Researchers at the A.P. Nelyubin Institute of Pharmacy of Sechenov University are developing a drug based on dihydroquercetin that could become a new tool for combating obesity, the university’s press service told GxP News.
The flavonoid dihydroquercetin, derived from larch wood, is responsible for plant coloration. Initially, scientists were interested in the compound for its antioxidant properties, but experiments revealed its weight-reducing ability. “In studies where dihydroquercetin was used to treat diseases, researchers often recorded the weight of laboratory animals among other indicators. Thanks to this data, we found that animals receiving the flavonoid lost an average of 5% of their weight per month,” said the head of the research group, Roman Terekhov, an associate professor at the university’s chemistry department.
Compared to existing weight-loss drugs, dihydroquercetin has fewer side effects. A remaining problem is its low bioavailability—only a relatively small percentage of molecules reach their target in the body. “We are trying to improve the bioavailability of dihydroquercetin by adding basic amino acids—lysine, arginine, and histidine. We are evaluating the resulting compositions and plan to use the most effective one in the next stage of research,” Terekhov said.
The next stage of the research will be an experiment on rats. After that, the scientists plan to attract partners and jointly create a first-in-class drug based on natural polyphenols for treating obesity.
Furthermore, researchers at Sechenov University are attempting to prove that flavonoids not only function as antioxidants but also bind to biological targets—specific sites in the body—and trigger cascades of biochemical reactions inside the cell. “For example, adrenaline makes liver and muscle cells release glucose for energy. It binds to receptors on the surface of muscle and liver cells, which activates a specific protein, which in turn activates a specific enzyme. Several stages pass, and the body receives a large number of molecules that give it energy. We hypothesize that flavonoid molecules can trigger similar cascades at the cellular level,” the associate professor noted.
It is presumed that flavonoids may influence blood insulin levels, adipose tissue, and mitochondrial activity, as well as lower glucose levels and reduce lipid synthesis.