Anti-Obesity Drugs: A short profile
In the following article we bring you a profile of major anti-obesity drugs already on the market. This goes as follows:
Xenical
Approved by the U.S. FDA in 1999, Xenical (orlistat) is a lipase inhibitor for obesity management that acts by inhibiting the absorption of dietary fats. Xenical prevents enzymes in the gastrointestinal tract from breaking down dietary fats into smaller molecules that can be absorbed by the body. This undigested fat is removed in your bowel movements, and absorption of fat is decreased by about 30 percent.
The recommended dose of Xenical is one capsule with each main meal that includes fat. During treatment, the patient should be on a nutritionally balanced, reduced-calorie diet that contains no more than 30 percent of calories from fat. Xenical is indicated for obese patients with a body mass index of 30 or more, or for patients with a BMI of 27 or more who also have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or diabetes.
The most common side effects of Xenical are oily spotting, gas with discharge, fecal urgency, fatty/oily stools and frequent bowel movements.
Meridia
Approved by the U.S. FDA in 1997, Meridia (sibutramine) is thought to decrease your appetiite by inhibiting the reuptake of serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine in the brain.
By doing this, Meridia helps increase the levels of these hormones that control appetite and hunger. It was the first selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) to be used specifically for weight loss, although other drugs in the same class (Prozac, Paxil) have been used as anti-depressants.
Sibutramine (which is marketed as Reductil in Europe) is indicated for obese patients with a body mass index of 30 or more, or for patients with a BMI of 27 or more who also have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or diabetes.
The drug causes a small increase in average blood pressure, and causes a higher increase in some patients.
Phentermine
First approved almost half a century ago in 1959 as an appetite suppressant, phentermine is sold under a variety of brand names including Ionamin and Adipex-P as well as under its generic name.
Phentermine is a sympathomimetic amine, which is similar to an amphetamine. It is also known as an “anorectic” or “anorexigenic” drug. It stimulates the central nervous system (nerves and brain), which increases your heart rate and blood pressure, and it suppresses your appetite.
During the 1990s, Phentermine was commonly used with another medication called Fenfluramine hydrochloride in a combination referred to as Fen-phen.
In 1997, this combination became the center of a storm, and fenfluramine and dexfenfluramine were taken off the market for possibly causing heart valve damage.
Because of possible adverse effects and contraindications for use, Phentermine is generally used to treat obesity only for a brief period of time.
