Among the abundant natural hormones secreted by the pituitary or ‘the master gland’ as it is sometimes called the GH or the growth hormone can be termed as the most important Situated in the middle of the brain the pituitary is a crucial gland made even more indispensable by the natural growth hormones Somatotropin’s (British Somatotrophins) role in various bodily functions.
Medical history has recorded a very early awareness and interest in the pursuing of investigative studies in the growth hormone. It has been observed that as early as in the 1920’s experiments in treating growth hormone deficiencies in humans were seen. The initial experiments were in treating type-1 diabetes patients by using a purified form of bovine insulin. However, usage of this hormone was discontinued when the bovine molecular structure proved unsuccessful.
Attention was then turned to the superiority of the human source of the growth hormone. These efforts were highlighted in 1958 by the endocrinologist Maurice Raben. His method focused on using a purified stream of human growth hormone from the pituitary gland of autopsied bodies. Raben’s enterprising zeal has been noted as the first successful treatment for GH deficient humans. Following his success, there was a spurt in similar endeavors with autopsied cadavers eventually, improvised trials in bovine and autopsied cadaver sources evolved to more sophisticated methods.
By 1981, progress in medical knowledge found GH being used for therapy in the biosynthetic form and coming to be known as somatropin .The American pharmaceutical company Genentech in collaboration with the Swedish company Kabi was the first to develop this synthetic stream of HGH. By 1985 in the US and elsewhere the recombinant form of the GH abbreviated to rgh was recognized as a near replica of the original excretion of GH from the pituitary gland in the human body. Under the name Somatropin this form came to be recognized as the most common and known form of current HGH synthesis. Initially termed as somatrem, this form of synthetic GH was produced by using a biosynthetic process called Inclusion Body Technology. Later, as an improvement on inclusion body technology, protein technology or mouse cell technology rose in popularity. Both these have shown the means of manufacturing of the synthetic form of HGH or (somatropin) that is as similar to somatotropin, the natural GH produced by the pituitary gland.
Given the proximity and abundance of GH to the brain, it seems ironical that therapeutic treatments were ever considered or even suggested to further increase this amount. Subsequent research has proved that this interest was not misplaced. Today, it is common knowledge that the growth hormone is not an inexhaustible resource. Though bountiful in childhood it has been seen to wane as early as the age of thirty. By middle age an almost eighty percent decrease in the secretion of the growth hormone by the pituitary gland has seen age- related signs showing up in the form of wrinkles, weight gain, muscle loss, poor memory, weakened immune system, loss of energy and in some cases vision problems too. Heath problems of old age are also said to have a connection to lowered levels of human growth hormone ,Currently, supplements of this hormone are suggested as a logical option not only to alleviate the symptoms of aging but also as a preventive to stunted childhood growth and ailments ranging from Turners syndrome to renal disease. If this century has the choice of advanced medications due credit has to be given to the questioning mind and concerned foresight of an earlier generation which could have easily been complacently ignorant.