[Sandostatin (octreotide)--drug and neurotransmitter (experimental study)]

Sandostatin (octreotide), a synthetic analogue of somatostatin that is a hormone and neurotransmitter of pain conduction, has been developed. The drug has been widely used in gastroenterological care; however, its role as a neurotransmitter has been little studied. The authors performed experimental studies to evaluate the effects of octreotide on the nociceptive sensitivity of animals (the intravenous dose being 1 mg/kg) and on the actinociceptive activity of fentanyl (the intraperitoneal doses, 125 and 250 micrograms/kg). The study has demonstrated that octreotide in a dose of 1 mg/kg causes a steady-state hyperalgesic effect. A combination of octreotide and fentanyl in the above diseases substantially reduces the analgesic activity of the latter just 15 min after injection, which should be borne in mind in applying the above agents in clinical practice.