Glycine-modified growth hormone secretagogues identified in seized doping material.

Drug testing and analysis2019PMID: 30136411

Plain Language Summary

Reports the identification of novel glycine-modified analogs of known GHRPs—including ipamorelin—in pharmaceutical preparations seized by Danish customs authorities. These structural variants were designed to circumvent anti-doping detection methods, highlighting the ongoing cat-and-mouse dynamic between manufacturers and testing laboratories.

Abstract

A number of unknown pharmaceutical preparations seized by Danish customs authorities were submitted for liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) analysis. Comparison with reference standards unequivocally identified the content of the powders as analogs of the growth hormone secretagogues GHRP-2 (Pralmorelin), GHRP-6, Ipamorelin, and modified growth hormone releasing factor (modified GRF 1-29), which can be used as performance-enhancing substances in sports. In all cases, the detected modification involved the addition of an extra glycine amino acid at the N-terminus, and analytical methods targeting growth hormone secretagogues should hence be updated accordingly.

Authors

Gajda, Paulina Marta; Holm, Niels Bjerre; Hoej, Lars Jakobsen; Rasmussen, Brian Schou; Dalsgaard, Petur Weihe; Reitzel, Lotte Ask; Linnet, Kristian

Keywords

LC-MSPeptide hormonesdopinggrowth hormone secretagoguesmodified GRF 1-29