RESEARCH USE ONLY
Ipamorelin

Ipamorelin

5mg

≥99% PURE

Ipamorelin is a selective ghrelin-receptor (GHS-R1a) agonist designed to stimulate growth-hormone (GH) release with minimal activation of other pituitary axes in preclinical systems. In rodent and swine models, ipamorelin elicits rapid, pulse-like GH secretion from pituitary somatotrophs without meaningful elevations in prolactin, thyroid-stimulating hormone, or gonadotropins; unlike several earlier GHRPs, it shows little to no activation of the ACTH–cortisol axis at pharmacologic multiples of the GH-effective dose. Ipamorelin has been used in animal and cell studies to model GH pulse generation, pituitary selectivity, bone-tissue signaling, and interactions with somatostatin/GHRH tone.

Key Features

Selective GHS-R1a agonist
GH secretagogue
≥99% HPLC purity with MS/MS verification
USA manufactured
Lyophilized powder form
Laboratory research only

Research Applications

GH pulse generation modeling
Pituitary selectivity studies
Bone-tissue signaling research
Somatostatin/GHRH tone interactions
Skeletal and connective-tissue studies
Gastrointestinal motility research
Endocrine rhythm experiments
Bone mineral content studies

The information provided is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be interpreted as medical advice. All products described herein are intended strictly for laboratory and research use. They are not approved for human or veterinary administration, and should only be handled by qualified professionals in controlled research environments. Any clinical research must be conducted under the supervision and approval of an Institutional Review Board (IRB), and all preclinical studies must adhere to Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) guidelines in accordance with the Animal Welfare Act (AWA). Users are encouraged to conduct their own due diligence, referencing trusted scientific sources and verifying all information independently before making any purchasing or experimental decisions.
⚠️ Notice: All products are sold for laboratory and research purposes only. They are not intended for diagnostic, therapeutic, or personal use under any circumstances.

Ipamorelin

Overview

Ipamorelin is a selective ghrelin-receptor (GHS-R1a) agonist designed to stimulate growth-hormone (GH) release with minimal activation of other pituitary axes in preclinical systems. In rodent and swine models, ipamorelin elicits rapid, pulse-like GH secretion from pituitary somatotrophs without meaningful elevations in prolactin, thyroid-stimulating hormone, or gonadotropins; unlike several earlier GHRPs, it shows little to no activation of the ACTH–cortisol axis at pharmacologic multiples of the GH-effective dose. Ipamorelin has been used in animal and cell studies to model GH pulse generation, pituitary selectivity, bone-tissue signaling, and interactions with somatostatin/GHRH tone.

Mechanistic Insights

  • Receptor specificity: Pharmacologic profiling in rodent pituitary cells demonstrates GH release via a GHRP-like receptor distinct from the GHRH receptor.
  • Selective endocrine profile: In swine and rodent preparations, ipamorelin increases circulating GH while sparing ACTH/cortisol and prolactin, indicating pituitary-axis selectivity in vivo.
  • Counter-regulation context: Rat studies with related GHRPs show interactions with somatostatin/GHRH tone, providing a framework to model ipamorelin's ability to generate GH pulses under varying inhibitory/activating inputs.
  • System linkage: Discovery work on ghrelin established GHS-R1a as the physiologic gateway that synthetic secretagogues exploit in animal systems.

Key Research Findings / Observations

1. Potent, Pulse-Like GH Release in Animal Models

  • Stimulates GH secretion from primary rat pituitary cells with potency/efficacy comparable to GHRP-6.
  • Produces robust GH peaks in anesthetized rats and conscious swine with dose-dependent kinetics.
  • Supports use as a tool compound to model acute GH pulsatility in vivo.

2. Selective GH Axis Activation (Minimal Off-Target Pituitary Effects)

  • In swine experiments, ipamorelin did not raise ACTH/cortisol, prolactin, TSH, or gonadotropins at doses many-fold above the GH ED₅₀.
  • Preclinical selectivity distinguishes it from earlier GHRPs that co-activate the HPA axis, enabling "cleaner" GH pulse modeling.

3. Somatotroph Plasticity Without Desensitization (Rodent Studies)

  • Chronic ipamorelin exposure in young female rats increased body-weight gain and maintained inducible GH release ex vivo, suggesting preserved somatotroph responsiveness rather than tachyphylaxis.
  • In vitro analyses of pituitaries from ipamorelin-treated rats showed increased intracellular GH content after stimulation, consistent with dynamic somatotroph regulation.

4. Skeletal and Connective-Tissue Signaling in Rodents

  • In adult female rats, ipamorelin increased bone mineral content (BMC) by DXA; ex vivo measures indicated increased cortical/total BMC via bone growth (dimensions) rather than volumetric BMD change.
  • In glucocorticoid-treated adult rats, ipamorelin counteracted suppression of bone formation, indicating preservation of bone-forming activity under catabolic conditions.
  • Follow-up work in rats reported dose-dependent increases in longitudinal bone growth rate and body-weight gain without changes in total circulating IGF-I.

5. Synergy Framework With GHRH (Preclinical Context)

  • Rodent and mechanistic studies with ghrelin-pathway agonists and GHRH show additive/amplified GH pulse amplitudes versus either pathway alone, supporting a dual-input model (ghrelin/GHRH) for pulse generation used in endocrine-rhythm experiments.

6. Gastrointestinal and Autonomic Effects of Ghrelin-Pathway Agonism (Rodent Models)

  • In a rat model of postoperative ileus, ipamorelin accelerated GI transit and improved POI-related endpoints, consistent with ghrelin-pathway actions on motility.
  • These findings are used in preclinical contexts to explore gut–brain–pituitary interactions of GHS-R agonists.

7. Laboratory Tolerability in Animal Studies

  • Across rodent and swine pharmacology/toxicology summaries, ipamorelin was generally well-tolerated, with reports largely limited to expected procedure-related findings and no systemic organ toxicity at experimental doses.

Research References

(Animal, cell, and mechanistic sources only; no human-use claims are made.)

  1. Raun K., et al. "Ipamorelin, the first selective growth hormone secretagogue." Eur J Endocrinol. 1998;139(5):552–561. (Rat pituitary cells; anesthetized rats; conscious swine; endocrine selectivity).
  2. Ankersen M., et al. "A new series of highly potent growth hormone-releasing peptides derived from ipamorelin." J Med Chem. 1998;41(19):3699–3704. (Rat pituitary assay; in vivo potency in anesthetized rats).
  3. Svensson J., et al. "The GH secretagogues ipamorelin and GHRP-6 increase bone mineral content in adult female rats." J Endocrinol. 2000;165(3):569–577. (DXA/ex vivo bone analyses).
  4. Andersen N.B., et al. "The growth hormone secretagogue ipamorelin counteracts glucocorticoid-induced decrease in bone formation of adult rats." Growth Horm IGF Res. 2001;11(3):187–195. (Bone-formation preservation under glucocorticoids).
  5. Johansen P.B., et al. "Ipamorelin, a new growth-hormone-releasing peptide: pharmacodynamics in rats." (Preclinical pituitary responsiveness and GH kinetics; marginal changes with repeated exposure). Acta Pharmacol Toxicol/Related journal entry. 1999.
  6. Jiménez-Reina L., et al. "Chronic in vivo ipamorelin treatment stimulates body-weight gain and GH release in vitro in young female rats." Histol Histopathol. 2002;17:707–714. (Somatotroph population dynamics; preserved responsiveness).
  7. Conley L.K., et al. "Mechanism of action of hexarelin and GHRP-6: analysis of the involvement of GHRH and somatostatin in the rat." Neuroendocrinology. 1995;61(4):445–454. (Preclinical synergy framework for ghrelin-pathway agonists with GHRH; counter-regulation by somatostatin).
  8. Kojima M., et al. "Ghrelin: discovery of the natural endogenous ligand for the growth hormone secretagogue receptor." Nature. 1999;402:656–660; and reviews on ghrelin receptor physiology. (Defines the physiologic pathway exploited by ipamorelin in animals).
  9. Venkova K., et al. "Efficacy of ipamorelin, a ghrelin mimetic, in a rodent model of postoperative ileus." Neurogastroenterol Motil. 2009;21(5):515–e1. (GI motility effects in rats).
  10. Veldhuis J.D., et al. "Integrating GHS into the ghrelin system." Int J Endocrinol. 2010;2010:879503. (Mechanistic review; preclinical context for GHS/GHRH interactions and pulse amplification).

Product Specifications

Form:

Lyophilized powder

Storage:

Store at -20°C, keep refrigerated upon reconstitution

Solubility:

Soluble in sterile water and 0.9% NaCl solution

Research-use only. All information summarizes preclinical and in-vitro studies and is not intended for diagnostic, therapeutic, or personal use.

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