New approaches in the pharmacological treatment of obesity

Abstract

Many new substances are currently being investigated for their usefulness in the pharmaco-therapy of obesity. Most drugs interfere with monoamine neuro-transmitter (serotonin, noradrenalin, dopamine and histamine) effects and act as an appetite suppressant. Other approaches are to primarily increase thermogenesis (e.g. beta 3-adrenoceptor agonists), or to decrease fat absorption by inhibiting the pancreatic lipase (orlistat). New promising agents are substances that increase the effect of corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) or urocortin in the brain (CRF-binding protein ligand inhibitor) and a neuropeptide Y (NPY) Y5 receptor antagonist. The clinical relevance of leptin in the therapy of obesity is probably limited, but can not be fully evaluated at the moment. As obesity has a multifactorial basis, all these substances have in common the fact that they can not cure obesity. They should only be used as an adjunct to classical strategies like diet and exercise in severe obesity. For developing new, perhaps even more specific pharmacological agents, further research is needed to understand the individually different genetic and physiological basis of obesity.

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“…35) The present investigation using HFD rats shows that FESR extract (400 and 800 mg/kg) can significantly elevate plasma HDL level and reduce LDL, TC, TG and TL levels without significantly influencing the lipid profile of normolipidemic rats. Observations of changes in body weight and daily food intake suggest that HFD+FESR treatment induced no significant changes in body weight throughout the period of study but significantly decrease the daily food intake.…”

The role of lipid and carbohydrate digestive enzyme inhibitors in the management of obesity: a review of current and emerging therapeutic agents

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