Stable Gastric Pentadecapeptide BPC 157 as Useful Cytoprotective Peptide Therapy in Heart Disturbances
/PMC/2026
Why It Matters
This paper caught my attention because BPC-157 is widely available online and used by biohackers for recovery, but the actual evidence is all from rat studies. If you're considering BPC-157 for cardiovascular health, understand you're extrapolating from rodent research — no human cardiac trials exist. The mechanisms look interesting (appears to work through nitric oxide pathways), but we're still at the 'works in rats' stage.
Key Findings
- BPC-157 reduced arrhythmias in rats given digitalis overdoses and protected against potassium-induced heart rhythm problems
- In rat heart attack models, BPC-157 decreased infarct size and improved recovery markers when given before or after induced myocardial infarction
- The peptide counteracted cardiac damage from doxorubicin (a chemotherapy drug known for heart toxicity) and improved survival in treated rats
- Effects appear mediated through nitric oxide pathways — BPC-157 activity was blocked when NO synthesis was inhibited
- Multiple administration routes worked (oral, intraperitoneal, subcutaneous), suggesting the peptide is stable and bioavailable across delivery methods
Read the Paper↗PMC9687817