Neuropeptide - Amino Polypetide Comparison

To determine why neuropeptide products are different from other effective antiaging skin care treatments
on the market, we first have to determine the difference between neuropeptide and amino polypetide ingredients.

Neuro- and pentapaptides are both
peptides but “neuro” refers to the very specific functions of this peptide group, while “penta” merely refers to the size of certain peptide molecules.

“Peptide” seems to be the “IT” word in antiaging skin creams today. We have copper peptides, amino-polypeptides,
hexapeptides, pentapeptides and now neuropeptides. And then there are all the variants like acetyl hexapeptide-3 and palmitoyl pentapeptide (a.k.a palmitoyl oligopeptide).

The list is virtually endless and very confusing to the non-biochemist. Let me try to help you wade through some of the jargon.

A peptide is simply a small protein which is made up of amino acids. Peptides are active at very small doses, are highly specific and have a very good safety profile when used
physiologically – that is, to assist or change an organism’s physical processes. If we take apart some of the peptide labels above, we can begin to discriminate among them.

The use of “amino” in amino- polypeptide is a bit redundant
because all peptides are made of amino acids. The “poly” just means this is a peptide of several amino acids.

A “hexapeptide” is a chain of exactly six (hexa) amino acids; a pentatpeptide

is a chain of five (penta). One chemist working with a
palmitoylated five-amino-acid-chain peptide named it “palmitoyl
pentapeptide”, while another chemist studying the same molecule
called it “palmitoyl oligopeptide”. This is a legitimate, though
less specific, label since “oligo” means “few”. And so the confusion grows.

The term “neuropeptide” is a bit more helpful in that it actually describes the function of the peptide.

Neuropeptides act as neuromodulators, neurotransmitters, neurohormones, and
hormones. Research into neuropeptides has exploded in recent years to the extent that there is a scientific journal named Neuropeptides whose aim is the rapid publication of original research and review articles, dealing with the structure, distribution, actions and functions of peptides in
the central and peripheral nervous systems.

What is exciting about neuropeptides is their power and reach.

Other neurotransmitters transmit central nervous system signals in one direction and along a path from A to B.

Neuropeptides transmit omnidirectionally outward and can even
direct transmissions in reverse. As neuromodulators, they can activate and deactivate other neurotransmitters. The scientific mind boggles at the potential.

The names of some of the neuropeptides may be familiar and help you to understand the potential of unlocking the secrets of these peptide molecules. Neuropeptides are grouped into families based on similarities in their amino acid sequences.

There are the Tachykinins; the Insulins; the Somatostatins;
the Gastrins such as cholecystokinin used to diagnose gallbladder and pancreatic problems; and the Opioids such as the enkephalins – the body’s own opiates or painkillers.

As to how neuropeptides might affect the skin, an abstract in the July/August 2003 Brazilian Annals of
Dermatology states: “There is increasing evidence that cutaneous nerve fibers play a modulatory role in a variety of acute and chronic skin processes.

Local interactions between skin
cells, skin immune components and neuronal tissues occur specially through neuropeptides … Neuropeptide-related functions on skin and immune cells, as well ...nerve fibers
in cutaneous inflammatory responses, hypersensitivity reactions and dermatoses, namely psoriasis, atopic
dermatitis, leprosy and alopecia."

Now that you know that a neuropeptide has a function in the central nervous system and that a pentapeptide might also be a ne