Also known as: Leuphasyl
Pentapeptide-18 (trade name Leuphasyl) is a synthetic five-amino-acid peptide modeled on enkephalins, used as a cosmetic ingredient. Research consists of a few small cosmetic studies and reviews.
Pentapeptide-18 is proposed in supplier data to mimic enkephalins and act on enkephalin receptors on nerve endings [1][4]. This mechanism comes from supplier data and has not been confirmed in independent peer-reviewed cell or animal studies.
| Study | Model | Reported result | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concentration-finding study [1] | Human 20 volunteers, three concentrations compared, no placebo arm, 2 months | Endpoints: wrinkle size by 2D imaging at forehead and periorbital areas, self-rating, tolerability. Published. | Peer-reviewed Cosmetics 2014 |
| Lipid-nanoparticle eye cream study [2] | Human 20 women, within-subject vehicle comparison, 8 weeks; nanoparticles also containing retinol | Endpoints: water loss, hydration, elasticity, roughness, wrinkle parameters. Peptide's own contribution not separable. Published. | Peer-reviewed Int J Mol Sci 2024 |
| Topical peptide review [3] | Review Narrative review | Summarizes supplier studies comparing pentapeptide-18 with acetyl hexapeptide-3 and their combination. | Peer-reviewed Cosmetics 2017 |
| Skin-peptide review [4] | Review Narrative review | Classifies it as a less-studied neurotransmitter-inhibitor peptide. | Peer-reviewed Biomolecules 2025 |
Human cosmetic studies describe appearance only. Lab results do not establish effects on skin structure.
