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Rimonabant Side Effects

Rimonabant is a drug developed to help obese people lose weight. As the brand Acomplia, rimonabant was withdrawn from the European market in October 2008 because of serious side effects. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration never approved the drug.

  1. Function

    • Rimonabant works by blocking cannabinoid-1 (CB1) receptors in the brain, causing a significant reduction in appetite.

    Physical Side Effects

    • Many side effects are common with rimonabant. They include upset stomach, nausea, diarrhea, dizziness, fatigue, sweating, back pain, muscle spasms and tendon inflammation.

    Psychiatric Side Effects

    • Serious psychiatric side effects have been reported as well. Some patients experienced suicidal thoughts, hallucinations, anxiety, panic, depression, irritability, mood swings and insomnia.

    Side Effects Cause

    • Brown University researchers found that rimonabant may block another brain receptor besides CB1, causing the negative psychiatric effects in some people. The journal Neuron published their study in the March 12, 2008 issue.

    Drug Interactions

    • Rimonabant interacts with several other drugs. These include certain antibiotics, anti-fungal medications and drugs to treat depression, diabetes, seizures and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

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