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Belly fat can be removed with injections
Last reviewed: 02.07.2025
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Scientists are conducting final tests of the latest means of combating excess weight - injections that turn "bad" white fat into "quality" brown fat.
The new drug is based on nanoparticles. Experiments have already been conducted on rodents, and the results have been only positive: after injections, the weight of obese animals rapidly decreased, and the metabolism stabilized.
White fat is a specific type of fat that can store energy. It also serves as a protection for organs from mechanical impacts. However, with an excess of calories and a lack of physical activity, such fat begins to appear in areas where it should not be located a priori.
In turn, brown fat is considered more active: it can independently burn calories, since it is responsible for maintaining temperature constancy within the body.
The researchers decided to try to convert the layer of white fat into brown fat, which would help stimulate metabolism.
The author of the study was bioengineer Dr. Meng Deng, representing Purdue University. He was the first to talk about a new type of drugs against excess weight – drugs that inhibit Notch signaling. The specialists managed to block the work of the Notch 1 gene in the cellular structures of the white fat layer, increasing the expression of the specific protein Ucp 1.
Under the influence of such inhibitory drugs, genetic transformation of white fat occurred.
The entire process is described in detail in the publication Molecular Therapy.
The scientists also revealed which inhibitor drug they used for the transformation – dibenzazepine, a common antiepileptic drug. Its inherent inhibition property was discovered by accident.
To accurately deliver the drug molecules to fat cell structures and reduce the severity of side effects, scientists introduced the drug into specific nanoparticles obtained from polylactocoglycolic acid. This acid is a polymer that has successfully passed all necessary tests and has been approved for the creation of new medical nanopreparations.
Injection of the resulting nanomedicine into the layer of white fat stimulates its transition into brown fat: this also changes the quality of metabolism.
" Fat cells hold nanoparticles: this means that the drug only affects fat tissue and does not cause unnecessary antiepileptic side effects. Targeted delivery is safe and involves using small doses of the drug only once a week," says Dr. Shihuang Kuang.
Interestingly, this method can be used for more than just shedding extra pounds. Studies have confirmed that this treatment helps increase sugar tolerance and insulin resistance in obese animals.
Now scientists suggest that injections of the drug can be used both for the treatment of obesity and its consequences, and as an analogue of plastic medicine.
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