Cosmetic peptide

SNAP-8 (acetyl octapeptide-3) is a cosmetic peptide sold as a topical alternative to botulinum toxin. The idea is a mimic of the N-terminal end of SNAP-25, one of the SNARE proteins that lets a nerve terminal release acetylcholine; a decoy that competes for a place in the SNARE complex should weaken muscle contraction and so soften expression lines. That is the same mechanism claimed for its better-known and shorter predecessor Argireline (acetyl hexapeptide-8), which has been through at least one randomised placebo-controlled trial. SNAP-8 itself has essentially no independent clinical literature. It appears in studies of multi-peptide microneedle patches where it is one ingredient among several, from which nothing can be attributed to it specifically.