Title:Lorcaserin: Worthy of Further Insights? Results from Recent Research
Volume: 23
Issue: 3
Author(s): Marianna Mazza*, Georgios D. Kotzalidis, Giuseppe Marano, Domenico De Berardis, Giovanni Martinotti, Enrico Romagnoli, Giuseppe Biondi-Zoccai, Antonio Abbate and Gabriele Sani
Affiliation:
- Department of Geriatrics, Institute of Psychiatry and Psychology, Neuroscience and Orthopedics, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy
- Department of Psychiatry, Università Cattolica del
Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy
Keywords:
Lorcaserin, 5-HT2C serotonin receptors, obesity, cocaine use disorder, nicotine use disorder, cancer risk.
Abstract: Lorcaserin is a 3-benzazepine that binds 5-HT2C serotonin receptors in the hypothalamus,
where it mediates lack of hunger and/or satiety, and in the ventral tegmental area, the site of origin of
the mesolimbic and mesocortical dopaminergic projections, which mediate pleasure and reward. The
drug has been first developed for the treatment of obesity, where it has shown efficacy, and subsequently
trialed to counter substance use (mostly cocaine, cannabis, opioids, and nicotine) and craving,
but showed inconsistent effects. Since 2020, the US Food and Drug Administration obtained that the
drug was voluntarily withdrawn from the US market on the grounds that its long-term use was found
to be associated with a greater incidence of some types of cancer. Provided it can show to be free from
cancerogenic effects, ongoing research suggests that lorcaserin may have therapeutic potential for a
variety of disorders and conditions beyond obesity. Since 5-HT2C receptors are involved in many diversified
physiological functions (mood, feeding, reproductive behavior, neuronal processes related to
impulsiveness, and modulating reward-related mechanisms) this drug has the potential to treat different
central nervous system conditions, such as depression and schizophrenia.
