Hostname: page-component-745bb68f8f-d8cs5 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-02-02T04:47:51.786Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Thermogenic drugs for the treatment of obesity: sympathetic stimulants in animal models

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 March 2007

A. G. Dulloo  and
D. S. Miller
A. G. Dulloo
Affiliation:
Department of Nutrition, Queen Elizabeth College, University of London, Campden Hill Road, London W8 7AH
D. S. Miller
Affiliation:
Department of Nutrition, Queen Elizabeth College, University of London, Campden Hill Road, London W8 7AH
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

1. Thirty-three drugs known to stimulate the sympathetic nervous system have been screened for thermogenic properties. The results presented are for seven of them.

2. The drugs were tested in five animal models of obesity (genetic (mice and rats), hypothalamic (mice) and dietary (mice and rats)) as well asin leanmice. Energy-balance studies were undertaken using thecomparative-carcass technique as well as by measurement of daily oxygen consumption.

3. All seven drugs in obese animals tended to reduce body-weight and fat without loss of body protein: they acted by increasing metabolic rate without increasing food intake. They were much less effective in lean animals. These findings lend support to the concept that obesity is due to a diminished activity of the sympathetic nervous system.

4. Differences in the effectiveness of the drugs are discussed in relation to differences between the animal models of obesity. Ephedrine and tranylcypromine were found to be the most effective drugs in this series of experiments and a prima facie case is made for human clinical trials.

Type
Papers of direct relevance to Clinical and Human Nutrition
Information
British Journal of Nutrition , Volume 52 , Issue 2 , September 1984 , pp. 179 - 196
Copyright
Copyright © The Nutrition Society 1984

References

Arch, J. R. S., Ainsworth, A. T. & Cawthorne, M. A. (1982). Life Sciences 30, 1817–1826.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Boroumand, M. (1977). Nutrition and genetics: a study of obesity and leanness in the rat. PhD Thesis, London University.Google Scholar
Boroumand, M. & Miller, D. S. (1976). Proceedings of the Nutrition Society 36, 14A.Google Scholar
Colowick, S. P. & Kaplan, O. (1957). Methods in Enzymology, vol. 3. New York: Academic Press.Google Scholar
Djazayery, A., Miller, D. S. & Stock, M. J. (1979). Nutrition and Metabolism 23, 357–367.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dulloo, A. G. (1982). The regulation of energy balance by the sympathetic nervous system: a study of thermogenic drugs in lean and obese rodents. PhD Thesis, London University.Google Scholar
Harwood, P. D. (1963). Science 139, 684–685.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kleiber, M. (1961). In The Fire of Life. London: John Wiley.Google Scholar
Massoudi, M., Evans, E. & Miller, D. S. (1983). Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism 27, 26–37.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Massoudi, M. & Miller, D. S. (1977). Proceedings of the Nutrition Society 36, 135A.Google Scholar
Miller, D. S. (1979). In Non-genetic Models of Obesity, pp. 131–140 [Festing, M. F. W., editor]. London: Macmillan.Google Scholar
Miller, D. S. & Payne, P. R. (1959). British Journal of Nutrition 13, 501–508.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Morgan, J. B., York, D. A., Wasilewska, A. & Portman, J. (1982). British Journal of Nutrition 47, 21–32.Google Scholar
Rothwell, N. J. & Stock, M. J. (1979). Nature 281, 31–35.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rothwell, N. J. & Stock, M. J. (1982). British Journal of Nutrition 47, 461–471.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Schmidt-Nielson, K. (1972). In How Animals Work. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar