title: Competitive antagonism of nitric oxide synthetase causes weight loss in mice.
abstract: These studies demonstrate that the competitive antagonist of nitric oxide synthesis, L-NG-nitro-arginine methyl ester (NO Arg ME), produces an L-arginine reversible decrease in food intake in mice. NO Arg ME also blocked the feeding effect of the potent orexigenic peptide, neuropeptide Y. NO Arg ME produced weight loss when administered over 5 days. The studies suggest that nitric oxide is a physiological modulator of food intake and that nitric oxide synthetase inhibitors may be useful in the management of obesity.
authors.affiliation: Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center (GRECC), VA Medical Center, St. Louis, MO.
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Morley
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Flood
mesh_terms: D000594:Amino Acid Oxidoreductases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001067:Appetite Depressants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001069:Appetite Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D001120:Arginine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D007276:Injections, Intraventricular; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester; D009478:Neuropeptide Y / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D001067:Appetite Depressants; D009478:Neuropeptide Y; D001120:Arginine; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D000594:Amino Acid Oxidoreductases; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester