2. Academic Validation
  3. Naltrexone/bupropion for obesity: an investigational combination pharmacotherapy for weight loss

Naltrexone/bupropion for obesity: an investigational combination pharmacotherapy for weight loss

  • Pharmacol Res. 2014 Jun:84:1-11. doi: 10.1016/j.phrs.2014.04.004.
Sonja K Billes 1,  Puspha Sinnayah 2,  Michael A Cowley 3
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 August Scientific, Encinitas, CA, USA. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 2 College of Health and Biomedicine, Victoria University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
  • 3 Department of Physiology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia. Electronic address: [email protected].
PMID: 24754973 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2014.04.004
Abstract

The mechanism of action of the combination therapy, naltrexone/bupropion (NB), for obesity has not been fully described to date. Weight loss attempts rarely result in long-term success. This is likely a result of complex interactions among multiple peripheral and CNS systems that defend against weight loss, and may explain the overwhelming lack of effective obesity treatments. NB is an investigational combination therapy for obesity that was developed based on evidence that obesity involves alterations in the hypothalamic melanocortin system as well as brain reward systems that influence food craving and mood. Naltrexone and bupropion both have actions in these brain regions that may cause them to influence food intake, food craving, and Other aspects of eating behavior that affect body weight. We review the individual actions of naltrexone and bupropion in brain hypothalamic and reward systems, and describe the current in vitro, in vivo, and clinical evidence for how NB influences food intake and produces weight loss.

Keywords

Bupropion; Drug interactions; Food craving; Food intake; Hypothalamus; Naltrexone; Obesity; Reward system; Weight loss.

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