Low Doses of Somatostatin do not Suppress Postprandial Serum Gastrin Levels in Dogs

MUe effect of 0.1, 0.4, 1.0, 2.0 and 5.0 micrograms kg-1 h-1 somatostatin on food-induced rise of serum gastrin concentrations was studied in 4 dogs. Whereas it has been shown previously that these doses of somatostatin reduce postprandial release of other gastroenteropancreatic hormones, there was no evidence of suppression of serum gastrin levels. A dose of 12.6 micrograms kg-1 h-1 somatostatin abolished the gastrin response completely. The study shows that low doses of somatostatin are not a uniform suppressor of gastroenteropancreatic hormones.