GHRH
Hypothalamic peptide that stimulates anterior-pituitary growth-hormone release.
For laboratory and research use only — not for human consumption.
Growth-hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) is a 44-amino-acid hypothalamic peptide synthesised by neurons in the arcuate nucleus and released into the hypophyseal portal circulation, where it binds the GHRH receptor (GHRHR) on anterior-pituitary somatotrophs to stimulate growth-hormone synthesis and pulsatile release. GHRH is the principal endogenous stimulus of the GH axis; its opposing peptide is somatostatin, which suppresses GH release. Synthetic GHRH analogues such as sermorelin (GHRH 1-29) and tesamorelin (a stabilised analogue) reproduce the physiological pulsatile pattern of GH release and are studied for indications including HIV-associated lipodystrophy (tesamorelin holds FDA approval) and age-related GH decline. GHRH analogues are mechanistically distinct from GHRP-class secretagogues (which act at the GHSR/ghrelin receptor) and are often combined with them in research protocols for synergistic GH release. Tesamorelin is the prototype clinical-grade GHRH analogue; sermorelin has a long-established research record.