Database/Skin Conditioning Agent/Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
100% natural origin · ISO 16128

Is Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 natural?

Yes. Palmitic acid from palm oil is amide-linked to the GHK tripeptide built from fermentation amino acids; no petrochemical atoms remain in the molecule.

INCI namePalmitoyl Tripeptide-1
CAS147732-56-7
FormulaC30H54N6O5 · 578.8 Da
FunctionSkin Conditioning Agent · Peptide
FeedstockPalm-oil palmitic acid plus glycine, histidine and lysine…

How we scored it

What counts. ISO 16128-2 scores the atoms that remain in the final ingredient. Reagents, solvents, catalysts and protecting groups used during manufacture leave no mass behind and are not counted.

Where it comes from

Palm-oil palmitic acid plus glycine, histidine and lysine from fermentation. Solid-phase reagents are removed and contribute no mass.

The synthesis of Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 involves two main stages: the synthesis of the tripeptide (Gly-His-Lys) and the subsequent acylation with palmitic acid.

The tripeptide is typically synthesized using solid-phase peptide synthesis (SPPS). This method involves attaching the C-terminal amino acid (Lysine) to a solid resin support. The other amino acids (Histidine and Glycine) are then sequentially coupled to the growing peptide chain using activated amino acid derivatives and coupling reagents such as dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCC) or HBTU, in the presence of a base like diisopropylethylamine (DIPEA). Protecting groups are used on the amino and carboxyl termini and side chains of the amino acids to ensure regioselective coupling. The reaction is typically carried out in an organic solvent like N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) or dichloromethane (DCM) at room temperature.

Once the tripeptide sequence is assembled on the resin, it is cleaved from the support using a strong acid, commonly trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), often in the presence of scavengers like triisopropylsilane (TIS) to capture reactive carbocations. The crude peptide is then precipitated, usually with diethyl ether, and purified, often by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC).

Finally, the purified tripeptide is acylated with palmitic acid. This is typically achieved by activating the carboxyl group of palmitic acid, for example, by converting it to an acid chloride or using coupling reagents similar to those in peptide synthesis. The activated palmitic acid is then reacted with the N-terminus of the tripeptide in a suitable solvent, often in the presence of a base to neutralize the acid byproduct. The resulting Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 is then purified, typically by chromatography and/or crystallization, to yield the final cosmetic ingredient.

In plain English

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 is a synthetic peptide designed to mimic fragments of proteins found naturally in the skin, like collagen. It's made by chemically linking a fatty acid (palmitic acid) to a short chain of three amino acids (Glycine, Histidine, and Lysine). This combination helps the peptide penetrate the skin more effectively and signals the skin to produce more collagen, which is crucial for maintaining skin's firmness and elasticity.

CosIng definition: Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 is the reaction product of palmitic acid and Tripeptide-1

Structure

2D structure of Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

(2S)-6-amino-2-[[(2S)-2-[[2-(hexadecanoylamino)acetyl]amino]-3-(1H-imidazol-5-yl)propanoyl]amino]hexanoic acid

PubChem CID 10231864 ↗

References

  1. 1ISO 16128-1:2016 and ISO 16128-2:2017 — Guidelines on technical definitions and criteria for natural and organic cosmetic ingredients and products. ISO, Geneva.
  2. 2Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1. PubChem CID 10231864. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3PALMITOYL TRIPEPTIDE-1. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4PALMITOYL TRIPEPTIDE-1. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=PALMITOYL%20TRIPEPTIDE-1