BPC-157 restored leak point pressure to healthy levels in female rats with surgically induced stress urinary incontinence, whether given by injection or orally.
LPP restored to healthy levelsBPC-157-treated rats achieved leak point pressure values equivalent to healthy controls after 7 days of treatment in both incontinence models
What the researchers found
All BPC-157 treatment regimens counteracted the decrease in leak point pressure (LPP) in both transabdominal urethrolysis (TU) and vaginal dilatation (VD) rat models of stress urinary incontinence. At the 10 µg/kg intraperitoneal and oral doses, BPC-157-treated TU-rats and VD-rats achieved LPP values equivalent to healthy controls.
Immunohistochemical analysis revealed higher desmin (skeletal muscle marker), smooth muscle actin, and CD34 (angiogenesis marker) positivity in the urethral walls of BPC-157-treated rats compared to controls. Muscle-to-connective tissue ratios were also preserved. Notably, BPC-157 did not alter LPP in healthy rats, suggesting its effects are specific to injured tissue.
Why it matters
Stress urinary incontinence affects millions of women, often after childbirth or surgery, and current treatments are limited. This study suggests BPC-157 could promote healing of the muscle and tissue structures that control urinary function, potentially offering a new therapeutic approach — especially notable because the peptide worked both by injection and orally.
How the study worked
Female Wistar rats underwent either transabdominal urethrolysis or prolonged vaginal dilatation to induce stress urinary incontinence. Over 7 days, rats received BPC-157 intraperitoneally (10 µg/kg or 10 ng/kg daily) or orally in drinking water (10 µg/kg, 0.16 µg/mL). Leak point pressure was tested at day 7. Vesicourethral tissue was harvested for immunohistochemical evaluation of muscle markers, angiogenesis markers, and muscle/connective tissue ratios using Mallory's trichrome staining.
What this study cannot tell us
This was an animal study in rats, so results may not directly translate to humans. The sample sizes per group were not explicitly stated, and the 7-day treatment period is short. Leak point pressure is a functional measure but may not fully capture the complexity of human stress urinary incontinence. No dose-response curve was established, and long-term effects were not assessed.
How to read the evidence
This is a preclinical animal study using established rat models of stress urinary incontinence. While the surgical models are well-validated, the evidence grade is limited by the lack of human data and relatively small study scope.
When this study was published
Published in 2013, this study is over a decade old. It remains relevant as a foundational preclinical study for BPC-157's effects on urinary continence, though no human follow-up studies have been reported.
The bigger picture
BPC-157 is widely studied for its tissue-healing properties across multiple organ systems. This study extends its potential applications to pelvic floor disorders, an area with limited treatment options. The finding that oral administration was effective is particularly relevant, as most peptide therapies require injection.
Questions still open
- Would BPC-157 show similar benefits for stress urinary incontinence in humans, particularly postpartum women?
- What is the optimal dose and duration of BPC-157 treatment for pelvic floor tissue repair?
- Does the oral bioavailability of BPC-157 in this model translate to effective oral dosing in larger animals or humans?
Common questions
What is BPC-157 and why is it being studied for incontinence?
Did BPC-157 work when taken orally in this study?
Read the original research
Salutary effect of gastric pentadecapeptide BPC 157 in two different stress urinary incontinence models in female rats.
Medical science monitor basic research, 19, 93-102
Citation
Jandric, Ivan; Vrcic, Hrvoje; Jandric Balen, Marica; Kolenc, Danijela; Brcic, Luka; Radic, Bozo; Drmic, Domagoj; Seiwerth, Sven; Sikiric, Predrag. (2013). Salutary effect of gastric pentadecapeptide BPC 157 in two different stress urinary incontinence models in female rats.. Medical science monitor basic research, 19, 93-102. https://doi.org/10.12659/MSMBR.883828