Ghrelin Fragment Shows Potent Pain Relief Through Opioid Receptor Activation

Ghrelin, a multifaceted hormone primarily recognized for its role in regulating appetite and energy homeostasis, also possesses significant antinociceptive (pain-relieving) properties. While the full-length ghrelin peptide's involvement in modulating pain perception is increasingly understood, the specific contributions and mechanisms of its smaller, biologically active fragments, such as ghrelin(1-7)-NH, have remained largely unexplored. This study was meticulously designed to comprehensively investigate the antinociceptive effects and delineate the precise molecular mechanisms underlying the action of ghrelin(1-7)-NH in preclinical models, addressing a critical gap in our understanding of ghrelin's therapeutic potential beyond metabolism.