Structure activity studies on somatostatin.

Seven synthetic analogues of somatostatin helped clarify structural requirements for suppression of growth hormone secretion in rats. Size of the ring is not critical; deletions of serine-13, lysine-4 or asparagine-5 result in peptides which retain an appreciable fraction of the activity. The analogue des-Ala1, Gly2, Asn5-somatostatin lowers plasma growth hormone and insulin levels without affecting plasma glucagon levels significantly.