Gut hormones as therapeutic agents in treatment of diabetes and obesity

Curr Opin Pharmacol. 2013 Dec;13(6):996-1001. doi: 10.1016/j.coph.2013.09.005. Epub 2013 Sep 20.

Abstract

Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) present an ever-increasing threat to global health. Although bariatric surgery is an effective treatment, it cannot be applied to the vast majority of patients. The beneficial effects of bariatric surgery are related to complex alterations in the secretion of gut hormones. By recapitulation of the changes of gut hormone secretion after bariatric surgery, drugs based on gut hormones represent an exciting possibility for the treatment of T2DM and obesity. We review the rapidly emerging role of GLP-1 based treatments as well as the future for new drugs based on other gut hormones such as GIP, ghrelin, oxyntomodulin and peptide YY.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / drug therapy*
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / metabolism*
  • Gastrointestinal Hormones / metabolism*
  • Gastrointestinal Hormones / pharmacology*
  • Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 / metabolism
  • Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 / pharmacology
  • Humans
  • Obesity / drug therapy*
  • Obesity / metabolism*

Substances

  • Gastrointestinal Hormones
  • Glucagon-Like Peptide 1