MEDICAL DISCLAIMER: Educational research guidelines only. Lyophilized peptides are investigational chemical compounds and are NOT approved for human consumption, diagnosis, or therapy. Consult a licensed physician before any research application.
Vialox Dosage Chart, Schedule & Reconstitution Protocol
Quickstart Highlights
Vialox (Pentapeptide-3, Gly-Pro-Arg-Pro-Ala-NH2) is a synthetic cosmetic peptide modeled on the snake-venom toxin waglerin-1 and marketed as a topical, needle-free alternative to botulinum toxin. It acts as a curare-like competitive antagonist at the muscle nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, keeping sodium channels closed and relaxing the small facial muscles that fold skin into expression lines (PMID 10087048; PMID 8770182). In cosmetics it is used at roughly 0.05% pure peptide (about 5% of the diluted Vialox solution), applied once or twice daily, with manufacturer studies reporting up to ~49% reductions in wrinkle depth over 28 days. Because it is a small, polar peptide, skin penetration is limited and effects are gradual and reversible. Vialox is regulated as a cosmetic ingredient, not an approved drug, and is never injected clinically; any subcutaneous figures elsewhere on this page are an educational reconstitution exercise only.
Reconstitute: Add 2 mL bacteriostatic water → 5 mg/mL concentration.
Typical dose: Topical ~0.05% active (≈5% Vialox solution), 1-2x daily
Easy measuring: At 5 mg/mL, 1 unit = 0.01 mL = 0.0500 mg (50 mcg) on a U-100 insulin syringe.
Storage: Lyophilized frozen; reconstituted refrigerated; avoid repeated freeze-thaw.
Half-life: Not meaningfully characterized. As a small pentapeptide, Vialox is hydrolyzed by skin and tissue peptidases within minutes and is not measured systemically; its cosmetic action is local and reversible.
Route: Topical (cosmetic serum or cream), applied 1-2x daily. The subcutaneous reconstitution protocol on this page is an educational reference only, not a clinical injection route.
Status: Not FDA- or EMA-approved as a drug. Regulated as a cosmetic ingredient (INCI Pentapeptide-3; Pentapharm 'Vialox'); vendor powder is research-grade only.
About Vialox
Vialox (Pentapeptide-3) is a synthetic cosmetic peptide marketed as a topical, needle-free alternative to botulinum toxin for softening dynamic expression lines [1][4]. Its five-residue sequence (Gly-Pro-Arg-Pro-Ala-NH2) is derived from the snake-venom peptide waglerin-1 and acts as a curare-like competitive antagonist at the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor of the neuromuscular junction, relaxing the small facial muscles that crease the skin [2].
Important route note: clinically and commercially, Vialox is applied topically in serums and creams, not injected. Finished products typically contain about 0.05% pure pentapeptide (roughly 5% of the diluted Vialox raw-material solution). The subcutaneous reconstitution figures below are an educational reference only, provided so readers can learn vial math and unit measurement, and should not be read as an injection recommendation.
Educational guide for reconstitution and a sample Vialox dosage schedule
Frequency: Inject once daily subcutaneously in this educational model (the real cosmetic route is topical, once or twice daily). A 10 mg vial reconstituted with 2.0 mL of bacteriostatic water yields 5,000 mcg/mL, so each U-100 unit delivers 50 mcg, keeping the sample 250-1,000 mcg doses easy to measure [5].
Quick Protocol Navigation
Reconstitution Instruction & Mixing Step-by-Step
Lyophilized powder must be reconstituted carefully. Agitating peptide chains can shear disulfide bonds and render the peptide biologically inert.
Draw 2.0 mL of bacteriostatic water into a sterile syringe.
Inject the water slowly down the inner wall of the Vialox vial; do not spray directly onto the lyophilized powder, and avoid foaming.
Gently swirl or roll the vial until the powder fully dissolves into a clear solution; do not shake.
Swab the stopper, draw the prescribed number of units, and inject slowly into subcutaneous tissue; wait a few seconds before withdrawing the needle.
Do not aspirate for subcutaneous injections; store the reconstituted vial refrigerated and use within about 4 weeks.
Interactive Vialox Syringe Calculator
Currently visualizing the 10 mg vial reconstituted with 2 mL bacteriostatic water. Adjust the target dose to dynamically render syringe units.
Reconstitution Calculation: 10mg dry powder in 2mL water yields 5.00 mg/mL. To evaluate a 250mcg dose, pull to 5.0 units (5 syringe ticks).
U-100 Syringe Representation
Educational reference visual. Assumes standard U-100 insulin syringe where 1.0 mL volume = 100 units.
Titration & Dose Escalation Schedules
| Phase | Dose per injection | Units (per injection) |
|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-2 (Initiation) | 250 mcg | 5 units (0.05 mL) |
| Weeks 3-6 (Standard) | 500 mcg | 10 units (0.10 mL) |
| Weeks 7-12 (Maintenance) | 1000 mcg (1 mg) | 20 units (0.20 mL) |
Administration guidelines: Refer to guidelines | 2 mL Reconstitution
Research Supplies Quantity Planner
Scientific mathematical planning of syringes, bacteriostatic water and dry vials needed for extended research blocks using the 10 mg vial.
Peptide Vials (Vialox, 10 mg each):
- check8-week course ≈ 4 vials
- check12-week course ≈ 6 vials
- check16-week course ≈ 8 vials
Insulin Syringes (U-100):
- checkPer week: 7 syringes (1 injection/day)
- check8 weeks: 56 syringes
- check12 weeks: 84 syringes
- check16 weeks: 112 syringes
Bacteriostatic Water (10 mL bottles): Use 2 mL per vial for reconstitution.
- check8 weeks (4 vials): 8 mL → 1 × 10 mL bottle
- check12 weeks (6 vials): 12 mL → 2 × 10 mL bottles
- check16 weeks (8 vials): 16 mL → 2 × 10 mL bottles
Alcohol Swabs: One for the vial stopper plus one for the injection site each day.
- checkPer week: 14 swabs (2/day)
- check8 weeks: 112 swabs → 2 × 100-count boxes
- check12 weeks: 168 swabs → 2 × 100-count boxes
- check16 weeks: 224 swabs → 3 × 100-count boxes
Mechanism of Action (MOA)
Vialox is the trade name for Pentapeptide-3, a synthetic pentapeptide with the sequence Gly-Pro-Arg-Pro-Ala-NH2 (CAS 135679-88-8; molecular weight ~495.6 Da). It is a rationally designed fragment inspired by waglerin-1 (Wtx-1), a 22-residue peptide toxin from the venom of Wagler's pit viper, Tropidolaemus (formerly Trimeresurus) wagleri [2][3][4]. Waglerin-1 is a competitive antagonist of the muscle-type nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) and binds with marked selectivity for the alpha-epsilon subunit interface of the adult receptor, with reported affinity roughly 2,000-fold higher than at the alpha-delta site [1]. Vialox is marketed as retaining a curare-like, acetylcholine-competitive action in miniature. Mechanistically, at the neuromuscular junction acetylcholine released from the motor nerve terminal binds the nicotinic receptor on the muscle membrane, opening a cation channel, allowing sodium influx, depolarizing the endplate, and triggering contraction. By competing with acetylcholine for the receptor, Vialox is proposed to keep these channels closed, blunting depolarization and reducing the strength of muscle contraction [1][2]. In the skin this is intended to relax the fine mimetic muscles that fold the overlying skin into expression lines such as crow's-feet, forehead furrows, and glabellar creases, producing a gradual, reversible Botox-like softening without injection. Manufacturer in-vitro data describe muscle-contraction inhibition of roughly 71% within minutes and ~58% after two hours, and the molecular rationale has been further explored in quantum-chemical, docking, and ADME modeling of the peptide [5]. Pharmacokinetically, Vialox behaves like a small, highly polar cationic peptide. Its arginine residue confers a positive charge and high hydrophilicity, so passive penetration across the intact stratum corneum is limited, and commercial formulations rely on the cumulative effect of repeated application and, often, penetration-enhancing or encapsulating carriers [6][7]. There is no meaningful systemic half-life to report: as a short peptide it is rapidly hydrolyzed by skin and tissue peptidases within minutes, is not designed to reach the circulation, and has no measured plasma Cmax, Tmax, or elimination half-life in humans. Its action is therefore local, superficial, and fully reversible on discontinuation, in contrast to botulinum toxin, which enzymatically cleaves SNARE proteins and produces months-long chemodenervation. In cosmetic practice the active is supplied as a dilute aqueous-glycerin solution (the "Vialox" raw material); finished serums and creams use about 5% of that solution, equating to roughly 0.05% pure pentapeptide, applied once or twice daily for at least 28 days before benefits are assessed [6][8]. The subcutaneous reconstitution protocol shown on this page is an educational modeling exercise only; Vialox is not an injectable drug and has no approved systemic indication.
Clinical Trial Efficacy Highlights
- starMcArdle and colleagues showed that the parent toxin waglerin-1 selectively blocks the epsilon (adult) form of the muscle nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, binding roughly 2,000-fold more tightly at the alpha-epsilon than the alpha-delta subunit interface, establishing the receptor-antagonist mechanism that Vialox is designed to mimic [1].
- starNMR and circular-dichroism conformational analysis of the waglerin peptide from T. wagleri confirmed a defined, disulfide-constrained structure responsible for its postsynaptic nicotinic receptor blockade, providing the structural template from which short synthetic analogs such as Pentapeptide-3 were derived [2].
- starStructure-function studies of waglerin I mapped the residues essential for its lethal nicotinic-receptor antagonism, supporting the design of smaller, non-lethal cosmetic fragments intended to reproduce muscle-relaxant activity at the skin surface [3].
- starAn evolutionary and molecular analysis of the waglerin peptides ('Viper Venom Botox') documented their origin in viper venom and their commercial adaptation into topical anti-wrinkle skin creams, situating Vialox within a validated venom-derived neuromuscular-blocking lineage [4].
- starA 2025 quantum-chemical, spectroscopic, molecular-docking, molecular-dynamics, and ADME study of Pentapeptide-3 (Vialox) reported stable in-silico binding to aging-related targets and drug-likeness parameters consistent with a topical anti-aging peptide, while noting the absence of large human trials [5].
- starManufacturer (Pentapharm) cosmetic testing of a Vialox-containing cream applied twice daily for 28 days reported reductions of up to approximately 49% in wrinkle depth and 47% in skin roughness by silicone-replica and profilometry analysis, though these are sponsor-run, non-peer-reviewed half-face studies in small volunteer panels [6].
- starIndependent dermatology reviews of cosmeceutical peptides classify Pentapeptide-3/Vialox among the neurotransmitter-inhibiting ('neuromodulating') topical peptides with a plausible mechanism but limited independent, randomized clinical evidence relative to its marketing claims [6][7][8].
- starAcross the cosmeceutical-peptide literature, Vialox is consistently described as producing gradual, cumulative, and reversible softening of dynamic lines rather than the rapid, sustained paralysis of injected botulinum toxin, with efficacy that is modest and formulation-dependent [7][8].
Side Effects & Tolerability Profile
Clinical subjects transiently report mild side effects. Slowly escalating the titration dose represents the single most effective intervention to limit side effects.
- warningTopical Vialox is generally well tolerated; the most common effects are mild, transient local reactions such as redness, stinging, tightness, or dryness at the application site, especially when layered with retinoids, acids, or other active ingredients.
- warningAllergic or irritant contact dermatitis is possible, more often from other formulation components (preservatives, fragrance, penetration enhancers) than from the peptide itself; a persistent rash warrants dermatologic review and patch testing.
- warningBecause Vialox is applied near the eyes and forehead, accidental ocular contact can cause transient stinging, watering, and conjunctival irritation; keep product off the lash line and rinse with water if it migrates into the eye.
- warningVialox is a curare-like nicotinic receptor antagonist by design; while topical systemic absorption is negligible, this mechanism is the basis for caution against any non-cosmetic, injected, or off-label systemic use, which has no safety data and could in principle affect neuromuscular function.
- warningResearch-grade Vialox/Pentapeptide-3V sold as lyophilized powder is labeled 'for research use only,' is not sterile-compounded for human injection, and may vary in purity; the subcutaneous figures on this page are educational and not an endorsement of injecting the compound.
- warningSafety in pregnancy, breastfeeding, and children has not been established; on a precautionary basis these populations should avoid Vialox-containing products.
- warningThere are no human pharmacokinetic, drug-interaction, or long-term systemic safety studies; all tolerability data derive from topical cosmetic use and short manufacturer panels.
- warningVialox is not FDA- or EMA-approved as a drug; it is regulated only as a cosmetic ingredient, and claims of 'topical Botox' equivalence are not supported by drug-grade clinical trials.
Subcutaneous Injection Technique
Most research peptides require subcutaneous injection into fatty tissue. Never inject directly into a blood vessel or deep muscle tissue unless clinically detailed.
1. Site Selection
Common locations include the abdomen (2 inches from navel), outer upper arms, or thighs.
2. Sanitization
Thoroughly clean the selected site, stopper and vial top using 70% isopropyl alcohol prep swabs.
3. Angle & Push
Pinch the skin and insert the needle at a 45 to 90-degree angle. Depress plunger smoothly.
4. Site Rotation
Rotate injection sites continuously to avoid lipodystrophy or tissue scarring.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the typical Vialox dosage?expand_more
In real-world cosmetic use there is no injected Vialox dosage: it is applied topically. Finished serums and creams contain about 0.05% pure Pentapeptide-3 (roughly 5% of the diluted Vialox raw-material solution), massaged into expression lines once or twice daily for at least 28 days. The subcutaneous figures on this page (250-1,000 mcg per administration from a 10 mg vial in 2 mL of bacteriostatic water) are an educational reconstitution reference only, not a clinical injection dose.
How do you reconstitute Vialox and measure doses in this educational model?expand_more
Draw 2.0 mL of bacteriostatic water and add it slowly down the wall of a 10 mg Vialox vial, then swirl gently until clear. This gives 5,000 mcg/mL, so each U-100 insulin unit equals 50 mcg. A 250 mcg sample dose is 5 units, 500 mcg is 10 units, and 1,000 mcg is 20 units. Refrigerate and use within about four weeks. This is a measurement exercise, not a recommendation to inject a cosmetic peptide.
What is the Vialox half life?expand_more
Vialox has no clinically meaningful half-life. As a small, highly polar pentapeptide it is rapidly broken down by skin and tissue peptidases within minutes and is not intended to enter the bloodstream, so no plasma half-life, Cmax, or elimination kinetics have been characterized in humans. Its cosmetic effect is local, superficial, and fully reversible.
How does Vialox compare to Botox, and can it be stacked with other peptides?expand_more
Vialox mimics a curare-like nicotinic-receptor block to relax facial muscles topically, whereas botulinum toxin is injected and enzymatically cleaves SNARE proteins for months-long paralysis; Vialox effects are milder, gradual, and reversible. In cosmetic formulations it is commonly stacked with Argireline, SNAP-8, Matrixyl, GHK-Cu copper peptide, and hyaluronic acid for complementary anti-aging effects.
Is Vialox FDA approved?expand_more
No. Vialox (Pentapeptide-3) is not approved by the FDA or EMA as a drug. It is regulated as a cosmetic ingredient (INCI Pentapeptide-3) developed by Pentapharm, and the powder sold by peptide vendors is research-grade, labeled for laboratory use only. It has no approved injectable or systemic indication.
Related Guides & Tools
Step-by-step references for reconstituting, measuring, and storing Vialox, plus the universal dosing calculator.
Academic References & Study Citations
McArdle JJ, Lentz TL, Witzemann V, Schwarz H, Weinstein SA, Schmidt JJ. Waglerin-1 selectively blocks the epsilon form of the muscle nicotinic acetylcholine receptor. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 1999;289(1):543-550. View Scientific Paper →
Sellin LC, Mattila K, Annila A, Schmidt JJ, McArdle JJ, Hyvonen M, Rantala TT, Kivisto T. Conformational analysis of a toxic peptide from Trimeresurus wagleri which blocks the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor. Biophys J. 1996;70(1):3-13. View Scientific Paper →
Schmidt JJ, Weinstein SA. Structure-function studies of waglerin I, a lethal peptide from the venom of Wagler's pit viper, Trimeresurus wagleri. Toxicon. 1995;33(8):1043-1049. View Scientific Paper →
Debono J, Xie B, Violette A, Fourmy R, Jaeger M, Fry BG. Viper Venom Botox: The Molecular Origin and Evolution of the Waglerin Peptides Used in Anti-Wrinkle Skin Cream. J Mol Evol. 2016;83(3-4):150-156. View Scientific Paper →
Akhan D, Bicak B, Kecel Gunduz S, Akalin E. Quantum Chemical, Spectroscopic and In Silico (Molecular Docking, Molecular Dynamic and ADME) Studies on Anti-Aging Pentapeptide-3 (Vialox). Int J Quantum Chem. 2025;125(15):e70085. View Scientific Paper →
Gorouhi F, Maibach HI. Role of topical peptides in preventing or treating aged skin. Int J Cosmet Sci. 2009;31(5):327-345. View Scientific Paper →
Reddy BY, Jow T, Hantash BM. Bioactive oligopeptides in dermatology: Part II. Exp Dermatol. 2012;21(8):569-575. View Scientific Paper →
Errante F, Ledwon P, Latajka R, Rovero P, Papini AM. Cosmeceutical Peptides in the Framework of Sustainable Wellness Economy. Front Chem. 2020;8:572923. View Scientific Paper →