Acomplia

The drug acomplia rimonabant was developed by a French pharmaceutical company. The new drug is put to use in the treatment of obesity and the weight related metabolic risk factors.
The drug blocks the CB1 receptor in the body. This is one of the two receptors in the physiological system that is referred to as the endocannabinoid system or the EC system. The system plays a vital role in the regulation of food intake and energy lost through activity. These receptors are observed on the surfaces of many cells in the body, including fat cells. In the fat cells, the receptors are involved in lipid and glucose metabolism, while those in the hypothalamus, are believed to define and determine appetite. Cannabinoids are chemical compounds that are produced by the body. They get fixed onto the CB1 receptors. These receptors are overactive in the case of overweight individuals and they emit a signal that simply results in increased appetite.

In the year 2001, the first ever study on animals was conducted at the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. The study revealed that genetically altered mice without the cannabinoid receptors ate less than their relatives, even after nearly eighteen hours of fasting. When the 'normal' mice were administered rimonabant, it blocked their CB1 receptors and the food intake was reduced! Sanofi-Synthelabo began human tests in time and it was observed that acomplia selectively targets and blocks the CB1 receptors in the human system too. This in turn helps to normalize the over-activated EC system. The hunger pangs are thus minimized and made more manageable. The blocking of signals that control hunger pangs also facilitate weight loss and improve cardiovascular and metabolic risk factors in obese patients.

Dramatic improvements were also reported in the lipid profile test and the glucose tolerance and insulin levels were also normalized. The wonder drug is on record with approximately half of the patients diagnosed with the metabolic syndrome and who were administered a 20 mg daily dose of acomplia, were diagnosed without the condition at the end of the research period. There are a number of pharmacies worldwide that are pursuing the marketing of this drug because of the potential market identified.



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