beta-melanocyte-stimulating hormone beta-melanocyte-stimulating hormone β-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (β-msh) is an endogenous peptide hormone and neuropeptide. it is a melanocortin, specifically, one of the three types of melanocyte-stimulating hormone (msh), and is produced from proopiomelanocortin (pomc). it is an agonist of the mc1, mc3, mc4, and mc5 receptors. β-melanocyte-stimulating hormone names other names beta-msh, β-melanotropin, β-melanocortin, β-intermedin identifiers cas number 17908-57-5 3d model (jsmol) interactive image pubchem cid 16172929 comptox dashboard (epa) dtxsid00583247 smiles cc(c(=o)nc(ccc(=o)o)c(=o)nc(ccccn)c(=o)nc(ccccn)c(=o)nc(cc(=o)o)c(=o)nc(ccc(=o)o)c(=o)ncc(=o)n1cccc1c(=o)nc(cc2=cc=c(c=c2)o)c(=o)nc(cccnc(=n)n)c(=o)nc(ccsc)c(=o)nc(ccc(=o)o)c(=o)nc(cc3=cnc=n3)c(=o)nc(cc4=cc=cc=c4)c(=o)nc(cccnc(=n)n)c(=o)nc(cc5=cnc6=cc=cc=c65)c(=o)ncc(=o)nc(co)c(=o)n7cccc7c(=o)n8cccc8c(=o)nc(ccccn)c(=o)nc(cc(=o)o)c(=o)o)n properties chemical formula c118h174n34o35s molar mass 2660.95 g·mol−1 except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °c , 100 kpa). infobox references β-msh is artificially generated because it does not exist in humans naturally. β-msh is also to decrease food intake in animals such as rats, chicken due to the effect of proopiomelanocortin (pomc). research was performed to see the effect β-msh has on chicks, and it has been found that chicks responded with a decrease in food and water intake when treated with β-msh. the experiment showed that β-msh causes anorexigenic effects in chicks.