Python blood could pave way for new weight-loss drugs
A molecule found in python blood could help create new weight-loss drugs without the nasty side effects associated with existing treatments, scientists say.
Pythons are famous for their overeating habits. They can swallow huge prey whole, then go months or even years without eating, all while preserving their muscle mass.
Now researchers believe they’ve figured out how to do this.
The study, conducted by the University of Colorado Boulder and published in the journal Nature Metabolism, identified a molecule that turns off hunger signals in the brain.
After feeding, pythons produce a compound called pTOS, which increases approximately 1000-fold during digestion.
When tested on mice, it reduced appetite and triggered weight loss without muscle wasting or nausea.
Expert Leslie Leinwand said: “This is a perfect example of nature-inspired biology. You’re looking at extraordinary animals that can do things that you, me and other mammals can’t do, and trying to use that for therapeutic interventions.”
Current weight loss medications such as Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro are effective but not perfect.
Nearly half of the patients quit smoking within a year due to side effects, and one-third of the weight lost may come from muscles.
Scientists hope python-inspired treatments could offer a gentler alternative.
The molecule appears to act on the hypothalamus, the brain’s hunger control center, and is present in humans, but only at low levels.
“If we really want to understand metabolism, we need to go beyond looking at mice and humans and look at the greatest metabolic extremes that nature has to offer,” said Jonathan Long of Stanford University.
The researchers founded a start-up called Arkana Therapeutics to explore translating the discovery into real treatments.
And the potential doesn’t stop with weight loss.
Pythons’ ability to maintain muscle while fasting may even help overcome age-related muscle decline.
Leinwand added: “There is still much to learn.”
