
Continue your own source search
These open search results, not additional verified citations. Trial registration is not evidence that a treatment works.
Three questions worth bringing to your clinician
- Which human outcomes—not just biomarkers—support this claim?
- What established options address my actual health concern?
- What do my medical history and current medicines change about the risks?
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