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Home/Growth Hormone, Longevity & Anti-Aging/GHRP-2

GHRP-2

Synthetic growth hormone-releasing hexapeptide from the GHRP series; ghrelin-receptor agonist used in GH-axis research.

Overview

GHRP-2 is a synthetic peptide from the growth hormone-releasing peptide (GHRP) family developed out of the work of Cyril Bowers in the 1980s. It acts as an agonist at the ghrelin receptor (GHS-R1a), the receptor that mediates ghrelin-driven growth hormone release. In Japan, GHRP-2 (pralmorelin) is an approved diagnostic agent for growth hormone stimulation testing, and the peptide is widely used in research contexts to probe the GH axis.

Mechanism

GHRP-2 binds the growth hormone secretagogue receptor 1a on pituitary somatotrophs and hypothalamic neurons, triggering GH release through pathways distinct from, but synergistic with, growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH). Its ghrelin-like pharmacology also produces small acute rises in prolactin, ACTH and cortisol, and appetite-related signaling. Structurally, GHRP-2 is a hexapeptide amide containing D-amino acid residues that protect it from rapid enzymatic degradation, and comparative studies describe a smaller appetite response than GHRP-6 at growth-hormone-equivalent doses.

Dosing

In research settings GHRP-2 is typically given by subcutaneous injection, often multiple times daily in protocols that pair it with a GHRH analog; in diagnostic use it is given as a single stimulation-test dose. Research dosing varies by protocol, and figures should be sourced from the primary literature rather than vendor listings.

Expected Effects

  • marked, transient increases in circulating growth hormone
  • elevation of IGF-1 with repeated administration in research protocols
  • modest increases in appetite-related signaling
  • acute rises in prolactin and cortisol observed in studies

Side Effects & Tolerability

Reported effects include transient hunger, mild increases in prolactin and cortisol, and injection-site reactions. Sustained stimulation of the GH axis carries recognized risks such as fluid retention and altered glucose handling, though controlled long-term data on peptide secretagogue use are limited.

Storage

Lyophilized GHRP-2 should be stored desiccated, protected from light, and kept frozen at -20 deg C or below. After reconstitution with a sterile solvent, solutions should be refrigerated at 2-8 deg C and used promptly, avoiding repeated freeze-thaw cycles.

Related peptides

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