Ipamorelin: Research Applications
21 PubMed CitationsExpert ReviewedGMP CertifiedLast Reviewed: February 2026
Research Applications
Ipamorelin research spans 8+ indication categories across GH physiology, GI motility, musculoskeletal biology, and pain:
- Selective GH Secretion — Pulsatile GH release without ACTH/cortisol effects; potency comparable to GHRP-6 but with GHRH-like selectivity.[1]
- Postoperative Ileus (POI) — Accelerates gastric emptying via GHS-R1a on cholinergic neurons; reduces stomach retention to <25% (vs 78% vehicle). Phase II trial failed (p=0.15).[4][6]
- Bone Growth & Metabolism — Dose-dependent longitudinal bone growth (42→52 µm/day, p<0.0001); increased tibial/vertebral BMC in adult rats.[3][8]
- Glucocorticoid-Induced Catabolism — Counteracts GC-induced decreases: periosteal bone formation rate increased 4-fold; increased maximum tetanic muscle tension.[12]
- Body Composition & Adiposity — GH-independent adipogenic effects; increases food intake and serum leptin in both GH-deficient and GH-intact mice.[9]
- Insulin Secretion — Stimulates insulin release via calcium channels and adrenergic receptor pathways in normal and diabetic pancreatic tissue.[10]
- Pain Modulation / Nociception — Attenuates visceral and somatic nociception via peripheral ghrelin receptors; dose-dependent reduction in visceromotor response.[17]
- Cancer Cachexia / Emesis — Inhibits cisplatin-induced weight loss in ferrets; confirmed efficacy in non-rodent wasting model.[14]
References
- Raun K, Hansen BS, Johansen NL, et al. Ipamorelin, the first selective growth hormone secretagogue. European Journal of Endocrinology. 1998;139(5):552-561.
- Gobburu JVS, Agersø H, Jusko WJ, Ynddal L. Pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic modeling of ipamorelin, a growth hormone releasing peptide, in human volunteers. Pharmaceutical Research. 1999;16(9):1412-1416.
- Johansen PB, Nowak J, Skjaerbaek C, et al. Ipamorelin, a new growth-hormone-releasing peptide, induces longitudinal bone growth in rats. Growth Hormone & IGF Research. 1999;9(2):106-113.
- Venkova K, Mann W, Nelson R, Greenwood-Van Meerveld B. Efficacy of ipamorelin, a novel ghrelin mimetic, in a rodent model of postoperative ileus. JPET. 2009;329(3):1110-1116.
- Greenwood-Van Meerveld B, Tyler K, Mohammadi E, Pietra C. Efficacy of ipamorelin on gastric dysmotility in a rodent model of postoperative ileus. Journal of Experimental Pharmacology. 2012;4:149-155.
- Beck DE, Sweeney WB, McCarter MD. Prospective, randomized, controlled, proof-of-concept study of the Ghrelin mimetic ipamorelin for the management of postoperative ileus in bowel resection patients. Int J Colorectal Dis. 2014;29(12):1527-1534.
- Jiménez-Reina L, Cañete R, de la Torre MJ, Bernal G. Chronic in vivo Ipamorelin treatment stimulates body weight gain and growth hormone release in vitro in young female rats. European Journal of Anatomy. 2002;6(1):37-45.
- Svensson J, Lall S, Dickson SL, Jansson JO. The GH secretagogues ipamorelin and GH-releasing peptide-6 increase bone mineral content in adult female rats. Journal of Endocrinology. 2000;165:569-577.
- Lall S, Tung LY, Ohlsson C, Jansson JO, Dickson SL. Growth hormone (GH)-independent stimulation of adiposity by GH secretagogues. BBRC. 2001;280(1):132-138.
- Adeghate E, Ponery AS. Mechanism of ipamorelin-evoked insulin release from the pancreas of normal and diabetic rats. Neuro Endocrinology Letters. 2004;25(6):403-406.
- Johansen PB, Hansen KT, Andersen JV, Johansen NL. Pharmacokinetic evaluation of ipamorelin with emphasis on nasal absorption. Xenobiotica. 1998;28(11):1083-1092.
- Andersen NB, Malmlöf K, Johansen PB, Oxlund H. The growth hormone secretagogue ipamorelin counteracts glucocorticoid-induced decrease in bone formation of adult rats. Growth Hormone & IGF Research. 2001;11(5):266-272.
- Hansen TK, Ankersen M, Raun K, Hansen BS. Highly Potent Growth Hormone Secretagogues: Hybrids of NN703 and Ipamorelin. Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters. 2001;11(14):1915-1918.
- Lu Z, Ngan MP, Liu JYH, Rudd JA. The GHS-R1a agonists anamorelin and ipamorelin inhibit cisplatin-induced weight loss in ferrets. Physiology & Behavior. 2024.
- Sinha DK, Balasubramanian A, Tatem AJ, et al. Beyond the androgen receptor: the role of growth hormone secretagogues in the modern management of body composition in hypogonadal males. Translational Andrology and Urology. 2020;9(Suppl 2):S149-S159.
- Thøgersen H, Johansen NL, Lau J, et al. A New Series of Highly Potent Growth Hormone-Releasing Peptides Derived from Ipamorelin. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry. 1998;41.
- Mohammadi E, Bhatt V, Bhatt AB, Pietra C, Greenwood-Van Meerveld B. Ipamorelin attenuates visceral and somatic nociception through peripheral ghrelin receptor mechanisms. 2020.
- U.S. Food & Drug Administration. FDA Evaluation of Ipamorelin-Related Bulk Drug Substances. FDA Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee. 2024.
- World Anti-Doping Agency. WADA Prohibited List — S2: Peptide Hormones, Growth Factors, Related Substances, and Mimetics. 2024.
- Polvino WJ. Methods of treatment using a ghrelin receptor agonist. US Patent 8,039,456 B2.
- Thøger Nielsen K, et al. Validated screening method for GH-releasing peptides using UHPLC-HRMS on dried blood spots. Drug Testing and Analysis. 2021.
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