Why reconstitution matters
Lyophilised (freeze-dried) peptides ship as a solid powder inside a sealed vial. Before laboratory use they need to be brought back into solution at a known, reproducible concentration.
Recommended solvent
Bacteriostatic water (sterile water containing 0.9% benzyl alcohol as a preservative) is the standard solvent for most research peptides. It:
- Prevents microbial growth once the vial is pierced.
- Keeps peptides stable in solution for several weeks under refrigeration.
- Has neutral pH — safe for the majority of peptide chemistries.
Certain peptides that are poorly water-soluble use acetic acid solutions instead. Check the peptide's storage guidance before reconstituting.
The reconstitution formula
The concentration you end up with depends only on peptide mass and solvent volume:
Concentration (mg/mL) = Peptide mass (mg) / Solvent volume (mL)
Worked example: reconstituting a 5 mg BPC-157 vial with 2 mL of bacteriostatic water gives you a working solution at 2.5 mg/mL.
If your protocol calls for a 250 µg draw at that concentration, the volume you'd draw is:
250 µg / 2500 µg/mL = 0.1 mL
Which on a U-100 insulin syringe corresponds to 10 units.
Practical tips
1. Chill the bacteriostatic water beforehand — colder solvent dissolves peptides more gently.
2. Introduce the solvent along the wall of the vial, not directly onto the pellet.
3. Swirl the vial slowly. Never shake — mechanical shear damages the peptide.
4. Let the solution sit for a few minutes; most peptides fully dissolve within five.
5. Label the vial with date of reconstitution, concentration, and peptide name.
Storage after reconstitution
- Store reconstituted solutions in the fridge at 2–8 °C.
- Use within 28 days for most peptides.
- Do not freeze reconstituted solutions unless the peptide's data sheet allows it — freeze/thaw cycles degrade many peptide chemistries.
Compliance reminder
Reconstitution guidance is provided strictly for laboratory research use only. Products supplied by Peptovia Research are not for human or veterinary consumption.