American scientists have invented a fast-acting diet pill. After being tested on mice, obese mice lost almost half of their fat within a week. However, whether this drug is suitable for humans needs further research and clinical trials.
Scientists say that obesity patients may need to wait 10 years.
One-half a week
Richard DiMarch, an Indiana University professor, and colleagues used synthetic natural hormones such as glucagon and glucagon-like peptide-1 to synthesize an artificial hormone for mice.
A week later, the researchers found that normal mice lost 25% of their body weight, while obese mice lost 42%; after one month, normal mice lost 28% and obese mice lost 63%.
Glucagon and glucagon-like peptide-1 are two natural hormones that regulate glucose metabolism. They have similar chemical molecular structures, but differ in their amino acid sequence and thus have different biological functions. Previous scientific studies have shown that these two natural hormones can suppress appetite or reduce body weight by increasing calorie expenditure.
New ways to lose weight
Dimarshi said that although the drug has only been tested on mice, the results of the trial indicate a new approach to treating obesity and diabetes.
The British "Daily Mail" quoted him on the 14th, saying that obesity and diseases caused by obesity, including adult-type diabetes, are still one of the major health threats in modern society. At this stage, the only effective treatment for curing obesity is surgical treatment. For example, gastric bypass surgery.
If you want to lose weight through medications, single agents often have limited efficacy or have obvious side effects. At present, “There is no single agent that can make obese people lose 5 to 10% more weight.†The use of multiple agents in combination therapy may be more effective in the treatment of obesity, which has precedent in the treatment of chronic diseases.
Dimarch and colleagues invented a compound that activates both glucagon and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptors.
Dimarshi said that effective control of glucagon can suppress appetite, while maintaining glucagon receptor activity can not only suppress appetite, but also promote weight loss.
Wait ten years waiting patiently
The results of this study are published online in the journal Nature Chemistry Biology.
Dimarch also stressed that the use of this drug for human body needs further research and clinical trials, which may take 10 years.
He said that the results of the current study have triggered a series of new problems, but pharmacology may therefore be further developed.
Steve Olaeli, professor of clinical biochemistry at the University of Cambridge, England, has been hoping to find a drug that can safely and effectively treat obesity. For DiMarchi’s findings, he emphasized: “Before this medicine is applied to humans, it is important to prove its effectiveness and safety in animals.â€
He said that many medicines seem promising, but they disappeared after being used in the human body, probably because they are not effective or have serious side effects. (Huang Min)