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Somatostatin is a hormone produced by the hypothalamus and some other tissues such as the pancreas and the gastrointestinal tract. It inhibits the release of growth hormone from the anterior pituitary, and insulin and glucagon from the pancreas.

Somatostatin also decreases the release of most gastrointestinal hormones and reduces gastric acid and pancreatic secretion. It can reduce abdominal blood flow therefore somatostatin analogs can be used to reduce bleeding from esophageal varices.

Somatostatin analogs are used for treatment of tumors secreting vasoactive intestinal peptide, carcinoid tumors, glucagonomas and various pituitary adenomas. It is also used to treat acromegaly (a condition in where there is oversecretion of growth hormone in an adult).