Growth hormone increases the mass, the collagenous proteins, and the strength of rat colon.

The effect of growth hormone treatment on the left colon was investigated in 4-month-old Wistar rats. The animals were injected with saline (controls) or biosynthetic human growth hormone (b-hGH) in doses of 1.0 and 5.0 mg b-hGH/kg/day for 30 days. The total body weight of the rats injected with 1.0 mg b-hGH/kg/day did not differ from that of the control group, whereas the body weight of the rats injected with 5.0 mg b-hGH/kg/day was increased by 37% compared with the control group. The colonic dry weight per unit length was increased by 57% and 46% by 1.0 mg and 5.0 mg b-hGH/kg/day, respectively. The defatted dry weight was increased by 52% and 44%, respectively. The hydroxyproline content per unit length was increased by 31% and 23%, respectively. Furthermore, the biomechanical strength was increased by the b-hGH injections. No difference between the two b-hGH doses was found in any of the data.