Adrenocorticotropin- and cortisol-releasing effect of hexarelin, a synthetic growth hormone-releasing peptide, in normal subjects and patients with Cushing's syndrome.

Ghigo E, Arvat E, Ramunni J, Colao A, Gianotti L, Deghenghi R, Lombardi G, Camanni F

The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism1 Aug 1997Cited by 41 (Europe PMC)

PMID9253314DOI10.1210/jcem.82.8.4132PepBankPUB-09253314

Summary

The text of this summary is not shown here, because the article license does not allow reuse. Read it at the source (opens in a new tab)

Text rights: Publisher copyright. Results still quote short attributed sentences.

Results from this study13

13 results from studies that gave the peptide. 13 results from people.

01HumanNon-randomized trialActivity measurement
In normal subjects, hexarelin increased ACTH levels.
In plain wordsIn healthy people, hexarelin raised ACTH levels.
Peptide
Hexarelin
Outcome
IncreaseACTH rise after hexarelin, normal subjects
Study
n = 12
Comparator
Baseline
Outcome group
Stress hormones · Endocrine and hormones
Studied dose
2.0 micrograms/kg · intravenousAs given in this study (human).
Measurements
ACTH peak
32.4 pg/mL
after hexarelin
ACTH
16.3 pg/mL
baseline
Source sentences
Summary
In normal subjects, HEX administration significantly increased ACTH (peak us. baseline, mean +/- SD, 32.4 +/- 17.7 vs. 16.3 +/- 7.2 pg/mL; P < 0.005)
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
we compared the ACTH- and cortisol-releasing activity of Hexarelin (HEX; 2.0 micrograms/kg, iv), a hexapeptide belonging to the GHRP family, with that of human CRH (hCRH; 2.0 micrograms/kg, iv) in normal subjects (6 men and 6 women, 24-68 yr old) and patients with Cushing's syndrome (2 men and 15 women, 16-68 yr old)
Report a problemFND-0925331401
02HumanNon-randomized trialActivity measurement
In normal subjects, hexarelin increased cortisol levels.
In plain wordsIn healthy people, hexarelin raised cortisol levels.
Peptide
Hexarelin
Outcome
IncreaseCortisol rise after hexarelin, normal subjects
Study
n = 12
Comparator
Baseline
Outcome group
Stress hormones · Endocrine and hormones
Studied dose
2.0 micrograms/kg · intravenousAs given in this study (human).
Measurements
Cortisol peak
135.9 micrograms/L
after hexarelin
Cortisol
110 micrograms/L
baseline
Source sentences
Summary
and cortisol levels (135.9 +/- 51.0 vs. 110.0 +/- 31.6 micrograms/L; P < 0.01).
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
we compared the ACTH- and cortisol-releasing activity of Hexarelin (HEX; 2.0 micrograms/kg, iv), a hexapeptide belonging to the GHRP family, with that of human CRH (hCRH; 2.0 micrograms/kg, iv) in normal subjects (6 men and 6 women, 24-68 yr old) and patients with Cushing's syndrome (2 men and 15 women, 16-68 yr old)
Report a problemFND-0925331402
03HumanNon-randomized trialActivity measurement
In normal subjects, the ACTH response to hCRH was similar to the response to hexarelin.
In plain wordsIn healthy people, hexarelin and human CRH raised ACTH to a similar extent.
Peptide
Hexarelin
Outcome
No significant changeACTH response to hexarelin vs hCRH, normal subjects
Study
n = 12
Comparator
hCRH
Outcome group
Stress hormones · Endocrine and hormones
Studied dose
2.0 micrograms/kg · intravenousAs given in this study (human).
Measurements
ACTH peak after hCRH
35.7 pg/mL
normal subjects
Source sentences
Summary
The ACTH and cortisol responses to hCRH [35.7 +/- 13.2 vs. 17.1 +/- 7.7 pg/mL (P < 0.01) and 162.8 +/- 50.1 vs. 102.8 +/- 28.1 micrograms/L (P < 0.01), respectively] were similar to the responses to HEX.
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
we compared the ACTH- and cortisol-releasing activity of Hexarelin (HEX; 2.0 micrograms/kg, iv), a hexapeptide belonging to the GHRP family, with that of human CRH (hCRH; 2.0 micrograms/kg, iv) in normal subjects (6 men and 6 women, 24-68 yr old) and patients with Cushing's syndrome (2 men and 15 women, 16-68 yr old)
Report a problemFND-0925331403
04HumanNon-randomized trialActivity measurement
In normal subjects, the cortisol response to hCRH was similar to the response to hexarelin.
In plain wordsIn healthy people, hexarelin and human CRH raised cortisol to a similar extent.
Peptide
Hexarelin
Outcome
No significant changeCortisol response to hexarelin vs hCRH, normal subjects
Study
n = 12
Comparator
hCRH
Outcome group
Stress hormones · Endocrine and hormones
Studied dose
2.0 micrograms/kg · intravenousAs given in this study (human).
Measurements
Cortisol peak after hCRH
162.8 micrograms/L
normal subjects
Source sentences
Summary
The ACTH and cortisol responses to hCRH [35.7 +/- 13.2 vs. 17.1 +/- 7.7 pg/mL (P < 0.01) and 162.8 +/- 50.1 vs. 102.8 +/- 28.1 micrograms/L (P < 0.01), respectively] were similar to the responses to HEX.
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
we compared the ACTH- and cortisol-releasing activity of Hexarelin (HEX; 2.0 micrograms/kg, iv), a hexapeptide belonging to the GHRP family, with that of human CRH (hCRH; 2.0 micrograms/kg, iv) in normal subjects (6 men and 6 women, 24-68 yr old) and patients with Cushing's syndrome (2 men and 15 women, 16-68 yr old)
Report a problemFND-0925331404
05HumanNon-randomized trialActivity measurement
In patients with Cushing's disease, hexarelin elicited a clear increase in ACTH levels.
In plain wordsIn patients with Cushing's disease, hexarelin clearly raised ACTH levels.
Peptide
Hexarelin
Outcome
IncreaseACTH rise after hexarelin, Cushing's disease
Study
n: not reported in source
Comparator
Baseline
Outcome group
Stress hormones · Endocrine and hormones
Studied dose
2.0 micrograms/kg · intravenousAs given in this study (human).
Measurements
ACTH peak
381.1 pg/mL
after hexarelin
ACTH
52.4 pg/mL
baseline
Source sentences
Summary
In fact, in Cushing's disease both HEX and hCRH elicited a clear increase in ACTH levels [381.1 +/- 350.0 vs. 52.4 +/- 25.0 (P < 0.005)
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
we compared the ACTH- and cortisol-releasing activity of Hexarelin (HEX; 2.0 micrograms/kg, iv), a hexapeptide belonging to the GHRP family, with that of human CRH (hCRH; 2.0 micrograms/kg, iv) in normal subjects (6 men and 6 women, 24-68 yr old) and patients with Cushing's syndrome (2 men and 15 women, 16-68 yr old)
Report a problemFND-0925331405
06HumanNon-randomized trialActivity measurement
In patients with Cushing's disease, hexarelin elicited a significant increase in cortisol levels.
In plain wordsIn patients with Cushing's disease, hexarelin raised cortisol levels.
Peptide
Hexarelin
Outcome
IncreaseCortisol rise after hexarelin, Cushing's disease
Study
n: not reported in source
Comparator
Baseline
Outcome group
Stress hormones · Endocrine and hormones
Studied dose
2.0 micrograms/kg · intravenousAs given in this study (human).
Measurements
Cortisol peak
366.9 micrograms/L
after hexarelin
Cortisol
189.7 micrograms/L
baseline
Source sentences
Summary
Similarly, both HEX and hCRH elicited a significant increase in cortisol levels [366.9 +/- 189.5 vs. 189.7 +/- 86.3 micrograms/L (P < 0.005)
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
we compared the ACTH- and cortisol-releasing activity of Hexarelin (HEX; 2.0 micrograms/kg, iv), a hexapeptide belonging to the GHRP family, with that of human CRH (hCRH; 2.0 micrograms/kg, iv) in normal subjects (6 men and 6 women, 24-68 yr old) and patients with Cushing's syndrome (2 men and 15 women, 16-68 yr old)
Report a problemFND-0925331406
07HumanNon-randomized trialActivity measurement
The ACTH response to hexarelin was higher in patients with Cushing's disease than in normal subjects.
In plain wordsHexarelin raised ACTH more in patients with Cushing's disease than in healthy people.
Peptide
Hexarelin
Outcome
IncreaseACTH response to hexarelin, Cushing's disease vs normal subjects
Study
n: not reported in source
Comparator
Normal subjects
Outcome group
Stress hormones · Endocrine and hormones
Studied dose
2.0 micrograms/kg · intravenousAs given in this study (human).
Source sentences
Summary
The stimulatory effect of HEX, but not that of hCRH, on both ACTH and cortisol secretion in Cushing's disease was clearly higher (P < 0.01) than that observed in normal subjects.
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
we compared the ACTH- and cortisol-releasing activity of Hexarelin (HEX; 2.0 micrograms/kg, iv), a hexapeptide belonging to the GHRP family, with that of human CRH (hCRH; 2.0 micrograms/kg, iv) in normal subjects (6 men and 6 women, 24-68 yr old) and patients with Cushing's syndrome (2 men and 15 women, 16-68 yr old)
Report a problemFND-0925331407
08HumanNon-randomized trialActivity measurement
The cortisol response to hexarelin was higher in patients with Cushing's disease than in normal subjects.
In plain wordsHexarelin raised cortisol more in patients with Cushing's disease than in healthy people.
Peptide
Hexarelin
Outcome
IncreaseCortisol response to hexarelin, Cushing's disease vs normal subjects
Study
n: not reported in source
Comparator
Normal subjects
Outcome group
Stress hormones · Endocrine and hormones
Studied dose
2.0 micrograms/kg · intravenousAs given in this study (human).
Source sentences
Summary
The stimulatory effect of HEX, but not that of hCRH, on both ACTH and cortisol secretion in Cushing's disease was clearly higher (P < 0.01) than that observed in normal subjects.
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
we compared the ACTH- and cortisol-releasing activity of Hexarelin (HEX; 2.0 micrograms/kg, iv), a hexapeptide belonging to the GHRP family, with that of human CRH (hCRH; 2.0 micrograms/kg, iv) in normal subjects (6 men and 6 women, 24-68 yr old) and patients with Cushing's syndrome (2 men and 15 women, 16-68 yr old)
Report a problemFND-0925331408
09HumanNon-randomized trialActivity measurement
In patients with Cushing's disease, the ACTH increase with hexarelin was about 7-fold greater than with hCRH.
In plain wordsIn patients with Cushing's disease, hexarelin raised ACTH about 7 times more than human CRH did.
Peptide
Hexarelin
Outcome
IncreaseACTH increase, hexarelin vs hCRH in Cushing's disease
Study
n: not reported in source
Comparator
hCRH
Outcome group
Stress hormones · Endocrine and hormones
Studied dose
2.0 micrograms/kg · intravenousAs given in this study (human).
Measurements
ACTH increase ratio, hexarelin vs hCRH
≈ 7 fold
Cushing's disease
Source sentences
Summary
but the ACTH increase induced by HEX was about 7-fold greater (P < 0.02) than that induced by hCRH.
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
we compared the ACTH- and cortisol-releasing activity of Hexarelin (HEX; 2.0 micrograms/kg, iv), a hexapeptide belonging to the GHRP family, with that of human CRH (hCRH; 2.0 micrograms/kg, iv) in normal subjects (6 men and 6 women, 24-68 yr old) and patients with Cushing's syndrome (2 men and 15 women, 16-68 yr old)
Report a problemFND-0925331409
10HumanNon-randomized trialActivity measurement
In patients with Cushing's disease, the cortisol increase with hexarelin was about 4-fold greater than with hCRH.
In plain wordsIn patients with Cushing's disease, hexarelin raised cortisol about 4 times more than human CRH did.
Peptide
Hexarelin
Outcome
IncreaseCortisol increase, hexarelin vs hCRH in Cushing's disease
Study
n: not reported in source
Comparator
hCRH
Outcome group
Stress hormones · Endocrine and hormones
Studied dose
2.0 micrograms/kg · intravenousAs given in this study (human).
Measurements
Cortisol increase ratio, hexarelin vs hCRH
≈ 4 fold
Cushing's disease
Source sentences
Summary
but the cortisol increase induced by HEX was about 4-fold greater (P < 0.05) than that induced by hCRH.
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
we compared the ACTH- and cortisol-releasing activity of Hexarelin (HEX; 2.0 micrograms/kg, iv), a hexapeptide belonging to the GHRP family, with that of human CRH (hCRH; 2.0 micrograms/kg, iv) in normal subjects (6 men and 6 women, 24-68 yr old) and patients with Cushing's syndrome (2 men and 15 women, 16-68 yr old)
Report a problemFND-0925331410
11HumanNon-randomized trialActivity measurement
In patients with Cushing's syndrome due to adrenal adenoma or ectopic ACTH, hexarelin did not change ACTH levels.
In plain wordsIn patients with Cushing's syndrome from an adrenal adenoma or ectopic ACTH, hexarelin did not change ACTH levels.
Peptide
Hexarelin
Outcome
No significant changeACTH response to hexarelin, adrenal adenoma or ectopic ACTH
Study
n: not reported in source
Outcome group
Stress hormones · Endocrine and hormones
Studied dose
2.0 micrograms/kg · intravenousAs given in this study (human).
Source sentences
Summary
In patients with Cushing's syndrome due to adrenal adenoma or ectopic ACTH, no change in ACTH and cortisol levels was observed after either HEX or hCRH administration.
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
we compared the ACTH- and cortisol-releasing activity of Hexarelin (HEX; 2.0 micrograms/kg, iv), a hexapeptide belonging to the GHRP family, with that of human CRH (hCRH; 2.0 micrograms/kg, iv) in normal subjects (6 men and 6 women, 24-68 yr old) and patients with Cushing's syndrome (2 men and 15 women, 16-68 yr old)
Report a problemFND-0925331411
12HumanNon-randomized trialActivity measurement
In patients with Cushing's syndrome due to adrenal adenoma or ectopic ACTH, hexarelin did not change cortisol levels.
In plain wordsIn patients with Cushing's syndrome from an adrenal adenoma or ectopic ACTH, hexarelin did not change cortisol levels.
Peptide
Hexarelin
Outcome
No significant changeCortisol response to hexarelin, adrenal adenoma or ectopic ACTH
Study
n: not reported in source
Outcome group
Stress hormones · Endocrine and hormones
Studied dose
2.0 micrograms/kg · intravenousAs given in this study (human).
Source sentences
Summary
In patients with Cushing's syndrome due to adrenal adenoma or ectopic ACTH, no change in ACTH and cortisol levels was observed after either HEX or hCRH administration.
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
we compared the ACTH- and cortisol-releasing activity of Hexarelin (HEX; 2.0 micrograms/kg, iv), a hexapeptide belonging to the GHRP family, with that of human CRH (hCRH; 2.0 micrograms/kg, iv) in normal subjects (6 men and 6 women, 24-68 yr old) and patients with Cushing's syndrome (2 men and 15 women, 16-68 yr old)
Report a problemFND-0925331412
13HumanNon-randomized trialActivity measurement
The peak GH response to hexarelin was lower in hypercortisolemic patients than in normal subjects.
In plain wordsHexarelin raised growth hormone less in patients with high cortisol than in healthy people.
Peptide
Hexarelin
Outcome
DecreasePeak GH response to hexarelin, normal subjects vs hypercortisolemic patients
Study
n: not reported in source
Comparator
Normal subjects
Outcome group
Growth hormone and IGF-1 · Endocrine and hormones
Studied dose
2.0 micrograms/kg · intravenousAs given in this study (human).
Measurements
Peak GH
45.8 micrograms/L
normal subjects
Peak GH
22.4 micrograms/L
hypercortisolemic patients
Source sentences
Summary
The peak GH response to HEX in normal subjects was clearly higher (P < 0.03) than that in hypercortisolemic patients (45.8 +/- 20.5 vs. 22.4 +/- 21.1 micrograms/L).
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
we compared the ACTH- and cortisol-releasing activity of Hexarelin (HEX; 2.0 micrograms/kg, iv), a hexapeptide belonging to the GHRP family, with that of human CRH (hCRH; 2.0 micrograms/kg, iv) in normal subjects (6 men and 6 women, 24-68 yr old) and patients with Cushing's syndrome (2 men and 15 women, 16-68 yr old)
Report a problemFND-0925331413

AI wrote and checked these results. AI can make mistakes, so check important results against the source.

Version history

PepBank keeps every version of the data on this study. Status changes from Retraction Watch, Europe PMC and Crossref are listed with their source.

Version 2Current
13 Oct 2026, 21:44 UTC
Study results updated
Version 1
13 Oct 2026, 16:31 UTC
First added · source update from Europe PMC

Subjects

Terms as the source lists them.

Publication types

MeSH terms

PepBank is a research reference. Talk to a doctor before you use any peptide.