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PeptideHormone

Octreotide

A long-acting somatostatin analog used to suppress GH and other hormones.

Also known as Sandostatin.

AnalogEstablishedBased on SomatostatinCompare with SST Compare lineage

A natural off-switch too fleeting to prescribe, redrawn until it lasts long enough for a clinic to use.

Identity

Class
Somatostatin analog (cyclic octapeptide)
Source
Synthetic analog of somatostatin
Receptor
Somatostatin receptors (SSTR2 and SSTR5 preferential)

Key properties

Evidence floorClinicalREF1CLIN1
Molecular weight
~1,019.2 Da
REF
Half-life (native)
~1.5 h (subcutaneous; LAR depot ~monthly)
CLIN
Model dosing

Approximate values for the native hormone; engineered analogs are often deliberately larger and far longer-acting. Each figure carries its own provenance tier, and the floor is the weakest of them - the Standard.

Mechanism

Octreotide reproduces somatostatin's inhibitory action but with a far longer half-life than the native peptide's ~2 minutes. By preferentially engaging SSTR2/SSTR5 it suppresses growth hormone and several gut hormones, which is why it is used in acromegaly and neuroendocrine tumors.

Reference notes

  • Native somatostatin is too short-lived to be a practical drug; octreotide solves the half-life problem.
  • It is receptor-subtype-selective (SSTR2/5), unlike native somatostatin's broad SSTR coverage.
  • Long-acting (LAR) depot formulations act over roughly a month.

Common questions

What is Octreotide?
A long-acting somatostatin analog used to suppress GH and other hormones. Structurally it is Somatostatin analog (cyclic octapeptide).
How does Octreotide work?
Octreotide reproduces somatostatin's inhibitory action but with a far longer half-life than the native peptide's ~2 minutes. By preferentially engaging SSTR2/SSTR5 it suppresses growth hormone and several gut hormones, which is why it is used in acromegaly and neuroendocrine tumors.
How strong is the evidence for Octreotide?
PeptideHormone grades Octreotide at the "Established" evidence tier — its mechanism and core effects are settled across the peer-reviewed literature. It is catalogued as an engineered analog built on an endogenous hormone, and the tier is an editorial judgment about the public literature that can change as the science does.
What is the half-life of Octreotide?
The reported circulating half-life of Octreotide is ~1.5 h (subcutaneous; LAR depot ~monthly).
Is Octreotide the same as Sandostatin?
Sandostatin is a brand name of Octreotide — the same molecule in different approved presentations. This page is the molecule reference, not a prescribing guide.

Selected literature

Curated peer-reviewed reviews, sourced from PubMed. Selected for relevance, not exhaustive — open any entry on PubMed for the full record and its primary citations.

  1. 1.Octreotide and Octreotide-derived delivery systems · Journal of drug targeting, 2023 · PMID 37211679
  2. 2.Somatostatin Analogs in Clinical Practice: a Review · International journal of molecular sciences, 2020 · PMID 32121432

External references

Octreotide in the public knowledge graph — the same entity resolved across the authoritative chemistry and protein databases.