Description
Description
GH Ipa (Ipamorelin, NNC 26-0161) is a synthetic pentapeptide growth hormone secretagogue (GHS) with the sequence Aib-His-D-2-Nal-D-Phe-Lys-NH?. It belongs to the broader class of ghrelin receptor (GHS-R1a) agonists and was first characterized in 1998 as the most selective GH-releasing compound described to that point.
Mechanism of Action
Ipamorelin binds to the growth hormone secretagogue receptor type 1a (GHS-R1a) located in the hypothalamus and anterior pituitary, mimicking the action of endogenous ghrelin and stimulating pulsatile release of growth hormone (GH) from somatotrophs. It also acts as a functional somatostatin antagonist. Critically, ipamorelin demonstrates high selectivity for the GH axis: at doses producing robust GH release, it does not elicit clinically significant elevations in cortisol, prolactin, ACTH, or aldosterone—distinguishing it from earlier GHS compounds such as GHRP-6 and GHRP-2.
Research Applications
Ipamorelin has been evaluated in randomized controlled trials for postoperative gastrointestinal recovery and ileus, and in preclinical models of bone mineral density, age-related muscle wasting research, and somatotropic-axis signaling. It is widely used in comparative receptor-binding studies of ghrelin mimetics and in research on isolated GH pulsatility independent of HPA-axis activation.
CAS Number: 170851-70-4 | Molecular Formula: C??H??N?O? | Molecular Weight: 711.86 g/mol | Purity: >99% (HPLC Verified) | For Research Use Only.
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