Appetite stimulant

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An orexigenic, or appetite stimulant, is a drug, hormone, or compound that increases appetite and may induce hyperphagia. This can be a medication or a naturally occurring neuropeptide hormone, such as ghrelin, orexin or neuropeptide Y, [1] [2] which increases hunger and therefore enhances food consumption. Usually appetite enhancement is considered an undesirable side effect of certain drugs as it leads to unwanted weight gain, [3] [4] [5] but sometimes it can be beneficial and a drug may be prescribed solely for this purpose, especially when the patient is suffering from severe appetite loss or muscle wasting due to cystic fibrosis, anorexia, old age, cancer or AIDS. [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] There are several widely used drugs which can cause a boost in appetite, including tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), tetracyclic antidepressants, natural or synthetic cannabinoids, first-generation antihistamines, most antipsychotics and many steroid hormones. In the United States, no hormone or drug has currently been approved by the FDA specifically as an orexigenic, with the exception of Dronabinol, which received approval for HIV/AIDS-induced anorexia only.

Contents

List of orexigenics

Not ephedra/clenbuterol (which is an appetite suppressant), but salbutamol, flerobuterol, Zilpaterol, and related drugs.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anorexia (symptom)</span> Medical symptom

Anorexia is a medical term for a loss of appetite. While the term outside of the scientific literature is often used interchangeably with anorexia nervosa, many possible causes exist for a loss of appetite, some of which may be harmless, while others indicate a serious clinical condition or pose a significant risk.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Antiandrogen</span> Class of pharmaceutical drugs

Antiandrogens, also known as androgen antagonists or testosterone blockers, are a class of drugs that prevent androgens like testosterone and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) from mediating their biological effects in the body. They act by blocking the androgen receptor (AR) and/or inhibiting or suppressing androgen production. They can be thought of as the functional opposites of AR agonists, for instance androgens and anabolic steroids (AAS) like testosterone, DHT, and nandrolone and selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs) like enobosarm. Antiandrogens are one of three types of sex hormone antagonists, the others being antiestrogens and antiprogestogens.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Quetiapine</span> Atypical antipsychotic medication

Quetiapine, sold under the brand name Seroquel among others, is an atypical antipsychotic medication used for the treatment of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depressive disorder. Despite being widely used as a sleep aid due to its sedating effect, the benefits of such use do not appear to generally outweigh the side effects. It is taken orally.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Olanzapine</span> Atypical antipsychotic medication

Olanzapine is an atypical antipsychotic primarily used to treat schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. For schizophrenia, it can be used for both new-onset disease and long-term maintenance. It is taken by mouth or by injection into a muscle.

Appetite is the desire to eat food items, usually due to hunger. Appealing foods can stimulate appetite even when hunger is absent, although appetite can be greatly reduced by satiety. Appetite exists in all higher life-forms, and serves to regulate adequate energy intake to maintain metabolic needs. It is regulated by a close interplay between the digestive tract, adipose tissue and the brain. Appetite has a relationship with every individual's behavior. Appetitive behaviour also known as approach behaviour, and consummatory behaviour, are the only processes that involve energy intake, whereas all other behaviours affect the release of energy. When stressed, appetite levels may increase and result in an increase of food intake. Decreased desire to eat is termed anorexia, while polyphagia is increased eating. Dysregulation of appetite contributes to anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, cachexia, overeating, and binge eating disorder.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tetracyclic antidepressant</span> Class of pharmaceutical drugs

Tetracyclic antidepressants (TeCAs) are a class of antidepressants that were first introduced in the 1970s. They are named after their tetracyclic chemical structure, containing four rings of atoms, and are closely related to the tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), which contain three rings of atoms.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cachexia</span> Syndrome causing muscle loss not entirely reversible

Cachexia is a complex syndrome associated with an underlying illness, causing ongoing muscle loss that is not entirely reversed with nutritional supplementation. A range of diseases can cause cachexia, most commonly cancer, congestive heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic kidney disease, and AIDS. Systemic inflammation from these conditions can cause detrimental changes to metabolism and body composition. In contrast to weight loss from inadequate caloric intake, cachexia causes mostly muscle loss instead of fat loss. Diagnosis of cachexia can be difficult due to the lack of well-established diagnostic criteria. Cachexia can improve with treatment of the underlying illness but other treatment approaches have limited benefit. Cachexia is associated with increased mortality and poor quality of life.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mirtazapine</span> Antidepressant medication

Mirtazapine, sold under the brand name Remeron amongst others, is an atypical tetracyclic antidepressant, and as such is used primarily to treat depression. Its effects may take up to four weeks, but can also manifest as early as one to two weeks. It is often used in cases of depression complicated by anxiety or insomnia. The effectiveness of mirtazapine is comparable to other commonly prescribed antidepressants. It is taken by mouth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anti-obesity medication</span> Class of pharmacological agents

Anti-obesity medication or weight loss medications are pharmacological agents that reduce or control excess body fat. These medications alter one of the fundamental processes of the human body, weight regulation, by: reducing appetite and consequently energy intake, increasing energy expenditure, redirecting nutrients from adipose to lean tissue, or interfering with the absorption of calories.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">17α-Hydroxyprogesterone</span> Chemical compound

17α-Hydroxyprogesterone (17α-OHP), also known as 17-OH progesterone (17-OHP), or hydroxyprogesterone (OHP), is an endogenous progestogen steroid hormone related to progesterone. It is also a chemical intermediate in the biosynthesis of many other endogenous steroids, including androgens, estrogens, glucocorticoids, and mineralocorticoids, as well as neurosteroids.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cyproheptadine</span> Antihistamine medication

Cyproheptadine, sold under the brand name Periactin among others, is a first-generation antihistamine with additional anticholinergic, antiserotonergic, and local anesthetic properties.

The alpha-2 (α2) adrenergic receptor is a G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) associated with the Gi heterotrimeric G-protein. It consists of three highly homologous subtypes, including α2A-, α2B-, and α2C-adrenergic. Some species other than humans express a fourth α2D-adrenergic receptor as well. Catecholamines like norepinephrine (noradrenaline) and epinephrine (adrenaline) signal through the α2-adrenergic receptor in the central and peripheral nervous systems.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Megestrol acetate</span> Pharmaceutical drug

Megestrol acetate (MGA), sold under the brand name Megace among others, is a progestin medication which is used mainly as an appetite stimulant to treat wasting syndromes such as cachexia. It is also used to treat breast cancer and endometrial cancer, and has been used in birth control. Megestrol acetate is generally formulated alone, although it has been combined with estrogens in birth control formulations. It is usually taken by mouth.

Hormonal therapy in oncology is hormone therapy for cancer and is one of the major modalities of medical oncology, others being cytotoxic chemotherapy and targeted therapy (biotherapeutics). It involves the manipulation of the endocrine system through exogenous or external administration of specific hormones, particularly steroid hormones, or drugs which inhibit the production or activity of such hormones. Because steroid hormones are powerful drivers of gene expression in certain cancer cells, changing the levels or activity of certain hormones can cause certain cancers to cease growing, or even undergo cell death. Surgical removal of endocrine organs, such as orchiectomy and oophorectomy can also be employed as a form of hormonal therapy.

A serotonin antagonist, or serotonin receptor antagonist, is a drug used to inhibit the action of serotonin and serotonergic drugs at serotonin (5-HT) receptors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chlormadinone acetate</span> Chemical compound

Chlormadinone acetate (CMA), sold under the brand names Belara, Gynorelle, Lutéran, and Prostal among others, is a progestin and antiandrogen medication which is used in birth control pills to prevent pregnancy, as a component of menopausal hormone therapy, in the treatment of gynecological disorders, and in the treatment of androgen-dependent conditions like enlarged prostate and prostate cancer in men and acne and hirsutism in women. It is available both at a low dose in combination with an estrogen in birth control pills and, in a few countries like France and Japan, at low, moderate, and high doses alone for various indications. It is taken by mouth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anamorelin</span> Chemical compound

Anamorelin (INN), also known as anamorelin hydrochloride, is a non-peptide, orally-active, centrally-penetrant, selective agonist of the ghrelin/growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHSR) with appetite-enhancing and anabolic effects which is under development by Helsinn Healthcare SA for the treatment of cancer cachexia and anorexia.

References

  1. ↑ Diepvens K, Häberer D, Westerterp-Plantenga M (Mar 2008). "Different proteins and biopeptides differently affect satiety and anorexigenic/orexigenic hormones in healthy humans". Int J Obes (Lond). 32 (3): 510–8. doi:10.1038/sj.ijo.0803758. PMID   18345020.
  2. ↑ Akimoto S, Miyasaka K (July 2010). "Age-associated changes of hunger-regulating peptides". Geriatrics & Gerontology International. 10 Suppl 1: S107–19. doi: 10.1111/j.1447-0594.2010.00587.x . PMID   20590826. S2CID   33227343.
  3. ↑ Purnell JQ, Weyer C (2003). "Weight effect of current and experimental drugs for diabetes mellitus: from promotion to alleviation of obesity". Treatments in Endocrinology. 2 (1): 33–47. doi:10.2165/00024677-200302010-00004. PMID   15871553. S2CID   8088326.
  4. ↑ Hermansen K, Mortensen LS (2007). "Bodyweight changes associated with antihyperglycaemic agents in type 2 diabetes mellitus". Drug Safety. 30 (12): 1127–42. doi:10.2165/00002018-200730120-00005. PMID   18035865. S2CID   19877584.
  5. ↑ Maayan L, Correll CU (July 2010). "Management of antipsychotic-related weight gain". Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics. 10 (7): 1175–200. doi:10.1586/ern.10.85. PMC   3501406 . PMID   20586697.
  6. ↑ Strasser F, Bruera ED (June 2002). "Update on anorexia and cachexia". Hematology/Oncology Clinics of North America. 16 (3): 589–617. doi:10.1016/s0889-8588(02)00011-4. PMID   12170570.
  7. ↑ Nasr SZ, Drury D (March 2008). "use in cystic fibrosis" (PDF). Pediatric Pulmonology. 43 (3): 209–19. doi:10.1002/ppul.20766. hdl: 2027.42/57930 . PMID   18219690. S2CID   43667706.
  8. ↑ Morley JE (2007). "Weight loss in older persons: new therapeutic approaches". Current Pharmaceutical Design. 13 (35): 3637–47. doi:10.2174/138161207782794149. PMID   18220800.
  9. ↑ Fox CB, Treadway AK, Blaszczyk AT, Sleeper RB (April 2009). "Megestrol acetate and mirtazapine for the treatment of unplanned weight loss in the elderly". Pharmacotherapy. 29 (4): 383–97. doi:10.1592/phco.29.4.383. PMID   19323618. S2CID   6695434.
  10. ↑ Holmes S (July 2009). "A difficult clinical problem: diagnosis, impact and clinical management of cachexia in palliative care". International Journal of Palliative Nursing. 15 (7): 320, 322–6. doi:10.12968/ijpn.2009.15.7.43421. PMID   19648846.
  11. ↑ Lang F, Perrier E, Pellet J. [Noradrenergic hypothesis in anorexia nervosa: prospective study using beta-stimulant therapy]. Ann Med Psychol (Paris). 1983;141(8):918-25.
  12. ↑ Ness-Abramof R, Apovian CM (Aug 2005). "Drug-induced weight gain". Drugs of Today. 41 (8): 547–55. doi:10.1358/dot.2005.41.8.893630. PMID   16234878. S2CID   34960274.
  13. ↑ LYRICA (pregabalin), CV. Full Prescribing Information, Section 5.7 (Weight Gain). Pfizer, Inc. Revised June, 2013.
  14. ↑ "Fructose Metabolism: Relation to Food Intake & Metabolic Dysfunction". themedicalbiochemistrypage.org. Retrieved 14 April 2018.
  15. ↑ Caton SJ, Nolan LJ, Hetherington MM (2015). "Alcohol, Appetite and Loss of Restraint". Curr Obes Rep. 4 (1): 99–105. doi:10.1007/s13679-014-0130-y. PMID   26627094. S2CID   36018101.
  16. ↑ Cooper, S. J. (2005). "Palatability-dependent appetite and benzodiazepines: new directions from the pharmacology of GABA(A) receptor subtypes". Appetite. 44 (2): 133–150. doi:10.1016/j.appet.2005.01.003. PMID   15808888. S2CID   1394424 . Retrieved 14 April 2018.

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