Corticotropin releasing hormone: Therapeutic implications and medicinal chemistry developments

Corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH, sometimes known as CRF) is an endogen ous 41 amino acid peptide that has been implicated in the onset of pregnanc y, the 'fight or flight' response, in addition to a large number of physiol ogical disorders. Recently, medicinal chemists have developed a number of p otent and selective compounds that show promise in a vast array of therapeu tic uses. Herein we review the current status of research. (C) 2000 Elsevie r Science Ltd. All rights reserved.