| Drug Class | Drug |
|---|---|
| Adrenergic (DEAa II) | Amphetamineb,d Methamphetamineb,d |
| Adrenergic (DEAa III) | Benzphetamine Phedimetrazine |
| Adrenergic (DEAa IV) | Diethylpropionb Mazindolc Phentermine |
| Adrenergic over-the-counter | Phenylpropanolaminec |
| Serotonergic | d,1-fenfluraminec d-norfenfluraminec SSRI anti-depressantsd |
| Combined adrenergic and serotonergic (DEAa IV) | Sibutramine |
| Drugs affecting absorption | Orlistat Acarbosed |
| Mechanism of Action | Efficacy/Safety |
| DEAa II drugs rarely used for obesity treatment due to high abuse potential | |
| Stimulates norepinephrine release Stimulates norepinephrine release | Weight loss varies but significant compared with placebo; insomnia and dry mouth |
| Stimulates norepinephrine release Blocks norepinephrine reuptake Stimulates norepinephrine release α1 Agonist | Weight loss varies but significant compared with placebo; insomnia and dry mouth |
| Significant weight loss compared with placebo but less than class III and IV adrenergics | |
| Acts to block serotonin reuptake Acts to enhance serotonin release Acts to block serotonin reuptake | Significant weight loss compared with placebo; plateau at 6 months; dry mouth and insomnia; pulmonary hypertension |
| Stimulates norepinephrine and serotonin release or blocks uptake | Significant weight loss compared with placebo; dry mouth and insomnia; raises blood pressure in some individuals |
| Inhibits lipase activity | Significant weight loss compared with placebo; abdominal cramps and diarrhea |
DEA = Drug Enforcement Agency
High abuse potential – measured by the ratio of anorexiant dose to reinforcing dose.
Removed from market by manufacturers.
Not approved by the Food and Drug Administration for weight-loss treatment
SOURCE: Bray (1998); James et al. (1997).
From: 4, Weight-Loss and Maintenance Strategies
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