Effect of clonidine on growth hormone, prolactin, luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, and thyroid-stimulating hormone in the serum of normal men.
Clonidine (0.15 mg iv), a selective noradrenergic receptor agonist, increased serum growth hormone (GH) levels (greater than 6 ng/ml) on 8 out of 12 administrations to 6 normal men. This increase was independent of the hypotensive effects of the drug and unrelated to changes in serum cortisol. Clonidine induced a hyperglycemic effect in all subjects which was greatest 15 min after commencint the injection. No changes in blood sugar or GH occurred after placebo injection. Apomorphine, a selective dopamine receptor agonist, elevated GH in each of these 6 subjects (greater than 10 ng/ml). Clonidine had no effect on serum prolactin (PRL), luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), or thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). These data are compatible with a dual dopaminergic and noradrenergic mechanism modulating GH secretion in normal men and with the absence of a noradrenergic mechanism in the regulation of PRL, LH, FSH, or TSH.
D000328:Adult; D001058:Apomorphine / Q000494:pharmacology; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D003000:Clonidine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D010903:Pituitary Gland, Anterior / Q000378:metabolism; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood*; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000097:blood*
D001786:Blood Glucose; D011388:Prolactin; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; D013972:Thyrotropin; D013006:Growth Hormone; D003000:Clonidine; D001058:Apomorphine; D006854:Hydrocortisone