Orlistat can be also known as tetrahydrolipstatin and is marketed as a prescription drug under the name of XENICAL. It is a drug designed to treat obesity. It acts blocking some of the fat that is eaten and keeps it from being absorbed into your body. It is commonly used together with a restricted calorie diet to treat obesity medical conditions, like diabetes and high cholesterol. Although it may also be used for purposes other than those of medical condition. The amount of weight loss for people can vary, some people can loose up to 10% body fat and therefore, the incidence of risk factors, such as diabetes.
Orlistat works inhibiting gastric and pancreatic lipases, the enzymes that break down triglycerides in the intestine. Recently, was found that Orlistat also inhibited the thioesterase domain of fatty acid synthase (FAS), an enzyme involved in the proliferation of cancer cells but not normal cells.
In regarding Side Effects, there are various, but in general the effects of orlistat are soft, and most adverse effects are limited to the gastrointestinal tract. The ones more common are: Bladder pain, body aches, diarrhea, headaches, nausea, sweating, trouble sleeping, sneezing, runny nose, nasal congestion, ear congestion, cough, fever, muscle aches and pains, lower back side pain, loss of voice, loss of appetite, unusual tiredness or weakness, sore throat and vomiting.
According to Roche, side effects can be more severe when beginning the treatment and may decrease in frequency during the treatment, this is based upon the results of the XENDOS study, which found that only 36% of people had gastrointestinal adverse effects during their fourth year of taking orlistat, whereas 91% of patients in Melbourne had experienced at least one gastrointestinal related side effect during the first year of treatment. Gastro intestinal (GI) side effects including oily spotting, flatus with discharge, fecal urgency, fatty or oily stool, oily evacuation, increased defecation, and fecal incontinence has been reported by something equal to 5% of subjects. Cholelithiasis has been reported in 2.9% of subjects. Other GI possible side effect is abdominal pain and discomfort, nausea, infectious diarrhea, rectal pain and discomfort, tooth disorder, gingival disorder and vomiting, also Pancreatitis has been reported during postmarketing experience.
On 26th of may, 2010, the Australian Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a revised label for Generic Xenical to include new safety information about cases of severe injury that have been reported rarely using orlistat medication.
Xenical, Orlistat,
I am self employed. General Practitioner in Melbourne, VIC. My special interest: male reproductive system.