Ghrelin: Probable Therapeutic Uses

 

Improving appetite in Anorexia nervosa

Improving appetite in Septic states: Ghrelin levels decrease in the later stages of sepsis. Int J Mol Med. 2003 Nov;12(5):777-81.

Improve cachexia in Cardiac,   Circulation. 2004 Dec 14;110(24):3674-9.  Cancer,  J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2005 May;90(5):2920-6 ;   J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2004 Jun;89(6):2832-6. HIV, COPD Chest. 2005 Sep;128(3):1187-93,  CRF  Pediatr Nephrol. 2005 Mar;20(3):427-31

GH testing

Obesity Treatment: Ghrelin antagonism for obesity either pharmacological blockade of the Ghrelin receptor or modulation of Ghrelin via Leptin manipulation, or even gene therapy to decrease Ghrelin receptor expression or increase Leptin receptors

Increasing BMD ?

Improving post-operative gastric ileus? Ghrelin induces the migrating motor complex and accelerates gastric emptying. These are effects typical for motilin, the only peptide structurally related to Ghrelin. Moreover, the receptors of both peptides are structurally related as well. Ghrelin has very weak if any interaction with the motilin receptor. Therefore, the motor effects must be due to the stimulation of specific central or peripheral Ghrelin receptors. In the guinea pig there is evidence for Ghrelin receptors on myenteric neurons.  In vivo the effect of Ghrelin can be blocked by vagotomy and there is evidence for Ghrelin receptors on vagal afferents and in the nodose ganglion. Centrally administered Ghrelin also accelerates gastric emptying. Ghrelin injected into the lateral ventricle of fasted animals potentiates phase III-like contractions in the antrum and duodenum.  Ghrelin may thus affect gastrointestinal motility via specific Ghrelin receptors located on myenteric, vagal and central neurons. The fact that Ghrelin may reverse the effect of ileus on gastric emptying suggests that Ghrelin agonists could find therapeutical application as prokinetics. J Physiol Pharmacol. 2003 Dec;54 Suppl 4:95-103 Ghrelin is in fact effective in cases of post-operative gastric ileus where motilin itself, or its receptor agonist erythromycin have been ineffective. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol. 2002 Jun;282(6):G948-52.
 

Puberty initiation by altering LH pulse frequency

Ghrelin in Alzheimer's? Ghrelin receptors have been shown in hippocampus suggesting a role of Ghrelin in the regulation of memory. Brain Res Mol Brain Res. 1997 Aug;48(1):23-9.

 

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    This page was last updated on: 07/03/2007

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