Everything below concerns visceral adiposity. We keep the language plain, cite what the science says, and separate well-supported claims from open questions.
Updated 2025-09-08. Numbers and descriptions here follow the published literature rather than marketing material.
Tesamorelin is a synthetic peptide that acts as an analog of growth hormone-releasing hormone, a natural hypothalamic signal. Its sequence corresponds to the forty-four amino acid form of the human hormone, with a small acyl group attached near the amino terminus. That modification slows enzymatic breakdown and extends the time the peptide remains active in circulation. The compound was developed as a pharmacological way to raise endogenous growth hormone output rather than supplying the hormone directly.
After injection, the peptide binds receptors on somatotroph cells in the anterior pituitary. Receptor activation raises intracellular cyclic AMP and triggers release of stored growth hormone into the bloodstream. Because the compound works through the body's own regulatory system, growth hormone pulses retain much of their normal feedback control. Repeated administration also raises insulin-like growth factor 1, a hormone produced mainly in the liver. Investigators treat that rise as a marker that the pituitary axis has been engaged.
Interest in this peptide developed because native GHRH has a short circulating lifetime. The N-terminal modification slows cleavage by dipeptidyl peptidase IV, an enzyme that removes the first two residues of many peptides and terminates their activity. Slower degradation means a longer window of receptor stimulation per administration. This design logic parallels other modified peptide hormones, where a small chemical change at a vulnerable site yields a more durable molecule without altering the core mechanism of action.
The peptide is synthesized chemically rather than extracted from biological sources. Solid-phase synthesis builds the chain from the C-terminus toward the N-terminus, after which the hexenoyl group is attached. Purity is typically assessed by high-performance liquid chromatography, and identity is confirmed by mass spectrometry. Regulatory review of the finished product focuses on these analytical controls, since small deviations in sequence or modification can change biological activity. Questions about long-term effects on the pituitary axis remain areas of continued investigation.
Tesamorelin is a synthetic peptide that belongs to the growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) family. Its sequence corresponds to the fully active 44-amino-acid form of human GHRH, with a single structural modification: the addition of a trans-3-hexenoyl group at the N-terminus. That modification is not found in the naturally occurring hormone and was introduced deliberately during development to improve stability against enzymatic degradation. The compound is therefore best described as a stabilized analogue rather than a naturally occurring peptide.
| Property | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Drug class | Peptide hormone analog | Acts at the growth hormone-releasing hormone receptor |
| Receptor | Growth hormone-releasing hormone receptor | G protein-coupled; raises cyclic AMP in somatotrophs |
| Key mediator | Insulin-like growth factor 1 | Increases with repeated administration |
| Main studied population | Adults with HIV-associated lipodystrophy | Trials measured visceral adipose tissue by imaging |
| Route | Subcutaneous injection | Given once daily in clinical use |
Several related peptides act on the same receptor, including sermorelin, a shorter GHRH fragment, and modified analogs such as CJC-1295 and modified GRF(1-29) that are common in research settings rather than approved products. Tesamorelin differs from growth hormone itself in that it acts upstream, prompting the pituitary to release the hormone through physiological signaling rather than supplying it directly. Terminology in the literature distinguishes GHRH analogs, growth hormone secretagogues, and recombinant growth hormone, although popular discussion often blurs these categories together. Precise naming matters when comparing study results.
Tesamorelin is a synthetic peptide of 44 amino acids that reproduces the sequence of human growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) and carries a trans-3-hexenoyl group on its N-terminal tyrosine. That small fatty-acid modification blocks cleavage by dipeptidyl peptidase-4, the enzyme that rapidly degrades native GHRH in plasma. The result is a molecule with a longer circulating half-life than the natural hormone while retaining the same receptor target. It is supplied as a lyophilized powder for reconstitution and belongs to the broader class of GHRH analogs studied for effects on pituitary growth hormone secretion.
Development work on the compound, originally designated TH9507, focused on conditions in which reduced growth hormone signaling is thought to contribute to altered body composition. The United States Food and Drug Administration approved it in 2010 for the treatment of excess visceral abdominal fat in adults with human immunodeficiency virus infection and lipodystrophy. Later research examined other populations, including adults with mild cognitive impairment, where a large trial did not meet its primary endpoints. This mixed record illustrates how a single mechanism can produce clear effects in one setting and inconclusive results in another.
Several compounds share the GHRH framework, including sermorelin, the shorter 1-29 fragment, and other analogs built on the full 1-44 chain. Naming follows a common convention: a stem that identifies the peptide plus a suffix marking analog status. Reports may describe tesamorelin by its sequence fragment, as a GHRH(1-44) analog, or by its amino-terminal modification. Indexing the compound therefore requires searching all of these forms, since some older literature predates the current international nonproprietary name.
Tesamorelin is a synthetic peptide built from 44 amino acids and classified with the growth hormone–releasing hormone family. Its sequence corresponds to the human GHRH(1-44) backbone, carrying one structural change at the amino terminus. That change is a trans-3-hexenoyl group placed where the natural peptide would have an unmodified end. The modification is the feature that separates the compound from the endogenous hormone in name, in stability, and in how it is handled in the laboratory.
Clinical interest in tesamorelin arose from the need to address visceral adiposity in people living with HIV. Antiretroviral therapy improved survival but was associated in some patients with central fat accumulation, altered lipid profiles, and metabolic complications. This condition, often called HIV-associated lipodystrophy, involves excess visceral adipose tissue that is difficult to manage through diet and exercise alone. Investigators evaluated tesamorelin because GHRH analogs can stimulate growth hormone secretion and influence fat distribution without direct liposuction or invasive procedures.
A Phase 3 program led to regulatory approval in the United States in 2010 for reduction of excess visceral abdominal fat in adults with HIV and lipodystrophy. Subsequent studies examined effects on liver fat, muscle area, and metabolic markers, with mixed findings for some endpoints. Long-term cardiovascular outcomes and effects on mortality remain uncertain because most trials were relatively short and focused on imaging-based fat measurements. Use in populations without HIV has been studied experimentally but is not part of the approved indication.
Tesamorelin is a synthetic analog of growth hormone-releasing hormone, a peptide hormone produced by the hypothalamus. The molecule retains the 44-amino-acid sequence of human GHRH and carries a trans-3-hexenoyl modification at its N-terminus. This modification increases resistance to enzymatic degradation and extends the peptide's functional stability relative to native GHRH. The compound is supplied as a lyophilized powder for reconstitution and subcutaneous administration in clinical settings. Its development code was TH9507, and it belongs to the GHRH analog class. It is not a growth hormone product; instead, it acts upstream to stimulate endogenous growth hormone release.
Tesamorelin is a synthetic peptide of forty-four amino acids whose sequence reproduces human growth hormone-releasing hormone. Its distinguishing feature sits at the amino terminus, where a trans-3-hexenoyl group replaces the free amine. That acylation slows cleavage by dipeptidyl peptidase IV, an enzyme that otherwise removes the first two residues and inactivates the natural hormone quickly. The modified peptide therefore persists longer in circulation while keeping the same receptor target. It is handled as a lyophilized solid and dissolved shortly before use.
Signaling begins at the GHRH receptor, a class B G protein-coupled receptor displayed on somatotroph cells of the anterior pituitary. Receptor occupancy activates Gs proteins, which raise adenylyl cyclase activity and intracellular cyclic AMP, in turn driving protein kinase A dependent pathways. The downstream output is synthesis and pulsatile secretion of growth hormone into the bloodstream. Hepatic tissue and peripheral sites respond by increasing insulin-like growth factor 1 production. Somatostatin and IGF-1 itself supply negative feedback that caps the size and duration of each secretory burst.
Many species of mushrooms seemingly appear overnight, growing or expanding rapidly. This phenomenon is the source of several common expressions in the English language including "to mushroom" or "mushrooming" (expanding rapidly in size or scope) and "to pop up like a mushroom" (to appear unexpectedly and quickly). In reality, all species of mushrooms take several days to form primordial mushroom fruit bodies, though they do expand rapidly by the absorption of fluids. The cultivated mushroom, as well as the common field mushroom, initially form a minute fruiting body, referred to as the pin stage because of their small size. Slightly expanded, they are called buttons, once again because of the relative size and shape. Once such stages are formed, the mushroom can rapidly pull in water from its mycelium and expand, mainly by inflating preformed cells that took several days to form in the primordia. Similarly, there are other mushrooms, like Parasola plicatilis (formerly Coprinus plicatlis), that grow rapidly overnight and may disappear by late afternoon on a hot day after rainfall. The primordia form at ground level in lawns in humid spaces under the thatch and after heavy rainfall or in dewy conditions balloon to full size in a few hours, release spores, and then collapse. Not all mushrooms expand overnight; some grow very slowly and add tissue to their fruiting bodies by growing from the edges of the colony or by inserting hyphae. For example, Pleurotus nebrodensis grows slowly, and because of this combined with human collection, it is now critically endangered.
pseudomallei in 99% of cases, as does the automated Vitek 1 system, but the automated Vitek 2 system only identifies 19% of isolates. The pattern of resistance to antimicrobials is distinctive, and helps to differentiate the organism from P. aeruginosa. The majority of B. pseudomallei isolates are intrinsically resistant to all aminoglycosides (via an efflux pump mechanism), but sensitive to co-amoxiclav: this pattern of resistance almost never occurs in P. aeruginosa and is helpful in identification. Unfortunately, the majority of strains in Sarawak, Borneo, are susceptible to aminoglycosides and macrolides, which means the conventional recommendations for isolation and identification do not apply there. Molecular methods (PCR) of diagnosis are possible, but not routinely available for clinical diagnosis. Fluorescence in situ hybridisation has also been described, but has not been clinically validated, and it is not commercially available. In Thailand, a latex agglutination assay is widely used, while a rapid immunofluorescence technique is also available in a small number of centres.
== Adoption == Acupuncture is most heavily practiced in China and is popular in the US, Australia, and Europe. In Switzerland, acupuncture has become the most frequently used alternative medicine since 2004. In the United Kingdom, a total of 4 million acupuncture treatments were administered in 2009. Acupuncture is used in most pain clinics and hospices in the UK. An estimated 1 in 10 adults in Australia used acupuncture in 2004. In Japan, it is estimated that 25 percent of the population will try acupuncture at some point, though in most cases it is not covered by public health insurance. Users of acupuncture in Japan are more likely to be elderly and to have a limited education. Approximately half of users surveyed indicated a likelihood to seek such remedies in the future, while 37% did not. Less than one percent of the US population reported having used acupuncture in the early 1990s. By the early 2010s, more than 14 million Americans reported having used acupuncture as part of their health care. In the US, acupuncture is increasingly (as of 2014) used at academic medical centers, and is usually offered through CAM centers or anesthesia and pain management services. Examples include those at Harvard University, Stanford University, Johns Hopkins University, and UCLA. CDC clinical practice guidelines from 2022 list acupuncture among the types of complementary and alternative medicines physicians should consider in preference to opioid prescription for certain kinds of pain.
=== Oman === In Dhofar, Oman, frankincense species grow north of Salalah. It was traded in the ancient coastal city of Sumhuram, now Khor Rori, and Al-Baleed, an ancient port. In 2000, UNESCO inscribed the sites as a World Heritage Site Land of Frankincense.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
== See also == Trade Incense trade route, a large network around the Mediterranean and beyond Land of Frankincense (Frankincense Trail), site in Oman Nabataeans, a trader tribe Literature Desi Sangye Gyatso, author of a Tibetan herbal Historia Plantarum (Theophrastus book) Similar plants and products Agarwood Benzoin (resin) Copal Elemi, resin or tree Myrrh, resin Palo santo (Bursera graveolens), tree Pistacia lentiscus (mastic tree), and Mastic (plant resin)
=== Activin === Activin A is more plentiful in the adipose tissue of obese, compared to lean persons. Activin A promotes the proliferation of adipocyte progenitor cells, while inhibiting their differentiation into adipocytes. Activin A also increases inflammatory cytokines in macrophages. A mutation in the gene for the activin receptor ACVR1 results in fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva, a fatal disease that causes muscle and soft tissue to gradually be replaced by bone tissue. This condition is characterized by the formation of an extra skeleton that produces immobilization and eventually death by suffocation. The mutation in ACVR1 causes FKBP1A, which normally acts as an antagonist of the receptor and blocks osteogenesis (bone growth), to behave as an agonist of the receptor and to induce hyperactive bone growth. On 2 September 2015, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals announced that they had developed an antibody for activin A that effectively cures the disease in an animal model of the condition. Mutations in the ACVR1 gene have also been linked to cancer, especially diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG). Elevated Activin B levels with normal Activin A levels provided a possible biomarker for myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome. Activin A is overexpressed in many cancers. It was shown to promote tumorigenesis by hampering the adaptive anti-tumor immune response in melanoma.
Target validation (TV) → Assay development → High-throughput screening (HTS) → Hit to lead (H2L) → Lead optimization (LO) → Preclinical development → Clinical development The hit to lead stage starts with confirmation and evaluation of the initial screening hits and is followed by synthesis of analogs (hit expansion). Typically the initial screening hits display binding affinities for their biological target in the micromolar (10−6 molar concentration) range. Through limited H2L optimization, the affinities of the hits are often improved by several orders of magnitude to the nanomolar (10−9 M) range. The hits also undergo limited optimization to improve metabolic half life so that the compounds can be tested in animal models of disease and also to improve selectivity against other biological targets binding that may result in undesirable side effects. On average, only one in every 5,000 compounds that enters drug discovery to the stage of preclinical development becomes an approved drug.
== History == Molecular engineering was first mentioned in the research literature in 1956 by Arthur R. von Hippel, who defined it as "… a new mode of thinking about engineering problems. Instead of taking prefabricated materials and trying to devise engineering applications consistent with their macroscopic properties, one builds materials from their atoms and molecules for the purpose at hand." This concept was echoed in Richard Feynman's seminal 1959 lecture There's Plenty of Room at the Bottom, which is widely regarded as giving birth to some of the fundamental ideas of the field of nanotechnology. In spite of the early introduction of these concepts, it was not until the mid-1980s with the publication of Engines of Creation: The Coming Era of Nanotechnology by Drexler that the modern concepts of nano and molecular-scale science began to grow in the public consciousness. The discovery of electrically conductive properties in polyacetylene by Alan J. Heeger in 1977 effectively opened the field of organic electronics, which has proved foundational for many molecular engineering efforts. Design and optimization of these materials has led to a number of innovations including organic light-emitting diodes and flexible solar cells.
Also, cats, which are generally regarded as obligate carnivores, occasionally eat grass to regurgitate indigestible material (such as hairballs), aid with hemoglobin production, and as a laxative. Many mammals, in the absence of sufficient food requirements in an environment, suppress their metabolism and conserve energy in a process known as hibernation. In the period preceding hibernation, larger mammals, such as bears, become polyphagic to increase fat stores, whereas smaller mammals prefer to collect and stash food. The slowing of the metabolism is accompanied by a decreased heart and respiratory rate, as well as a drop in internal temperatures, which can be around ambient temperature in some cases. For example, the internal temperatures of hibernating Arctic ground squirrels can drop to −2.9 °C (26.8 °F); however, the head and neck always stay above 0 °C (32 °F). A few mammals in hot environments aestivate in times of drought or extreme heat, for example the fat-tailed dwarf lemur (Cheirogaleus medius).
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
Barker was married to Dorothy Jo Gideon from 1945 until her death from lung cancer at age 57 in 1981. From 1983 until his death, Barker was in a long-term relationship with Nancy Burnet, a self-described "radical" animal rights activist nearly 20 years younger than Barker. By mutual decision, Barker and Burnet were never married and lived in separate residences throughout their relationship. Barker had no children with either woman, stating that he had seen friends who had poor relationships with their children and felt like he was too busy to properly raise a child; as of 2007, Barker stated that he had no regrets about his decision. During the early years of his relationship with Burnet, Barker also had a sexual relationship with Dian Parkinson, a model on The Price Is Right; other models on the program noted that the relationship was at one point close enough that there was a realistic chance of the two marrying. Barker and Parkinson's relationship ended acrimoniously along with Parkinson's tenure on the program in 1993. From the late 2000s onward, Burnet described the relationship as a platonic friendship, even as Barker had become more interested in remarrying; she recalled a 2011 incident where Barker drafted a prenuptial agreement for Burnet's lawyer to review and revise as she felt fit, which she refused. Burnet managed Barker's health and diet in retirement.
Vortioxetine was invented by scientists at Lundbeck who reported the rationale and synthesis for the drug (then called Lu AA21004) in a 2011 paper. In 2007, the compound was in Phase II clinical trials, and Lundbeck and Takeda entered into a partnership in which Takeda paid Lundbeck $40 million up-front, with promises of up to $345 million in milestone payments, and Takeda agreed to pay most of the remaining cost of developing the drug. The companies agreed to co-promote the drug in the US and Japan, and that Lundbeck would receive a royalty on all such sales. The deal included another drug candidate, tedatioxetine (Lu AA24530), and could be expanded to include two other Lundbeck compounds. Vortioxetine was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD) in adults in September 2013, and it was approved in the European Union in December 2013.
The Biden administration's attempts to implement student loan forgiveness and relief programs have faced legal challenges from a coalition of Republican-led states. Biden's plans to forgive student loan debt were estimated to cost over $519 billion, and some critics called them a "disaster".
No nihonium atoms were observed after chemical separation, implying an unexpectedly large retention of nihonium atoms on PTFE surfaces. This experimental result for the interaction limit of nihonium atoms with a PTFE surface (−ΔHPTFEads(Nh) > 45 kJ/mol) disagrees significantly with previous theory, which expected a lower value of 14.00 kJ/mol. This suggests that the nihonium species involved in the previous experiment was likely not elemental nihonium but rather nihonium hydroxide, and that high-temperature techniques such as vacuum chromatography would be necessary to further probe the behaviour of elemental nihonium. Bromine saturated with boron tribromide has been suggested as a carrier gas for experiments on nihonium chemistry; this oxidises nihonium's lighter congener thallium to thallium(III), providing an avenue to investigate the oxidation states of nihonium, similar to earlier experiments done on the bromides of group 5 elements, including the superheavy dubnium. A 2024 experiment at the GSI, producing 284Nh via the 243Am+48Ca reaction as daughter of 288Mc, studied the adsorption of nihonium and moscovium on SiO2 and gold surfaces. The adsorption enthalpy of nihonium on SiO2 was determined experimentally as −ΔHSiO2ads(Nh) = 58+8−3 kJ/mol (68% confidence interval). Nihonium was determined to be less reactive with the SiO2 surface than its lighter congener thallium, but more reactive than its closed-shell neighbours copernicium and flerovium. This arises because of the relativistic stabilisation of the 7p1/2 shell.
Various theories exist as to whether people who sustain carotid and vertebral artery dissection, even if they do not have a connective tissue disorder, have an underlying vulnerability. Biopsy samples of skin and other arteries has indicated that this might be a possibility, but no genetic defect in collagen or elastin genes has been convincingly proven. Other studies have indicated inflammation of the blood vessels, as measured by highly sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP, a marker of inflammation) in the blood. Once dissection has occurred, two mechanisms contribute to the development of stroke symptoms. Firstly, the flow through the blood vessel may be disrupted due to the accumulation of blood under the vessel wall, leading to ischemia (insufficient blood supply). Secondly, irregularities in the vessel wall and turbulence increase the risk of thrombosis (the formation of blood clots) and embolism (migration) of these clots of the brain. From various lines of evidence, it appears that thrombosis and embolism is the predominant problem. Subarachnoid hemorrhage due to arterial rupture typically occurs if the dissection extends into the V4 section of the artery. This may be explained by the fact that the arterial wall is thinner and lacks a number of structural supports in this section.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
It is a laboratory-made peptide that mimics growth hormone-releasing hormone. It prompts the pituitary gland to release growth hormone and has been studied mainly in adults with HIV-associated lipodystrophy.
Administered growth hormone supplies the hormone directly, while this peptide acts upstream by prompting the pituitary to release it. The indirect route preserves pulsatile secretion and some endogenous feedback, which changes the hormone and IGF-1 profile observed after treatment.
Reductions in visceral adipose tissue appear consistently in randomized trials of the approved population. Effects on peripheral fat, cardiovascular outcomes, and use outside that population are less well established.
It shares the 44-residue sequence of human GHRH but carries an added trans-3-hexenoyl group at its N-terminus. That addition does not occur in the natural hormone and serves mainly to resist enzymatic breakdown. The receptor target and signaling pathway remain the same.