Translations:Anti-obesity medication/5/en

Mechanisms of action

5-HT_2C receptor agonists reduce appetite by working on serotonin receptors in a region of the brain called the hypothalamus. Lorcaserin (Belviq) was FDA approved for weight loss but was withdrawn from the market because a safety clinical trial shows an increased occurrence of cancer.
Cannabinoid receptor antagonists were developed to treat obesity because researchers noticed that cannabinoid agonists (such as THC, the main pharmacologically active component of cannabis), increased appetite. However, some drugs in this class such as rimonabant were withdrawn or ceased development to concerns about mental health and suicide. More selective drugs—some are in development that act only in peripheral tissues, not the brain—may be able to achieve this result with fewer adverse effects.
GLP-1 agonists such as tirzepatide, semaglutide, and liraglutide slow gastric emptying and also have neurologically driven effects on appetite. It is unknown if GLP-1 agonists or dual/triple agonists of GLP-1 and/or the glucagon or GIP receptors act solely by reducing energy intake or if they also increase energy expenditure.
Setmelanotide is an agonist of the melanocortin 4 receptor and is used in people with certain rare genetic conditions that cause obesity. It is less effective and not approved for general obesity.
Some weight loss drugs act on the neurotransmitters serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine to reduce appetite.