Health Issue: Hemopressin can also be used to treat alcohol

Key to overeating found, may lead to new diet drug Raising Hemopressin May Curb Food-For-Pleasure Craving London: Scientists have found an appetite suppressant tha can curb the desire for "pleasure eating" ,a discovery that could lead to a new class of dieting drugs.        Researchers at Manchester University found that the substance called hemopressin, which occurs naturally in the bocy, affects the reward centres of the brain that light up when someone enjoys a comforting snack or cigarette. It was found to be blocking these areas of the brain, reducing the craving for post-pub kebabs and calorific late-night snacks.        Garron Dodd, who led the research, said the finding could lead to drugs that can stimulate the brain to produce more hemopressing, which will prevent people from eating purely for pleasure instead of from hunger, "The discovery offers new insights into how the brain controls appetite and opens new avenues by which to manipulate this brain circuitry and aid the development of anti obesity treatment," he was quoted as saying by the Daily Mail.          The chemical can also be used to treat alcohol and drug abuse, the researchers said. About six years ago, a synthetic product called Rimoubant, which acted on the brain to reduce hunger, was developed and marketed as an anti-obesity treatment. But it appeared to increase the risk of depression and suicidal thoughts ans was withdrawn from the market. Dodd believes naturally occurring hemopressin can suppress hunger without the side effects.]          For their study, experts fed hemopressin to mice and found they ate less food. It was also found the chemical had no other impact on their behaviour. an identical group of mice given a synthetic form of the chemical also ate less, but suffered side effects such as increased grooming and scratching.