Migraine Pill That Makes You Lose Weight

Could a migraine drug help you lose weight? According to a new study, triptans, a category of migraine drug has proven to be useful in treating obesity /health/wellness/could-a-migraine-drug-help-you-lose-weight-111658002702063.html 111658002702063 story

According to a study conducted on obese mice, a prescribed category of migraine drugs named Triptans is considered to be helpful in treating obesity.

In the study, a daily dose of Triptans led animals to eat less food and lose weight over the course of a month.

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We've shown that there is real potential to repurpose these drugs, which are already known to be safe, for appetite suppression and weight loss, said study leader Chen Liu, PhD, Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine and Neuroscience and an investigator in the Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute.

Obesity affects more than 41% of all adults in the U.S. and increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and certain types of cancer. Most treatments for obesity focus on eating habits and physical activity.

Scientists have long known that serotonin, a chemical messenger found throughout the brain and body, plays a key role in appetite. However, there are 15 different serotonin receptors -- molecules that sense serotonin and signal for cells to change their behaviour in response. Researchers have struggled to understand the role of each serotonin receptor in appetite, and previous drugs -- including fen-phen and lorcaserin (Belviq) -- that targeted certain individual receptors have been withdrawn from the market due to side effects.

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Triptans, which are used to treat acute migraines and cluster headaches, work by targeting a different receptor -- the serotonin 1B receptor (Htr1b) -- that had not previously been well studied in the context of appetite and weight loss, said Dr Liu.

For the new study, the researchers tested six prescription triptans in obese mice that were fed a high-fat diet for seven weeks. Mice fed two of these drugs ate about the same amount, but mice fed the other four ate less. After 24 days, mice were given a daily dose of the drug frovatriptan lost, on average, 3.6% of their body weight, while mice not given a triptan gained an average of 5.1% of their body weight. Dr Liu and his colleagues saw similar results when they implanted devices into the animals that gave them a steady dose of frovatriptan for 24 days.

We found that these drugs, and one in particular, can lower body weight and improve glucose metabolism in less than a month, which is pretty impressive, said Dr Liu.

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Since triptans are generally prescribed for short-term use during migraines, Dr Liu suspects that patients would not have noticed the longer-term impacts on appetite and weight in the past.

To determine exactly how frovatriptan impacts food intake and weight, the researchers engineered mice to lack either Htr1b or Htr2c, the serotonin receptor targeted by fen-phen and lorcaserin. In mice without Htr1b, frovatriptan no longer could decrease appetite or cause weight loss, while cutting out Htr2c had no effect. This confirmed that the drug worked by targeting the serotonin 1B receptor.

This finding could be important for drug development, said Dr Liu. We not only shed light on the potential to repurpose existing triptans but also brought attention to Htr1b as a candidate to treat obesity and regulate food intake.

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The team went on to show exactly which neurons in the brain were most important for the role of Htr1b in mediating appetite, homing in on a small group of cells within the brain's hypothalamus.Topamax (topiramate) is a drug approved to treat seizures in adults and children and to reduce the frequency of migraine headaches in people 12 years of age and older. For the treatment of seizures, Topamax may be used alone or in combination with other medications. Johnson & Johnson subsidiary Janssen Pharmaceuticals manufacturers Topamax.

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Topamax is a prescription medication known as an anticonvulsant. The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) first approved Topamax for the treatment of seizures in 1996. The regulatory agency expanded the drug’s uses to include migraine prevention in 2004.

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By 2007, Topamax controlled 21 percent of the $10.2 billion epilepsy drug market, according to Bloomberg News. Topamax sales reached $2.7 billion in 2008.

As Topamax was used more widely in the 2000s, people began to report various side effects. As a result, the FDA added several warnings to the drug’s label, including decreased sweating with an elevated body temperature, increased risks for high levels of acid in the blood, eye disorders that could lead to permanent vision loss, and suicidal thoughts and behaviors among others.

In 2011, the FDA warned of Topamax’s link to birth defects (eg, cleft lip and clef palate) and injured users began suing the drug’s manufacturer. Also in 2011, J&J recalled 57, 000 bottles of Topamax because of possible chemical contamination.

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When Topamax first hit the market, the FDA limited the drug for use in treating seizures from various forms of epilepsy. After about eight years, the agency added migraine prevention as an FDA-approved use. Seizures and migraines continue to be the only government-approved uses for Topamax in the U.S.

During a seizure, brain cells work much faster than they normally would. Topamax is designed to stop seizures when they first begin by preventing brain cells from working in overdrive.

Topamax gained FDA approval in 1996 for the treatment of various forms of epilepsy, a neurological disorder characterized by recurrent, uncontrolled seizures. Doctors also prescribe the medicine for patients 2 years or older whose seizures are associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, a disorder that accounts for up to 10 percent of all cases of childhood epilepsy. Topamax is not approved for use in children younger than 2 years of age.

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In 2004, the FDA approved Topamax for the prevention of migraine headaches in people 12 years of age and older. Topamax does not relieve the pain of a migraine after it starts, but it is believed to reduce migraine frequency by calming overactive pain-signal firing in nerve cells.

Topamax’s manufacturers recommend doctors “start low and go slow” when prescribing Topamax. This means a doctor will likely prescribe a low dose to start and then slowly increase the amount of Topamax a patient takes until reaching the dosage that works best for the patient.

It takes time for Topamax to build up to the right level in the bloodstream. It may take two to three months of daily Topamax use for the medication to start working.

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Topamax is also used to control binging and purging, and to promote weight loss. However, this is not an FDA-approved use. Although it is illegal for drug makers to promote drugs for off-label uses, doctors can legally prescribe any drug they consider appropriate to treat a patient’s condition.

Topiramate, the active ingredient in Topamax, is also a main ingredient in the weight-loss drug Qsymia, along with phentermine. The FDA approved Qsymia in 2012. A year earlier, the same drug — then called Qnexa — was rejected by the FDA because of the adverse side effect profile of the combination product (eg, birth defects and possible heart problems).

The FDA label warns Qsymia may cause mood and sleep disorders, cognitive impairment and increased heart rate. It could also lead to suicidal thoughts, and people who suddenly stop taking it can suffer seizures.

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Topamax has a number of common side effects, which its manufacturer states are “mild to moderate.” One common side effect of the drug is somnolence, or sleepiness. Some doctors and patients have dubbed the drug “Sleepomax” because of its heavy sedative effects.

Over the years, post-marketing studies have revealed several serious health risks associated with Topamax. In response, the FDA has continually mandated that all topiramate labels and medication guides contain updated warnings and precautions associated with its use.

Topamax’s label also includes warnings regarding depression and mood problems, kidney stones, and the need to withdraw the drug gradually to reduce the potential for increased seizures.

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Topamax is known to interact with other substances and patients should be aware of these interactions. The body digests Topamax in the liver and eliminates it from the body