Clinical obesity is a major metabolic problemwhich constitutes one of the main risk factors in pathologies such as cardiovascular diseases or type II diabetes.
At present, and although the preferred option is the lifestyle interventions (such as modifications in the diet and in the usual regimen of physical activity), we have several treatments for the most extreme cases. These include not only pharmacological options, but also surgical procedures such as bariatric surgery.
Mimic the results of surgery
The bariatric surgeryApart from assuming a mechanical change in the morphology of the digestive system, it has effects on the organism at a metabolic level. Specifically, changes in hormonal secretion occur at the gastric and intestinal level.
Researchers have developed different drugs that seek to replicate these changes, which among other processes affect sensations such as hunger or satiety. However, many times these drugs have side effects (the main one being severe nausea) that lead patients to abandon the treatments.
Now, a new study carried out by researchers from the University of Syracuse (New York), presented at the annual convention of the American Chemical Society and picked up by the scientific news portal Medical News Today has presented One option that could help overcome this hurdle.
A novel mechanism of action
According to this medium, it is a compound, the GEP44 peptide, capable of mimicking the long-term metabolic effects of bariatric surgery. In studies carried out on animal models (rats), it does not appear to cause signs of nausea or vomiting (unlike some of the most commonly used pharmacological options for obesity, such as liraglutide).
The secret, the authors believe, lies in the substance’s mechanism of action: while previous attempts to emulate the hormonal changes surgically produced focused on activating a specific hormone receptor in each case, GEP44 activates several (two receptors for natural peptide YY and one for glucacon-like peptide 1).
This has several different effects on the body: not only causes a feeling of satiety, but also increases energy expenditure (higher heart rate, greater physical activity…).
A promising medication but with risks
However, the researchers caution that these are still early results achieved in mice, so the drug still has a long way to go before it can be used. approved for use in humans.
In addition, there is a risk that this medication and others that operate by the same mechanism lead to reductions in caloric intake that can even cause malnutrition in patients.
Still, the authors stress the potential of these drugs to achieve pharmacological alternatives that, with reduced doses, achieve the desired results avoiding the main side effects and therefore favor greater adherence to treatments.
References
Paul Ian Cross. Experimental obesity treatment may promote weight loss without nausea. Medical News Today (2023). Accessed online at https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/experimental-obesity-treatment-may-promote-weight-loss-without-nausea on 04/06/2023