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Some historical aspects of drug treatment for obesity

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Book cover Pharmacotherapy of Obesity

Part of the book series: Milestones in Drug Therapy ((MDT))

Abstract

Janus was the Roman god with two faces — one face smiling, one scowling [2, 3]. He is frequently seen as the symbol for theater — tragedy and comedy being his two faces. Amphetamine, the first drug with a clinical trial showing effectiveness in the battle of the bulge, also has two faces. One face was suppression of appetite, the other face was addiction. It was this latter frowning face that has cast a cloud of doubt and concern over pharmacological agents developed to help in the battle of the bulge. This is the story.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, LA, 70808, USA

    George A. Bray

Authors
  1. George A. Bray
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Clinical Sciences Centre, University Hospital Aintree, Longmoor Lane, Liverpool, L9 7AL, UK

    John P. H. Wilding

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© 2008 Birkhäuser Verlag/Switzerland

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Bray, G.A. (2008). Some historical aspects of drug treatment for obesity. In: Wilding, J.P.H. (eds) Pharmacotherapy of Obesity. Milestones in Drug Therapy. Birkhäuser Basel. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-7643-7425-9_2

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