Anorectic Drug

Anorectics are diet pills developed to replace amphetamines as appetite suppressants. They initiate the central nervous system [brain and spinal cord] producing various effects of amphetamines. Amphetamines belong to a group of drugs called psycho stimulants which stimulate the central nervous system. It helps speed up messages going to and from the brain and body. When compared to amphetamines, anorectics are generally less potent.

Anorectics otherwise called anorexigenics or appetite suppressants decrease the desire to eat. As stimulants of phenethylamine family, they support short-term treatment of obesity.

Warnings about diet pills


Cases of fatal pulmonary hypertension and heart valve damage associated with anorectic agents have forced certain products to pull out of the market. In 1960's Aminorex was pulled off and in the 1990s it was fenfluramine. The use of appetite suppressant phenylpropanolamine led to hemorrhagic stroke in many patients. In 2000 FDA requested its withdrawal. Diet pills have side effects ranging from harmless minor headaches to major body dysfunctions.

Phentermine is the most prescribed of all the diet pills and it also is the widely misused anti obesity drug.

Anorectic benefits

• Effective for weight loss
• Safe treatment for 16 weeks
• Maximum treatment results when combined with diet and exercise therapy

Anorectic abuses

• Without an efficient diet therapy, weight loss won't sustain after treatment
• Patients are prone to addiction
• Previous drug abusers of earlier treatments should be evicted from using anorectics