Orlistat

Orlistat (marketed as a prescription under the trade name Xenical by Roche or over-the-counter as Alli by GlaxoSmithKline), also known as tetrahydrolipstatin, is a drug designed to treat obesity. Its primary function is preventing the absorption of fats from the human diet, thereby reducing caloric intake. It is intended for use in conjunction with a physician-supervised reduced-calorie diet. Orlistat is the saturated derivative of lipstatin, a p... more

Orlistat (marketed as a prescription under the trade name Xenical by Roche or over-the-counter as Alli by GlaxoSmithKline), also known as tetrahydrolipstatin, is a drug designed to treat obesity. Its primary function is preventing the absorption of fats from the human diet, thereby reducing caloric intake. It is intended for use in conjunction with a physician-supervised reduced-calorie diet. Orlistat is the saturated derivative of lipstatin, a potent natural inhibitor of pancreatic lipases isolated from the bacterium Streptomyces toxytricini. However, due to simplicity and stability, orlistat rather than lipstatin was developed into an anti-obesity drug. The effectiveness of orlistat in promoting weight loss is definite, though modest. Pooled data from clinical trials suggests that people given orlistat in addition to lifestyle modifications, such as diet and exercise, lose about 2–3 kilograms (4.4–6.6 lb) more than those not taking the drug. Orlistat also modestly reduces blood... less