Anti-obesity agents: An update

As the development of civilization, worldwide prevalence rates of obesity are rising and become a big social problem. Obesity-related disorders such as hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, arthritis, gallstone and even cancer had been emerging to be heavy burden for individual, family and society. Prevention and treatment of obesity are essential for the prevention of these associated disorders. The treatment of obesity will be initiated from non-pharmacological therapy. Pharmacological therapy has recently much well developed. Pharmacotherapy may have synergistic effect on the weight reduction of non-pharmacological interventions. The anti-obesity agents including sibutramine, orlistat, and rimonabant were approved by FDA. The evidence-based studies show that these agents have the effects on improving lipid profile and insulin resistance in addition to weight reduction. However, long-term studies with morbidity and mortality as clinical end-point are also expected. Many additional anti-obesity agents, some of which seem promising, are currently on developing.