Evidence review: Open Peptide Project (verified against primary PubMed, ClinicalTrials.gov & FDA records) · Last checked 2026-10-27. ← Back to Evidence Library
Rigin (palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7, Pal-GQPR): what the evidence says
At a glance
What it is: a lipid-linked tetrapeptide (Pal-Gly-Gln-Pro-Arg) used in anti-aging skincare. Nova's spec says it derives from tuftsin and lowers IL-6. UNVERIFIED both claims; no peer-reviewed primary source found.
What the evidence says: see below; we found no independent, peer-reviewed randomized trial of this ingredient on its own. Claims mostly come from ingredient suppliers. R1
Biggest risks: topical use is generally low-risk; injecting it has no safety data at all.
Rating
| Human Human evidence | Very limited (topical only) R1 |
| Animal Animal / lab evidence | Supplier and lab data (not peer-reviewed) UNVERIFIED |
| Regulatory | Cosmetic ingredient, not a drug · not on FDA's 503A or 503B bulk-substance category lists and not on FDA's compounding safety-risk page R2, R3, R4 · not named by WADA R5 |
| Established human dose | No |
Evidence verdict: Wrinkles (topical): Very limited (blend studies only) · Injection: Unknown (zero human data)
This page reports what studies used. It is not dosing advice.
Legend: HUMAN data · ANIMAL / LAB data · UNKNOWN · UNVERIFIED: not yet confirmed against a primary source
About the evidence: cosmetic-peptide studies are usually small, short, funded by the maker and test blends rather than one ingredient. A general dermatology review notes that cosmeceutical peptides are not tested as rigorously as drugs. R6
What is it?
Related pages: matrixyl-3000, matrixyl, tuftsin, ghk-cu.
Does it work?
- Human Only tested inside a multi-ingredient eye cream. R1
- Unknown Injection: no human studies.
Is it safe?
- Unknown No injection safety data. Topical products can still cause irritation or allergy.
Gray-market vials: extra risks
A gray-market vial has no quality control and no guarantee of identity, strength or sterility. We test retail vials blind under the Open Peptide Standard; see /tests/. A passing test covers one batch on one date and does not mean the compound is safe.
Is it legal?
- US: sold as a cosmetic ingredient, not a drug; no Drugs@FDA application found (openFDA searched Oct 26, 2026). UNVERIFIED any FDA cosmetic-ingredient filing.
- Compounding: not on FDA's 503A or 503B bulk-substance category lists and not on FDA's compounding safety-risk page. R2, R3, R4
- Sport: not named on WADA's 2026 Prohibited List. R5
Study details
Study details
These are amounts researchers used, not recommendations.
| Study | People / model | Route | Amount used | Follow-up | Reported | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No dosing studies | — | Topical | Cosmetic concentrations not reviewed | — | — | — |
Full reference list (PubMed, CT.gov, FDA and WADA checked Oct 26, 2026)
- R1 Yang F, et al. Skin Res Technol. 2024. PMID 38932444
- R2 FDA, 503A bulk drug substances categories list (updated May 14, 2026). https://www.fda.gov/media/94155/download
- R3 FDA, 503B bulk drug substances categories list (updated Mar 21, 2025). https://www.fda.gov/media/94164/download
- R4 FDA, Certain bulk drug substances for use in compounding that may present significant safety risks (content current Apr 22, 2026). https://www.fda.gov/drugs/human-drug-compounding/certain-bulk-drug-substances-use-compounding-may-present-significant-safety-risks
- R5 WADA. The 2026 Prohibited List, full list checked; compound not named. https://www.wada-ama.org/sites/default/files/2025-09/2026list_en_final_clean_september_2025.pdf
- R6 Lupo MP, et al. Dermatol Ther. 2007. PMID 18045359
Disclaimer
This page is for education and harm reduction, not medical advice or a recommendation to use Rigin (palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7, Pal-GQPR). This is a cosmetic ingredient. Injecting cosmetic peptides has no human safety data. Report problems to FDA MedWatch (https://www.fda.gov/safety/medwatch).