Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate
Syn-Ake — the snake-venom-inspired "needle-free Botox" peptide: the Temple Viper story and the evidence

Class: peptide
INCI name: Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate
Synonyms: Syn-Ake® / SYN®-AKE (trade name, dsm-firmenich, originally Pentapharm)
INCI: Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate (supplied in Glycerin/Aqua)
"snake-venom peptide"
sometimes described as a waglerin-1-mimetic tripeptide. Inspiration molecule: Waglerin-1
Trade names: Syn-Ake
Function tags: cosmetic
anti-wrinkle (expression/dynamic lines)
muscle-relaxing (topical, biomimetic)
smoothing
Overall evidence grade: A
WADA prohibited: no
Last updated: 2026-07-21

In brief: Syn-Ake is a synthetic cosmetic dipeptide with one of skincare's best origin stories: it mimics Waglerin-1, a muscle-paralyzing toxin from the venom of the Temple Viper, reimagined by Swiss chemists (Pentapharm, 2001; now dsm-firmenich) as a needle-free, topical "Botox alternative." Its mechanism is genuinely elegant — it acts as a reversible antagonist of the muscle nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (mnAChR), binding the receptor's ε-subunit to dampen the nerve signal that makes facial muscles contract, so expression lines relax and soften. It's a legitimate, approved cosmetic ingredient (topical, not injected) with real in-vitro and in-vivo data: it reduces muscle-cell contraction substantially in vitro, and clinical cosmetic testing shows visibly reduced wrinkle depth over ~28 days, with good skin tolerance and a reversible effect. The honest framing: it's milder than Botox and works on the look of dynamic (expression) wrinkles, not deep structural ones — and, like all topical "muscle-relaxing" peptides, how much reaches muscle is inherently limited. For this register it's notable as a beautiful biomimetic story AND a genuine legal-lane cosmetic — the kind of ingredient that's actually sellable, honestly, with appearance claims.

## Identity a **synthetic cosmetic dipeptide** engineered to **mimic Waglerin-1**, a neuromuscular-blocking toxin from snake venom — reframed as a **needle-free, topical "Botox-like" wrinkle-relaxing active.** It's a **legitimate, widely-used cosmetic ingredient** (not a drug, not an injectable), supplied by **dsm-firmenich** and formulated into serums/creams at low percentages. ## Mechanism (as proposed) at the neuromuscular junction, nerves release **acetylcholine**, which binds the **muscle nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (mnAChR)** to open channels, let **Na⁺** in, **depolarize** the muscle, and trigger **contraction**. Syn-Ake's active dipeptide is a **reversible antagonist** of this receptor — modeled on Waglerin-1's selective block of the receptor's **ε (epsilon) subunit** — so it **competes with acetylcholine**, reduces Na⁺ influx and depolarization, and thereby **dampens the micro-contractions** of facial mimic muscles. Fewer repeated contractions → **relaxed, smoothed expression lines**. It's conceptually the *same target logic* as Botox (both quiet the nerve-to-muscle signal) but by a **different, reversible, receptor-level mechanism**, delivered **topically** rather than injected — which is why it's **gentler and more gradual**.

## Related reading

Where Syn-Ake sits among the cosmetic peptides, ranked by evidence, in [cosmetic peptides ranked by evidence](/learn/best-peptides-for-skin).

Evidence grades by outcome:
outcome: Appearance of expression/dynamic wrinkles (the cosmetic use)
grade: B
base: In-vitro: blocks muscle-cell contraction substantially; in-vivo cosmetic testing: visibly reduced wrinkle depth over ~28 days (36-subject studies)
caveat: Solid cosmetic evidence for a topical; effect is mild and gradual, on the look of dynamic lines — not injection-strength
outcome: Mechanism (mnAChR antagonism)
grade: B
base: Well-defined: reversible ε-subunit block, from Waglerin-1 pharmacology (McArdle 1999)
caveat: Mechanism is real and specific; topical delivery to muscle is the limiting factor for magnitude
outcome: "Botox alternative" equivalence
grade: F
base: Marketing claim
caveat: The claim is not baseless: the maker documents reversible mnAChR ε-subunit antagonism modelled on Waglerin-1 (McArdle 1999), substantial in-vitro block of muscle-cell contraction, and 36-subject ~28-day cosmetic testing showing reduced wrinkle depth. But it stays milder, temporary and surface-acting — how much topical peptide reaches muscle is inherently limited, and no trial has compared it head-to-head against injected botulinum toxin. Not equivalent; honest framing needed
outcome: Antioxidant (secondary claim)
grade: C
base: Dose-dependent DPPH radical scavenging
caveat: Minor ancillary property; not the main reason to use it
outcome: Safety / tolerability (topical)
grade: A
base: Widely used cosmetic ingredient; reversible action
caveat: Good skin compatibility at cosmetic use levels; a topical peptide — not a systemic/injectable exposure

Legal status:
region: EU
status: a legal, established cosmetic ingredient (topical), used in 
note: a legal, established cosmetic ingredient (topical), used in finished skincare worldwide under standard cosmetic regulation. This is a cosmetic, not a medicine — no injection, no systemic use.

Cosmetic claims:

Note: "Botox from snake venom" — a genuinely beautiful biomimetic story, and a legitimate cosmetic ingredient. Syn-Ake is a rarity in this register: a real, approved cosmetic peptide with a great origin tale and honest topical data — not a gray-market injectable. Three threads: (1) it's inspired by the venom of the Temple Viper, copying a toxin that paralyzes prey — reimagined as a needle-free wrinkle-relaxer; (2) its mechanism is elegant and specific — a reversible block of the muscle acetylcholine receptor, the same idea as Botox but topical and gentle; (3) because it's a cosmetic (topical, appearance-focused), this is exactly the kind of legal-lane ingredient a compliant storefront can actually sell.
Status note: established cosmetic active; status stable

Sources:
McArdle JJ, Lentz TL, Witzemann V, et al. Waglerin-1 selectively blocks the epsilon form of the muscle nicotinic acetylcholine receptor. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 1999 (the toxin pharmacology behind it).
dsm-firmenich (Pentapharm) SYN-AKE® technical/cosmetic data — mnAChR antagonism; crow's-feet wrinkle-depth reduction over 28 days.
Debono J, et al. Viper venom botox: the molecular origin and evolution of the waglerin peptides used in anti-wrinkle skin cream. J Mol Evol (biomimetic origin).
Cosmetic clinical testing (36 subjects, 35–60 yr): reduced wrinkle depth/volume/number over 4 weeks; DPPH antioxidant activity. (Cosmetic ingredient; appearance claims, not medical.)