We reviewed again the significance of the stable gastric pentadecapeptide
BPC 157 as a likely mediator of Robert's stomach cytoprotection/adaptive cytoprotection and organoprotection and as novel mediator of Selye's stress coping response to reestablish homeostasis. Specific points of
BPC 157 therapy and the original concept of Robert's cytoprotection/adaptive cytoprotection/organoprotection are discussed, including the beneficial effects of
BPC 157. First,
BPC 157 protects stomach cells and maintains gastric integrity against various noxious agents (Robert's killing cell by contact) and is continuously present in the gastric mucosa and gastric juice. Additionally,
BPC 157 protects against the adverse effects of alcohol and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs on the gastric epithelium and other epithelia, that is, skin, liver, pancreas, heart (organoprotection), and brain, thereby suggesting its use in wound healing. Additionally,
BPC 157 counteracts gastric endothelial injury that precedes and induces damage to the gastric epithelium and generalizes "gastric endothelial protection" to protection of the endothelium of other vessels (
thrombosis, prolonged
bleeding, and
thrombocytopenia).
BPC 157 also has an effect on blood vessels, resulting in vessel recruitment that circumvents vessel occlusion and the development of additional shunting and rapid bypass loops to rapidly reestablish the integrity of blood flow (ischemic/reperfusion
colitis, duodenal lesions, cecal perforation, and inferior vena caval occlusion). Lastly,
BPC 157 counteracts
tumor cachexia, muscle wasting, and increases in pro-inflammatory/procachectic
cytokines, such as
interleukin-6 and
tumor necrosis factor-α, and significantly corrects deranged muscle proliferation and myogenesis through changes in the expression of FoxO3a, p-AKT, p-mTOR, and p-GSK-3β (mitigating
cancer cachexia).