Abstract: A method of increasing the clearance of particles from the blood stream of a vertebrate, which comprises administering to a vertebrate having a surplus of particles in the blood stream of the vertebrate an amount of a somatostatin analogue sufficient to increase phagocytosis in the vertebrate is disclosed along with a method treating vascular lesions or deterioration of biological membranes comprising the step of administering to a human or other mammal suspected of having one or more vascular lesions or of having deterioration of a biological membrane in the liver of said human or mammal an amount of a somatostatin analogue sufficient to reduce the number or severity of said lesions or to prevent further deterioration or reduce the extent of deterioration of said membrane.