Reduce appetite with lizard saliva

A drug made by Gila lizard saliva has been found to be effective in reducing appetite, according to Top News.

Researchers at Sahlgrenska Institute of the University of Gothenburg (Sweden) found that mice treated with this drug had no appetite for food and chocolate.

According to Top News, more and more patients with type 2 diabetes are given pharmaceutical preparations called Exenatide , which helps them control blood sugar.

Gila lizard

The drug is a synthetic form of a natural substance called exendin-4 , obtained from the saliva of the Gila lizard (scientific name Heloderma suspectum), also the largest lizard in North America.

Researchers at Sahlgrenska Academy have found a completely new and unexpected effect of the substance from this lizard species.

In a study on mice, Associate Professor Karolina Skibicka and colleagues found that exendin-4 effectively reduced appetite.

Associate Professor Skibicka said: 'Our decision to eat is associated with similar mechanisms in the brain that control addictive behavior. We have shown that exendin-4 affects reward areas and brain dynamics. '

'Most diets fail because we are obsessed with wanting to eat, especially attractive foods like candy. Because exendin-4 prevents cravings for food, it can help obese people control their weight, ' explained Suzanne Dickson, professor of physiology at Sahlgrenska Academy.

Research on exendin-4 also offers hope for new ways to treat eating disorders, such as gluttony.

Another hypothesis for the University of Gothenburg experts' preparatory studies is that exendin-4 may be used to reduce alcohol cravings.

'Brain regions associated with appetite and craving for alcohol are the same, so it's interesting to test whether exendin-4 reduces alcohol cravings , ' said Associate Professor Skibicka.

The results of the study are published in the journal Neuroscience.