Suppressing the Hunger Hormone
Reported September 22, 2008
(Ivanhoe Newswire) — Scientists say they have discovered a way to suppress the so-called hunger hormone in pigs. They claim it works as well as gastric bypass but without the major surgery.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins University suppressed levels of the hunger hormone ghrelin in pigs using a minimally invasive means of chemically vaporizing the main vessel carrying blood to the top section of the stomach. About 90 percent of the bodys ghrelin originates in that part of the stomach, which cant make the hormone without a good blood supply.
Bariatric surgery, which involves the removal, reconstruction or bypass of part of the stomach or bowel, is an effective way to suppress appetite and lead to weight loss, but it also carries significant risks and complications. In this study, pigs were given a one-time injection of sodium morrhuate, a chemical that destroys blood vessels.
After one month, the levels of ghrelin in these pigs were suppressed by up to 60 percent.
Obesity is the biggest biomedical problem in the country, and a minimally invasive alternative would make an enormous difference in choices and outcomes for obese people, said study author Aravind Arepally, M.D., of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
SOURCE: Radiology, published online September 16, 2008.