BPC-157 was created as a peptide that protects the stomach, and the digestive tract is where it has the most research. It is a fragment of a protein found in gastric juice, and it stays stable in human gastric juice for more than 24 hours. In animal studies it protected the stomach against alcohol and painkillers, and the intestines against damage. If you want to know what exactly these studies showed and how much is known from human research, below you will find the specific results.
How did BPC-157 come from the stomach?
BPC-157 is a pentadecapeptide, a chain of 15 amino acids with the sequence GEPPPGKPADDAGLV. Its molecular weight is 1419. It corresponds to a fragment of a protein that occurs naturally in the stomach lining and in gastric juice. Hence the full name used in scientific papers: stable gastric pentadecapeptide.
The creators of the peptide describe BPC-157 as a mediator of cytoprotection, the natural protection of stomach cells. This term refers to the ability of the mucosa to defend itself against substances that damage it. According to the authors, BPC-157 maintains the continuity of the stomach lining and protects the blood vessels that feed it. Damage to those vessels comes before damage to the mucosa itself.
Why does stability in gastric juice matter?
BPC-157 stays stable in human gastric juice for more than 24 hours, as its creators report in a 2024 review. An independent 2026 review in the journal Pharmaceutics also describes its unusual stability in gastric juice. Thanks to this, animal studies gave it not only by injection but also in drinking water.
Stability in the stomach does not yet mean absorption into the blood. For the digestive tract it matters in a different way, because the peptide then reaches the lining of the stomach and intestines directly. The difference between local action and action in the whole body is described in the guide on BPC-157 oral vs injection.
What did BPC-157 do for the stomach in animal studies?
In rat studies, BPC-157 protected the stomach against alcohol and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. This second group includes common painkillers such as diclofenac and acetylsalicylic acid. A 2020 review in Gut and Liver brings these results together. The authors write that BPC-157 is constantly present in the mucosa and gastric juice, and when given from outside it protects stomach cells.
The same team described the action of BPC-157 in the oesophagus and sphincters. In rats with oesophagitis and weakened sphincters, BPC-157 raised the pressure in the lower oesophageal sphincter and in the pylorus back to normal. At the same time it reduced inflammation of the oesophagus. The results come from a 2011 review in Current Pharmaceutical Design.
How did BPC-157 act on damage caused by painkillers?
In a diclofenac toxicity model, BPC-157 reduced damage to the stomach, intestines and liver in rats. The study was published in 2011 in Life Sciences. The rats received diclofenac for three days, at a dose that causes extensive damage. Without BPC-157, lesions appeared in the stomach, intestines and liver, along with signs of brain damage.
BPC-157 worked both when given into the abdominal cavity and in drinking water. Doses in the range of micrograms and nanograms per kilogram of body weight were effective. The 2020 review adds that BPC-157 stabilised intestinal permeability after anti-inflammatory drugs. The authors link this to a phenomenon called leaky gut syndrome.
What did BPC-157 do in the intestines in animal studies?
In the intestines, BPC-157 sped up the healing of anastomoses, fistulas and the effects of removing part of the bowel. An anastomosis is a surgical connection of two sections of the intestine, and a fistula is an abnormal passage between organs. The 2011 review describes several such models in rats. The list below sums up the main results.
- Fistulas. BPC-157 closed gastrocutaneous, duodenocutaneous and colocutaneous fistulas. It worked even when treatment started a month after the fistula formed.
- Intestinal anastomoses. Bowel connections after surgery healed faster in rats.
- Short bowel syndrome. The rats immediately began to gain weight above their pre-surgery weight. Villus height, crypt depth and the thickness of the intestinal muscle layer increased.
- Vascular injury. BPC-157 restored blood flow in ischaemic colitis and duodenal lesions.
Villi and crypts are structures of the intestinal lining responsible for absorbing food. Their growth means the intestine was rebuilding its absorptive surface. In short bowel syndrome, BPC-157 worked both orally and by injection.
Has BPC-157 been studied in inflammatory bowel disease in humans?
Yes, BPC-157 was tested in people with inflammatory bowel disease under the code name PL 14736. The creators of the peptide describe this in several reviews. In a 2012 paper they write about a phase two study in ulcerative colitis. In a 2013 paper they list three codes of preparations tested in inflammatory bowel disease: PL-10, PLD-116 and PL 14736.
According to the creators, the preparation was safe in these studies and caused no side effects. This information, however, comes from reviews written by the creators of the peptide themselves. An independent 2026 review in Pharmaceutics states that no phase two study of BPC-157 has been completed. The same review reports that the clinical data cover fewer than 30 people in three small pilot studies.
| What is known | Source |
|---|---|
| Human testing in inflammatory bowel disease under the name PL 14736 | creators' reviews from 2011, 2012 and 2013 |
| No side effects in these tests | creators' reviews from 2013 and 2024 |
| No phase two study has been completed | independent review from 2026 |
| Fewer than 30 people in three pilot studies | independent review from 2026 |
What did the latest human pilot studies show?
The latest human data come from two small pilot studies run in private clinics. In a 2025 study in Florida, two people received BPC-157 by intravenous infusion, first 10 mg and the next day 20 mg. The infusions did not change blood test results for the heart, liver, kidneys, thyroid or blood sugar. The participants reported no side effects.
In a 2024 study, 12 women with interstitial cystitis received a single 10 mg dose of BPC-157 into the bladder wall. Complete resolution of symptoms was reported by 10 of them. This study did not concern the digestive tract, and all participants received BPC-157. It is, however, one of the few descriptions of BPC-157 given in humans directly into diseased tissue.
How does BPC-157 combine with other recovery peptides?
BPC-157 is most often combined with TB-500, or thymosin beta-4. Both peptides act on tissue repair, but by different routes. Why this pair goes together is described in the guide on BPC-157 and TB-500 together. The overall state of research on BPC-157, including tendons, is in the guide on BPC-157 research.
Where to buy BPC-157 and how much does it cost?
In the shop, BPC-157 comes in four versions from three manufacturers. BPC-157 5 mg Bio-Peptide costs 20 EUR and is in stock. BPC-157 5 mg Genheal costs 20 EUR on backorder. BPC-157 20 mg Nouveaux Ltd costs 65 EUR and is in stock.
The fourth version is the BPC-157 and TB-500 mix 10 mg Genheal for 35 EUR, available on backorder. All versions and the price per milligram are on the BPC-157 page. BPC-157 is not a registered medicine, and in the shop it is material for laboratory research.
Frequently asked questions
Does BPC-157 work on the stomach?
In rat studies, BPC-157 protected the stomach against alcohol and anti-inflammatory drugs and normalised sphincter pressure in oesophagitis.
Does BPC-157 survive in the stomach?
Yes. BPC-157 stays stable in human gastric juice for more than 24 hours. That is why animal studies also gave it in drinking water.
Does BPC-157 work on the intestines?
In rats, BPC-157 sped up the healing of intestinal anastomoses and fistulas. In short bowel syndrome it increased villus height and crypt depth.
Has BPC-157 been studied in people with bowel disease?
The creators describe tests in ulcerative colitis under the name PL 14736, without side effects. According to a 2026 review, no phase two study has been completed.
Does BPC-157 protect against the effects of painkillers?
In a 2011 rat study, BPC-157 reduced damage to the stomach, intestines and liver after diclofenac, given by injection or in drinking water.
Sources
- Sikiric P, Hahm KB, Blagaic AB et al. Stable Gastric Pentadecapeptide BPC 157, Robert's Stomach Cytoprotection/Adaptive Cytoprotection/Organoprotection, and Selye's Stress Coping Response: Progress, Achievements, and the Future. Gut and Liver, 2020, 14(2): 153-167. https://doi.org/10.5009/gnl18490
- Sikiric P, Seiwerth S, Rucman R et al. Stable gastric pentadecapeptide BPC 157: novel therapy in gastrointestinal tract. Current Pharmaceutical Design, 2011, 17(16): 1612-1632. https://doi.org/10.2174/138161211796196954
- Ilic S, Drmic D, Franjic S et al. Pentadecapeptide BPC 157 and its effects on a NSAID toxicity model: diclofenac-induced gastrointestinal, liver, and encephalopathy lesions. Life Sciences, 2011, 88(11-12): 535-542. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lfs.2011.01.015
- Park JM, Lee HJ, Sikiric P et al. BPC 157 Rescued NSAID-cytotoxicity Via Stabilizing Intestinal Permeability and Enhancing Cytoprotection. Current Pharmaceutical Design, 2020, 26(25): 2971-2981. https://doi.org/10.2174/1381612826666200523180301
- Sikiric P, Seiwerth S, Rucman R et al. Focus on ulcerative colitis: stable gastric pentadecapeptide BPC 157. Current Medicinal Chemistry, 2012, 19(1): 126-132. https://doi.org/10.2174/092986712803414015
- Sikiric P, Seiwerth S, Rucman R et al. Toxicity by NSAIDs. Counteraction by stable gastric pentadecapeptide BPC 157. Current Pharmaceutical Design, 2013, 19(1): 76-83. https://doi.org/10.2174/13816128130111
- Sikiric P, Sever M, Krezic I et al. New studies with stable gastric pentadecapeptide protecting gastrointestinal tract. Inflammopharmacology, 2024, 32(5): 3119-3161. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10787-024-01499-8
- Mateescu DM, Gavrilescu DM, Constantinescu FE et al. BPC-157 as an Investigational Peptide Therapeutic: Biopharmaceutical Challenges, Formulation Strategies, and Translational Development Barriers. Pharmaceutics, 2026, 18(5): 625. https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics18050625
- Lee E, Burgess K. Safety of Intravenous Infusion of BPC157 in Humans: A Pilot Study. Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, 2025, 31(5): 20-24. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40131143/
- Lee E, Walker C, Ayadi B. Effect of BPC-157 on Symptoms in Patients with Interstitial Cystitis: A Pilot Study. Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, 2024, 30(10): 12-17. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39325560/