Herbal diet supplements
Back in July, I wrote about a hormone, oxyntomodulin, that had been isolated which tells the brain that the stomach is full. Pharmaceutical companies are now working on turning this knowledge into an oral diet drug. Now, another compound has surfaced which suppresses the desire to eat and drink. This one has its roots in Scottish medieval times: Augustinian monks have chewed the plant to suppress all urges to eat or drink. The plant, lathyrus linfolius, was processed at a hospital there to make a potion. It is thought that this potion was brewed to help villagers lose weight or cope with the effects of a bad harvest.
Lathyrus linfolius appears to be fairly potent:
Dr Moffat said: “These tiny tubers are eaten two or three at a time. Chewed, they taste of leathery liquorice. Quite simply, according to all the reports we’ve compiled, around 300, people forget to eat and drink. They feel no need to eat and drink and this lasts for weeks, sometimes into months.”
The monks were from a 12th century monastery at Soutra Isle. The apparently helped at, or perhaps ran an area hospital (the article is not clear) which was one of the most important medical centers in Scotland for quite some time.
If this plant is ever going to be turned into a viable drug, it will have to be regulated, despite its “natural” origins which would lead one to think that it would be in the over-the-counter, herbal supplement section of your local pharmacy or health food store. The potential for abuse by those with eating disorders is too great to be available without a prescription.
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