Nibras J Tahseen, Nada S Shaker, Zeena A Hussein, Ahmed F Mutee, Ahmed M Al-Tuhafi

Abstract

Phentermine and lorcaserin are two commonly-used pharmacological agents to address the growing pandemic of obesity and overweight. The two drugs have different modes of action and duration of use. The aim of the current study was to assess their effects on food intake, weight loss, and visceral fat in normal lab mice. Thirty white albino mice were recruited in the study. They were divided into 2 groups; the phentermine treated group (Ph. Group) consisted of 10 animals that received daily single oral dose of 0.3 mg/kg of phentermine for 4 weeks and the lorcaserin treated group (Lo. Group) consisted of 20 animals that received daily single oral dose of 0.2 mg/kg of lorcaserin. Ten of these mice were sacrificed after 4 weeks of treatment alongside the Ph. Group. The other 10 animals continued treatment for another 4 weeks (total 8 weeks) and then were sacrificed. Study parameters included body weight (g), food intake (g/animal/day), percentage of changes in these two parameters, epididymal fat pad weight and its histomorphometry changes. Body weight and daily food consumption dropped considerably in animals treated with both drugs. The drop was more significant at a shorter period (half time) in phentermine-treated animals than in lorcaserin-treated ones. The histomorphometry changes reflect the histo-physiological characteristics of visceral fat as a preferential target for weight loss. Phentermine can increase body weight and visceral fat changes in half of the time of that of lorcaserin but the final maintained results and lesser adverse effects may be in favor of lorcaserin. The combination of the two drugs may offer a better understanding of their combined work and require further study‎.