Frequent migraine medication could assist deal with weight problems, a mouse research finds

New analysis has discovered that triptans, a drug class broadly used to deal with acute migraine and cluster complications, may scale back weight in overweight mice by focusing on the serotonin 1B receptor (Htr1b). The research was lately printed within the Journal of Experimental Medication.

For the research, the researchers examined six prescription triptans on mice. They administered the medication after an 18-hour quick and measured their post-fast meals consumption.

They discovered that 4 of the six triptans suppressed fasting-induced starvation and that frovatriptan yielded the strongest impact.

To learn how frovatriptan impacted meals consumption and weight, the researchers engineered mice to lack both Htr1b or Htr2c, the serotonin receptor focused by fen-phen and lorcaserin. Frovatriptan had no impact in mice with out Htr1b. Nonetheless, it continued to have an effect on mice who lacked Htr2c. The findings confirmed that the drug works by performing on Htr1b and never Htr2c.

The researchers subsequent examined frovatriptan’s anti-obesity results in diet-induced overweight mice. To take action, they fed male mice a excessive fats weight-reduction plan for 7 weeks. The mice have been then separated into two teams and handled with both frovatriptan or a saline answer whereas nonetheless fed a excessive fats weight-reduction plan.

They discovered {that a} each day dose of frovatriptan decreased physique weight by a mean of three.58% inside 24 days. In the meantime, mice that have been administered the saline answer skilled a mean weight acquire of 5.83% over the identical interval.

Mice infused with frovatriptan for two weeks skilled related weight reduction results in comparison with controls. As well as, magnetic resonance analyses revealed that frovatriptan infusion decreased fats mass, however not lean mass, after 14 days. Frovatriptan-treated mice additionally exhibited improved glucose homeostasis in a glucose tolerance check.

“That is an attention-grabbing research that discovered that frovatriptan decreased urge for food, meals consumption, and physique weight in mice,” Dr. Glen D. Solomon, MACP, FRCP, professor and chair on the Division of Inner Medication and Neurology at Wright State College, not concerned within the research, instructed Medical Information Immediately.

“If this research exhibits related leads to people, it’ll supply one other remedy for managing weight problems. With the epidemic of weight problems in Western tradition, any efficient remedy is welcome. Value stays a serious limitation in prescribing medication for weight problems. If a low price generic treatment have been obtainable, it may have a major profit to society.”
– Dr. Glen D. Solomon, MACP, FRCP

When requested how triptans work to scale back weight, Chen Liu, Ph.D., assistant professor on the Division of Inner Medication and Neuroscience at The College of Texas Southwestern Medical Middle, one of many research’s authors, instructed MNT:

“Triptans bind and activate the serotonin 1B receptors. We discover these receptors in a small group of neurons within the hypothalamus that usually promotes meals consumption. Activation of serotonin 1B receptors in these cells inhibits their perform and thus suppresses urge for food.”

The researchers famous that as triptans are usually used solely within the brief time period for migraine, sufferers could not have seen longer-term impacts on urge for food and weight reduction. When requested whether or not which means that frovatriptan could also be secure for longer-term use, Dr. Liu stated:

“The primary era of triptans resembling sumatriptan may cause vasoconstriction and acutely enhance blood stress. Consequently, they don’t seem to be appropriate for overweight sufferers. In distinction, new era triptans like frovatriptan had no impact on blood stress or coronary heart price.”

“Moreover, a number of medical research evaluating the cardiac security of those medication have proven they’re comparatively secure after frequent and long-term use even in sufferers with arterial hypertension or coronary artery illness,” he added.

The researchers concluded that their findings recommend that Htr1b is a brand new goal for 5-HT-based weight reduction therapies.

They added that future work is now warranted to comprehensively consider the results of triptans and different Htr1b agonists on urge for food, physique weight, and security.

When requested concerning the research’s limitations, Dr. Solomon famous that the research was performed on mice, that means it stays to be seen if the outcomes translate to people, too.

“We have to assess whether or not long-term triptan use offers long-term anorexic results or if the urge for food suppression is short-lived,” Dr. Solomon stated. “We additionally must assess the long-term security of each day triptan use in a inhabitants already at elevated danger of heart problems as a consequence of weight problems and infrequently diabetes.”