Reduced Food Intake is the Major Contributor to the Protective Effect of Rimonabant on Islet in Established Obesity-Associated Type 2 Diabetes

PURPOSE: Although the presence of cannabinoid type 1 (CB1) receptor in islets has been reported, the major contributor to the protective effect of rimonabant on islet morphology is unknown. We determined whether the protective effect of rimonabant on pancreatic islet morphology is valid in established diabetes and also whether any effect was independent of decreased food intake. MATERIALS AND METHODS: After diabetes was confirmed, Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty rats, aged 32 weeks, were treated with rimonabant (30 mg/kg/d, rimonabant group) for 6 weeks. Metabolic profiles and islet morphology of rats treated with rimonabant were compared with those of controls without treatment (control group), a pair-fed control group, and rats treated with rosiglitazone (4 mg/kg/d, rosiglitazone group). RESULTS: Compared to the control group, rats treated with rimonabant exhibited reduced glycated albumin levels (p<0.001), islet fibrosis (p<0.01), and improved glucose tolerance (p<0.05), with no differences from the pair-fed control group. The retroperitoneal adipose tissue mass was lower in the rimonabant group than those of the pair-fed control and rosiglitazone groups (p<0.05). Rimonabant, pair-fed control, and rosiglitazone groups showed decreased insulin resistance and increased adiponectin, with no differences between the rimonabant and pair-fed control groups. CONCLUSION: Rimonabant had a protective effect on islet morphology in vivo even in established diabetes. However, the protective effect was also reproduced by pair-feeding. Thus, the results of this study did not support the significance of islet CB1 receptors in islet protection with rimonabant in established obesity-associated type 2 diabetes.

Las dietas cetogénicas: beneficios adicionales a la pérdida de peso y efectos secundarios infundados: [revisión] / Ketogenic diets: additional benefits to the weight loss and unfounded secondary effects: [review]

Además de la pérdida de peso, también es importante enfatizar que las dietas cetogénicas son saludables cardiovascularmente y para el metabolismo glucídico, ya que promueven un perfil lipídico no aterogénico, el descenso de la presión arterial y disminuyen la resistencia a la insulina con una mejora en los niveles plasmáticos de glucosa e insulina. Estas dietas podrían tener efectos anticancerígenos, no tienen efectos perniciosos sobre el hígado o el riñón, no se asocian a acidosis metabólica, tienen muchas propiedades beneficiosas sobre el sistema nervioso central, no producen osteoporosis y podrían aumentar el rendimiento en la actividad deportiva de tipo aeróbico.

Ketogenic diets: additional benefits to the weight loss and unfounded secondary effects. It is also necessary to emphasise that as well as the weight loss, ketogenic diets are healthier because they promote a non-atherogenic lipid profile, lower blood pressure and diminish resistance to insulin with an improvement in blood levels of glucose and insulin. Such diets also have antineoplasic benefits, do not alter renal or liver functions, do not produce metabolic acidosis by Ketosis, have many neurological benefits in central nervous system, do not produce osteoporosis and could increase the perfomance in aerobic sports.