Multiple treatments with SRIH-14 or octreotide affect adrenal zona glomerulosa in adult male rats.

Somatostatin analogues are currently used to treat various disorders such as hypersecretion and different neuroendocrine tumors. In this study we examined the effects on the adrenal cortex of somatostatin (SRIH-14) and octreotide administered subcutaneously twice daily for 5 days to adult male rats. Control rats received saline under the same regime. After sacrifice, the adrenal glands were removed and examined morphometrically using the M(42) multipurpose test system. Blood samples were prepared for biochemical tests. Both SRIH-14 and octreotide induced morphofunctional changes in adrenal zona glomerulosa. We found significant decreases (p < 0.05) in the absolute cell and nuclear volumes of zona glomerulosa in both experimental groups in comparison to the control. The serum aldosterone level was 11% lower (p < 0.05) in the SRIH-14 and 13% (p < 0.05) lower in the octreotide-treated group in comparison with the control group. Morphometric parameters of zona fasciculata and zona reticulata and corticosterone levels were not altered significantly (p > 0.05) in either treated group. It may therefore be concluded that both SRIH-14 and octreotide affected zona glomerulosa in the same manner by decreasing morphofunctional characteristics.