Tirzepatide and Semaglutide
17.07.2024
Tirzepatide and Semaglutide
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For Prelims: About Tirzepatide and Semaglutide, Functioning |
Why in the news?
Recently, in a first, an expert committee of India’s drug regulator gave the green light to the drug tirzepatide and India could soon allow ‘game-changing’ weight-loss drug tirzepatide.
About Tirzepatide and Semaglutide:
- These two weight loss drugs have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for chronic weight management in adults.
- Semaglutide and tirzepatide are polypeptides, small proteins that boost the levels of naturally-occurring hormones in the body, including that of glucagon-like-peptide 1 (GLP-1), which control weight through the brain and digestive tract.
- These drugs can be prescribed to those who are obese (with a body mass index of over 30), or overweight (with a BMI between 27 and 30), and have at least one other health condition related to their weight (such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or type 2 diabetes).
- Side effects: Nausea, diarrhoea, vomiting, constipation, abdominal pain, indigestion, injection-site reactions, fatigue, allergic reactions, belching, hair loss and heartburn.
Functioning of the Tirzepatide and Semaglutide
- Higher GLP-1 levels, released in the gut, spark a reaction by stimulating neurons that alter gut function, leading to a sense of fullness.
- This process also taps into a brain mechanism that lights up neural pathways, triggering the sensation of satiety, the feeling of being satisfied and having had enough to eat.
- They also help manage glucose levels, making them an effective treatment for diabetes.
- Semaglutide only targets GLP-1 receptors.
- On the other hand, tirzepatide also boosts a second hormone: glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP).
- The GIP also regulates weight through receptors in brain and fat cells.
Source: Indian Express
Ques :- Tirzepatide drug, recently in news, is advised for:
A.Shingles
B.HIV treatment
C.TB treatment
D.weight loss
Answer D