Glucocorticoids have been shown to inhibit GH secretion in normal man when acutely and chronically administered in pharmacological amounts. Pyridostigmine (PD), an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, is able to elicit GH secretion when administered alone and to enhance the GH response to GHRH in normal subjects probably via a decrease in the hypothalamic release of somatostatin. The aim of the present study was to investigate the influence of glucocorticoids on the GH response to PD administered either alone or in combination with GHRH in normal adult subjects. Six healthy adult volunteers underwent six experimental protocols. They received 1) human (h) GHRH(1-29)NH2, 100 micrograms injected as an iv bolus; 2) cortisone acetate, 50 mg administered orally (po) 60 min before an hGHRH iv bolus injection; 3) PD, 120 mg administered po, 60 min before an hGHRH iv bolus injection; 4) PD and cortisone acetate, administered po 60 min before an hGHRH iv bolus injection; 5) PD, administered po 60 min before a saline iv bolus injection; 6) PD and cortisone acetate administered po 60 min before a saline iv bolus injection. Mean GH levels, peak GH levels, and GH area under the curves (AUCs) were significantly lower after GHRH + cortisone as compared to GHRH alone. However, these parameters were not significantly different after PD + GHRH + cortisone when compared to PD + GHRH and after PD + cortisone when compared to PD alone. We conclude that acute administration of pharmacological amounts of glucocorticoids cannot inhibit the GH response to PD alone or in combination with GHRH. Thus, we hypothesize that the inhibitory action of glucocorticoids on the GH response to GHRH in man may be mediated by an enhancement of either somatostatin release by the hypothalamus or somatostatin action on the pituitary.