A Malaria Drug for Obesity?

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Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2006

A Malaria Drug for Obesity?

Preliminary research in mice suggests that small doses of an old

anti-malaria drug may help limit many of the damaging side effects

of obesity. The study, conducted by scientists from Washington

University in St. Louis, showed that chloroquine lowers blood

pressure, improves the body's ability to deal with sugar and

decreases the buildup of atherosclerosis in the arteries.

Could chloroquine, which is no longer effective against the malaria

parasite in many parts of sub-Saharan Africa, be re-purposed to

treat obesity? Probably not. But this unusual result could lead to a

better understanding of why some people are more prone to the ill

health effects of packing on extra pounds than others.

-- Gorman