Biological Activity
Rimonabant(SR141716) is a selective central cannabinoid (CB1) receptor inverse agonist with Ki of 1.8 nM.
In Vitro
Rimonabant dose-dependently reduces ACAT activity in Raw264.7macrophages with IC50 of 2.9 μM and isolated peritoneal macrophages. Rimonabant inhibits ACATactivity in intact CHO-ACAT1 and CHO-ACAT2 cells and in cell-free assays with approximately equal efficiency with IC50 of 1.5 μM and 2.2 μM for CHO-ACAT1 and CHO-ACAT2, respectively. Consistent with ACAT inhibition, Rimonabant treatment blocks ACAT dependent processes in macrophages, oxysterol-induced apoptosis and acetylated-LDL induced foam cell formation. Rimonabant antagonizes the inhibitory effects of cannabinoid receptor agonists on both mouse vas deferens contractions and adenylyl cyclase activity in rat brain membranes in a concentration-dependent manner.
In Vivo
Rimonabant (10 mg/kg by gavage) is fed for 2 weeks to 3-month-old male obese Zucker rats as an impaired glucose tolerance model and for 10 weeks to 6-month-old male obese Zucker rats as a model of the metabolic syndrome. RANTES (Regulated upon Activation, Normal T cell Expressed, and Secreted) and MCP-1 (monocyte chemotactic protein-1) serum levels are increased in obese vs lean Zucker rats and significantly reduced by long-term treatment with Rimonabant, which slowes weight gain in rats with the metabolic syndrome. Neutrophils and monocytes are significantly increased in young and old obese vs lean Zucker rats and lowered by Rimonabant. Platelet-bound fibrinogen is significantly enhanced in obese vs lean Zucker rats of both age, and is reduced by Rimonabant. Platelets from obese rats are more sensitive to thrombin-induced aggregation and adhesion to fibrinogen, which are both attenuated by Rimonabant therapy.
References & source
Published experimental findings depend on the model and assay conditions. They do not guarantee equivalent performance in every application. For laboratory research use only.
