Therapeutic
Half-life: 90 minutes (immediate release) | 28 days between LAR injections
Octreotide
Octreotide (Sandostatin)
Octreotide is a workhorse of endocrine medicine. This synthetic octapeptide mimics somatostatin, the body's 'off switch' for hormone secretion. Natural somatostatin inhibits growth hormone, insulin, glucagon, and numerous gut hormones, but its half-life is only 2-3 minutes—useless as a drug. Octreotide was engineered for stability, with a half-life of 90 minutes (injectable) to weeks (depot formulation), while retaining somatostatin's inhibitory activity. It revolutionized treatment of acromegaly (excess growth hormone) and neuroendocrine tumors, which secrete hormones causing debilitating symptoms. For patients with carcinoid syndrome—flushing, diarrhea, wheezing caused by tumor-secreted serotonin—octreotide is often life-changing. It also treats refractory diarrhea, variceal bleeding, and is used diagnostically in nuclear medicine. Approved since 1988 and available as generic, octreotide demonstrates how clever peptide engineering can transform an unstable natural molecule into a practical therapeutic.
Table of Contents
What is Octreotide?
Octreotide is a workhorse of endocrine medicine. This synthetic octapeptide mimics somatostatin, the body's 'off switch' for hormone secretion. Natural somatostatin inhibits growth hormone, insulin, glucagon, and numerous gut hormones, but its half-life is only 2-3 minutes—useless as a drug. Octreotide was engineered for stability, with a half-life of 90 minutes (injectable) to weeks (depot formulation), while retaining somatostatin's inhibitory activity. It revolutionized treatment of acromegaly (excess growth hormone) and neuroendocrine tumors, which secrete hormones causing debilitating symptoms. For patients with carcinoid syndrome—flushing, diarrhea, wheezing caused by tumor-secreted serotonin—octreotide is often life-changing. It also treats refractory diarrhea, variceal bleeding, and is used diagnostically in nuclear medicine. Approved since 1988 and available as generic, octreotide demonstrates how clever peptide engineering can transform an unstable natural molecule into a practical therapeutic.
Research Benefits
Suppresses growth hormone secretion
Controls symptoms of neuroendocrine tumors
Reduces diarrhea in carcinoid syndrome
Decreases tumor hormone production
Slows growth of some neuroendocrine tumors
Reduces variceal bleeding risk
Long-acting depot formulations available
Well-established safety profile
Research Applications
Acromegaly treatment
Active research area with published studies
Neuroendocrine tumors (carcinoid, VIPoma, glucagonoma)
Active research area with published studies
Carcinoid syndrome symptom control
Active research area with published studies
Refractory diarrhea
Active research area with published studies
Variceal bleeding
Active research area with published studies
Dumping syndrome
Active research area with published studies
Pancreatic fistula
Active research area with published studies
Peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT)
Active research area with published studies