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Plasma disappearance of ovine corticotrophin-releasing factor in man

Clinical Endocrinology
|January 1, 1984
PubMed

Insights

The study found that the body clears immunoreactive ovine corticotrophin-releasing factor (IR-oCRF) similarly, regardless of whether it

Area of Science:

  • Endocrinology
  • Pharmacokinetics
  • Neuroscience

Background:

  • Ovine corticotrophin-releasing factor (oCRF) plays a crucial role in the stress response.
  • Understanding the pharmacokinetic profile of oCRF is essential for its therapeutic applications.
  • Previous studies have not fully elucidated the diurnal variations in oCRF metabolism.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the disappearance kinetics of immunoreactive ovine corticotrophin-releasing factor (IR-oCRF) from human plasma.
  • To determine if time of day (morning vs. evening) affects the metabolism of intravenously administered oCRF.
  • To characterize key pharmacokinetic parameters of oCRF in healthy male volunteers.

Main Methods:

  • Four healthy male volunteers received an intravenous injection of synthetic oCRF (80 micrograms).
  • Blood samples were collected at multiple time points (2-120 minutes) post-injection.
  • Plasma IR-oCRF levels were quantified using radioimmunoassay, and disappearance curves were analyzed using a two-exponent function and non-linear least squares regression.

Main Results:

  • Plasma concentrations and disappearance rates of IR-oCRF did not significantly differ between morning and evening injections.
  • Key pharmacokinetic parameters, including metabolic clearance rate (1.49 ml/min/kg) and plasma half-lives (fast: 6.8 min, slow: 46.2 min), were determined.
  • The observed long half-life suggests a potentially prolonged biological effect of intravenous oCRF.

Conclusions:

  • The metabolism and clearance of intravenously administered oCRF in humans are not significantly influenced by the time of day.
  • The pharmacokinetic profile of oCRF, characterized by a relatively long terminal half-life, may contribute to its sustained biological activity.
  • These findings provide valuable insights into the pharmacokinetics of oCRF, relevant for its clinical use and further research.

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