Peripheral endocannabinoid system activity in patients treated with sibutramine

Item Type:	Article
Title:	Peripheral endocannabinoid system activity in patients treated with sibutramine
Creators Name:	Engeli, S. and Heusser, K. and Janke, J. and Gorzelniak, K. and Batkai, S. and Pacher, P. and Harvey-White, J. and Luft, F.C. and Jordan, J.
Abstract:	Objective:The endocannabinoid system (ECS) promotes weight gain and obesity-associated metabolic changes. Weight loss interventions may influence obesity-associated risk indirectly through modulation of the peripheral ECS. We investigated the effect of acute and chronic treatment with sibutramine on components of the peripheral ECS.Methods and Procedures:Twenty obese otherwise healthy patients received randomized, double-blind, crossover treatment with placebo and 15 mg/day sibutramine for 5 days each, followed by 12 weeks open-label sibutramine treatment. We determined circulating anandamide and 2-arachidonoylglycerol and expression levels of endocannabinoid genes in subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue biopsies.Results:Body weight was stable during the acute treatment period and decreased by 6.0 +/- 0.8 kg in those patients completing 3 months of sibutramine treatment (P < 0.05). Circulating endocannabinoids and the expression of ECS genes did not change with acute or chronic sibutramine treatment.Discussion:The ECS is activated in obesity. We did not find any influence of 5% body weight loss induced by sibutramine on circulating levels of endocannabinoids and adipose-tissue expression of endocannabinoid genes in obese subjects. These data confirm our previous findings on dietary weight loss and suggest that the dysregulation of the ECS may be a cause rather than a consequence of obesity.
Keywords:	Abdominal Fat, Appetite Depressants, Arachidonic Acids, Biopsy, Body Weight, Cross-Over Studies, Cyclobutanes, Drug Dose-Response Relationship, Double-Blind Method, Endocannabinoids, Gene Expression Regulation, Glycerides, Obesity, Polyunsaturated Alkamides, Regression Analysis, Weight Loss
Source:	Obesity
ISSN:	1930-7381
Publisher:	NAASO The Obesity Society
Volume:	16
Number:	5
Page Range:	1135-1137
Date:	May 2008
Official Publication:	https://doi.org/10.1038/oby.2008.47
PubMed:	View item in PubMed

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