Diet drug cuts blood sugar, trims waistline in type 2 diabetics, study

[The Straight Story]

Diet drug cuts blood sugar, trims waistline in type 2 diabetics, study finds

Canadian Press

Sunday, June 12, 2005

TORONTO (CP) - A drug that curbs appetite has been found to reduce a host of factors that contribute to type 2 diabetes - including elevated blood sugar levels, a study has shown.

The drug, rimonabant, was found to significantly lower levels of elevated blood sugar, insulin and triglycerides (a type of fat in the blood) as well as trimming waist circumference in patients with type 2 diabetes, the international study found. At the same time, it appeared to boost levels of HDL, the good cholesterol.

Rimonabant works by blocking cell receptors in the region of the brain responsible for regulating hunger and satiety. Research has shown that these CB1 receptors are linked to excess hunger - what's known as the "stone munchies" - in people who use cannabis.

Receptors are like locks on the cell surface that accept specific keys, in this case a certain enzyme. For CB1 receptors, the enzyme is known as an endocannabinoid.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_25157.html

[Kmarx]

1. If it is really what it is said to be,

then we'll never keep it on the market here in the US very long. Our economic system knows only profit as its goal. If a single medication can do so much, it would impact the drug industry's profit far too much. The way to maximize profits in the US is to treat the symptoms, not the disease. Why cure a disease when you can make a fortune on treating its many symptoms. The profit motive says that we must have diseases and that people must contract these diseases in order to generate maximum profit.

Doctors often give advise they know fails almost every time. For example, weight problems set the stages for many illnesses that often follow, and what is the advice of the medical community for those who should lose weight -- eat less and exercise more? What is the result in over 98% of those who try -- ultimate failure. Funny that doctors would prescribe a regiment that fails almost all the time. Then why not find a cure for obesity? Good lord we wouldn't want to do that, look at the money lost. So much for Rimonabant. Even if gets on the market here, in a few years the 'powers that be' will see to it that some study will 'demonstrate' how it's killing people and must be removed from the market.

[Streetdoc270]

12. which is why

The health ins. companies won't pay for weight loss programs or to help you stop smoking, but they will pay to treat all the related illnesses.


This is also why I say that the Stem Cell issue is not ruled by the Fundies but rather the Pharm lobby, after all look at how much money would be lost when we cure cancer and diabetes, epically juvenile diabetes, they loose a customer for life!

[Kmarx]

14. Oh how right you are!!!

[Dogmudgeon]

2. For launch in mid-2006

It ought to be priced at about $10 for one day's dose, strictly for the rich and those with good health insurance (i.e., the rich).

That means that the weight puritans will have at least a couple of more years to continue to admonish us Bad Fatties about our moral shortcomings.

--p!

[firefox]

3. Is this a natural cannabinoid?

There are like 66 cannabinoids in cannabis. Don't they all bind to CB1 receptors? The article does not say if this is a natural cannabinoid that could be found in cannabis.

All cannabinoids are schedule 1 narcotics except for Marinol which was at one time the only substance listed on the schedule of narcotics by its trademark. That manmade molecule is schedule 3 while its identical nature-produced molecule of THC is schedule 1. Manmade THC is wonderful, but natural THC is no better than dirt. What an exercise for cognitive dissonance.

This might help diabetes alright. But what about people that got type 2 diabetes because the drug war stopped research of cannabis employing a bogus schedule 1 classification and unlimited federal power with a commerce clause. Even if cannabis has not been the most medicinal plant throughout history, why would anyone concerned about science block research? There is another harm of the drug warriors prohibition for you.

[Eloriel]

4. the MOST medicinal plant throughout history?

Um, gotta link on that? I'm into medicinal herbs, but that's a completely new one on me.

[firefox]

7. What do you think it is?

In the first part of the 1900s it was in half of all medicines in the US. Its use dates back to the first writing on medicine as in ayurvedic medicine from India.

But I am interested in what you think is the most medicinal plant in history. Seriously.

The banaba tree makes a "sliming tea" that is an old herbal remedy for obesity and diabetes.

[Enraged_Ape]

10. "Sliming tea"?

Sounds like something that would definitely ruin my appetite. :)

[Eloriel]

13. What makes you think there IS a category for that?

I think the "most medicinal plant in history" will be dependent on the various peoples and locales. Some stuff just doesn't grow everywhere, you know. IOW, that there are a bunch of "most used" herbs, one for every major ethnic grouping or even tribe.

But I asked you for a LINK.

In the first part of the 1900s it was in half of all medicines in the US.

That doesn't mean much, frankly. And it's extraordinarily ethnocentric, as well. Does marijuana grow wild here? I seriously doubt it, which means for the tens of thousands of years of exclusvely Amerind habitation of this continent, there was no use of it at all.

[Ilsa]

5. Oh great. Go get your manicure, your botox, then pick up a month's supply

of rimonabant to keep that waistline svelte.

I realize this could be huge for persons with these health problems. But i bet it gets abused by persons with money and vanity.

[Bluebear]

6. This could be a lifesaver for diabetics

[Ilsa]

8. I realize that and I have a brother that is diabetic.

I don't want it stopped, I was just saying that I think it could turn into a vanity tool for the wealthy, while persons who really need it can't get it because they can't afford it or they have no insurance.

[Bluebear]

9. That is the rub

I can see exactly that scenario you paint happening, and whilst the stars drive up the price to lose their 5 pounds, your brother and millions of others will indeed pay the price!

[Kmarx]

11. Why complain,

this is Capitalism at its best -- take the best for yourself and deny it to the majority as a way of holding them down; as a way of keeping them on a leash.