Skip to content
Specimen Atlas of Research Peptides81 plates · MIT
Side-by-side · Research reference

HexarelinvsPTD-DBM

Side-by-side comparison across mechanism, dosage, evidence, side effects, administration, and stack synergies. Citations on every claim where available.

APhase 1HUMAN-REVIEWED19/45 cited
BAnimal-StrongHUMAN-REVIEWED10/40 cited
Hexarelin
Hexapeptide GHRP · Cardio-tropic
100–200 mcgPer doseSmith 1996
Phase 1Evidence levelGhigo 1997
~70 minHalf-lifeSemenistaya 2010
SQ · Multiple sites · 1–3×/day
PTD-DBM
Wnt Pathway Activator · Fusion Peptide
Topical / SQAdministrationLee 2023Ryu 2023
Animal-onlyEvidence level
Wnt/β-cateninPrimary pathway
Topical / SQ · Study-dependent

01Mechanism of Action

Parameter
Hexarelin
PTD-DBM
Primary target
Ghrelin receptor (GHS-R1a) + cardiac CD36Smith 1996Ghigo 1997
CXXC5–Dishevelled protein-protein interaction
Pathway
GHS-R1a → Gαq → Ca²⁺ → GH release. CD36 engagement → direct cardio-tropic actionGhigo 1997
Inhibit CXXC5 binding to Dishevelled → Release Wnt/β-catenin pathway inhibitionLee 2015Ryu 2023
Downstream effect
Strong GH pulse + IGF-1 elevation; cardio-protective effects in animal MI modelsGhigo 1997
Activated Wnt/β-catenin signaling promotes hair follicle regeneration, dermal stem cell activation, reduced myofibroblast differentiation
Feedback intact?
Yes initially; tachyphylaxis with chronic useGhigo 1997
Not applicable — pathway derepression rather than receptor agonism
Origin
Synthetic hexapeptide His-D-2-Methyl-Trp-Ala-Trp-D-Phe-Lys-NH₂Smith 1996
Engineered fusion: cell-penetrating PTD sequence + Dvl-binding motif targeting CXXC5
Antibody development

02Dosage Protocols

Parameter
Hexarelin
PTD-DBM
Standard dose
100–200 mcg per injectionSmith 1996
Frequency
1–2× per day max (tachyphylaxis with chronic 3× daily)
Lower / starter dose
50 mcg per dose
Evidence basis
Phase 1 / Phase 2 trialsSmith 1996Ghigo 1997
Animal models only (mice)
Duration
4–8 weeks on / 4–8 weeks off (tachyphylaxis mitigation)
Reconstitution
Bacteriostatic water
Timing
Pre-sleep + fasted preferred
Half-life
Wound healing protocol
Hydrogel patch delivery (concentration not disclosed)
Pyrogallol-HA patch, murine model.
Hair regeneration protocol
Topical application (exact dose not disclosed)
Wound-induced hair neogenesis model, mice.
Co-administration
Valproic acid (GSK-3β inhibitor) for wound healing synergyLee 2023
Combined treatment maximized scar reduction.
Human translation
No published human studies

04Side Effects & Safety

Parameter
Hexarelin
PTD-DBM
Cortisol elevation
Modest at high dosesGhigo 1997
Prolactin elevation
Modest at high dosesGhigo 1997
Hunger
Strong appetite increase via ghrelin agonism
Tachyphylaxis
Receptor desensitisation with chronic dosingGhigo 1997
Cardiac effects
Direct cardio-tropic; potential benefit in MI but unstudied in humansGhigo 1997
IGF-1 elevation
Strong; monitor with chronic high-dose use
Cancer risk
Contraindicated in active malignancy (GH/IGF-1 axis)
Pregnancy / OB
Avoid
Reported adverse events
None reported in animal studies
Wnt pathway activation risks
Theoretical risk of aberrant proliferation; Wnt dysregulation linked to tumorigenesis
Long-term safety
Unknown — no chronic dosing or human data
Delivery vehicle effects
HA-PG hydrogel well-tolerated in mice; human translation pending
Absolute Contraindications
Hexarelin
  • ·Active malignancy
  • ·Pregnancy / breastfeeding
  • ·Disrupted hypothalamic-pituitary axis
PTD-DBM
  • ·Active malignancy (Wnt pathway involvement in tumorigenesis)
  • ·Pregnancy / lactation (no safety data)
Relative Contraindications
Hexarelin
  • ·Untreated diabetes
  • ·Severe hyperprolactinemia
PTD-DBM
  • ·History of Wnt-driven tumors
  • ·Skin lesions with uncertain malignant potential

05Administration Protocol

Parameter
Hexarelin
PTD-DBM
1. Reconstitution
Add 2 mL bacteriostatic water to 5 mg vial → 2.5 mg/mL = 250 mcg per 0.1 mL.
Pyrogallol-functionalized hyaluronic acid (HA-PG) hydrogel patch loaded with PTD-DBM peptide, applied directly to wound bed. Adhesive hydrogel provides sustained release over multiple days.Lee 2023
2. Injection site
SQ — abdomen or thigh. Rotate sites.
Topical application to scalp or wound site. Precise formulation not disclosed; studies used Cxxc5 knockout or direct peptide application in wound-induced hair neogenesis models.Ryu 2023
3. Timing
Pre-sleep + fasted preferred. Cycle on/off to avoid tachyphylaxis.
PTD-DBM + valproic acid (GSK-3β inhibitor) in HA-PG patch showed synergistic effect on scar reduction and regenerative wound healing. VPA enhances Wnt pathway activation downstream.Lee 2023
4. Storage
Lyophilised: room temp, light-protected. Reconstituted: refrigerate ≤30 days.
Not disclosed in available literature. Peptide stability and storage conditions not published.
5. Needle
29–31G, 4–8 mm insulin syringe.

06Stack Synergy

Hexarelin
+ CJC-1295 (no DAC)
Strong
View CJC-1295 (no DAC)

Hexarelin (GHRP) + CJC-1295-no-DAC (GHRH analogue) is the higher-amplitude variant of the standard GHRH+GHRP stack. Hexarelin produces a stronger pulse than ipamorelin but with cortisol + prolactin signal — choose this stack for maximum GH amplitude when side-effect tolerance is acceptable. Cycle aggressively.

Hexarelin
100 mcg SQ · pre-sleep
CJC-1295 (no DAC)
100 mcg SQ · same injection
Primary benefit
Maximum GH pulse amplitude (with side-effect signal)
PTD-DBM
— no documented stacks