Appetite suppression by commonly used drugs depends on 5-HT receptors but not on 5-HT availability.
The widely prescribed appetite suppressants D-fenfluramine and fluoxetine not only decrease feeding and body weight but also increase extracellular brain 5-HT. As central injection of 5-HT also decreases feeding, the drugs are often thought to require an increase of 5-HT at receptors in order to exert their hypophagic effect. However, much evidence now suggests that D-fenfluramine and its metabolite D-norfenfluramine can cause hypophagia by acting directly at unspecified 5-HT receptors and at 5-HT2C receptors, respectively, while fluoxetine may act independently of 5-HT receptors. These hypophagias may involve interference with the hyperphagic action of neuropeptide Y.
Curzon
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Institute of Neurology, London, UK.
Gibson
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EL
Oluyomi
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AO
D001067:Appetite Depressants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D018491:Dopamine Agonists / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D004435:Eating / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005277:Fenfluramine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005473:Fluoxetine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009478:Neuropeptide Y / Q000378:metabolism; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D018490:Serotonin Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use
D001067:Appetite Depressants; D018491:Dopamine Agonists; D005277:Fenfluramine; D005473:Fluoxetine; D009478:Neuropeptide Y; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin; D018490:Serotonin Agents; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors