Deakin researchers on track with anti-obesity drug

Taking a pill to reduce weight has long been a dream of overweight individuals and medical professionals, yet a safe, simple drug has eluded them.

A unique approach that combines two unusual pharmaceuticals – extracted from cannabis and vitamin A – is offering new hope that a drug could be developed to treat obesity without the need for invasive surgery.

A team from Deakin's Metabolic Research Unit has just published a paper in the peak international journal "Endocrinology," that outlines the results of trials on zebrafish and human cells.

Dr Yann Gibert, Head of the Metabolic Genetic Diseases Research Laboratory (within Deakin's Centre for Molecular and Medical Research) has been pursuing this research since he joined Deakin from Harvard Medical School four years ago.

He is recognised as a research leader in his field, having received a prestigious “Young Investigator Award” from the International Society for the Study of Fatty Acids and Lipids (ISSFAL) in Stockholm in 2014.

“This research is significant because, for the first time, we have demonstrated that two independent pathways can work together to reduce the depositing of lipids (fats) in a vertebrate embryo such as the zebrafish, which has yet to be done in the human body,” said Dr Gibert.

“The complementary actions of the Endocannabinoid system and Retinoic Acid Pathway have the potential to treat obesity in a safer and more effective way than if they were used independently. This approach only focusses on fat, and avoids effects on the brain, which has been a concern in previous research involving cannabis.”

Dr Gibert said that it is well known that the cannabis system regulates appetite, but, previously, adverse effects have prevented use of the drug in humans for medical purposes. His research has found a way to potentially remove these side effects by using the two systems in combination, and at a lower dosage.

The Endocannabinoid system is an active compound of cannabis, which regulates appetite and fat formation, while Retinoic Acid is the active component of Vitamin A. This study has demonstrated an additive action of these two pathways during lipid accumulation, but their mode of action remains elusive.

Dr Gibert said that the next step for the team will be to test the drug's effectiveness on overweight zebrafish and mice and identify any side effects.

“If there are no side effects, the new therapeutics could be ready for human use within five years,” he said.

“This research has huge potential. Obesity is a global epidemic, with more than 500 million people currently affected by the condition, which is accompanied by numerous health risks, such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke and cancer.”