Growth Hormone (human)

Growth Hormone (human) Uses, Dosage, Side Effects, Food Interaction and all others data.

Human growth hormone (HGH), also known as somatotropin, is a peptide hormone that is synthesized and secreted by the somatotropic cells of the anterior pituitary gland. Growth hormone plays an essential role in growth regulation during childhood as well as other basal metabolic functions, muscle and fat mass regulation, blood glucose level regulation, and lipid regulation in both children and adults. Synthesized in a strain of Escherichia coli, recombinant HGH is a polypeptide hormone that contains 191 amino acid residues with a molecular weight of 22 kDa. It has an identical primary protein structure to endogenous human growth hormone. Recombinant HGH has been commercially available since 1985 after its development by Genentech. Somatrem was the first available recombinant HGH and was largely replaced by somatropin, another form of recombinant HGH.

Growth hormone therapy is approved for various disorders of growth hormone deficiency, growth failure, or short stature including Turner syndrome, chronic renal insufficiency before transplantation, Prader-Willi syndrome, a history of fetal growth restriction, short stature homeobox (SHOX) haploinsufficiency, Noonan syndrome, idiopathic short stature, and adult- or childhood-onset growth hormone deficiency. Recombinant growth hormone is available as a subcutaneous injection for children and adults under a wide variety of brand names.

Growth Hormone (human) induces growth in nearly every tissue and organ in the body. It stimulates linear growth and cartilaginous growth of long bones. In children with short stature, growth hormone increases both the number and size of muscle cells. It also promotes the growth of internal organs, and it also increases red cell mass. By promoting nitrogen retention, growth hormone increases cellular protein synthesis. Growth hormone also retains potassium and phosphorus in the serum, which may be the result of cell growth. Growth hormone stimulates the synthesis of chondroitin sulfate and collagen and increases the urinary excretion of hydroxyproline. It has negligible effects on serum calcium levels. Although increased calcium excretion in the urine is observed, calcium absorption from the intestine is simultaneously enhanced. In end-stage renal disease, growth hormone was shown to improve several nutritional parameters, such as increases in serum insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), serum albumin, and transferrin, as well as a reduction in blood urea nitrogen.

Trade Name Growth Hormone (human)
Generic Somatotropin
Somatotropin Other Names Growth hormone, Growth hormone (human), hGH, Human growth hormone, Recombinant human growth hormone, rhGH, Somatotropin (human), Somatotropin human, Somatotropin human growth hormone, Somatropin, Somatropin (rDNA origin), Somatropin (recombinant DNA origin), Somatropin [rDNA origin], Somatropin recombinant, Somatropin(recombinant DNA origin), Somatropina
Type
Formula C990H1532N262O300S7
Weight 22129.0 Da
Protein binding

While there is no information regarding the protein binding profile of recombinant human growth hormones, endogenous growth hormone is typically complexed with growth hormone-binding protein, which is a soluble form of growth hormone receptor, when it is incubated with plasma in vitro.

Groups Approved, Investigational
Therapeutic Class
Manufacturer
Available Country
Last Updated: September 19, 2023 at 7:00 am
Growth Hormone (human)
Growth Hormone (human)

Uses

Growth Hormone (human) is a recombinant human growth hormone used as replacement therapy in various conditions of growth failure, growth hormone deficiency, and weakness in children and adults.

Growth Hormone (human) is indicated for the treatment of pediatric patients who have growth failure due to an inadequate secretion of endogenous growth hormone, short stature associated with Turner syndrome, Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS), idiopathic short stature (ISS), short stature or growth failure in short stature homeobox-containing gene (SHOX) deficiency, and short stature born small for gestational age (SGA). It is indicated for the treatment of growth failure in children associated with chronic kidney disease up to the time of renal transplantation.

It is also indicated for adults with adult-onset growth hormone deficiency, either alone or associated with multiple hormone deficiencies (hypopituitarism), as a result of pituitary disease, hypothalamic disease, surgery, radiation therapy, or trauma. It is also used to treat childhood-onset growth hormone deficiency in adults due to congenital, genetic, acquired, or idiopathic causes.

Growth Hormone (human) is indicated for the treatment of wasting or cachexia in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) who are receiving antiretroviral therapy to increase lean body mass and body weight and improve physical endurance.

Growth Hormone (human) is indicated for the treatment of short bowel syndrome in adult patients receiving specialized nutritional support.

Growth Hormone (human) is also used to associated treatment for these conditions: Adult Onset Growth Hormone Deficiency, Cachexia, Childhood-onset Growth Hormone Deficiency, Growth Failure, HIV Wasting Syndrome, Short Bowel Syndrome (SBS), Short Stature

How Growth Hormone (human) works

In conditions of growth failure, growth hormone deficiency, low body mass, and malnutrition, somatotropin treatment acts to mimic and restore the actions of endogenous growth hormone of stimulating linear bone growth, increasing bone mass, increasing muscle and reduced fat mass, and regulating blood glucose and lipid levels. Growth Hormone (human) mediates its effects both directly by somatotropin and indirectly by insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), which is upregulated by growth hormone. It binds to the human growth hormone receptor (GHR), which is a dimeric receptor expressed in target cells in the liver and cartilage. Upon binding of growth hormone, GHR dimerizes and interacts with Janus kinase 2 (JAK2), subsequently leading to tyrosine phosphorylation of JAK2 and the GH receptor. The signal transducer activator of transcription (STAT) pathway is initiated, where transcription factors such as STAT1, STAT3, and STAT5 are translocated into the nucleus to stimulate target gene transcription.

At the epiphysis or growth plate, growth hormone increases linear growth by promoting differentiation of prechondrocytes and expansion of osteoblasts. Growth hormone binding to its receptor in the liver and cartilage promotes the production of IGF-1, which acts on type 1 IGF receptors to also stimulate linear growth. In the liver, activated growth hormone receptor signalling leads to increased production of IGF binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) and acid-labile subunit (ALS), which are proteins that bind to IGF-1 in a ternary complex to increase its half-life.

Toxicity

The oral LD50 is 242 mg/kg in rats and 828 mg/kg in mice. The inhalatory LD50 is 710 mg/m3 and dermal LD50 is 1100 mg/kg in rats. The intraperitoneal LD50 in mice is 828 mg/kg.

Hypoglycemia followed by hyperglycemia, possibly with fluid retention, can be observed in somatropin overdose. Long-term or excessive use of growth hormone can lead to the signs and symptoms of gigantism and acromegaly.

Food Interaction

No interactions found.

Volume of Distribution

Information is unavailable.

Elimination Route

When somatotropin was administered subcutaneously at the dose of 0.024 mg/kg or 3 IU/m2, the Cmax ranged from 13.8 (±5.8) to 17.1 (±10.0) ng/mL and the Tmax was four to five hours. Following intravenous infusion of 33 ng/kg/min of somatotropin in patients with growth hormone deficiency, the mean steady-state serum levels of approximately 23.1 (±15.0) ng/mL were reached at 150 minutes.

Half Life

When somatotropin was administered subcutaneously at the dose of 0.024 mg/kg or 3 IU/m2, the mean apparent terminal half-life was Following intravenous infusion of 33 ng/kg/min of somatotropin in patients with growth hormone deficiency, the terminal elimination half-life was approximately 21.1 (±5.1) minutes.

Clearance

Following intravenous infusion of 33 ng/kg/min of somatotropin in patients with growth hormone deficiency, the mean clearance rate was approximately 2.3 (±1.8) mL/min/kg or 139 (±105) mL/min.

Elimination Route

Information is unavailable.

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