Growth_hormone_secretagogue
Growth hormone secretagogue
Class of drugs
Growth hormone secretagogues or GH secretagogues (GHSs) are a class of drugs which act as secretagogues (i.e., induce the secretion) of growth hormone (GH).[1] They include agonists of the ghrelin/growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHSR), such as ghrelin (lenomorelin), pralmorelin (GHRP-2), GHRP-6, examorelin (hexarelin), ipamorelin, and ibutamoren (MK-677),[1][2] and agonists of the growth hormone-releasing hormone receptor (GHRHR), such as growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH, somatorelin), CJC-1295,[3] sermorelin,[4] and tesamorelin.[5]
Many of them also induce the secretion of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1),[6] as well as of other hypothalamic-pituitary hormones such as prolactin and cortisol. The main clinical application of these agents is the treatment of growth hormone deficiency.[7] They also see black market use, similarly to anabolic steroids, for bodybuilding purposes.