peptide wiki

GHRP-6

aka Growth Hormone Releasing Peptide-6

Growth Hormone Secretagogues

Mechanism

GHRP-6 is a synthetic hexapeptide (His-D-Trp-Ala-Trp-D-Phe-Lys-NH2) growth hormone secretagogue and ghrelin receptor agonist. Developed by Bowers and Momany and first described in 1984, it was the first synthetic GHRP characterized and is defined by its pronounced appetite-stimulating effect — the strongest of any clinically studied GHRP. It has never been approved by the FDA or any regulatory agency and remains a research-only compound used off-label in the grey market.

Identification

CAS number87616-84-0
Molecular formulaC46H56N12O6
SequenceHWAWFK
Typical dose100–300 mcg subcutaneous, 2–3x daily
Half-life~2.5 hours (elimination half-life; distribution half-life ~7.6 minutes, from human PK study)

Vendors selling GHRP-6

VendorSizePriceListed purityTrust
Moglabs 5 mg $16.00 96
Ion Peptide 5 mg $29.00 95
Peptide Tech $19.99 94
Riptide Wellness $39.99 92
Qihang Peptide 87
Simple Peptide $39.00 85
Peptidegurus 5 mg 84
Peptidegurus 10 mg 84
Crystal Peptides 5 mg $29.99 66
Qing Li Peptide 63
Certified Peptides 10 mg $48.00 62
Nox Amino 10 mg $50.00 55
Peptiatlas 51
DongCheng Peptide 46
Mandy 5 mg $21.00 43
HongDa Peptide $29.00 43
HongDa Peptide $29.00 43
zztai Peptide Ltd 43
MJT peptides 5 mg $24.00 39
Alpha Omega $39.00
Atomik Labz 10 mg $39.00
Biotech Peptides 5 mg $21.00
Biotech Peptides 10 mg $39.00
Core Peptides 10 mg $20.00
Core Peptides 5 mg $20.00
Genetic Peptide 5 mg $33.00
Genetic Peptide 10 mg $33.00
Kimera Chems 5 mg $21.99
Modern Research Peptides 5 mg $24.99
Oasis Labs 10 mg $47.00
Peptira $34.00
Solution Peptides 10 mg $39.00
Solution Peptides 5 mg $19.00
Soma Peptides 10 mg $29.00

Research

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, García-Ojalvo A, Abreu-Cruz A, Gonzalez-López LJ, Besada-López V, Ramos-Gómez Y, Guillén-Nieto G, Jiang B. · Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland) (2026) · animal

Background/Objective : GHRP-6 is a GH secretagogue hexapeptide with expanding and promising cardioprotective effects.

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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, García-Ojalvo A, Jiang T, Li N, Zhang Z, Guillén-Nieto G, Jiang B. · International immunopharmacology (2026) ·

Acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome is a complex, characterized by acute onset, alveolar damage, and progressive hypoxemia. The subsequent proliferative phase drives to pulmonary fibrosis.

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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, Liu M, Li D, Jia P, Han Z, Han ZC, Guo Z, Li Z, Li Q. · Journal of nanobiotechnology (2025) ·

Renal tubular epithelial cells (TECs), which are highly susceptible to injury during acute kidney injury (AKI), have notable regenerative effects on renal recovery after AKI. AKI-driven metabolic reprogramming of TECs plays a critical role in determining whether kidneys recover functionally or develop fibrosis.

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Anti-nervous necrosis virus activity of the growth hormone releasing peptide-6, GHRP-6
Álvarez-Torres D, Martínez R, Moreno P, Alonso MC, García-Rosado E, Estrada MP, Béjar J. · Aquaculture international (2025) · in-vitro

Growth hormone-releasing peptide 6 (GHRP-6), is a six-amino acid synthetic peptide that acts as a ghrelin analog and has shown growth-promoting and immunomodulatory activities in several fish species.

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The Ghrelin Analog GHRP-6, Delivered Through Aquafeeds, Modulates the Endocrine and Immune Responses of <i>Sparus aurata</i> Following IFA Treatment
Rodríguez-Viera L, Caderno A, Martinez R, Martinez-Rodríguez G, Oliva M, Perera E, Mancera JM, Martos-Sitcha JA. · Biology (2025) ·

The aquaculture industry has experienced considerable growth in recent decades, stimulating research into sustainable and functional feed formulations, mainly related to using high-quality, safe, and environmentally friendly feed ingredients.

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Changes in Locomotor Activity Observed During Acute Nicotine Withdrawal Can Be Attenuated by Ghrelin and GHRP-6 in Rats
Ayman J, Buzás A, Dochnal R, Palotai M, Jászberényi M, Bagosi Z. · Biomedicines (2025) · animal

Background/Objectives: Ghrelin and growth hormone-releasing peptide 6 (GHRP-6) are peptides which can stimulate GH release, acting through the same receptor. Ghrelin and its receptor have been involved in reward sensation and addiction induced by natural and artificial drugs, including nicotine.

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Growth hormone releasing peptide-6 (GHRP-6) prevents doxorubicin-induced myocardial and extra-myocardial damages by activating prosurvival mechanisms
Berlanga-Acosta J, Cibrian D, Valiente-Mustelier J, Suárez-Alba J, García-Ojalvo A, Falcón-Cama V, Jiang B, Wang L, Guillén-Nieto G. · Frontiers in pharmacology (2024) ·

Introduction: Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a fatal myocardial condition with ventricular structural changes and functional deficits, leading to systolic dysfunction and heart failure (HF). DCM is a frequent complication in oncologic patients receiving Doxorubicin (Dox).

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Inhibition of ghrelin activity by the receptor antagonist [D-Lys3]-GHRP-6 enhances hepatic fatty acid oxidation and gluconeogenesis in a growing pig model
Zhang H, Yan X, Lin A, Xia P, Su Y. · Peptides (2023) ·

Despite its central role in regulating energy intake and metabolism, ghrelin is little understood when it comes to its effects on hepatic lipid and glucose metabolism.

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Ghrelin antagonist D-Lys3-GHRP-6 counteract ghrelin effects in bovine cumulus-oocytes complexes matured in vitro
Carranza-Martín AC, Nikoloff N, Anchordoquy JP, Anchordoquy JM, Relling AE, Furnus CC. · Reproduction in domestic animals = Zuchthygiene (2021) · animal

Ghrelin is a gut hormone related to energy balance and reproductive functions.

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Atheroprotective and atheroregressive potential of azapeptide derivatives of GHRP-6 as selective CD36 ligands in apolipoprotein E-deficient mice
Frégeau G, Sarduy R, Elimam H, Esposito CL, Mellal K, Ménard L, Leitão da Graça SD, Proulx C, Zhang J, Febbraio M, Soto Y, Lubell WD, Ong H, Marleau S. · Atherosclerosis (2020) · animal

Background and aims Scavenger receptor class B member 3, also known as cluster of differentiation-36 (CD36) receptor, is involved in the uptake and accumulation of modified lipoprotein in macrophages, driving atherosclerosis progression.

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D-Lys-3-GHRP-6 impairs memory consolidation and downregulates the hippocampal serotonin HT1A, HT7 receptors and glutamate GluA1 subunit of AMPA receptors
Beheshti S, Sami M, Mirzabeh A, Yazdi A. · Physiology & behavior (2020) · animal

Antagonism of the functional ghrelin receptors impairs memory formation, but the underlying mechanisms are not well-known.

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Inhibition of Ghrelin Activity by Receptor Antagonist [d-Lys-3] GHRP-6 Attenuates Alcohol-Induced Hepatic Steatosis by Regulating Hepatic Lipid Metabolism
Rasineni K, Kubik JL, Casey CA, Kharbanda KK. · Biomolecules (2019) · animal

Alcoholic steatosis, characterized by an accumulation of triglycerides in hepatocytes, is one of the earliest pathological changes in the progression of alcoholic liver disease. In our previous study, we showed that alcohol-induced increase in serum ghrelin levels impair insulin secretion from pancreatic β-cells.

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