Peptide data sheet
KPV
Recovery · Lysine-Proline-Valine · Lys-Pro-Val
Verdict
unprovenThe unproven label reflects an evidence base that is almost entirely preclinical: KPV shows a consistent anti-inflammatory signal in cell and animal models of colitis and skin inflammation, but controlled human trials that would establish a real-world benefit essentially do not exist yet.
By MrPepTalks Editorial
Reviewed for scientific accuracy · research information, not medical advice
Last updated Reviewed
Quick answer
KPV (lysine-proline-valine) is the three-amino-acid C-terminal fragment of the alpha-MSH hormone. It is commonly researched for anti-inflammatory activity, most often in laboratory models of inflammatory bowel disease and skin inflammation, where it appears to dampen inflammatory signaling. The evidence is largely limited to cell and animal work; controlled human data is thin. It is not FDA-approved and is sold for research use only.
- Class
- Tripeptide; C-terminal fragment of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH)
- Half-life
- short; not well characterized in humans (reported)
- FDA status
- Not FDA-approved. Studied only in preclinical research; sold for laboratory research use only, not for human use.
- WADA banned?
- No
Which form actually works?
Oral / gut-targeted
Unproven
The direction most of the inflammatory-bowel research points at, since KPV has been studied for local activity in the gut in animal models of colitis. This is where the anti-inflammatory signal is strongest in the literature, and also where the gap between promising rodent data and any human result is widest.
Topical
Unproven
The skin-inflammation direction people ask about, based on cell and animal work on wound and inflammatory-skin models. Interest is real, but controlled human data for a topical benefit is essentially absent, so it stays unproven rather than promising.
Third-Party Testing & Certificate of Analysis (COA)
A certificate of analysis (COA) is a lab document that reports what a specific batch of material actually contains. Reputable research suppliers publish one for every batch, tied to a lot number you can match against the vial you received.
- HPLC — purity
- High-performance liquid chromatography reports purity as a percentage: how much of the sample is the intended compound rather than impurities.
- Mass spectrometry (MS) — identity
- Mass spectrometry confirms identity by measuring the sample's molecular mass, so it matches the peptide the label names.
It also matters who ran the test. In-house results come from the seller's own lab; an independent third-party lab has no stake in the result, so its COA generally carries more weight. Look for a named testing laboratory, a batch or lot number, and a test date that lines up with the vial in hand.
New to reading one? This guide walks through a COA line by line: how to read a peptide COA.
Sources
- Dalmasso G et al. PepT1-mediated tripeptide KPV uptake reduces intestinal inflammation, Gastroenterology 2008.
- Kannengiesser K et al. Melanocortin-derived tripeptide KPV has anti-inflammatory potential in murine models of inflammatory bowel disease, Inflamm Bowel Dis 2008.
- Brzoska T et al. Alpha-MSH and related tripeptides: biochemistry, anti-inflammatory and protective effects, Endocr Rev 2008.
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