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2007-9-3 23:47:26 |
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Scientists at Imperial College in London are developing a new anti-obesity treatment based on a naturally occurring hormone secreted in the gut, according to news reports. The drug aims to prevent an individual from becoming obese by suppressing his appetite. The team led by Professor Steve Bloom of the Division of Investigative Science has recently discovered that hormones secreted in the gut play a crucial role in appetite control. These hormones are released after one eats to send a signal that ˇ°I am fullˇ± to the brain to ask him to stop eating, the researchers say. One of the hormones Professor Steve Bloom's team is interested in is pancreatic polypeptide (PP), which is safe for long-term use, according to the researchers. They said people with high levels of PP do not show any adverse effects, suggesting that use of PP is safe. "Developing a treatment based on natural appetite suppression, mimicking our body's response to being full, has the potential to be safe and effective," says Professor Bloom. "We believe that pancreatic polypeptide may be the answer." But the delivery of the drug could be quite a task. "The trouble with PP is that it would need to be injected daily and cannot be taken as a pill," says Professor Bloom. "Naturally, this is not very convenient, so we need to develop an injectable form that is longer lasting and can be administered on a weekly basis to make it more practical." The research was funded by the Wellcome Trust under its Seeding Drug Discovery Initiative, a business entity that sponsors all types of drug discovery programs. The drug is expected in five to eight years. A scientist affiliated with foodconsumer.org cautions that long-term use of any hormone could interfere with the natural biochemistry in humans even without any adverse effect manifesting, potentially leading to loss of certain physiological functions. He says although weight gain can be controlled by suppressing intake of energy, it is not a good idea to resort to any medical intervention. High intake of energy does not necessarily lead to obesity, meaning that one does not have to control his appetite to control body weight. Dr. T. Colin Campbell, a prominent nutrition professor from Cornell University says in his famous book titled "The China Study" that the Chinese in rural areas consumed much more calories than their American counterparts, but they were leaner than Americans. |
