Comparison of methionyl human growth hormone and pituitary growth hormone on somatic growth of hypophysectomized rats.

In hypophysectomized male rats the biological effects of two batches of methionyl human growth hormone, Somatonorm, (met-hGH), have been compared to those of human pituitary growth hormone, Crescormon (hGH). The rats were treated with doses ranging from 10 mIU per day to 145 mIU per day for 10 days. The parameters studied were total weight gain, longitudinal bone growth, measured by the tetracycline method and indirect cartilage growth, measured by uptake of radioactive sulphate. The results obtained demonstrated that Somatonorm stimulated weight increase in a linear and dose-dependent way, similar to that seen with the native hormone. Longitudinal bone growth, measured by the tetracycline method and the growth of different cartilages, measured as uptake of radioactive sulphate, were also similar between the two hormones.