The potential of ghrelin as a prokinetic

Ghrelin is a 28 amino-acid peptide discovered in 1999. It is synthesized mainly in endocrine cells of the gastric mucosa and secreted into the blood. Physiological contributions of the peptide in human include probably regulation of growth hormone and of appetite. Ghrelin can also influence the gastrointestinal system, mostly by stimulating the contractility of the proximal gut Whether ghrelin is a significant regulator of the digestive physiology remains to be shown. Whether ghrelin agonist agents could be useful prokinetic drugs in human medicine is currently under exploration. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.