GHRP-6: clinical evidence record
Also known as: Growth Hormone-Releasing Peptide-6
Oliver Mackman · Editorial director · Best Business Loans Ltd (16833937)
Last updated 2026-05-22
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AI-friendly summary · GHRP-6
Phase 1 and Phase 2 early-development work in the 1990s. Did not progress to a licensed indication. Bulk of contemporary literature is preclinical growth-hormone-secretagogue pharmacology.
Mechanism of action
How GHRP-6 works
Synthetic hexapeptide ghrelin mimetic acting at the GHSR-1a receptor. Stimulates pulsatile pituitary GH release via ghrelin-pathway activation in published preclinical work.
Top peer-reviewed citations
Selection of the most-cited peer-reviewed literature on GHRP-6. Where a verified PMID or DOI is shown, the citation links to the original record. Other citations list the title, authors, journal and year so the reader can locate the paper through the journal index or the PubMed search linked below. PeptideClear publishes editorial commentary, not clinical guidance.
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On the in vitro and in vivo activity of a new synthetic hexapeptide that acts on the pituitary to specifically release growth hormone
Bowers CY, Momany F, Reynolds GA, Hong A. Endocrinology, 1984.
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A receptor in pituitary and hypothalamus that functions in growth hormone release
Smith RG, Cheng K, Schoen WR, et al.. Science (New York, N.Y.), 1996.
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GH-releasing hormone and GH-releasing peptide-6 for diagnostic testing in GH-deficient adults
Popovic V, Damjanovic S, Micic D, et al.. Lancet (London, England), 2000.
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Growth Hormone-Releasing Peptide-6 (GHRP-6) Ameliorates Post-Infarct Ventricular Remodeling and Systolic Dysfunction in a Model of Permanent Coronary Ligation
Wang L, Rodriguez-Ulloa A, Berlanga-Acosta J, et al.. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland), 2026.
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Growth hormone releasing peptide-6 (GHRP-6) ameliorates acute lung injury and its subsequent evolvement to interstitial fibrosis
Wang L, Berlanga-Acosta J, Yu H, et al.. International immunopharmacology, 2026.
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Growth hormone-releasing peptide 6 (GHRP-6) hydrogel for acute kidney injury therapy via metabolic regulation
Zhao X, Pan K, Li R, et al.. Journal of nanobiotechnology, 2025.
Full PubMed search: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=GHRP-6.
Registered clinical trials
As of 2026-07-13, GHRP-6 has 1 interventional trial listed on ClinicalTrials.gov and the ISRCTN registry. Registration means a study is planned, running or completed. It is not evidence of efficacy, and a listing is not an endorsement.
| Study | Phase | Status | Location | Registry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The prevalence of growth hormone deficiency in autoimmune thyroid disease ISRCTN57632130 | Not Specified | No longer recruiting | Netherlands | ISRCTN |
Source: ClinicalTrials.gov and the ISRCTN registry, refreshed 2026-07-13. See the peptide clinical-trials tracker for the full picture across compounds.
UK regulatory status
Plain-English summary of where GHRP-6 sits under the four UK and international frameworks that govern peptide supply. Editorial commentary, not legal advice.
- Misuse of Drugs Act 1971: Not controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.
- Psychoactive Substances Act 2016: Not scheduled under the Psychoactive Substances Act 2016.
- MHRA medicines classification: No UK marketing authorisation as a medicine.
- WADA Prohibited List: WADA Prohibited List S2 (peptide hormones, growth factors), prohibited at all times.
Risks and unknowns
What the literature does not yet show about GHRP-6
Known concerns
- The published work on GHRP-6 is preclinical. Findings in rodent or in vitro models do not establish that the same thing happens in people, and the step from an animal model to a human outcome is where most candidate compounds fail.
- The body of published work on GHRP-6 is small, at 6 papers in our record. A thin literature means individual findings carry more weight than they should, and one contrary result can change the picture.
- 1 registered interventional trials exist for GHRP-6 and 1 are recruiting, so the evidence base is actively moving. A registration is not a result, and a recruiting trial has by definition not reported.
- GHRP-6 holds no UK marketing authorisation, so nothing you can buy has been assessed by a regulator, released by batch, or dispensed by an accountable pharmacy. Purity, dose accuracy and sterility rest entirely on the seller's own documentation.
- GHRP-6 appears on the WADA Prohibited List. For anyone subject to testing under UK Anti-Doping or an international federation, use is a violation, and detection windows for peptide metabolites extend well beyond the period of use.
Open questions in the literature
- Human pharmacokinetics for GHRP-6 have not been formally characterised, so how much reaches circulation, for how long, and what the body does with it are open questions.
- Interactions between GHRP-6 and prescribed medicines are not systematically studied, which matters most for anyone already on treatment for a long-term condition.
Regulatory note
No UK marketing authorisation as a medicine. Prohibited at all times under WADA S2 (peptide hormones, growth factors). The moment a UK seller or commentator makes a therapeutic claim, MHRA can treat the product as an unlicensed medicinal product.
Important: PeptideClear publishes encyclopedia commentary only and does not recommend human use. Speak to a UK-registered prescriber before any medical decision.
Related reading on PeptideClear
Frequently asked questions
What is the evidence level for GHRP-6?
What is the UK regulatory status of GHRP-6?
Has GHRP-6 been tested in human clinical trials?
Where can I read the source literature for GHRP-6?
Last verified 2026-05-22. Editorial commentary, not legal or clinical advice. Citations without a linked identifier can be located through the PubMed search and the journal index.