SIBUTRAMINE - A NOVEL NEW AGENT FOR OBESITY TREATMENT

Sibutramine is a novel new pharmacologic agent which is a specific reu ptake inhibitor for norepinephrine and serotonin, Preclinical data sho w that sibutramine and its two metabolites reduce food intake of anima ls eating either high or low carbohydrate diets and of obese Zucker ra ts, An 8-week clinical trial showed a dose-dependent decrease on body weight. Sibutramine, 5 and 20 mg/day, produced a dose-related weight l oss in obese subjects compared to placebo in an 8-week trial, In doses varying from 1 to 30 mg, sibutramine also produced a dose-dependent d ecrease in weight in the healthy obese population when used in 6-,8-,1 2- 24- and 52-week trials, Although the majority of the weight loss oc curred during the first 12 weeks of treatment,weight loss had not plat eaued in by 24 weeks in the higher doses, Side effects were mild, This drug shows promise as an antiobesity drug.