title: Subchronic racemic gamma vinyl-GABA produces weight loss in Sprague Dawley and Zucker fatty rats.
abstract: Given the growing obesity epidemic, pressure to develop an effective pharmacologic treatment is mounting. Following the completion of a randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled trial as well as two small open label trials, gamma vinyl-GABA (GVG) has been shown to be safe and effective for treating cocaine and/or methamphetamine dependence. In an extension of these findings, the present study examined whether GVG could produce weight loss in adolescent as well as genetically obese animals. Specifically, adolescent Sprague Dawley and adolescent and adult Zucker fatty rats received GVG at various doses (75-300 mg/kg, i.p., racemic) for treatment periods lasting no longer than 14 consecutive days. GVG produced significant weight loss in a dose dependent fashion in all groups. These effects were marked, as average decreases of 12-20% of original body weight were observed. These findings suggest that GVG may be useful as a treatment for obesity. Further, that these results occurred in genetically obese animals offers the possibility that GVG may even help manage severe obesity resulting from binge-eating, a disorder involving food consumption in a pattern similar to the compulsive drug-seeking behavior observed in cocaine and methamphetamine dependent subjects.
authors: Medical Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York 11973, USA. ald2126@columbia.edu
authors: Amy
authors: A
authors: DeMarco
authors: Reema M
authors: RM
authors: Dalal
authors: Milan
authors: M
authors: Kahanda
authors: Uma
authors: U
authors: Mullapudi
authors: Jessica
authors: J
authors: Pai
authors: Crystie
authors: C
authors: Hammel
authors: Courtney N B
authors: CN
authors: Liebling
authors: Vinal
authors: V
authors: Patel
authors: Jonathan D
authors: JD
authors: Brodie
authors: Wynne K
authors: WK
authors: Schiffer
authors: Stephen L
authors: SL
authors: Dewey
authors: Stefanie D
authors: SD
authors: Aquilina
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D019454:Chronotherapy / Q000379:methods; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011924:Rats, Zucker; D020888:Vigabatrin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000502:physiology; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D020888:Vigabatrin