The Chemistry of Diet Pills?
Question:
I used to take REDUX (phen / phen) diet pill. It was very effective but was pulled from the market as it caused heart valve defects in certain people.
The drug worked is as follows: It was a Serotonin uptake inhibitor. Serotonin is a natural enzyme released by the body when you are satisfied with your meal and you do not feel hungry. The body then reabsorbs this enzyme after awhile. So I never felt hungry and did not crave snacks while on this drug. The pounds started to come off.
As a molecule this drug acted as a "plug" in another enzyme that normally connects with and reabsorbs the Serotonin. So the uptake was blocked. I always felt full.
Unfortuneately, the same molecule (actually a chiral isomer of it) also blocked an unrelated enzyme invovled in the heart's function which led to the undesired side effects mentioned. So the drug was banned.
The legal fallout is about $5 billion in claims. Not a cheap side effect.
More Related Questions & Answers...