Abstract
The synthesis of two steroisomeric pentapeptides, D-histidyl-L-phenylalanyl-L-arginyl-L-tryptophylglycine and L-histidyl-L-phenylalanyl-L-arginyl-D-tryptophylglycine was described and their melanocyte-expanding activities have been assayed in vitro. It was observed that D-histidyl-L-phenylalanyl-L-arginyl-L-tryptophylglycine is biologically inert while L-histidyl-L-phenylalanyl-L-arginyl-D-tryptophylglycine possesses 1 x 105 MSH U/g.