Scientists at the University of Manchester, in Great Britain, have identified a chemical capable of suppressing appetite and putting an end to "gluttony".
The discovery will allow the development of a new class of drugs for weight loss that do not cause side effects. In addition, Simon Luckman and Garron Dodd, co-authors of the study published in the Journal of Neuroscience , are convinced that this substance, called hemopressin , will also help treat drug addicts and alcoholics.
Hemopressin is a natural peptide that acts on the reward centers of the brain , which are activated when the person indulges, for example eating or smoking. "The rewarding aspects of eating influence our behavior, so sometimes we eat for pleasure rather than hunger, " emphasizes Dodd. The drug blocks the reward circuits, reducing the sensation of pleasure. The result, as experiments with mice show, is that treated rodents eat much less than their counterparts.
Six years ago, the preparation rimonabant was put on sale in Great Britain, with the same effect. But it was soon found that this drug increased the risk of developing depressive states and the appearance of suicidal thoughts, so it was withdrawn from pharmacies.
