US researchers have revealed that a medicine seen as a promising treatment for cocaine and methamphetamine addiction has also been shown to shed weight in laboratory rats.
Rats genetically modified to be obese lost up to 19 percent of their total weight, while rats with a normal weight lost 12 to 20 percent of their weight following short-term administration of the drug vigabatrin, they said.
Obesity - Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Complications, Treatment
Obesity is a condition where there is excess accumulation of body fat which poses a risk to the health of the individual. It can affect children and adults.
Obesity is a condition where there is excess accumulation of body fat which poses a risk to the health of the individual. It can affect children and adults.
"Our results appear to demonstrate that vigabatrin induced satiety in these animals," said Amy DeMarco, who led the study, working in US Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory.
Brookhaven scientist Stephen Dewey had previously identified vigabatrin as a potential addiction treatment, and his research revealed a close link between addiction and obesity, including similar changes in the brain of obese people and drug addicts.
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Atkins diet is a low carbohydrate diet and aids in weight loss. It was developed by Robert Atkins.
Atkins diet is a low carbohydrate diet and aids in weight loss. It was developed by Robert Atkins.
"Given the growing obesity epidemic, we felt that examining vigabatrin's therapeutic efficacy for obesity was particularly relevant," said DeMarco.
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Low calorie meals or diet include foods that are high on nutritional content and yet have fewer calories. Updated information about low calorie diet or low calorie foods and its health benefits.
Low calorie meals or diet include foods that are high on nutritional content and yet have fewer calories. Updated information about low calorie diet or low calorie foods and its health benefits.
The control-group rats received daily salt water injections, while the rats being studied received up to 300 milligrams of vigabatrin a day.
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'Good' Fat may Help to Treat Obesity: Study
Scientists have found two genetic triggers for producing healthful good fat in mice, pointing the way to a new treatment for obesity, according to a pair of studies published Thursday.
Scientists have found two genetic triggers for producing healthful good fat in mice, pointing the way to a new treatment for obesity, according to a pair of studies published Thursday.
"The fact that these results occurred in genetically obese animals offers hope that this drug could potentially treat severe obesity," said Dewey.
Vigabatrin is currently undergoing clinical trials for use as a treatment against cocaine and methamphetamine addiction, researchers said.
Source-AFP
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