The new drug Acomplia® (active ingredient rimonabant) developed by Sanofi-Aventis could influence in a positive way our addiction to food, nicotine and maybe even to alcohol. Acomplia acts as a so called antagonist at the "feeling good" receptors in our brain, which means that it blocks these receptors without triggering the effect of feeling good in combination with appetite for more food. Taking the drug therefore reduces the satisfying effect of getting food or nicotine, but at the same time the appetite for more is also not triggered.
Two recent studies in Europe and North America that encompassed each 3000 strongly obese patients over a period of two years showed impressive results: For almost two thirds of the persons who received a daily dose of 20 mg Acomplia per day a reduction of 5% of their total weight was observed. Only one third of the persons who received a placebo or a lower dose of 5 mg Acomplia per day showed similar results. As an additional benefit the level of cholesterol was also regulated by the higher dose of Acomplia in a positive way: While the level of the "good" HDL cholesterol was increased by 25%, the "bad" LDL cholesterol was reduced by the same percentage. All test persons were advised in how to eat healthy at the beginnung of the study and received the recommendation to cut 600 calories from their current diet. None of the test persons however knew if and what dose of Acomplia they were given.
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