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Table 4 Anti-obesity drugs currently approved for use in at least one country

From: Post-marketing withdrawal of anti-obesity medicinal products because of adverse drug reactions: a systematic review

Brand name

Active ingredient

Mechanism of action

Year approved

Adipex-P, Ionamin

Phentermine

Precise mechanism unknown: norepinephrine-dopamine releasing agent

1959

Alli, Xenicala

Orlistat

Inhibits gastric and pancreatic lipases

1999

Belviqa

Lorcaserin

Selective 5-HT2C receptor agonist

2012

Contrave, Mysimbaa

Naltrexone + bupropion

Bupropion: re-uptake inhibitor and releasing agent of norepinephrine and a nicotinic acetylcholine receptor antagonist; naltrexone augments bupropion’s activation of proopiomelanocortin (POMC)

2014

Didrex

Benzphetamine

Precise mechanism unknown: norepinephrine-dopamine releasing agent

1960

Obezine

Phendimetrazine

Precise mechanism unknown: norepinephrine-dopamine releasing agent

1961

Qsymia, Qnexaa

Phentermine + topiramate

The precise mechanism of action for both drugs is unknown: phentermine is a norepinephrine-dopamine releasing agent; topiramate augments gamma-aminobutyrate (GABA), inhibits α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA)/kainate glutamate receptors, and inhibits carbonic anhydrase

2012

Saxenda, Victozaa

Liraglutide

Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist

2014

Tenuate Dospan

Diethylpropion

Precise mechanism unknown: norepinephrine-dopamine releasing agent

1959

  1. aApproved for long-term treatment