Heart disease drug reverses obesity in mice by targeting inflammation
Heart disease drug reverses ob.
Fat cells might have a new foe, in the form of an already available heart disease drug that new research shows can reverse obesity in mice 1/2
Fat cells might have a new foe, in the form of an already available heart disease drug that new research shows can reverse obesity in mice 2/2
Fat cells in an obese mouse (left) and a mouse treated with digoxin (right), where improved fat burning can be observed
CNIO
Researchers are continuing to unravel the complex relationship between inflammation and obesity, and through a new study involving overweight mice and a repurposed heart disease drug, a group of scientists in Spain has uncovered new evidence of how the two are closely connected. The obese rodents treated with the medication experienced a 40-percent weight loss even while continuing with their unhealthy diets, and were also cured of
This existing heart drug could help treat obesity
Credit: CC0 Public Domain
It has long been known that obesity is an inflammatory disease, i.e. a chronic defensive reaction of the body to stress caused by excess nutrients.
In a new study from Spanish National Cancer Research Centre, researchers found that
digoxin, a drug already in use against heart diseases, could reduce inflammation and leads to a 40% weight loss without any side effects.
Digoxin reduces the production of a molecule called interleukin 17A, or IL-17A, which generally triggers inflammation. The study identifies IL-17A as a causal factor of obesity.
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IMAGE: Visualization of adipocytes from an obese mouse (left) and from a lean mouse treated with digoxin (right), showing a better response to nutrient excess and burning of fat. view more
Credit: CNIO
It has long been known that obesity is an inflammatory disease, i.e. a chronic defensive reaction of the body to stress caused by excess nutrients. Based on this knowledge, a group of researchers led by Nabil Djouder, head of the Growth Factors, Nutrients and Cancer Group at the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), decided to try to fight obesity by preventing inflammation - and they succeeded. Their paper, published this week in
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