Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Also known as Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Pal-GQPR, Palmitoyl-Gly-Gln-Pro-Arg
“CIR Expert Panel says: safe as used in cosmetics.”
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 (Pal-GQPR) is a synthetic lipopeptide consisting of palmitic acid conjugated to a Gly-Gln-Pro-Arg tetrapeptide sequence. The CIR Expert Panel assessed it individually and found it safe in cosmetics in present practices of use and concentration (Final Report 06/10/2014; CIR QRT October 2024, Finding: S, no qualification). Mechanistically, GQPR is an interleukin-6 (IL-6) inhibitory peptide: it suppresses IL-6-mediated inflammatory signaling, reducing glycosaminoglycan degradation and supporting dermal matrix integrity. A 2024 randomized controlled trial (Yang et al., PMID 38932444) assessed a multi-ingredient eye cream containing palmitoyl tripeptide-1 and palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7 and reported improvements in skin hydration, elasticity, and collagen density with a high safety profile over 12 weeks. Peptide-class note: CIR coverage of individual synthetic lipopeptides varies; several palmitoyl peptides (Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide) also carry individual S findings from the same 2014 Final Report, while amino acid palmitoyl derivatives (e.g., Palmitoyl Alanine, Palmitoyl Glycine) are covered under the broader amino acid alkyl amides group report (IJT 36:1-56, 2017). Ingredient-specific evidence literature for Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 alone is limited; most published studies evaluate it in combination formulations.
Anti-inflammatory peptide: Pal-GQPR (the GQPR sequence) inhibits IL-6 signaling, reducing dermal inflammation and limiting glycosaminoglycan breakdown
Dermal matrix support: promotes fibroblast activity and extracellular matrix integrity; studied in combination with Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 (Pal-GHK) for synergistic collagen and elastin synthesis
Anti-aging active: widely used in prestige anti-aging and eye-contour formulations; CIR Expert Panel confirmed safety in present practices of use (2014)
Skin hydration and elasticity: combination study demonstrated 28% hydration improvement and 19% elasticity gain over 12 weeks at clinically relevant concentrations
- · No significant safety concerns identified at cosmetic use concentrations; the CIR Expert Panel issued an unqualified S (Safe) finding with no conditions
- · Ingredient-specific human safety data is limited; published clinical studies evaluate palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7 in multi-ingredient formulations, not as a single active
CIR Quick Reference Table (October 2024) — Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 row: Finding=S, Citation=Final Report 06/10/2014 Available from CIR
“Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 | S | | Final Report 06/10/2014 Available from CIR”— QRT-Update-100824_0.pdf, p. 188