Sibutramine

Sibutramine, formerly sold under the brand name Meridia among others, is an appetite suppressant which has been discontinued in many countries. Amphetamine derivate, psychostimulant drug. It works as a serotonin–norepinephrine–dopamine reuptake inhibitor (SNDRI) similar to certain antidepressants. Until 2010, it was widely marketed and prescribed as an adjunct in the treatment of obesity along with diet and exercise. Sibutramine was originally developed in 1988 by Boots in Nottingham, UK, and manufactured and marketed by Abbott Laboratories and sold under a variety of brand names including Reductil, Meridia, Siredia, and Sibutrex. It was classified as a Schedule IV controlled substance in the United States. In 2010, the drug was withdrawn from most markets, including Australia, Canada, China, the European Union, Hong Kong, India, Mexico, New Zealand, the Philippines, Thailand, the United Kingdom, and the United States, after a study associated it with an increased risk of myocardial infarction and ischaemic stroke. However, the drug remains legally available in countries such as Russia, where it is available only by prescription exclusively to adults, and Brazil. It has also continued to circulate in the form of counterfeit weight-loss products, including dietary and herbal supplements.