Nonpeptide somatostatin analogs: recent advances in its application and research

Along with its wide anatomical distribution, somatostatin (SST) acts on multiple targets via a family of 5 receptors to produce a broad spectrum of biological effects. Therefore, a variety of peptide analogs have been produced and are widely used in clinical treatment. However, because of their flaws in the structure of peptide, the clinical efficacy is limited. In this review, we summarize the structure, pharmacological effects and the potential clinical value of non-peptide SST analogs. We focus on the research and development of non-peptide SST analogs since 1998, and discuss the problems and potential prospects for non-peptide SST analogs. We believe that as more non-peptide somatostatin analogs are successfully developed, the extensive clinical application of SSTs will contribute a great deal to medical science.