Appetite suppression by commonly used drugs depends on 5-HT receptors but not on 5-HT availability

Trends Pharmacol Sci. 1997 Jan;18(1):21-5. doi: 10.1016/s0165-6147(96)01003-6.

Abstract

The widely prescribed appetite suppressants D-fenfluramine and fluoxetine not only decrease feeding and body weight but also increase extracellular brain 5-HT. As central injection of 5-HT also decreases feeding, the drugs are often thought to require an increase of 5-HT at receptors in order to exert their hypophagic effect. However, much evidence now suggests that D-fenfluramine and its metabolite D-norfenfluramine can cause hypophagia by acting directly at unspecified 5-HT receptors and at 5-HT2C receptors, respectively, while fluoxetine may act independently of 5-HT receptors. These hypophagias may involve interference with the hyperphagic action of neuropeptide Y.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Appetite Depressants / administration & dosage
  • Appetite Depressants / pharmacology*
  • Appetite Depressants / therapeutic use
  • Body Weight / drug effects
  • Brain / drug effects
  • Brain / metabolism*
  • Dopamine Agonists / metabolism
  • Dopamine Agonists / pharmacology
  • Eating / drug effects*
  • Eating / physiology
  • Female
  • Fenfluramine / administration & dosage
  • Fenfluramine / pharmacology*
  • Fenfluramine / therapeutic use
  • Fluoxetine / administration & dosage
  • Fluoxetine / pharmacology*
  • Fluoxetine / therapeutic use
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Neuropeptide Y / metabolism
  • Receptors, Serotonin / drug effects*
  • Receptors, Serotonin / metabolism
  • Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / administration & dosage
  • Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / therapeutic use
  • Serotonin Agents / administration & dosage
  • Serotonin Agents / pharmacology
  • Serotonin Agents / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Appetite Depressants
  • Dopamine Agonists
  • Neuropeptide Y
  • Receptors, Serotonin
  • Serotonin Agents
  • Serotonin Uptake Inhibitors
  • Fluoxetine
  • Fenfluramine