Understanding Hunger Could Aid Discovery Of Obesity Drugs

A team of scientists is hoping to discover drugs for treating obesity. Scientists have found that there are many other factors contributing to eating habits, apart from leptin and ghrelin.

Jyoti Madhusoodanan, contributing editor, reported that early attempts to therapeutically target leptin and ghrelin, which suppress and stimulate appetite, respectively, were mostly ineffective. But the hormones' discoveries paved the way to a deeper understanding of the chemistry of hunger.

Scientists have found that in addition to leptin and ghrelin, many other factors contribute to eating habits. Protein sensors in the stomach, for example, sense stretch, pressure and volume changes when a person eats, and create a sense of fullness.

‘A few more years of in-depth study for a deeper understanding of the chemistry of hunger is needed to treat obesity.’

Neurotransmitters in the brain, including dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine, also tweak people's feelings of hunger and satiety. Recognizing the role of the brain in weight gain, researchers developed newer therapies, approved in 2013 and 2014, to target individual neuronal signaling molecules.

But to further improve obesity treatments, drugs will most likely need a more complex approach, given the multiple factors involved in hunger. So researchers are now trying combination therapies to better regulate various parts of the body's appetite control system.

A few more years of research could ultimately bear out this strategy or help redirect the field yet again. The study appears in Chemical & Engineering News (C&EN).

Source: ANI

Focus Shifts to Target for Obesity Drugs

The way in which the hormone leptin interacts with a key receptor in the brain has been determined by researchers at the University of Michigan.

Obesity Drugs may Replace Gastric Bypass Surgery

A new drug treatment which pay prove to be a great alternative to gastric bypass surgery, is currently being developed by scientists

Study Indicates That Physicians Prescribe More Diabetic Medications Than Obesity Drugs

Obesity is a major risk factor for diabetes, physicians prescribe 15 times more diabetic treatment medications than obesity drugs.

New Approaches for Evaluating Benefits and Risks of Obesity Drugs Outlined By George Washington University Consensus Report

A report was released today by the George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services (GW).

AIDS / HIV - Treatment

Encyclopedia section of medindia explains in brief about the treatment for AIDS/HIV

AIDS/HIV

"AIDS is an epidemic disease, a potentially preventable, deadly infection for which there is no cure, no vaccine, and it is not under control." - National Commission on AIDS, 1993.

AIDS/HIV - Clinical Features

Encyclopedia section of medindia gives general info about HIV Clinical Features

AIDS/HIV - Epidemiology

AIDS or HIV is an epidemic disease, a potentially deadly infection that can be prevented with precautions. AIDS/HIV symptoms manifest long after the actual infection occurs.

AIDS/HIV - Health Education

Encyclopedia section of medindia gives general info about AIDS information and health education.

AIDS/HIV - Prevention And Transmission

Encyclopedia section of medindia explains in brief about the prevention for AIDS/HIV

Drug Toxicity

Drug toxicity is an adverse reaction of the body towards a drug that results as a side effect of a drug, reaction to a drug or drug abuse.

Obesity

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.

Oral Health And AIDS

AIDS has taken on massive proportions in modern times. It is estimated that over 15 million people are suffering from the disease and many more are harboring the dreaded Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).