TB-500 vs Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Side-by-side comparison of TB-500 and Acetyl Hexapeptide-8: mechanism, half-life, dose range, safety profile, and vendor pricing.
Price snapshot
TB-500
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
TB-500
TB-500 is the name the market and the FDA use for a short synthetic fragment of thymosin beta-4: the seven-amino-acid, N-acetylated actin-binding sequence Ac-LKKTETQ (residues 17 to 23). Thymosin beta-4 itself is a…
Lowest listed price: $29.00 across 8 listings
Full TB-500 profileAcetyl Hexapeptide-8
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 (INCI: Acetyl Hexapeptide-3 in older nomenclature, commercially known as Argireline) is a synthetic hexapeptide designed as a competitive inhibitor of the SNARE complex at the neuromuscular junction.…
Lowest listed price: $129.00 across 1 listing
Full Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 profileSide-by-side comparison
| Attribute | TB-500 | Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Injury, Repair & Recovery | Skin & Hair |
| Research Stage | Preclinical | Marketed topical cosmetic ingredient (INCI: Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 / Argireline). Supported by small human anti-wrinkle studies, including one randomized, placebo-controlled trial; no systemic or injectable clinical development. Not an FDA-approved drug. |
| Mechanism of Action | Actin Sequestration and Cytoskeletal Dynamics The primary molecular function of thymosin beta-4 (and the synthetic peptide sold as TB-500) is binding to monomeric G-actin in a 1:1 complex, preventing its polymerization into F-actin filaments (PMID: 1627561).… | Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 (Argireline) is patterned after the N-terminal domain of SNAP-25 and behaves as a competitive mimic of that protein during SNARE complex assembly. The SNARE complex (SNAP-25 + Syntaxin-1 + VAMP/synaptobrevin) is required for… |
| Half-Life | Plasma half-life is short - full-length thymosin beta-4 clears on the order of hours, while the short LKKTETQ actin-binding fragment clears within minutes. Tissue-level regenerative effects persist substantially longer than plasma exposure. | Short (topical application, no systemic absorption at cosmetic doses) |
| Typical Dose Range | 2000-5000 mcg (2-5 mg) subcutaneous 2x weekly loading; 2000 mcg (2 mg) weekly maintenance | — |
| Dosing Frequency | 2x per week during loading; 1x per week maintenance | twice_daily |
| Administration | Subcutaneous, Intramuscular | Topical |
| Side Effects | Human safety is unknown: FDA's 2026 review found no clinical studies or human exposure data for TB-500 by any route. None of the effects that follow comes from a study. Occasional mild headache, nausea, or lethargy. Localized irritation at injection site.… | — |
| Molecular Weight | 889 Da (Ac-LKKTETQ); full-length thymosin beta-4 4963 Da | 888.99 g/mol (average); molecular formula C34H60N14O12S |
| Common Vial Sizes | 2mg, 5mg, 10mg | — |
Price History
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TB-500: potential benefits
- Accelerated dermal wound healing through enhanced keratinocyte and fibroblast migration, collagen deposition, and angiogenesis, including in diabetic and aged models (PMID: 12581423)
- Cardioprotection and tissue repair after myocardial infarction via ILK/Akt survival signaling in preclinical models (PMID: 17600280)
- Anti-inflammatory effects via NF-kB suppression and reduced pro-inflammatory cytokines (preclinical)
- Corneal wound healing and dry eye symptom improvement in topical ophthalmic (RGN-259) Phase 2 trials (PMID: 25826322)
- Enhanced hair follicle stem cell migration associated with hair growth (preclinical)
- Musculoskeletal recovery through collagen deposition and matrix remodeling (preclinical)
- Endothelial cell migration and vascular regeneration in ischemic tissues (preclinical)
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8: potential benefits
- Targets dynamic expression wrinkles - forehead, glabellar, and periorbital (crow's feet) lines
- Proposed to reduce facial neuromuscular signaling by destabilizing the ternary SNARE complex (acts as a SNAP-25 N-terminal mimic)
- A randomized, placebo-controlled human study reported ~49% subjective improvement in periorbital wrinkles vs 0% for placebo over 4 weeks (small evidence base) [PMID: 23417317]
- Marketed as a topical 'Botox alternative' - reversible mechanism, not a neurotoxin, with no botulinum-type systemic risk
- Supplied as a raw cosmetic-compounding powder for research/formulation use (verify purity via HPLC COA)
- Commonly combined with related peptides (e.g., Acetyl Octapeptide-3 / Snap-8) in anti-wrinkle formulations
Frequently asked
What's the difference between TB-500 and Acetyl Hexapeptide-8?
TB-500 is a injury, repair & recovery that actin sequestration and cytoskeletal dynamics the primary molecular function of thymosin beta-4 (and the synthetic peptide sold as tb-500) is binding to monomeric g-actin in a 1:1…. Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 is a skin & hair that acetyl hexapeptide-8 (argireline) is patterned after the n-terminal domain of snap-25 and behaves as a competitive mimic of that protein during snare complex assembly. the snare…. The two differ in mechanism, half-life (Plasma half-life is short - full-length thymosin beta-4 clears on the order of hours, while the short LKKTETQ actin-binding fragment clears within minutes. Tissue-level regenerative effects persist substantially longer than plasma exposure. vs Short (topical application, no systemic absorption at cosmetic doses)), and typical dose range.
Which has the longer half-life, TB-500 or Acetyl Hexapeptide-8?
TB-500 has a half-life of Plasma half-life is short - full-length thymosin beta-4 clears on the order of hours, while the short LKKTETQ actin-binding fragment clears within minutes. Tissue-level regenerative effects persist substantially longer than plasma exposure.. Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 has a half-life of Short (topical application, no systemic absorption at cosmetic doses). Longer half-lives generally mean less frequent dosing but slower on/off kinetics.
Which is cheaper, TB-500 or Acetyl Hexapeptide-8?
Lowest listed price on BodyHackGuide: TB-500 from $29.00, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 from $129.00. Prices are pulled from the vendor listings tracked on BHG and change frequently. See the compare tables on each compound page for the current set of offers.
Can you stack TB-500 and Acetyl Hexapeptide-8?
Stacking depends on mechanism overlap, safety profile, and goals. TB-500 and Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 should only be stacked after reviewing each compound's individual protocol page, side effect profile, and any published interaction data. Use the BodyHackGuide stack builder for a structured review before combining research compounds.
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Before you buy TB-500 or Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
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Research use only. BodyHackGuide is a research and price-comparison reference. The compounds discussed on this page are not approved by the FDA for human consumption and are sold strictly for laboratory research. Prices shown are pulled from vendor listings tracked on BHG and are subject to change. Every vendor is ranked on the same public, reproducible methodology. See editorial standards and affiliate disclosure.