Millions of people worldwide were waiting in agitation for the new revolutionary anti-obesity drug in spring 2006 when the French company Sanofi-Aventis announced about the incoming promising results of the conducted trials. The newly discovered chemical rimonabant was supposed to become the real blockbuster and the rescue for those overweight and obese people unsatisfied with the existing means of excessive pounds shedding.
Rimonabant is the element from the new class of drugs called cannabinoid-1 receptor blockers. Endocannabinoid system, researched and studied not so long time ago, was found to play an important role in the control of feelings of hunger and pleasure, as well as in the regulation of weight and energy balance, and the metabolism of lipids and glucose.
Switching off the receptors of this part of the central nervous system, rimonabant was discovered to suppress appetite. Using this feature of the chemical in combination with proper dieting and exercising, participants of the clinical trials showed good results of weight loss. It was also widely promoted that the drug-to-be had positive impact on the lipid levels of the participants, increasing good cholesterol while reducing bad one and triglycerides. Moreover, manufacturers even planned to advertise this drug as the means to quit smoking due to the scientists’ reports that rimonabant seemed to have this action as well.
Side effects noticed in the trials were said to be minor and short-term. The most common were gastrointestinal problems and mental disorders.
In June 2006 rimonabant, branded as Acomplia, officially entered the markets of the European Union and, first of all, pharmacies of Great Britain. Acomplia was promoted as the powerful means to reduce weight, offering additional benefits as lipid levels normalization (thus being a good cardio-protective) and insulin sensitivity increase (thus serving as anti-diabetes means). The aid in the smoking cessation was also listed among the benefits of the new drug.
Acomplia triumph was significantly clouded by the refusal of the American Food and Drug Administration to approve the medication for the use in the United States. The authority noted that the efficacy showed by the manufacturer was not higher than that of the existing anti-obesity medicines Xenical, Alli, and Meridia, while the safety of Acomplia was highly questionable. Remembering the sad experience of such drugs as Vioxx and Bextra, FDA decided to wait for the results of more clinical trials prior to approving the drug in the country.
Everyone was confirmed that 2008 would bring Acomplia to the “Land of Opportunities” branded as Zimulti. Instead, the world was shocked by the claims that during these two years 5 deaths in the European countries were associated with the use of the miracle drug. Obviously, the statements had firm basis underneath, as in October, 23, 2008 Acomplia was suspended from the European market in view of the development of serious and life-threatening side effects.
Although, that is the end of the official story of Acomplia, the drug is now available illegally on the internet, produced primarily by the manufacturers in the countries where law and legality are even more vague and relative than we may suggest it can harmlessly be. Thus many may yield a temptation to buy the drug, taking into account its affordable price ($0.89 to 0.93 for a 20 mg. generic pill and $5.63 for the brand name) and no need to ask for prescription.
Everyone, however, should remember that he is the one and only responsible for the quality of his own life, and the decisions whether to yield the temptation or to resist it should be made consciously, carefully weighing pros and cons. The latter, concerning Acomplia, are described in details in Acomplia Side Effects and Dosage: Revealing Acomplia Dangers on Pillwatch.com
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