Argireline
Also known as: Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Acetyl Hexapeptide-3
Argireline's sequence mimics the N-terminal of SNAP-25 and is proposed to compete during SNARE-complex assembly, destabilizing the complex and reducing acetylcholine release to slightly blunt the muscle contractions that form expression lines.
- Drug class
- Topical cosmetic peptide (SNAP-25/SNARE-mimicking hexapeptide)
- Primary targets
- SNAP-25, SNARE complex, Acetylcholine release
- Dose reference
- Cosmetic formulations commonly use roughly 5-10% topically (original studies used a 10% oil-in-water emulsion); this reflects formulation levels and is explicitly not a dosing recommendation.
- Half-life
- No established human pharmacokinetic half-life; applied topically with negligible systemic absorption.
- Developer / origin
- Lipotec (Barcelona, Spain), now part of Lubrizol
- Reference year
- 2001
- Evidence score
- 2/5 - Limited, mixed cosmetic-grade evidence
Limited, mixed cosmetic-grade evidence
Argireline has a plausible, well-described in-vitro SNARE-inhibition mechanism and small cosmetic clinical studies showing modest reductions in fine periorbital wrinkles, but the strongest efficacy figures are manufacturer-linked, comparator and independent trials are smaller and mixed, and a major skin-permeation barrier limits how much peptide reaches living tissue. It is a cosmetic ingredient, not an approved drug, and not equivalent to injected botulinum toxin.
Mostly animal, ex vivo, cell, or indirect evidence.
Evidence basis
- Blanes-Mira 2002 in-vitro work showed SNARE-mediated inhibition of neurotransmitter release and a 10% emulsion reduced wrinkle depth up to ~30% over 30 days
- Wang 2013 randomized placebo-controlled study reported ~49% subjective anti-wrinkle efficacy vs 0% placebo for periorbital lines over 4 weeks, but was small and industry-linked
- Aruan 2023 comparator trial found only small crow's-feet changes with acetyl hexapeptide-3, performing no better than palmitoyl pentapeptide-4
- Permeation studies show ~889 Da, LogP ~-6.3, zwitterionic peptide with <0.2% stratum corneum penetration and ~0.01% reaching epidermis
- Lungu 2013 blepharospasm pilot did not meet its primary endpoint
Key references
- International Journal of Cosmetic Science (Blanes-Mira 2002)A synthetic hexapeptide (Argireline) with antiwrinkle activity
- American Journal of Clinical Dermatology (Wang 2013)The anti-wrinkle efficacy of argireline in Chinese subjects: a randomized, placebo-controlled study
- Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology (Aruan 2023)Double-blind, randomized trial of acetylhexapeptide-3 cream and palmitoyl pentapeptide-4 cream for crow's feet
- Scientific Reports (Kraeling 2018)Enhanced skin permeation of anti-wrinkle peptides via molecular modification
- European Journal of Neurology (Lungu 2013)Pilot study of topical acetyl hexapeptide-8 in blepharospasm patients receiving botulinum toxin therapy
- International Journal of Molecular Sciences (Lum 2025)Acetyl hexapeptide-8 in cosmeceuticals: a review of skin permeability and efficacy
How to read this entry
Dose references and half-life values are pulled from trial protocols, labels, reviews, or published summaries where available. They are context for research and comparison, not a personal dosing recommendation.
Status matters: approved drugs have regulated indications; investigational compounds are still being studied; research-only peptides do not have established human dosing, safety, or efficacy for consumer use.
Argireline guides
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Matrixyl
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, pal-KTTKS, Matrixyl 3000
A palmitoylated matrikine derived from the type I procollagen C-terminal propeptide that signals dermal fibroblasts to increase extracellular matrix synthesis, including type I and III collagen and fibronectin.
SNAP-8
Acetyl Octapeptide-3
SNAP-8 mimics the N-terminal of SNAP-25 and competes for its place in the SNARE complex, reducing the efficiency of neurotransmitter vesicle fusion and thereby modestly and reversibly lowering the muscle contraction that drives expression lines.