The endocannabinoid system: a therapeutic target in patients with abdominal obesity?

The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is a relatively recently discovered endogenous system involved in energy balance and homeostasis. The discovery of the receptors and endogenous agonists for this system in the late 1980s and 1990s prompted intense research into the modulation of this system for therapeutic benefit. This research bore fruition with the characterisation; clinical development programme; and, in 2006, licensing, of the first cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1) blocker, rimonabant (Accomplia; sanofiaventis). Rimonabant was licensed in 12 European countries, as well as Argentina, Mexico, Columbia, Chile, the United Arab Emirates and Hong Kong, and is licensed in Europe as an adjunct to diet and exercise for the treatment of obese patients (body mass index [BMI] ≥30kg per m²) or overweight patients (BMI >27kg per m²) with associated risk factors, such as type 2 diabetes or dyslipidaemia. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.