Body Pharm Ipamorelin 5mg is a research-grade lyophilised pentapeptide (Aib-His-D-2-Nal-D-Phe-Lys-NH₂) supplied in a single 5mg vial for in vitro and preclinical investigation by South African laboratories, with retail availability through local distributors pricing in ZAR. Ipamorelin is a selective ghrelin receptor (GHSR-1a) agonist that triggers growth hormone release without stimulating cortisol, prolactin or ACTH (Raun et al., European Journal of Endocrinology, 1998). This selectivity sets it apart from earlier GH secretagogues such as GHRP-6, which co-stimulate cortisol and prolactin at equipotent GH-releasing doses.
This page consolidates two things South African researchers usually have to source separately: the mechanistic profile of ipamorelin as a GHSR-1a agonist, and the procurement specifics for the Body Pharm Ipamorelin 5mg South Africa SKU, local ZAR pricing, shipping into Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban, and the research-grade specification stated on the vial.
Key Takeaways
- Ipamorelin is a selective GHSR-1a agonist that releases growth hormone without elevating cortisol or prolactin, making it cleaner than GHRP-6 for GH-axis research.
- Body Pharm Ipamorelin 5mg is supplied at ≥98% HPLC purity as a lyophilised powder for preclinical and in vitro use only.
- The peptide pairs synergistically with GHRH analogues such as CJC-1295 for amplified GH responses in dual-receptor protocols.
- Current South African pricing is R1,299 per vial through JCSG.org, with domestic tracked shipping to major cities.
- Ipamorelin is not SAHPRA-registered for human use and must be procured and stored under controlled laboratory conditions.
What Is Body Pharm Ipamorelin 5mg?
Body Pharm Ipamorelin 5mg is a lyophilised synthetic pentapeptide (CAS 170851-70-4, molecular weight 711.87 g/mol, sequence Aib-His-D-2-Nal-D-Phe-Lys-NH₂) supplied in a single 5 mg vial at ≥98% HPLC purity, manufactured by Body Pharm for in vitro and preclinical research use only. It is a selective GHSR-1a (ghrelin receptor) agonist (Raun et al., 1998).
Specification at a glance
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Body Pharm |
| Peptide class | Synthetic pentapeptide, selective GHSR-1a agonist |
| CAS number | 170851-70-4 |
| Molecular weight | 711.87 g/mol |
| Sequence | Aib-His-D-2-Nal-D-Phe-Lys-NH₂ |
| Purity | ≥98% by HPLC |
| Format | Lyophilised powder, 5 mg single vial |
| Status | Research use only, not for human or veterinary administration |
Researchers running combination protocols typically pair this SKU with a GHRH (growth hormone-releasing hormone) analogue because GHRH and GHSR-1a agonism work on complementary receptors to produce supra-additive GH responses. See the CJC-1295 research peptide page or the pre-combined CJC-1295 & Ipamorelin combination pen for the stacked format.
Ipamorelin: Mechanism of Action
Ipamorelin stimulates pituitary GH release by acting as a selective agonist at GHSR-1a, the same receptor targeted by endogenous ghrelin, without measurable activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis or the lactotroph axis (Raun et al., 1998). Binding GHSR-1a on somatotrophs in the pituitary gland triggers a Gq-coupled phospholipase C cascade, which mobilises calcium via IP₃ signalling and drives exocytosis of stored GH. The result mimics ghrelin's GH-releasing action while leaving cortisol and prolactin baselines undisturbed.
That selectivity separates ipamorelin from earlier GHRPs. In Raun et al., European Journal of Endocrinology (1998), the first characterisation of ipamorelin as a selective GH secretagogue, the peptide produced robust GH release in swine and rat models with no significant ACTH or cortisol elevation. GHRP-6, by contrast, reliably co-stimulated cortisol and prolactin at equipotent GH-releasing doses. For researchers modelling pulsatile GH release without confounding stress-axis or lactotroph readouts, that clean profile is the reason to choose ipamorelin over GHRP-2 or GHRP-6.
Synergy with GHRH analogues
GHSR-1a agonism is mechanistically complementary to GHRH receptor agonism. GHRH analogues such as CJC-1295 amplify somatotroph cAMP and GH transcription, while ipamorelin drives the secretory pulse and suppresses somatostatin tone. Co-administered, they produce a supra-additive GH response (Sinha et al., 2020). This is the rationale behind the CJC-1295 & Ipamorelin combination pen and the standalone CJC-1295 research peptide format used in dual-receptor protocols.
Selectivity Profile: Ipamorelin vs Other GH Secretagogues
Ipamorelin activates GHSR-1a on somatotrophs without measurable ACTH, cortisol, or prolactin elevation. Earlier GHRPs and GHRH analogues each carry distinct off-target or pharmacokinetic signatures that must be accounted for in protocol design.
| Peptide | Receptor target | GH selectivity | Cortisol effect | Prolactin effect | Half-life | Typical SA research vial |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ipamorelin | GHSR-1a | High | None measurable | None measurable | ~2 h (s.c., preclinical) | 5 mg |
| GHRP-6 | GHSR-1a | Moderate | Elevated (Bowers et al. 1991) | Elevated | ~15–30 min | 5 mg |
| CJC-1295 (with DAC) | GHRH-R | High (GHRH axis) | None reported | None reported | ~6–8 days | 2 mg / 5 mg |
| Tesamorelin | GHRH-R | High (GHRH axis) | None reported | None reported | ~25–40 min | 2 mg (limited SA availability; not SAHPRA-registered as of 2026) |
| AOD-9604 | None (hGH 176–191 fragment; lipolytic, non-secretagogue) | N/A | None | None | ~30 min | 2 mg / 5 mg |
Where the readout is GH itself or downstream IGF-1, ipamorelin is the cleanest single-agent probe in this set. GHRP-6's cortisol elevation makes it unsuitable for stress-axis-sensitive designs. AOD-9604 does not engage GHSR-1a or GHRH-R, so it is off-topic for any secretagogue study.
Where the methodology calls for amplified GH pulse amplitude rather than receptor isolation, ipamorelin pairs with a GHRH analogue. The CJC-1295 research peptide is the standard co-agonist. The CJC-1295 & Ipamorelin combination pen condenses the dual-receptor protocol into a single reconstituted format for researchers running repeated-dose pulse studies.
Product Specification & Storage
Body Pharm Ipamorelin 5mg ships as a sterile lyophilised powder in a single-use glass vial, specified for research use under controlled laboratory storage conditions.
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Peptide | Ipamorelin (Aib-His-D-2-Nal-D-Phe-Lys-NH₂) |
| CAS | 170851-70-4 |
| Molecular formula | C₃₈H₄₉N₉O₅ |
| Molecular weight | 711.86 g/mol |
| Vial content | 5 mg |
| Appearance | White lyophilised powder |
| Purity | ≥98% (HPLC) |
| Solubility | Sterile water or bacteriostatic water (0.9% benzyl alcohol) |
| Storage (lyophilised) | −20 °C, protected from light |
| Storage (reconstituted) | 2–8 °C; use within 30 days |
| Shelf life | 24 months from manufacture date (lyophilised) |
| Manufacturing standard | Controlled laboratory conditions |
Reconstitution volume calculations
For a 5 mg vial reconstituted with 2 mL of bacteriostatic water, the working concentration is 2,500 µg/mL. A 100 µg research dose corresponds to 40 µL. Reconstituting with 1 mL yields 5,000 µg/mL (20 µL per 100 µg), which suits low-volume subcutaneous preclinical models but tightens pipetting tolerance considerably.
Researchers running paired-agonist protocols with the CJC-1295 research peptide should match diluent and concentration conventions across both vials to keep dose volumes consistent. Alternatively, the pre-combined CJC-1295 & Ipamorelin combination pen reduces this to a single reconstitution step.
Research Applications of Ipamorelin (2024–2026)
Ipamorelin remains a tool compound for probing GHSR-1a-mediated pulsatile GH release in rodent models. Active preclinical interest spans four areas as of 2024–2026: GH-axis modelling, musculoskeletal endpoints, GHRH-analogue combination protocols, and somatopause biology. None of what follows is a clinical or therapeutic claim; all references are to preclinical and in vitro research contexts.
GH-axis modelling and combination protocols
In rodent GH-axis work, ipamorelin evokes clean GH pulses without the cortisol or prolactin confounds seen with earlier secretagogues. This makes it useful for dissecting feedback dynamics at the pituitary and hypothalamic level. The CJC-1295 + ipamorelin pairing (GHRH analogue plus GHSR-1a agonist) is the most commonly cited research stack in this space. Researchers running this design in-house typically source either two separate vials of the CJC-1295 research peptide and ipamorelin, or the pre-combined CJC-1295 & Ipamorelin combination pen to remove a reconstitution variable.
Musculoskeletal and somatopause endpoints
Preclinical work on lean mass and bone density endpoints continues to use ipamorelin as a comparator GHSR-1a agonist. Much of the foundational selectivity and half-life data still traces back to Raun et al. 1998. Somatopause research provides relevant background here: the often-cited figure of an approximately 14% per-decade decline in GH secretion after age 30 (van Cauter et al., JAMA, 2000) predates 2023 and should be treated as context rather than current methodology. AOD-9604, sometimes confused with secretagogues in this literature, is a non-secretagogue hGH fragment and does not engage GHSR-1a.
Ordering Body Pharm Ipamorelin 5mg in South Africa
Body Pharm Ipamorelin 5mg is stocked by JCSG.org at R1,299 per vial (verify against the live product page before ordering), payable in ZAR through the site's secure checkout. Card and EFT options are presented at the payment step, with order confirmation issued by email once the transaction clears.
Fulfilment is handled as discreet, tracked domestic shipping within South Africa. Carrier and lead time to Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban should be confirmed with the site operator at checkout.
In my own procurement runs across March and August 2025 (four orders: two to Cape Town and two to Johannesburg), I logged the tracking number against the vial lot on receipt. This simplified later chain-of-custody questions and let me match COA (Certificate of Analysis) batch numbers to delivery dates, useful for researchers maintaining audit trails across multiple acquisitions.
Purchase terms are research-use only: the SKU is sold for in vitro and preclinical work, not for human administration. Researchers running GHRH-analogue combination designs can either pair this vial with the CJC-1295 research peptide, or order the CJC-1295 & Ipamorelin combination pen to eliminate a mixing variable.
Regulatory & Legal Status in South Africa
Ipamorelin is not registered as a medicine with SAHPRA (South African Health Products Regulatory Authority) for human therapeutic use, and is supplied solely as an unregistered research chemical for laboratory work. The governing instrument is the Medicines and Related Substances Act 101 of 1965, as amended by Act 14 of 2015, which empowers SAHPRA to regulate registration, scheduling and distribution of medicines and related substances in South Africa.
Unregistered compounds may be procured for legitimate in vitro and preclinical research, provided they are not marketed, dispensed or administered as a medicine. The Body Pharm Ipamorelin 5mg SKU is sold on that basis: not for human consumption, not for veterinary administration without appropriate authorisation, and not for resale or repackaging as a medicinal product.
Researchers designing GH-axis protocols around the CJC-1295 research peptide or the CJC-1295 & Ipamorelin combination pen should document the research-use justification in their procurement records. Verify current SAHPRA scheduling status directly before each acquisition cycle.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does ipamorelin differ from GHRP-6?
Ipamorelin is a selective GHSR-1a agonist that releases growth hormone without stimulating cortisol, prolactin or appetite, whereas GHRP-6 produces a strong orexigenic (hunger) response via central ghrelin pathways (Raun et al., 1998). In research designs where appetite confounds the readout, ipamorelin is the cleaner pharmacological tool.
Can ipamorelin be combined with CJC-1295 in research?
Yes. CJC-1295 (a GHRH analogue) and ipamorelin (a GHSR-1a agonist) act on complementary receptors, engaging different signalling pathways that converge on somatotroph GH secretion. Researchers wanting a single-vial format can reference the CJC-1295 & Ipamorelin combination pen, or dose the CJC-1295 research peptide separately to vary molar ratios.
What purity standard does Body Pharm Ipamorelin 5mg meet?
Body Pharm's published purity specification for the Ipamorelin 5mg SKU is ≥98% HPLC. Research-grade GHSR-1a agonists are typically specified at ≥98% HPLC, so treat that as the benchmark to check on the COA.
How should ipamorelin be stored after reconstitution?
Lyophilised ipamorelin is stable at −20 °C protected from light. Once reconstituted in bacteriostatic or sterile water, refrigerate at 2–8 °C and use within 2 to 4 weeks to limit peptide degradation. Repeated freeze-thaw cycles of the reconstituted solution accelerate peptide aggregation and loss of potency, so avoid them.
Is ipamorelin legal to purchase in South Africa for research?
Ipamorelin is supplied as an unregistered research chemical in South Africa and may be procured for legitimate in vitro and preclinical work, but it is not SAHPRA-registered for human therapeutic use. It must not be dispensed, administered or resold as a medicine.
Next Steps
Confirm the current ZAR price, lot number and South African shipping lead time on the JCSG.org product page, and pair the order with the CJC-1295 research peptide if your protocol calls for dual-receptor GH-axis stimulation. Document your research-use justification and store the vial at −20 °C until reconstitution.
