Drug Insight: appetite suppressants.

Article Details

Citation

Copy to clipboard

Bray GA

Drug Insight: appetite suppressants.

Nat Clin Pract Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2005 Feb;2(2):89-95.

PubMed ID

16265126 [ View in PubMed

]

Abstract

The term 'appetite suppressant' is used to denote drugs that act primarily on the neurochemical transmitters of the central nervous system to reduce food intake. In addition to drugs that release or mimic the effect of norepinephrine (noradrenaline), this could include drugs that inhibit: reuptake of norepinephrine or 5-hydroxytryptamine (also known as serotonin); bind to the gamma-aminobutyric acid receptors or the cannabinoid receptors; and some peptides that reduce food intake. The sympathomimetic drugs phentermine, diethylpropion, benzphetamine, and phendimetrazine--so named because they mimic many effects of norepinephrine--are only approved in a few countries, and then only for short-term use. Sibutramine, a norepinephrine-5-hydroxytryptamine reuptake inhibitor, is approved for long-term use. Several new mechanisms for drug action are under investigation. Appetite suppressants should be viewed as useful adjuncts to diet and physical activity and might help selected patients to achieve and maintain weight loss.

DrugBank Data that Cites this Article

Drug Targets

Drug	Target	Kind	Organism	Pharmacological Action	Actions
Phendimetrazine	Alpha-1A adrenergic receptor	Protein	Humans	Yes	Agonist	Details
Phendimetrazine	Alpha-1B adrenergic receptor	Protein	Humans	Unknown	Agonist	Details