Caffeine stimulates growth hormone secretion by cultured rat pituitary cells.

To study the effect of caffeine on growth hormone secretion a culture system of dispersed rat anterior pituitary cells was employed. The cells were incubated overnight in medium 199 containing 10(-5) to 10(-1) M caffeine. The medium was then collected and assayed for rat growth hormone content. A dose dependent stimulatory effect of caffeine on growth hormone secretion into the culture medium was observed. It is concluded that caffeine, like other xanthine phosphodiesterase inhibitors stimulates growth hormone secretion by a direct effect on pituitary cells.