The invention comprises peptidyl analogs according to formulae (I) or (II) as depicted below: (R2R3)-A1-A2-A3-A4-A5-A6-A7-A8-A9-A10-A11-A12-A13- A14-A15-A16-A17-A18-A19-A20-A21-A22-A23-A24-A25- A-26-A27-A28-R1 wherein the definitions of A1 to A28 and R1 to R3 are provided for in the specification for each of formulae (I) and (II), pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof and pharmaceutical compositions comprising an effective amount of a compound of formula (I), that possess agonist or antagonist ghrelin activity, along with therapeutic and non-therapeutic uses thereof.