Treatment of Anorexia Nervosa
Anorexia nervosa, often referred to simply as anorexia nervosa, is an eating disorder characterized by abnormally low body weight, a severe fear of weight gain, and distorted perceptions of weight. Anorexia nervosa includes emotional and behavioral problems such as unrealistic perceptions of weight and an intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat.
Treatment for anorexia nervosa usually includes the following:
| Psychotherapy |
In particular, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and family therapy help to help patients change unhealthy thinking and behavior habits and return to normal eating and exercise habits. |
| Medications |
No medications are currently approved for the treatment of anorexia nervosa, as none have been found to be very effective. However, antidepressants or other psychiatric medications can help treat other mental health disorders you may have, such as depression or anxiety disorders. |
| Nutritional support |
This includes dietary guidance, nutritional supplements, and oral liquid nutritional supplementation designed to increase the patient's nutritional intake and correct malnutrition. |
| Medical treatment |
If the patient has entered the risk phase, hospitalization, and intravenous nutrition, as well as monitoring of indicators such as electrolyte balance, heart rhythm, and weight, will be required. |
Drug Research in Anorexia Nervosa
No drugs are currently approved for the treatment of anorexia nervosa. Although not specifically for anorexia nervosa, IGC-504 and IGC-506 are cannabis-based preclinical candidates being developed by the IGC for the treatment of eating disorders including cachexia. A cannabinoid drug from Cannabics Pharmaceuticals is in phase III trials for the treatment of cancer-related anorexia nervosa and cachexia. As with growth hormone-releasing peptides, drugs that appear to be used to improve appetite and weight gain in other disease areas have been or are being considered for eating disorders. At this time, pharmaceutical companies still face significant development challenges, so further research is needed to shed light on this complex disease before a healthier drug pipeline can be expected.
Pathophysiology of Anorexia Nervosa
The brain serotonin system has long been the main focus of neurobiological studies of anorexia nervosa, but the system is very complex and difficult to model based on different receptor-stimulus-behavior associations. Recent studies suggest that brain dopamine circuits may be a potential key factor in the pathophysiology of altered food intake in anorexia nervosa. Dopamine receptors are divided into two categories: D1 receptors and D2 receptors. The current study suggests that patients with anorexia nervosa have a lower number of D2 receptors, which may lead to a reduced dopamine signaling function and thus affect appetite control.
Fig. 1 Schematic description how dopamine D1 and D2 receptors could be involved in the pathophysiology and treatment of anorexia nervosa. (Frank GK. 2014)
How Can We Help?
Ace Therapeutics is dedicated to providing critical support for drug discovery and development for anorexia nervosa. We provide a range of professional technical support through molecular screening, drug design, new drug discovery, metabolism, and pharmacokinetic studies. Among them, our preclinical drug development services help pharmaceutical companies and research institutions to develop drugs with preclinical potential quickly and efficiently, laying a solid foundation for subsequent clinical studies.
- Molecular screening: We can screen a large number of compounds for potential therapeutic effects by means of in vitro screening or computer simulation.
- Drug design: Based on the results of molecular screening, we can optimize the structure and pharmacodynamics of compounds with potential therapeutic effects, so that they have better pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic properties in vivo.
- Drug synthesis: Based on the results of drug design, we can synthesize and optimize drug candidates to prepare compounds with potential therapeutic effects.
- In vivo metabolism and pharmacokinetic studies: We can study the metabolic pathways, metabolites, and pharmacokinetic properties of drugs through animal models and in vitro experiments to provide references for subsequent clinical experiments.
Related Services
Ace Therapeutics provides comprehensive technical support for the development of anorexia drugs. We are committed to helping pharmaceutical companies and research institutions rapidly develop drugs with preclinical potential and provide a solid foundation for anorexia treatment research. If you are interested in our services, please make an inquiry to learn how we can support you in your project.
Reference
- Frank GK. Could dopamine agonists aid in drug development for anorexia nervosa?. Front Nutr. 2014, 1:19.
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