Effect of somatostatin on liver blood flow in the rat.

The effect of portal and systemic intravenous boluses of somatostatin on total liver blood flow in rats was studied using the xenon-133 clearance technique. No change in liver blood flow was found when somatostatin was delivered into the portal circulation, but there was a significant reduction in liver blood flow when somatostatin was delivered into the systemic venous circulation. The results suggest that somatostatin exerts its effect on liver blood flow through the pre-hepatic splanchnic circulation rather than directly on the portal vein.