Altriptan, a common type of migraine medication, may also be useful in the treatment of obesity
, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Texas Medical Center, USA. The researchers gave the drug to obese mice, and found that the treatment led to less food consumption and weight loss. This is an old group of drugs that has existed for many years and is designed to relieve headaches and migraines.
As part of the study, the researchers tested six types of drugs from the "altriptan" family, on obese mice, which they fed in a controlled manner with high-fat foods, prior to the experiment.
According to the findings, the mice that received two of these types of drugs ate roughly the same amount - before and after receiving the drug.
At the same time, among mice fed with four types of drugs - a significant decrease in food consumption was recorded.
Worked on mice - will it work on humans?, Photo: GettyImages
After 24 days from the start of the experiment, the researchers found that mice that received a daily dose of the drug "provetriptan" (one of the drugs in the altriptan family), lost an average of 3.6% of their body weight, while among mice that did not receive the treatment, an average increase of 5.1% in their body weight was actually recorded.
How does the drug affect the appetite?
It works on serotonin, the hormone that plays a key role in determining the level of our appetite, in excess.
At the same time, there are 15 different types of serotonin receptors that cause cells to change their behavior, so until today researchers have had trouble understanding the role of each of the serotonin receptors in influencing appetite.
Will an anti-migraine pill help with weight loss?
More experiments are needed, photo: GettyImages
Dr. Raz HaGoel, director of the Medical Center for the Treatment of Obesity, explains: "These are the findings of a preliminary study and further studies are needed in order to establish unequivocal conclusions regarding the effectiveness of migraine medications for the treatment of obesity.
At the same time, in recent years, large and significant studies have been published that found that drug therapy is an important, significant and effective tool in dealing with obesity.
There are currently a variety of drug treatments that can help lose weight, and in the coming years more drugs are expected to be added to the arsenal of tools of doctors treating obesity."
More than 41% of all adults in the US are obese and almost half of the population in Israel is overweight, to varying degrees. Obesity is considered a disease that significantly increases a person's risks of suffering from heart problems, stroke, diabetes, certain types of cancer, and even depression , therefore the research findings may be significant news for many around the world.
were we wrong
We will fix it!
If you found an error in the article, we would appreciate it if you shared it with us
