Mechanism of Action
GHRH Receptor Agonism
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The compound binds the receptor for growth hormone releasing hormone on the pituitary gland and switches it on, which prompts the pituitary to release its own growth hormone. It is an indirect action: the compound is not growth hormone and supplies none. Because release still depends on the pituitary's own stores and on negative feedback, the resulting rise is pulsed rather than continuous.
Why it matters here
Most records filed under the growth hormone heading act either here or at the ghrelin receptor, and knowing which one tells you what a study actually measured: the pituitary's output, not a hormone that was injected.
What it is not
Not the same as taking growth hormone itself. A GHRH analogue asks the pituitary for hormone and recombinant growth hormone supplies it directly, so a trial of one is not evidence about the other. It is also not interchangeable with Ghrelin Receptor Agonism, even though growth hormone secretagogue gets used loosely for both.
Also called
- ghrh agonist
- ghrh receptor agonist
- growth hormone releasing hormone agonism
- ghrh-r agonism
- ghrh analog
- ghrh-r agonist
- growth hormone releasing hormone analog
- ghrh receptor
GHRH is growth hormone releasing hormone and GHRH-R is the receptor, so GHRH agonist and GHRH-R agonist name the same action. GHRH analog signals a modified copy of the natural hormone rather than a different mechanism. The bare alias ghrh also resolves to our Growth Hormone Axis category, so check which field you are reading.