Scientists have developed a drug that appears to burn calories and suppress the appetite. Researchers at FASgen and the Johns Hopkins University found that mice given abdominal injections of C75 in addition to a high-calorie diet burned about 33% more calories, lost 50% more fat, and ate slightly less food than mice in a control group. At the end of the study period mice given C75 treatment had lost approximately one-fifth (20%) of their body mass. To determine why the drug has such an effect on fat-metabolism researchers carried out a series of tests on both human and animal cells. Results showed that C75 exerts its effects by blocking a compound called malonyl-CoA, which prevents fat from burning. However, as well as blocking malonyl-CoA it also enhances the fat-burning power of the enzyme that malonyl-CoA normally inhibits.
SOURCE/REFERENCE: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Early Edition 2002;10.1073/pnas.132128899
