What Is ACTH? Benefits, Research & Safety

ACTH was among the first pituitary hormones to be characterised. In 1943, researchers established that the pituitary released a factor stimulating the adrenal cortex, naming it adrenocorticotropic hormone. The isolation and purification of ACTH was achieved by various researchers in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Li and Evans, as well as Sayers and colleagues, made key contributions to understanding its structure and function. By 1960, the complete amino acid sequence of ACTH had been determined, and shortly after, the hormone was synthesised. Researchers discovered that only the first 24 amino acids (ACTH 1-24) were necessary for full biological activity, leading to development of cosyntropin/tetracosactide. The discovery that ACTH derived from proopiomelanocortin (POMC) alongside melanocortin peptides and β-endorphin explained some of its diverse biological effects and led to greater understanding of neuroendocrine regulation. ACTH has been used therapeutically since the 1950s, initially for inflammatory conditions. Its use in infantile spasms was recognised in the 1950s and remains an approved indication today. Repository corticotropin (Acthar Gel) continues to be used for various conditions.