BPC-157 (Body Protection Compound 157)

Description:

BPC-157 is a peptide that occurs naturally in the human stomach. As a research compound, it has been shown to heal numerous body tissues including the skin, muscle, and bone, as well as ligament and tendon. Its underlying mechanism is not fully understood. However, it does appear to increase the density of growth hormone receptors in some tissues.1

Bodybuilders and other athletes use BPC-157 to speed repair of damaged muscle and joint tissue. Some underground experts have touted it as ‘the most powerful healing drug on earth for injuries’, after experiencing that administration of this compound let injuries, which usually take 10-12 weeks to heal, healed within 2-3 weeks. Anecdotes suggest that BPC-157 is effective when administered immediately after an injury occurs, but also when taken in order to fix an improperly healed injury that occurred years ago. Although athletes inject this peptide, BPC-157 is stable in gastric juice2 and therefore orally available. Animal studies have proven topical administration of BPC-157 to be effective as well.

In dozens of animal studies, BPC-157 has been shown to stimulate repair processes of the mucosa. In animal studies, a synthesized yet identical version of this molecule accelerates the healing of ulcers and other gastric and duodenal lesions,3 protects the liver from toxic compounds, 4 speeds up the healing of lung tissue after inhalation of aggressive gasses,5 protects the mucosa in the nose from capsaicin,6 and diminishes the side effects of chemotherapy with doxorubicine in the heart.7 In other animal studies BPC-157 accelerates the healing of wounds and broke bones8 and burn wounds,9 stimulates healing of transected nerves,10 enhances the healing of transected ligaments,11 rotator cuff tear injury, and Achilles tendons.12 In one animal study, BPC-157 even stimulated the reattachment of a severed Achilles tendon to the bone!13 Finally, BPC-157 enhances the healing of surgically transected 14 or crushed muscle tissue.15

BPC-157 reinforces healing processes by stimulating angiogenesis16 (production of blood vessels) in tissues, probably by activating the ‘blood vessel hormone’ VEGF.17

History:

BPC-157 maked its first appearance in scientific literature in 1992,18 in an article by the Croatian scientist Predrag Sikiric and his coworkers.

Most of the research into BPC-157 is done by Sikiric, and has been sponsored by the Croatian pharmaceutical company Pliva. Financial difficulties prompted Pliva in 2005 to halt the investments in BPC-157. Attempts of Merck, which had been a business partner of Pliva for years, to buy the BPC-157 patents and research, have failed. Even though its future as a drug remain unclear, a few years later web shops specializing in research chemicals began selling it.

How supplied:

BPC-157 is not available as a pharmaceutical product at this time. Standard dosage information is unavailable. As a research chemical, BP-157 is sold as a liquid, or as a powder that has to be dissolved in bacteriostatic water before administration. The most popular version is currently produced by Diagen in Slovenia. At room temperature, BPC-157 can be kept for a few months. In a refrigerator or freezer it can be kept for 6 months and 24 months, respectively.

Side effects

In the scientific literature and experiences of users no side effects of BPC-157 have surfaced yet. However, as this drug has not yet been approved as a pharmaceutical agent its safety, and its propensity for side effects may not be well understood at this time. We want to stress here that we know of only one human study on the effects of BPC-157. That study, which concerned test subjects with mildtomoderate ulcerative colitis that were given BPC-157 rectally, wasn’t published in peer-reviewed literature, but presented at a conference. All the other studies are in vitro or used animal models.

Structural Characteristics:

BPC-157 is a peptide – an pentadecapeptide, to put it precisely. It consists of 15 amino acids (Gly Glu Pro Pro Pro Gly Lys Pro Ala Asp Asp Ala Gly Leu Val).

Administration:

This drug is not available as a pharmaceutical product. Prescribing guidelines are unavailable.

BPC-157 is injected with insulin needles. When used off label, most athletes administer dosages of 200-300 microgram/day to accelerate healing of injuries. They inject 200-300 micrograms subcutaneous or intramuscular (not into the joints) as close as possible to the place where the injury occurred, one, two and sometimes even three times a day. Cycles last for 2-4 weeks, after which most underground sources advise an off-period of 2 weeks. If the injury needs further treatment, another cycle can be started.

Availability:

No commercial preparations containing BPC-157 are known to exist. This drug is available on the black market in undergroundmanufactured products only.

1 Pentadecapeptide BPC 157 Enhances the Growth Hormone Receptor Expression in Tendon Fibroblasts. Chung-Hsun Chang et al. Molecules 2014, 19(11), 19066-19077

2 Veljaca M, Chan K, Guglietta A. Digestion of h-EGF, h-TGF alpha, and BPC-15 in human gastric juice. Gastroenterology 1995;108:761

3 Sikiric P, Seiwerth S, Grabarevic Z, Petek M, Rucman R, Turkovic B, Rotkvic 1, Jagic V, Duvnjak M, Mise S, et al. The beneficial effect of BPC 157, a 15 amino acid peptide BPC fragment, on gastric and duodenal lesions induced by restraint stress, cysteamine and 96% ethanol in rats. A comparative study with H2 receptor antagonists, dopamine promotors and gut peptides. Life Sci. 1994;54(5):PL63-8.

4 Sikiric P, Seiwerth S, Grabarevic Z, Rucman R, Petek M, Rotkvic I, Turkovic B, Jagic V, Mildner B, Duvnjak M, et al. Hepatoprotective effect of BPC 157, a 15-amino acid peptide, on liver lesions induced by either restraint stress or bile duct and hepatic artery ligation or CC14 administration. A comparative study with dopamine agonists and somatostatin. Life Sci. 1993;53(18):PL29-16.

5 Stancic-Rokotov D, Sikiric P, Seiwerth S, Slobodnjak Z, Aralica J, Aralica G, Perovic D, Anic T, Zoricic I, Buljat G, Prkacin I, Gjurasin M, Rucman R, Petek M,Turkovic B, Ivasovic Z, Jagic V, Staresinic M, Boban-Blagaic A. Ethanol gastric lesion aggravated by lung injury in rat. Therapy effect of antiulcer agents. J Physiol Paris. 2001 Jan-Dec;95(1-6):289-93.

6 Kalogjera L, Ries M, Baudoin T, Ferencic Z, Trotic R, Pegan B. Dosedependent protective effect of BPC 157 on capsaicin-induced rhinitis in rats. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 1997;254 Suppl 1:S9-11.

7 Lovric-Bencic M, Sikiric P, Hanzevacki JS, Seiwerth S, Rogic D, Kusec V, Aralica G, Konjevoda P, Batelja L, Blagaic AB. Doxorubicine-congestive heart failure-increased big endothelin-1 plasma concentration: reversal by amlodipine, losartan, and gastric pentadecapeptide BPC157 in rat and mouse. J Pharmacol Sci. 2004 May;95(1):19-26.

8 Sebeciç B, Nikolic V, Sikiric P, Seiwerth S, Sosa T, Patrlj L, Grabarevic Z, Rucman R, Petek M, Konjevoda P, Jadrijeviç S, Peroviç D, Slaj M. 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. Bone. 1999 Mar;24(3):195202

9 Mikus D, Sikiric P, Seiwerth S, Petricevic A, Aralica G, Druzijancic N, Rucman R, Petek M, Pigac B, Perovic D, Kolombo M, Kokic N, Mikus S, Duplancic B, Fattorini I, Turkovic B, Rotkvic 1, Mise S, Prkacin I, Konjevoda P, Stambuk N, Anic T. Pentadecapeptide BPC 157 cream improves burnwound healing and attenuates burn-gastric lesions in mice. Burns. 2001 Dec;27(8):817-27.

10 Gjurasin M, Miklic P, Zupancic B, Perovic D, Zarkovic K, Brcic L, Kolenc D, Radic B, Seiwerth S, Sikiric P. Peptide therapy with pentadecapeptide BPC 157 in traumatic nerve injury. Regul Pept. 2010 Feb 25;160(1-3):33 41

11 Cerovecki T, Bojanic I, Brcic L, Radic B, Vukoja 1, Seiwerth S, Sikiric P. Pentadecapeptide BPC 157 (PL 14736) improves ligament healing in the rat. J Orthop Res. 2010 Sep;28(9):1155-61.

12 Staresinic M, Sebecic B, Patrlj L, Jadrijevic S, Suknaic S, Perovic D, Aralica G, Zarkovic N, Borovic S, Srdjak M, Hajdarevic K, Kopljar M, Batelja L, BobanBlagaic A, Turcic I, Anic T, Seiwerth S, Sikiric P. Gastric pentadecapeptide BPC 157 accelerates healing of transected rat Achilles tendon and in vitro stimulates tendocytes growth. J Orthop Res. 2003 Nov;21(6):976-83.

13 Krivic A, Anic T, Seiwerth S, Huljev D, Sikiric P. Achilles detachment in rat and stable gastric pentadecapeptide BPC 157: Promoted tendon-tobone healing and opposed corticosteroid aggravation. J Orthop Res. 2006 May;24(5):982-9.

14 Staresinic M, Petrovic I, Novinscak T, Jukic I, Pevec D, Suknaic S, Kokic N, Batelja L, Brcic L, Boban-Blagaic A, Zoric Z, Ivanovic D, Ajduk M, Sebecic B, Patrlj L, Sosa T, Buljat G, Anic T, Seiwerth S, Sikiric P. Effective therapy of transected quadriceps muscle in rat: Gastric pentadecapeptide BPC 157. J Orthop Res. 2006 May;24(5):1109-17.

15 Novinscak T, Brcic L, Staresinic M, Jukic I, Radic B, Pevec D, Mise S, Tomasovic S, Brcic I, Banic T, Jakir A, Buljat G, Anic T, Zoricic I, Romic Z, Seiwerth S, Sikiric P. Gastric pentadecapeptide BPC 157 as an effective therapy for muscle crush injury in the rat. Surg Today. 2008;38(8):716-25.

16 Seiwerth S, Sikiric P, Grabarevic Z, Zoricic I, Hanzevacki M, Ljubanovic D, Coric V, Konjevoda P, Petek M, Rucman R, Turkovic B, Perovic D, Mikus D, Jandrijevic S, Medvidovic M, Tadic T, Romac B, Kos J, Peric J, Kolega Z. BPC 157’s effect on healing. J Physiol Paris. 1997 May-Oct;91(3-5):173-8.

17 Brcic L, Brcic I, Staresinic M, Novinscak T, Sikiric P, Seiwerth S. Modulatory effect of gastric pentadecapeptide BPC 157 on angiogenesis in muscle and tendon healing. J Physiol Pharmacol. 2009 Dec;60 Suppl 7:191-6.

18 Sikiric P, Petek M, Rucman R, Seiwerth S, Grabareviç Z, Rotkvic 1, Jagiç V, Turkoviç B, Mildner B, Duvnjak M, et al. The significance of the gastroprotective effect of body protection compound (BPC): modulation by different procedures. Acta Physiol Hung. 1992;80(14):89-98.