Subchronic racemic gamma vinyl-GABA produces weight loss in Sprague Dawley and Zucker fatty rats.

Given the growing obesity epidemic, pressure to develop an effective pharmacologic treatment is mounting. Following the completion of a randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled trial as well as two small open label trials, gamma vinyl-GABA (GVG) has been shown to be safe and effective for treating cocaine and/or methamphetamine dependence. In an extension of these findings, the present study examined whether GVG could produce weight loss in adolescent as well as genetically obese animals. Specifically, adolescent Sprague Dawley and adolescent and adult Zucker fatty rats received GVG at various doses (75-300 mg/kg, i.p., racemic) for treatment periods lasting no longer than 14 consecutive days. GVG produced significant weight loss in a dose dependent fashion in all groups. These effects were marked, as average decreases of 12-20% of original body weight were observed. These findings suggest that GVG may be useful as a treatment for obesity. Further, that these results occurred in genetically obese animals offers the possibility that GVG may even help manage severe obesity resulting from binge-eating, a disorder involving food consumption in a pattern similar to the compulsive drug-seeking behavior observed in cocaine and methamphetamine dependent subjects.

Safety and efficacy of gamma-vinyl GABA (GVG) for the treatment of methamphetamine and/or cocaine addiction.

This study examined the safety and efficacy of gamma vinyl-GABA (GVG, vigabatrin) for the treatment of methamphetamine and/or cocaine addiction. A total of 30 subjects, who met DSM-IV criteria for methamphetamine and/or cocaine dependence, were enrolled in an open label 9-week safety study. The protocol was specifically designed to include extensive visual field monitoring as well as outcome measures of therapeutic efficacy. Patients were screened twice weekly for the presence of urinary cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, alcohol, and marijuana. In total, 18/30 subjects completed the study and 16/18 tested negative for methamphetamine and cocaine during the last 6 weeks of the trial. GVG did not produce any visual field defects or alterations in visual acuity. Furthermore, it did not produce changes in vital signs even with continued use of methamphetamine and cocaine. Thus, under conditions that appear to be appropriate for the successful treatment of methamphetamine and/or cocaine addiction, GVG is safe.