Unveiling the therapeutic potential of octreotide in treating morphine dependence

The potential of octreotide (OCT), an octapeptide synthetic somatostatin agonist, to mitigate addiction, specifically morphine dependence, was evaluated in a comprehensive approach involving behavioral, molecular, histological, and docking studies. OCT decreased addiction-related behaviors in Wistar rats previously exposed to morphine, normalizing their exploratory activities and reducing drug-seeking behaviors. Histological assessments revealed octreotide-induced reductions in opioid-induced neuronal damage, suggesting a neuroprotective function. Octreotide's behavioral and histopathological effects were associated with regulation of molecular pathways known to be critical in morphine dependence processes, including TLR4, BDNF, SIRT1, and mTOR. Supplementary docking studies elucidated octreotide's high affinity for addiction-related targets, suggesting that a biological interaction between OCT and players in pathways known to play a role in addiction could be involved in behavioral and cellular effects noted. When our results are taken together, we conclude that OCT could be a promising candidate for opioid dependence treatment and underscore the necessity for further preclinical and clinical investigations.