Another pill for weight reduction

There is no question that the population of the world is becoming overweight. The new enemy is our appetites. One of every four persons on earth is too fat. Fat people now outnumber hungry people in the world, amounting to 1.7 billion people who could lose weight. Thus, there is a great need for weight reduction. Obesity isn’t the only factor, but it does contribute to hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes, the three major components of the metabolic syndrome. In 2004, three trials, entitled RIO-Lipids, RIO-Europe, and RIO-North America (RIO-NA), were presented at national and international meetings. All three trials tested the effectiveness of a drug called rimonabant, a selective cannabinoid type 1 (CB1) receptor antagonist, a new class of therapeutic agents. Rimonabant targets the endocannabinoid system. The drug’s mechanism of action is to mute appetite alarms in the brain, stomach, and fatty tissue that promote smoking and eating. Rimonabant works by blocking endogenous cannabinoid binding to neuronal CB1 receptors. Activation of these receptors by endogenous or exogenous cannabinoids increases appetite. A selective endocannabinoid receptor antagonist thus offers a novel approach to appetite control and weight reduction. In addition, the drug has potential as a treatment for smoking cessation because the endocannabinoid system is also involved in the body’s response to tobacco dependence.