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Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Agonist

Meaning

A Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Agonist, or GnRH agonist, is a synthetic peptide drug structurally similar to the naturally occurring hypothalamic GnRH, which initially stimulates and subsequently suppresses the pituitary-gonadal axis. Upon chronic, non-pulsatile administration, these agents cause a sustained, excessive stimulation of the GnRH receptors on the pituitary gonadotroph cells. This continuous overstimulation paradoxically leads to the desensitization and downregulation of the receptors, effectively creating a state of chemical castration or medical hypogonadism. They are clinically utilized in conditions like prostate cancer, endometriosis, and precocious puberty.