Study wrapper · #189
The growth hormone secretagogue receptor 1a agonists, anamorelin and ipamorelin, inhibit cisplatin-induced weight loss in ferrets: Anamorelin also exhibits anti-emetic effects via a central mechanism.
Editor's note
A controlled animal study in ferrets testing whether the ghrelin-receptor agonists anamorelin and ipamorelin can blunt chemotherapy-induced weight loss and nausea. This is preclinical in-vivo work: ferrets are a standard emesis model because, unlike rodents, they vomit, which makes the design apt for studying nausea, but findings remain mechanistic signals rather than clinical evidence. Researchers reported that both peptides given into the abdominal cavity failed to affect acute or delayed cisplatin-induced emesis, yet both reduced the associated delayed-phase weight loss by roughly 24%. Anamorelin delivered directly into the brain reduced acute emesis by 60% and improved food and water intake, suggesting an anti-emetic action that depends on brain penetration, an interesting dissociation between the appetite/weight effect and the anti-nausea effect. For our readers, the relevant note is narrow: ipamorelin here contributes to weight preservation but showed no anti-emetic effect, and the whole study sits at the mechanistic tier. These are preclinical findings; human data are needed before any clinical conclusions can be drawn.
Plain-language abstract
This was an animal study in ferrets, which are used to study nausea and vomiting because, unlike rats and mice, they can vomit. Researchers tested whether two ghrelin-receptor-activating peptides, anamorelin and ipamorelin, could reduce the weight loss and sickness caused by cisplatin, a chemotherapy drug. The peptides were given by injection into the abdominal cavity before cisplatin and then daily, and the animals' behaviour and food and water intake were tracked for up to 72 hours. Anamorelin was also tested by direct delivery into the brain. Given into the abdomen, neither peptide reduced the vomiting itself, in either its early or later phase, but both cut the later-phase weight loss by about 24%. When anamorelin was delivered straight into the brain, it reduced early vomiting by 60% and improved food and water intake, suggesting its anti-sickness effect depends on reaching the brain. The authors concluded that both peptides helped limit chemotherapy-related weight loss, while only brain-delivered anamorelin reduced acute vomiting. These are early animal findings; human studies would be needed before any clinical conclusions could be drawn.