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Rimonabant in rats with a metabolic syndrome: good news after the depression
Author(s) -
Di Marzo V,
Szallasi A
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
british journal of pharmacology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.432
H-Index - 211
eISSN - 1476-5381
pISSN - 0007-1188
DOI - 10.1038/bjp.2008.170
Subject(s) - rimonabant , metabolic syndrome , cannabinoid receptor antagonist , medicine , endocrinology , cannabinoid receptor , monocyte , insulin resistance , antagonist , diabetes mellitus , pharmacology , receptor
The synthetic cannabinoid CB 1 receptor antagonist rimonabant (sold in the United Kingdom under the brand name Acomplia) was reported to improve the profile of cardiovascular risk factors in obese patients with the metabolic syndrome, a cluster of metabolic disorders that often precedes the onset of type II diabetes. Rimonabant is shown in the current issue of British Journal of Pharmacology to attenuate weight gain in Zucker rats, an experimental model of insulin resistance. Neutrophil and monocyte counts were lowered by rimonabant administration. Both platelet activation (by ADP) and aggregation (in response to thrombin) were inhibited. Circulating pro‐inflammatory cytokine levels (monocyte chemotactic protein 1, MCP1 and Regulated upon Activation, Normal T‐cell Expressed and Secreted, RANTES) were also reduced. Furthermore, fibrinogen levels returned to normal. These favourable anti‐inflammatory and anti‐thrombotic actions imply for rimonabant a peripheral, direct action on some cardiovascular risk factors. British Journal of Pharmacology (2008) 154 , 915–917; doi: fn1 ; published online 5 May 2008