Direct proabsorptive effect of octreotide on ionic transport in the small intestine

Somatostatin is widely distributed within the nervous system and the gastrointestinal tract. Gastrointestinal actions of somatostatin include inhibition of hormone release, reduction of pancreatic secretion, inhibition of motility, and reduction of blood flow. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of somatostatin and its analogue octreotide on water and electrolyte transport in the small intestine. Rabbit ileal segments (n = 17) were harvested and arterially perfused ex vivo with a nonrecirculating oxygenated sanguineous solution. The lumen was perfused with an isotonic solution containing carbon 14-labeled polyethylene glycol. Net fluxes of water, Na+, and Cl- were calculated for three 20-minute periods designated basal, drug infusion, and recovery. Three groups were studied: somatostatin at 10(-6) mol/L (n = 5), somatostatin at 10(-5) mol/L (n = 5), and octreotide at 10(-5) mol/L (n = 7). Somatostatin at 10(-5) mol/L yielded a proabsorptive effect on the flux of water and electrolytes. Octreotide at 10(-5) mol/L caused a significant (p less than 0.05) proabsorptive response in the fluxes of water, sodium, and chloride during the period of drug infusion, which returned to basal secretory levels during the recovery period. This proabsorptive effect occurred without alterations in vascular resistance and necessarily was independent of systemic hormone interaction, supporting a direct effect of octreotide on intestinal ionic transport.