Body Pharm MOTS-C 10mg is a research-grade lyophilised vial of the 16-amino-acid mitochondrial-derived peptide MRWQEMGYIFYPRKLR, supplied for in vitro and preclinical investigation of insulin sensitivity and exercise physiology by South African laboratories. This overview consolidates the biochemical profile, the 2024–2026 evidence base, and the local regulatory and sourcing context that South African researchers need before procurement.
Key Takeaways
- MOTS-C is a 16-residue mitochondrial-derived peptide encoded in mtDNA (not nuclear DNA), making it mechanistically distinct from nuclear-encoded growth peptides
- No Phase III human trial has reported; evidence remains dominated by rodent models and human biomarker associations
- Body Pharm MOTS-C 10mg is supplied for laboratory research only and is not registered with SAHPRA as a medicine
- Storage at −20 °C or colder maintains stability for 12+ months; reconstituted material should be aliquoted and refrozen to avoid degradation
- Open-web searches return no R-denominated listing on South African retailers as of 2026; international equivalents cost roughly USD 65–USD 110 per vial
- Procurement for human use contravenes SAHPRA policy; laboratory-only use under institutional licence is the permitted pathway
Why This Matters for SA Labs in 2026
Open-web searches return no R-denominated listing for Body Pharm MOTS-C 10mg on a South African retailer as of 2026. International vendors quote roughly USD 65–USD 110 per 10mg vial. Human evidence remains preliminary, no Phase III trial has reported, and exercise-physiology data are still dominated by rodent models and biomarker associations.
What Is MOTS-C? A Mitochondrial Peptide Explained
MOTS-C is a 16-amino-acid mitochondrial-derived peptide (MDP) encoded within the 12S rRNA region of mitochondrial DNA. Lee et al. first characterised it in Cell Metabolism (2015) as a regulator of metabolic homeostasis and insulin sensitivity. Its mitochondrial genomic origin is unusual: most known bioactive peptides are encoded in the nuclear genome. This makes MOTS-C and its sibling humanin members of a small, distinct functional class.
The amino acid sequence supplied across major research-peptide vendors is MRWQEMGYIFYPRKLR (Met-Arg-Trp-Gln-Glu-Met-Gly-Tyr-Ile-Phe-Tyr-Pro-Arg-Lys-Leu-Arg), with a reported molecular weight of approximately 2,174 Da. A Body Pharm-specific CAS number and exact molecular formula could not be cross-confirmed against a published certificate of analysis. Researchers should request the CoA directly and treat third-party values as provisional.
Where MOTS-C sits in the MDP class
Mitochondrial-derived peptides are short open reading frames within mitochondrial rRNA genes that produce functional peptides acting on nuclear and cytosolic targets. Humanin (encoded in 16S rRNA) was the first MDP identified. MOTS-C followed and has become the most-studied MDP in metabolic and exercise-physiology contexts. Rodent work shows improved skeletal-muscle insulin sensitivity and treadmill endurance.
Research chemical, not a therapeutic
Body Pharm MOTS-C 10mg is a lyophilised research chemical for in vitro and preclinical investigation only. It is not registered with SAHPRA as a medicine and is not intended for human or veterinary administration. South African laboratories evaluating MOTS-C alongside other mitochondrial and longevity targets often cross-reference comparator peptides such as Epithalon and metabolic cofactors like NAD+ when designing mechanistic study panels.
Why Mitochondrial DNA Origin Matters for Researchers
MOTS-C is one of the few characterised peptides encoded within mitochondrial DNA rather than nuclear DNA. Its expression responds to mitochondrial stress signalling rather than the hypothalamic-pituitary axes that regulate nuclear-encoded peptides. For researchers, this single fact reshapes assay design, comparator selection, and handling protocols.
Regulation independent of nuclear transcription
Because the 12S rRNA open reading frame producing MOTS-C sits inside the mitochondrial genome, transcription responds to bioenergetic state, AMPK (adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase) signalling, and metabolic stress. This differs from endocrine cascades driving peptides such as CJC-1295. Under metabolic stress, MOTS-C translocates from mitochondria to the nucleus and modulates nuclear gene expression linked to glucose homeostasis. That retrograde signalling axis sets it apart from secretagogues and growth-hormone-releasing analogues, which is why comparator panels in South African laboratories often pair it with NAD+ and Epithalon rather than with nuclear-encoded growth peptides.
Handling implications
The 16-residue sequence contains two methionine residues and a tryptophan, all of which are oxidation-sensitive. Lyophilised vials should be held at −20 °C or colder. Vendor and general peptide-handling guidance supports 12+ months of stability for the lyophilised powder under those conditions. Reconstitution with bacteriostatic water is standard practice for research peptides. MOTS-C tolerates repeated freeze-thaw cycles poorly, so aliquoting the reconstituted stock into single-use volumes before refreezing is the conservative approach.
Practical takeaway
Treat MOTS-C as a mitokine first and a peptide second. Experimental designs that ignore the mtDNA origin, for instance, by benchmarking it against GH-axis peptides on endocrine endpoints alone, miss the pathway where the signal actually lives.
MOTS-C in Metabolic Research: Key Findings to 2026
MOTS-C research to 2026 clusters around four themes: insulin sensitisation via AMPK, exercise-induced endogenous release, age-related decline in circulating levels, and reduced adipogenesis in vitro. No MOTS-C human trial has publicly progressed beyond Phase II as of 2026. The mechanistic evidence base remains dominated by rodent and cellular work.
Insulin sensitivity and AMPK signalling
The foundational metabolic finding, first reported by Lee and colleagues in 2015 and reinforced by 2023–2024 mechanistic reviews, is that MOTS-C activates AMPK and promotes GLUT4 translocation in skeletal muscle. This improves glucose uptake in diet-induced insulin-resistant mice. The 2015 Cell Metabolism dataset is the anchor. Readers should treat any pre-2023 effect size as potentially superseded by newer rodent work.
Exercise physiology
Circulating MOTS-C rises during endurance exercise in both rodent and human observational data, which positions it as an exercise-inducible mitokine rather than a peptide validated for exogenous performance dosing. Reynolds and colleagues (Nature Metabolism, 2021) provided the most-cited human biomarker associations. Even so, 2024–2026 literature still lacks adequately powered randomised trials of administered MOTS-C against human exercise endpoints. Researchers benchmarking exercise readouts should design around endogenous induction curves first.
Ageing and longevity
Human observational data indicate that circulating MOTS-C declines with chronological age. This correlation was reported in pre-2023 work (Zempo et al., FASEB J 2021) and remains observational and non-causal. That ageing signal is why MOTS-C is frequently compared in protocol design with Epithalon and run alongside NAD+ in mitochondrial-health panels. No head-to-head longevity endpoint data exist in humans.
Obesity and adipogenesis
In vitro work shows reduced adipocyte differentiation under MOTS-C exposure. Rodent diet-induced obesity models show attenuated weight gain and improved metabolic markers. These are mechanistic signals, not translational claims.
The honest 2026 read: MOTS-C is a well-characterised mitokine with consistent rodent data on insulin sensitivity and exercise capacity. It has supportive human biomarker associations and no late-stage clinical validation. Procurement decisions should be framed around preclinical assay design, not anticipated clinical translation.
Body Pharm MOTS-C 10mg, Full Product Specification
Body Pharm MOTS-C 10mg is a lyophilised, research-grade preparation of the 16-amino-acid mitochondrial-derived peptide MRWQEMGYIFYPRKLR, supplied in a single-use vial for in vitro and preclinical laboratory work only. It is not for human or veterinary consumption.
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Peptide name | MOTS-C (mitochondrial open reading frame of the 12S rRNA-c) |
| Sequence | MRWQEMGYIFYPRKLR (16 aa) |
| Molecular formula | C₁₀₅H₁₅₈N₃₀O₂₅S₂ |
| Molecular weight | ~2174 Da |
| CAS number | 1627580-64-6 |
| Vial size | 10 mg |
| Physical form | Lyophilised white powder |
| Purity | ≥98% by HPLC (confirm per-batch on Body Pharm CoA) |
| Manufacturer | Body Pharm |
| Storage (lyophilised) | −20 °C, protect from light, desiccated |
| Reconstitution | Bacteriostatic or sterile water; standard 1 mg/mL working concentration (10 mg in 10 mL) |
| Post-reconstitution storage | 2–8 °C short-term; aliquot and freeze at −20 °C for extended use |
| Intended use | Laboratory research only, not for human consumption |
Research notes, how we verified the spec
We cross-checked the sequence and vial format against three independent vendor technical pages and the Peptide Partners handling guidance for 10mg MOTS-C vials. The CAS number and molecular formula above are commonly reproduced across commercial listings but could not be confirmed against a Body Pharm-issued CoA at the time of writing. Treat them as provisional until the batch-specific CoA arrives with the vial. Purity (≥98% HPLC) is the standard claim across research-grade MOTS-C 10mg preparations. Request the lot-matched HPLC trace from the distributor before assay design.
Researchers benchmarking against adjacent mitochondrial or longevity targets typically pair this specification review with comparator workups for Epithalon and NAD+. Building consistent CoA scrutiny into your intake SOP across the whole panel is worth the effort.
Buying MOTS-C Research Peptide in South Africa in 2026
Procurement of MOTS-C 10mg in South Africa sits in a narrow corridor. Material supplied strictly for in vitro laboratory research, labelled and handled as such, is generally treated as outside the consumer-medicines pathway under the Medicines and Related Substances Act 101 of 1965. Any onward supply or promotion for human use falls within SAHPRA's mandate and has been a focus of enforcement against peptide clinics and online sellers. Verify your own institutional and import compliance before placing an order.
The R-denominated price for the Body Pharm MOTS-C 10mg vial is shown on this product listing and is billed in ZAR at checkout. Equivalent international research-grade 10mg vials were listed between roughly USD 65 and USD 110 across 2024–2025 vendor pages, a useful sanity check when comparing local pricing.
Shipping, payment, and supplier checks
Orders ship discreetly within South Africa with tracked courier delivery. Checkout is processed through a secure payment gateway. When evaluating any local supplier of mitochondrial-derived peptides, we look for a batch-matched HPLC purity trace (≥98%), unambiguous "laboratory research only, not for human consumption" labelling, cold-chain handling on dispatch, and a CoA that names the lot on the vial.
Researchers building a comparative mitochondrial panel typically cross-reference procurement standards across Epithalon and NAD+ at the same time.
How MOTS-C Compares to Related Research Peptides
MOTS-C is not interchangeable with other longevity or metabolic peptides. It acts on a distinct mitochondrial-to-nuclear retrograde signalling axis via AMPK activation. Epithalon, NAD+ precursors, and Tesamorelin each target separate pathways. For researchers building comparative protocols, the practical question is which axis you are interrogating.
Pathway distinctions
Epithalon is a tetrapeptide investigated for telomerase upregulation and pineal/circadian endpoints. Its evidence base sits in ageing and chronobiology rather than glucose handling. MOTS-C, by contrast, is a 16-amino-acid mitochondrial-encoded peptide (sequence MRWQEMGYIFYPRKLR) studied primarily for skeletal-muscle insulin sensitivity and exercise capacity in rodent models.
NAD+ and its precursors (NMN, NR) act as substrate supplementation for sirtuin and PARP (poly-ADP-ribose polymerase) activity. MOTS-C operates upstream as a signalling peptide rather than a cofactor pool. Some research groups co-administer MOTS-C with NAD+ precursors on the hypothesis of complementary mitochondrial effects, but no controlled 2024–2026 study confirms additive or synergistic outcomes. Combination use should be treated as speculative.
Tesamorelin is a GHRH (growth-hormone-releasing hormone) analogue acting on the somatotropic axis to raise endogenous GH and IGF-1. It has registered indications in visceral adiposity and shares no mechanistic overlap with MOTS-C beyond downstream metabolic readouts. Substituting one for the other will not reproduce comparable data.
Storage, Handling, and Reconstitution for Lab Use
Treat Body Pharm MOTS-C 10mg as a standard small unmodified peptide. Store the lyophilised vial at −20 °C, protected from light and moisture. Reconstitute with bacteriostatic water to a 1 mg/mL working concentration for most assay workflows. The mitochondrial DNA origin does not confer any special chemical stability, the 16-residue sequence MRWQEMGYIFYPRKLR behaves like other linear research peptides in solution.
Post-reconstitution handling
Once reconstituted, hold the vial at 4 °C and aim to use within roughly 30 days. No MOTS-C-specific peer-reviewed 4 °C stability curve has been published as of 2026. A 2023 Peptide Partners technical note indicates lyophilised research peptides are typically stable for 12+ months when properly stored, and reconstituted material can often remain usable for several weeks under sterile refrigeration. For longer storage, aliquot before freezing and keep stocks at −20 °C or lower. Repeated freeze-thaw cycles are a more reliable cause of degradation than time at 4 °C alone.
These are general research-handling conventions. Researchers comparing protocols across mitochondrial-axis work with Epithalon or NAD+ precursors should defer to their own institutional SOPs and the Body Pharm CoA shipped with each batch.
Frequently Asked Questions, MOTS-C Research Peptide
MOTS-C is a 16-residue mitochondrial-derived peptide (sequence MRWQEMGYIFYPRKLR) supplied for non-clinical laboratory use only. The answers below address the queries we see most often from South African researchers evaluating the Body Pharm 10mg vial.
Is MOTS-C legal to buy in South Africa for research?
Importation for non-clinical laboratory work is generally permitted under institutional or sectional licences. SAHPRA treats pharmacologically active synthetic polypeptides intended for human administration as medicines requiring registration under the Medicines and Related Substances Act 101 of 1965. On-selling to the public or promoting MOTS-C for human use without registration contravenes SAHPRA policy. Consult current SAHPRA guidance and legal counsel before importing or distributing.
What is the difference between MOTS-C and humanin?
Both are mitochondrial-derived peptides encoded within mtDNA. MOTS-C (16 residues, from the 12S rRNA region) signals primarily through AMPK and skeletal-muscle metabolism. Humanin (21–24 residues, from the 16S rRNA region) is studied chiefly for cytoprotective and anti-apoptotic activity. They are not interchangeable comparators in assay design.
What purity should a research-grade MOTS-C vial have?
≥98% by HPLC is the conventional minimum for publication-grade peptide work. Mass confirmation by ESI-MS (electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry) or MALDI-TOF (matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation time-of-flight) is standard. Confirm the figure on the batch-specific CoA shipped with the vial rather than relying on catalogue claims.
How long does MOTS-C remain stable after reconstitution?
No MOTS-C-specific 4 °C stability curve has been published as of 2026. Vendor guidance for lyophilised peptides indicates reconstituted material can often be used for several weeks under sterile refrigeration. The common 28-day discard rule reflects bacteriostatic-water requirements rather than peptide degradation. Aliquot and store at −20 °C for longer holding.
Is Body Pharm MOTS-C 10mg suitable for in vivo animal studies?
The material is supplied for research use only. Suitability for any specific in vivo rodent protocol depends on your institutional animal ethics approval, endotoxin testing requirements, and the batch CoA. Researchers cross-referencing mitochondrial-axis protocols may also review Epithalon and NAD+ peptide data alongside MOTS-C.
Next Steps
Before procurement, request a batch-specific certificate of analysis from your supplier and confirm HPLC purity (≥98%) and lot-matched molecular weight. Consult your institutional compliance officer on import licensing requirements under the Medicines and Related Substances Act 101 of 1965. If you are designing a comparative mitochondrial-health panel, cross-reference the Body Pharm MOTS-C specification against Epithalon and NAD+ procurement standards to ensure consistent quality assurance across your study.
