[The effect of synthetic somatostatin in normal and acromegalic males]

The synthetic linear tetradekapeptide somatostatin (growth-hormone release inhibitory hormone: GHRIH) inhibits the liberation of growth hormone in normal persons in the insulin hypoglycaemia test without influencing the rise of cortisol and prolactin, while the concentrations of LH, FSH and TSH remain unchanged. In patients with florid acromegaly there occurs during administration of GHRIH a marked fall in the raised STH level without influencing the basal level of the other anterior-pituitary hormones. As a further effect there is suppression of the insulin level. The somatostatin at present available has a very short biological half-life and in its present form is, therefore, without therapeutic importance.