Somatostatin. Its possible role in carbohydrate homeostasis and the treatment of diabetes mellitus
J. E. Gerich
Somatostatin, a peptide inhibitor of growth hormone release originally
isolated from the hypothalamus, is also present in D cells of pancreatic
islets. Its ability to inhibit the secretion of insulin and glucagon
suggests that it may be a local regulator of pancreatic A- and B-cell
function. Studies using synthetic somatostatin have provided evidence that
glucagon is a physiologically important hormone that exacerbates the
consequences of insulin deficiency in human diabetes mellitus. The ability
of somatostatin to diminish both fasting and post-prandial hyperglycemia
and to forestall the development of ketoacidosis after withdrawal of
insulin in insulin-dependent diabetics suggests a potential therapeutic use
of this agent in diabetes. Presently, however, its short half-life and
diverse actions preclude such use and have prompted the search for more
specific and longer-acting analogs.
