Effects on food intake and blood lipids of cannabinoid receptor 1 antagonist treatment in lean rats.

Endocannabinoids act through the cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1) and has both orexigenic and peripheral metabolic effects. It is not yet fully understood whether all the beneficial effects on the metabolic profile by CB1 antagonism are induced by the weight loss or also by direct peripheral effects. The present study was intended to further elucidate this question and to investigate whether tolerance development to the hypophagic effect could be attenuated by cyclic treatment. We performed an intervention study in 40 lean rats over 4 weeks. The rats were divided in four groups: a control group, two groups treated with the CB1 antagonist Rimonabant either continuously or cyclically, and one group pair fed with the continuous Rimonabant group to obtain the same body weight. During the first 6 days, food intake was less in the continuous Rimonabant group compared to the control group (P < 0.01). Throughout the study period, the cyclic Rimonabant group had a smaller food intake than the continuous Rimonabant group (P < 0.05). After 4 weeks, the cyclic Rimonabant group had a reduced weight gain compared to the control group (P < 0.05). Serum levels of glycerol and free fatty acids (nonesterified fatty acid, NEFA) were significantly reduced in both treated groups compared to the untreated groups, and levels of triglycerides showed the same tendency. Cyclic treatment with Rimonabant is able to inhibit tolerance development on food intake, which resulted in reduction in body weight. Rimonabant treatment is associated with reduced serum levels of glycerol, NEFA, and triglyceride which seem independent of body weight changes.