The efficacy study of the combination of tripeptide-10-citrulline and acetyl hexapeptide-3. A prospective, randomized controlled study
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 8, 2026
Biotinylated Cell-penetrating Peptides to Study Intracellular Protein-protein Interactions
Published on: December 20, 2017
Vassiliki Raikou1, Athanasia Varvaresou1, Irene Panderi2
1Laboratory of Cosmetic Science, Department of Aesthetics and Cosmetology, Technological Educational Institute of Athens, Athens, Greece.
Background:
Bioactive peptides have beneficial effects on the skin.
Objective:
We investigated to evaluate the effect of acetyl hexapeptide-3 and tripeptide-10 citrulline and the possible synergism between these two peptides.
Methods:
Twenty-four healthy volunteers were randomized to receive combination of acetyl hexapeptide-3 with tripeptide-10 citrulline (Group G1), tripeptide-10 citrulline (Group, G2), acetyl hexapeptide-3 (Group G3), or neither peptide (Group G4) for 60 days. Skin properties evaluated included skin microtopography, parameters cR2 and cR3, and transepidermal water loss (TEWL) using a skin visioscan and a tewameter, respectively.
Results:
After 20 days, the measurements between G1 and G2 groups (cR2 P=.045, cR3 P=.044), G2 and G3 groups (cR2 P=.017, cR3 P=.017), G3 and G4 groups (CR2 P=.022), and G2 and G4 groups (cR3 P=.028) from baseline were significant. After 60 days, measurements between groups G1 and G3 (cR2 P=.016, cR3 P=.025), groups G2 and G3 (cR2 P=.044, cR3= P=.044), and groups G1 and G4 (cR2 P=.025) were significant. After 20 days, changes in TEWL between groups G1 and G3 (P=.03), groups G2 and G3 (P=.045), and groups G3 and G4 (P=.025) were significant. After 40 days, changes between groups G2 and G3 (P=.028) and groups G3 and G4 (P=.01) from baseline were significant.
Conclusion:
Our results confirm the antiwrinkle activity of acetyl hexapeptide-3. A significant decrease in TEWL with acetyl hexapeptide-3 treatment is observed. We provided clinical evidence for the antiwrinkle efficacy of tripeptide-10 citrulline and possibly TEWL. The underlying mechanism by which these two peptides can act synergistically was not clear in this study.
