Morphine Injection and Somatostatin: Interaction Details
AI-assisted, pharmacist-reviewed · Source data updated Aug 8, 2026 · Sources: FDA labeling, DDInter 2.0, cited literature
Morphine Injection
Somatostatin
No brand names on record
How we grade severity & evidence
Severity levels
- Contraindicated: These should generally not be used together.
- Major: Potentially serious — often needs a change or close monitoring.
- Moderate: Can be significant — usually manageable with monitoring.
- Minor: Usually limited clinical impact.
Evidence grades
- Established: Well documented — supported by controlled studies or strong clinical data.
- Probable: Good supporting evidence, though not definitively proven.
- Suspected: Some evidence suggests this interaction, but it is not well established.
- Possible: Limited or conflicting evidence; the interaction may occur.
- Theoretical: Predicted from the drugs' pharmacology; not yet confirmed in people.
Ratings come from the documented interaction literature and are reviewed by a pharmacist. They describe the documented risk of the combination, not what will necessarily happen to you — your dose, timing, and health picture all matter.
What happens
Reduced analgesic effect of morphine
Interaction Deep Dive
A possible interaction between somatostatin and morphine resulted in a significant increase in cancer-related pain in three different patients. In all three cases, the patients reported their pain to be slight according to the Likert scale prior to initiating treatment with somatostatin, and awful after concurrent therapy with somatostatin and morphine. In addition, the patient's pain continued to be described as awful even after repeated increases in the morphine dosage. It was noted that one patient who had been on particularly high doses of morphine had no withdrawal symptoms or change in pain status after discontinuation of the morphine. The authors suggest that the opioid antagonist properties of somatostatin may be responsible for this reduction of analgesia1.
Why it happens (mechanism)
Antagonism of opioid analgesic activity
Common questions
Can I take Morphine Injection and Somatostatin together?
Reduced analgesic effect of morphine Always confirm with your pharmacist or prescriber before making any change.
How serious is the Morphine Injection and Somatostatin interaction?
It is rated moderate. Can be significant — usually manageable with monitoring.
How quickly could this interaction happen?
The documented onset is "rapid". Effects can appear quickly, often within about 24 hours of combining the drugs.
How strong is the evidence for this interaction?
The evidence is graded "probable". Good supporting evidence, though not definitively proven.
Questions for your pharmacist
- Does my dose of Morphine Injection or Somatostatin need adjusting while I take them together?
- What symptoms should prompt me to call you or my prescriber right away?
- Does the timing of my doses matter for this combination?
- Is there anything you'd monitor while I'm on both?
References (1)
- Ripamonti C, DeConno F, Boffi R, et al: Can somatostatin be administered in association with morphine in advanced cancer patients with pain (letter)?. Ann Oncol 1998; 9:921-924. PubMed
Keep reading about Morphine Injection
Check another combination
Our instant two-drug interaction checker is almost here.
Still have questions about this combination?
Every question gets a real answer from a licensed pharmacist — free, and usually within a day.
Ask the pharmacist