GHRP-2

Areas of active research — not promised effects

Each tag links to other compounds with research into that goal. Research use only: these are areas of study, not human-use claims.

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GHRP-2 was placed on the FDA 503A Category 2 bulk drug substances list in late 2023, designating it as presenting significant safety concerns for compounding. It is not an FDA-approved drug. As of May 2026 it was NOT included in the April 2026 Federal Register notice that removed 12 peptides from Category 2, nor in the 7-peptide slate selected for the July 23–24 2026 PCAC review. It remains a Category 2 restricted substance in the US, compoundable only under strict exemptions if any, and may not be dispensed as a compounded prescription product. Sale is legally limited to licensed research institutions for non-clinical research use only (RUO).

Transparent blend · bci-1.0 · never paid-placement

Primary name

GHRP-2

Origin

GHRP-2 (pralmorelin; KP-102) is a fully synthetic six-amino-acid peptide developed in the 1980s–1990s as a potent, selective agonist of the growth hormone secretagogue receptor type 1a (GHS-R1a). It does not derive from a natural endogenous peptide but was designed to mimic and amplify the GH-releasing action of ghrelin at the same receptor.

Registry IDs

PubChem CID

6918245

CAS

158861-67-7

InChIKey

HRNLPPBUBKMZMT-RDRUQFPZSA-N

DrugBank

DB18252

ChEMBL

CHEMBL106593

Molecular formula

C45H55N9O6

Molar mass

818.0 g/mol

Monoisotopic

817.42753051 Da

InChIKey

HRNLPPBUBKMZMT-RDRUQFPZSA-N

Appearance

White to off-white lyophilised powder

Solubility

Soluble in water and dilute aqueous acid (e.g. 0.1–1% acetic acid); insoluble in…

Sequence not available in current seed.

Stability: Moderately stable in lyophilised form under cold, dry, dark conditions; susceptible to oxidation and aggregation in solution at elevated temperatures or alkalin

Vial sizes

5 mg · 10 mg

Purity grades

≥98% HPLC

Salt forms

Free base (primary)

• GHS hazard class on file
• PPE & spill response
• Disposal guidance
• Not-for-human-consumption posture

How much research exists, and of what maturity — never a verdict on whether it works.

Mechanism of action

• GHRP-2 binds and activates GHS-R1a, a Gq/11-coupled receptor expressed on pituitary somatotrophs and hypothalamic arcuate neurons
• Receptor engagement triggers phospholipase C activation, inositol trisphosphate-mediated intracellular calcium mobilisation, and exocytosis of stored GH
• Simultaneously, GHRP-2 potentiates the endogenous GHRH signal in the hypothalamus and partially suppresses somatostatin tone, producing a synergistic amplification of the pulsatile GH release that exceeds either pathway alone
• Cortisol and prolactin secretion are also modestly elevated, reflecting broader GHS-R1a expression outside the somatotroph axis

Pharmacokinetics (ADME)

Half-life

~1–2 hours (subcutaneous)

Clearance

Primarily renal and proteolytic; urine metabolite detectable by LC-MS/MS (PMID 20552695 context, not in gathered list — attributed to published anti-doping literature)

PK–PD note: Peak GH pulse occurs approximately 60 minutes after SC injection; GH elevation typically subsides within 2–3 hours. In a Phase I paediatric PK/PD study (PMID 9543135, not in gathered list), linear dos…

Reading the evidence

• Evidence quality and gaps vary by application — see the cited grades above.
• Indexed-article counts span all evidence tiers, not only completed human trials.
• No first-party human-dosing, efficacy, or benefit claims are made here.

Key reviews & evidence-gap sources

• Berlanga-Acosta J, et al. Synthetic Growth Hormone-Releasing Peptides (GHRPs): A Historical Appraisal of the Evidences Supporting Their Cytoprotective Effects. Clin Med Insights Cardiol. 2017;11:1179546817694558. PMID 28469491. — Peer-reviewed historical review of GHRP family (incl. GHRP-2) covering GHS-R1a and CD36 dual-receptor binding, cardioprotective/cytoprotective mechanisms; PubMed/MEDLINE search from 1980.
• Adis Editorial. Pralmorelin: GHRP 2, GPA 748, growth hormone-releasing peptide 2, KP-102 D, KP-102 LN. Drugs in R&D. 2004;5(4):236-239. PMID 15230633. — Drug profile review documenting phase II clinical trials (Kaken, Japan — short stature; Wyeth, US — GH deficiency) and discontinuation of therapeutic development.
• Clinical Usefulness of the Growth Hormone-Releasing Peptide-2 (GHRP-2) [diagnostic use]. PubMed 35795807. — PubMed-indexed review on GHRP-2 diagnostic clinical usefulness; not fully retrieved (PubMed paywall redirect).
• Summary Report: Growth hormone-releasing peptide-2 (scoping review). University of Maryland HSHSL. — Scoping review of GHRP-2 clinical research and practice; PDF retrieved but text extraction limited.

No registered human trials found for this compound.

Status

No registered trials found

Summary (literature)

In clinical diagnostic use, GHRP-2 is generally well tolerated at the approved single IV dose of 1 mcg/kg. The most consistently reported adverse effects are transient facial flushing, mild nausea, and lightheadedness. GHRP-2 produces meaningfully greater cortisol and prolactin e…

WADA status

Prohibited at all times (in- and out-of-competition) under WADA 2026 Prohibited List, Section S2 — Peptide Hormones, Growth Factors, Related Substances and Mime…

Dominant research route: Subcutaneous (SC) is the dominant research route, with controlled human SC infusion and graded-dose SC injection studies; intranasal is the second most studied in pediatric trials.

SC infusion (1 μg/kg/h × 270 min) and SC injections studied in healthy men and in GH-deficient children (graded 0.3–3.0 μg/kg/day over 8 months)

Bioavailability: SC infusion produced a significant rise in serum GH (AUC 5550±1090 μg/L/240 min vs 412±161 saline, p=0.003) and increased ad-libitum food intake 35.9±10.9% in 7 lean healthy men; community aggregators cite ~70–80% SC bioavailability (Layer B, not primary-sourced here)

Most extensively studied route in humans; controlled crossover SC infusion vs saline documented in Laferrère 2005; graded-dose SC in prepubertal GHD children (JCEM 1998).

IV GHRP-2 (1 μg/kg) used diagnostically in short-stature children; IV onset compared vs oral in PK studies

Bioavailability: IV administration produced peak GH levels ≥20 ng/mL in short-stature children and had a more rapid onset of action than oral GHRP-2 (p<0.02); 100% systemic availability by definition

IV route primarily used as a diagnostic/reference comparator in pediatric GH-deficiency workups (Pihoker 1995/1997); not a routine therapeutic route.

Intranasal spray 5–15 μg/kg/dose in short-stature children (Pihoker 1997); double-blind placebo-controlled 48-week trial in 126 prepubertal GHD children (Tanaka 2014)

Bioavailability: Nasal bioavailability of GHRP-2 estimated at ~50% in a comparative PK study (Johansen 1998, Xenobiotica); intranasal spray was well tolerated but produced only a transient GH AUC too small to promote linear growth in GHD children

Intranasal formulation was developed because oral GHRP-2 gave only a poor GH rise due to food-intake effects; the 48-week double-blind trial found no significant height-SDS change vs placebo.

Oral GHRP-2 900 μg/kg b.i.d. for 12 months in GH-deficient children (appetite/weight study); oral gavage and in-feed in swine

Bioavailability: Oral administration yields only a poor increase in serum GH due to food-intake effects (Tanaka 2014); in swine, oral gavage stimulated dose-related GH peaks returning to basal by 120 min; oral route widely regarded as low/erratic bioavailability for short peptides

Oral route studied in children for appetite/body-weight endpoints and in swine for GH release; oral-stability is limited by gastric degradation and first-pass effects, distinct from absorption estimates.

No primary human or animal IM-specific PK/efficacy study located for GHRP-2

Bioavailability: No IM bioavailability data retrieved from primary sources; IM route is not a documented research route for GHRP-2

IM route appears only in community aggregator dosing guidance without primary citation; omitted from clinical literature in favor of SC.

Animal & human figures are kept visibly separate so studied animal doses are never misread as human guidance.

Sorted A–Z by vendor — never by price

Weekly median $/mg from the live vendor crawl.

Researched storefront prices, bucketed

p25 $3.35 · median $4.00 · p75 $6.00 · 6 researched vendors

Legit, COA-backed band: $2.80–$8.28/mg.

Value rule: don't just buy the cheapest — a price under $3/mg is a red flag. Pair price with COA and independent-test grade.

Estimated cost of research (10 mg)

Vial (best researched price)

$28

Bacteriostatic water (generic estimate)

$6

Syringes / supplies (generic estimate)

$12

What each test proves — general guidance, plus this compound's researched purity data

Purity on the current market (researched)

71–99%+ reported across gray-market vendors; independent HPLC aggregates indicate lower-tier vendors test 71–91% purity despite claiming 99%+.

Independent labs cited for this compound

No GHRP-2-specific recalls found. The ImprimisRx June 19, 2017 recall cited in FDA Warning Letter 541375 covered curcumin emulsion lots containing P2404 PEG 40 castor oil, not GHRP-2.

Buyer red-flag checklist

• GHRP-2 is not an FDA-approved human drug and has no USP/NF monograph; compounded GHRP-2 products are not eligible for section 503A exemptions (per two FDA Warning Letters).
• GHRP-2 is prohibited at all times under WADA Prohibited List S2.2.4; athletes face sanctions for use/detection.
• GHRP-2 has been identified as an adulterant in over-the-counter nutritional supplements (Drug Test Anal, 2010).
• Gray-market purity varies widely (71–99%+); lower-tier vendors have tested 71–91% despite 99%+ claims.
• Imported GHRP-2 drug products are subject to DWPE under FDA Import Alert 66-41.
• FDA has cited possible deaths linked to GHRP-2 as a safety concern in the context of peptide compounding policy (per secondary reporting).

GMP vs research-grade: the chemistry (SPPS + HPLC + MS) is identical — the difference is the quality system.

Underdosing / mislabeling: No GHRP-2-specific underdosing prevalence figure is published by an independent lab. Aggregate gray-market peptide testing (Peptide Protocol Wiki review of Janoshik data) reports lower-tier (Tier 3–4) vendors showing actual purities of 71–91% despite 99%+ claims; Finnrick Analytics aggregates 8,923 vials across vendors but does not publish a GHRP-2-specific underdosing rate.

• FDA Import Alert 66-41 — Detention Without Physical Examination (DWPE) of Unapproved New Drugs Promoted In The U.S. Unapproved new drugs (including unapproved peptide drug products) from firms on the Red List may be detained without physical examination. GHRP-2 is not an FDA-approved human drug and has no USP/NF monograph, so imported GHRP-2 drug products fall within the scope of this alert.66-41
• An RUO label is not an import exemption — CBP judges actual intended use.
• Lyophilized powder is ambient-stable in transit; temperature control needed for > 7-day transit.
• US-warehouse vendors dodge import scrutiny — they cost more but ship more reliably.

Every item dated & sourced

Prohibited at all times under WADA Prohibited List Section S2.2 (Peptide Hormones, Growth Factors, and Related Substances). GHRP-2 (pralmorelin) is explicitly named as a GH-releasing peptide (GHRP). All substances in this class are designated Specified Substances.

No granted patents identified in current seed. Composition-of-matter coverage is limited given the peptide's synthetic origin.

• IACUC / IRB research context
• RUO buyer responsibilities & documentation
• Veterinary / alternative-use where lawful
• Jurisdiction-aware "who may lawfully obtain"

What people discuss

Reported concerns — discussion, not established effects

Reading caveats

• self-selection bias (positive experiences over-shared)
• anecdotal dosing without medical supervision
• source-verification bias (vendor-affiliated posters)
• no controlled comparison vs placebo

Manually researched from reddit, youtube, x— theme weights are research estimates, not live counts; aggregated & de-identified. No individual posts, quotes, or usernames are ever shown.

Relative research / market volume — populated once the activity stream is wired

Inline tooltips for lyophilized, RUO, EU/mg, SPPS, 503A and more.

Toggle plain-language ↔ scientific in the header.

• How to read a COA
• Free base vs acetate
• Understanding evidence grades

Synthetic hexapeptide GHS-R1a agonist (pralmorelin) that stimulates pulsatile GH release; approved in Japan as a GH-deficiency diagnostic agent. Approximately 203 articles are indexed (literature last scanned 2026-05-29). US regulatory status: FDA Category 2 (restricted from 503A compounding); RUO only. Research use only.

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