Peptides / Skin and hair

Synthetic analog · 6 amino acids · 889 Da

Argireline (acetyl hexapeptide-8)

Not approved

Argireline, also called acetyl hexapeptide-8, is a synthetic peptide used in skin products for expression lines. It is listed as an EU cosmetic ingredient but not approved, and small studies in people tested it on expression lines and skin. PepBank shows 30 results on Argireline from 9 studies in people, and 47 from animal and lab studies. The strongest evidence is a randomized trial in people. Data as of 2026-10-30.

Also known as Ac-EEMQRR-NH2, Acetyl Hexapeptide-3, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 Amide, Argireline

6 amino acids, from first to lastEEMQRR

Evidence level: Some studies in people30 of 77 results come from studies in people.

Results in people

39% of 77 results

Results in animals

36% of 77 results

Results in lab cells

25% of 77 results

From computer models

0% of 77 results

Overview

Argireline (acetyl hexapeptide-8) at a glance

What it is	Synthetic analog, 6 amino acids
Approval	Not approved for any use
In sport	Status unknown
Studies	33 studies with results. 19 of them gave Argireline, with 77 results. 30 in people28 in animals19 in lab cells
Best study in people	Randomized controlled trial with 24 people (2013)
Clinical trials	3 registered: 0 active or planned, 1 with posted results
Community use	Expression line appearance

The science

What is Argireline?

An acetylated hexapeptide used in topical cosmetics for expression lines.

Amino acids in one chain

The history of Argireline

2002
The oldest paper on Argireline in PepBank is from 2002.
2009March
A registered trial of Argireline started (NCT01381484).

Argireline (acetyl hexapeptide-8) structure and chemistry

The key facts about the molecule. Long codes are in the closed section below.

Sequence, 6 amino acidsFrom the first amino acid to the last

−E1−EMQ+R5+R

Darker means more water-repelling+ and − show charge in the bodyOutlined: changed amino acid

Structure

Argireline (acetyl hexapeptide-8) is a synthetic analog of 6 amino acids, with no ring, 2 changed amino acids.

Formula

C₃₄H₆₀N₁₄O₁₂S

Molecular weight

889 g/mol

CAS number

616204-22-9

Development

Highest phase: unknown.

Identifiers

PubChem 11228338, UNII L4EL31FWIL, DrugBank DB11709, UniProt P60880

Full sequence, SMILES and InChIKey

InChIKey
RJZNPROJTJSYLC-LLINQDLYSA-N

SMILES
CC(=O)N[C@@H](CCC(=O)O)C(=O)N[C@@H](CCC(=O)O)C(=O)N[C@@H](CCSC)C(=O)N[C@@H](CCC(=O)N)C(=O)N[C@@H](CCCN=C(N)N)C(=O)N[C@@H](CCCN=C(N)N)C(=O)N

See charge, composition and 3D structure on the Scientific page

The evidence

What Argireline studies show

Results grouped by what the studies measured. Each card shows where its results come from.

Some studies in people30 of 77 results come from studies in people.

Skin, hair and wounds

43 results · 21 in people · 20 animal · 2 lab

In Chinese subjects, argireline improved wrinkles more than placebo in subjective assessments. American journal of clinical dermatology, 2013

Top results

In Chinese subjects, argireline improved wrinkles more than placebo in subjective assessments. (American journal of clinical dermatology, 2013)
In Korean females, microneedle patch/AHP-8 improved wrinkles more than microneedle patch alone. (Annals of dermatology, 2019)
In healthy volunteers, cR2 change differed between the combination and tripeptide-10 citrulline alone after 20 days. (Journal of cosmetic dermatology, 2017)

Brain and nerves

3 results · 3 in people

In blepharospasm patients receiving botulinum toxin, acetyl hexapeptide‑8 tended to extend time to baseline symptom scores versus placebo. European journal of neurology, 2013

Top results

In blepharospasm patients receiving botulinum toxin, acetyl hexapeptide‑8 tended to extend time to baseline symptom scores versus placebo. (European journal of neurology, 2013)
In blepharospasm patients receiving botulinum toxin, topical acetyl hexapeptide‑8 tended to improve scores compared with placebo. (European journal of neurology, 2013)
In the acetyl hexapeptide‑8 group, 4/12 blepharospasm patients had extended symptom control after botulinum toxin, ranging from 3.3-7.1 months. (European journal of neurology, 2013)

Infections

1 result · 1 in people

In one woman with lesions after argireline injections, cultures confirmed Mycobacterium abscessus infection. World journal of clinical cases, 2021

Top results

In one woman with lesions after argireline injections, cultures confirmed Mycobacterium abscessus infection. (World journal of clinical cases, 2021)

Cells, genes and aging

4 results · 4 animal

In zebrafish, ARG reversed the increase in an aging marker after hydrogen peroxide exposure. Journal of cosmetic dermatology, 2025

Top results

In zebrafish, ARG reversed the increase in an aging marker after hydrogen peroxide exposure. (Journal of cosmetic dermatology, 2025)
In zebrafish, ARG counteracted oxidative stress after LPS exposure. (Journal of cosmetic dermatology, 2025)
In zebrafish, ARG counteracted mitochondrial damage after LPS exposure. (Journal of cosmetic dermatology, 2025)

Immune system and inflammation

2 results · 2 animal

In zebrafish, ARG suppressed the increase in neutrophils after LPS exposure. Journal of cosmetic dermatology, 2025

Top results

In zebrafish, ARG suppressed the increase in neutrophils after LPS exposure. (Journal of cosmetic dermatology, 2025)
In zebrafish, ARG suppressed the increase in inflammatory cytokines after LPS exposure. (Journal of cosmetic dermatology, 2025)

All 33 Argireline studies by area Open the Scientific page

Key Argireline studies

Studies in people come first, then studies in animals and in the lab.

People
Pilot study of topical acetyl hexapeptide-8 in the treatment for blepharospasm in patients receiving botulinum toxin therapy
Lungu et al. 2013 · European journal of neurology · 24 people · cited by 16
4 results
People
The anti-wrinkle efficacy of argireline, a synthetic hexapeptide, in Chinese subjects: a randomized, placebo-controlled study
Wang et al. 2013 · American journal of clinical dermatology · 60 people · cited by 34
2 results
People
Anti-Wrinkle Efficacy of Cross-Linked Hyaluronic Acid-Based Microneedle Patch with Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 and Epidermal Growth Factor on Korean Skin
An et al. 2019 · Annals of dermatology · cited by 19
1 result
People
The efficacy study of the combination of tripeptide-10-citrulline and acetyl hexapeptide-3. A prospective, randomized controlled study
Raikou et al. 2017 · Journal of cosmetic dermatology · cited by 15
11 results
People
The anti wrinkle efficacy of synthetic hexapeptide (Argireline) in Chinese Subjects
Wang et al. 2013 · Journal of cosmetic and laser therapy : official publication of the European Society for Laser Dermatology · cited by 5
5 results

All 33 Argireline (acetyl hexapeptide-8) studies

Argireline clinical trials

ClinicalTrials.gov lists 3 trials of Argireline. 0 are active or planned, and 1 has posted results. PepBank does not show trial results.

Solid bars are dates that happened. Hatched bars are planned dates. Data from ClinicalTrials.gov.

Argireline in Treatment of Periorbital Wrinkles

Phase 3completed70 people

Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 for Blepharospasm

Phase 2terminated8 planned

Topical Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 and the Cosmetic Appearance of Oily Skin

Not applicablecompleted14 people

Status and safety

Is Argireline approved?

FDA

United States

Not approved

No approved medicine contains it.

EMA

European Union

Not approved

No approved medicine contains it.

WADA

Sport

Not recorded

Status unknown.

No. Not approved for any use. The FDA, the EMA and the other sources we use show no approval (as of 22 Oct 2026). Status unknown.

Laws and labels change, so check the regulator for the current status.

Argireline side effects and safety

PepBank has 11 safety results from studies of Argireline. 6 of them come from studies in people.

Safety results from studies (11)

No significant adverse events occurred in the trial of topical acetyl hexapeptide‑8 with botulinum toxin therapy for blepharospasm. (European journal of neurology, 2013)
No allergic reactions were documented during acetyl hexapeptide‑8 gelcream treatment in patients with skin disorders. (La Clinica terapeutica, 2020)
In one woman, redness appeared at argireline injection sites after one week. (World journal of clinical cases, 2021)
In one woman, nodules appeared at argireline injection sites after one week. (World journal of clinical cases, 2021)
In one woman, abscesses appeared at argireline injection sites after one week. (World journal of clinical cases, 2021)
In one woman with lesions after argireline injections, cultures confirmed Mycobacterium abscessus infection. (World journal of clinical cases, 2021)
In an unspecified animal model, Argireline showed no oral toxicity at high doses. (International journal of cosmetic science, 2002)
In an unspecified animal model, Argireline showed no primary irritation at high doses. (International journal of cosmetic science, 2002)
In cells, argireline required 18 to 10 000 fold higher concentrations than doxorubicin for significant toxicity, depending on cell type. (Acta biochimica Polonica, 2014)
In cells, acetyl hexapeptide‑8 showed no detectable toxicity. (International journal of cosmetic science, 2026)
In cells, argireline showed toxicity at lower concentrations than Reishi extract. (International journal of cosmetic science, 2026)

See every safety result on the Scientific page

Doses studied (4 shown)

The doses that these studies used. They are not recommendations.

Dose as reported	Class	Species	Route	Duration	Design	Source
10%	Human	human	topical	30 days	Trial in people without random groups	Blanes-Mira 2002
10%	Human	human	topical	Not reported	Observational study · n = 26	Palmieri 2020
10% at 2 mg/cm(2)	Lab	guinea pig and human	topical	24 h	Study on tissue taken from a body	Kraeling 2015
400 μg/mL	Lab	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported	Other study type	Wu 2021

From the community

How people use it

What people report online. It comes from forums and guides, not from studies.

Community-reported. Not tested in trials.

The source describes topical cosmetic use. These reports do not establish a safe or effective concentration.

Reported routines and cautions

What people use it for

Expression line appearanceS1

Reported regimens

Regimens that community sources report for Argireline. Community-reported, not tested in trials.
Context	Route	Amount	How often	How long	Agreement	Sources
Reported cosmetic serum	topical	5 to 10 % per reported serum formulation, concentration basis unspecified	twice daily	ongoing, minimum 4 to 8 weeks for visible results	Single AI-curated source. The site denies vendor affiliations. Underlying user reports were not independently checked.	S1

Cautions

The guide does not establish clinical safety or efficacy. Formulation percentages can refer to a diluted ingredient solution.S1

Community sources

S1Argireline community guide (opens in a new tab)peptideprotocolwiki.com

Gaps

Underlying user reports were not independently checked. No Reddit pages were accessed. The wiki does not establish pure peptide content, safety, efficacy, or an approved dose. The site states that software generates its content without medical review.

Questions and more

Ask a question about Argireline

The answer links to every study it uses.

What does the evidence say about Argireline?Is Argireline tested in people?Compare with L-carnosine Compare with Difelikefalin

Sources

Database: PepBank data for Argireline (data version 308560)
Regulator: FDA status record
Regulator: EMA status record
Regulator: WADA status record
Trial registry: ClinicalTrials.gov
Community: community sources (forums and guides), as summarized in the PepBank community file

AI wrote and checked these results. AI can make mistakes, so check important results against the source.

PepBank is a research reference. Talk to a doctor before you use any peptide.

Ask your AI about Argireline

Curo is a peptide shop. PepBank and Curo have the same owner. See the Curo catalog (opens in a new tab).

Argireline (acetyl hexapeptide-8)

Not approved

Also known as Ac-EEMQRR-NH2, Acetyl Hexapeptide-3, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 Amide, Argireline

What it is

Synthetic analog, 6 amino acids

Approval

Not approved for any use

In sport

Status unknown

Studies

33 studies with results. 19 of them gave Argireline, with 77 results.
30 in people28 in animals19 in lab cells

Best study in people

Randomized controlled trial with 24 people (2013)

Clinical trials

3 registered: 0 active or planned, 1 with posted results

Community use

Expression line appearance

Dose as reported

Class

Species

Route

Duration

Design

Source

10%

Human

human

topical

30 days

Trial in people without random groups

Blanes-Mira 2002

10%

Human

human

topical

Not reported

Observational study · n = 26

Palmieri 2020

10% at 2 mg/cm(2)

Lab

guinea pig and human

topical

24 h

Study on tissue taken from a body

Kraeling 2015

400 μg/mL

Lab

Not reported

Other study type

Wu 2021

Context

Route

Amount

How often

How long

Agreement

Sources

Reported cosmetic serum

topical

5 to 10 % per reported serum formulation, concentration basis unspecified

twice daily

ongoing, minimum 4 to 8 weeks for visible results

Single AI-curated source. The site denies vendor affiliations. Underlying user reports were not independently checked.

Argireline (acetyl hexapeptide-8)

Argireline (acetyl hexapeptide-8) at a glance