GH-RELEASING ACTIVITY OF HEXARELIN, A NEW GROWTH-HORMONE RELEASING PEPTIDE, IN INFANT AND ADULT-RATS

In recent years several synthetic peptides have been shown to be active in inducing GH secretion in different mammalian species. Among them GHRP-6, GHRP-1 and GHRP-2 have demonstrated high effectiveness and high selectivity in stimulating GH release. In the present paper we report studies on the GH-secreting properties of a GHRP analog in which Trp was substituted with the chemically more stable 2-Methyl-Trp. In studies performed in conscious 10-day old rats, the hexapeptide Hexarelin (His-D-2Me-Trp-Ala-Trp-D-Phe-Lys-NH2) resulted very active in stimulating GH secretion. In anesthetized adult male rats, i.v. administration of GHRP-6 or Hexarelin elicited prompt GH release with peak GH levels occurring within 10 min At all the doses tested, the 2 peptides possessed similar effectiveness in stimulating GH release. Hexarelin given s.c. elicited a long-lasting GH release and was slightly more effective than GHRP-6. In conclusion, these findings indicate that Hexarelin is a highly effective GH releaser and might represent a valuable diagnostic and/or therapeutic tool in clinical practice.