ATC Group: H01CB Somatostatin and analogues

Lanreotide is an octapeptide analogue of natural somatostatin. Like somatostatin, lanreotide is an inhibitor of various endocrine, neuroendocrine, exocrine and paracrine functions.

Octreotide is a synthetic octapeptide derivative of naturally occurring somatostatin with similar pharmacological effects, but with a considerably prolonged duration of action. It inhibits pathologically increased secretion of growth hormone (GH) and of peptides and serotonin produced within the GEP endocrine system.

Pasireotide is a novel cyclohexapeptide, injectable somatostatin analogue. Pasireotide exerts its pharmacological activity via binding to somatostatin receptors. Somatostatin receptors are expressed in many tissues, especially in neuroendocrine tumours in which hormones are excessively secreted, including ACTH in Cushing’s disease.

Somatostatin is a cyclic tetradecapeptide regulating many endocrine and nervous system functions. Somatostatin inhibits release of adenohypophyseal growth hormone, thyrotropin and corticotropin, pancreatic insulin and glucagon, gastric mucosal gastrin, intestinal mucosal secretin, and renal renin by binding to specific somatostatin receptors (SSTR), which are cell surface G protein-coupled receptors expressed in a tissue-specific manner.