The Effect of α-MSH on Plasma Growth Hormone, Cortisol and TSH in Children

Abstract

The effect of synthetic α-MSH injected intravenously in a uniform dose of 3 mg was studied in 19 prepubertal children. A marked growth hormone (GH) reponse was seen only in 2 out of 8 constitutionally small children with a normal GH response to insulin and arginine stimulation. Three out of 11 children suffering from hypopituitarism with documented GH and other hormone deficiencies, unexpectedly, showed a significant rise of GH after αMSH: all three had craniopharyngiomas. α-MSH led to an increase of plasma cortisol in all except 3 patients who had secondary adrenal insufficiency. The increase of cortisol after α-MSH and after insulin was of the same extent: but the hypoglycemia and stress responsible for the insulin effect were not observed after α-MSH. It is possible that α-MSH acts by an ACTH-like direct stimulation on the adrenals. There was no effect of a-MSH on plasma TSH or on blood glucose. (J Clin Endocrinol Metab40: 759, 1975)