Two ‘very common’ plants that could MIMIC effects of Ozempic weight loss jabs without side effects, scientists find

TWO two very common plants could become the source of new Ozempic-style weight loss medications, a study suggests.

The plants — which have not yet been named — produce chemicals that can cause similar results in the body to the “miracle” drug, Spanish researchers found.

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It could lead to future alternative weight loss pills that are derived from natural sources and do not cause the nasty side effects of the synthetic injections.

Lead author Elena Murcia, of Catholic University of Murcia, said: “We are in the early stages of developing new GLP-1 agonists derived from natural sources. 

“If our AI-based calculations confirmed in vitro and then in clinical trials, we will have other therapeutic options to manage obesity.”

Semaglutide — the active ingredient in weight-loss drug Wegovy and diabetes med Ozempic — is called a GLP-1 agonist by experts.

This means it mimics a natural hormone called GLP-1, which is normally produced in response to the body detecting nutrients when we eat.

When an overweight patient takes semaglutide, it produces a similar response, making them feel fuller all the time and reducing how much they want to eat as a result.

Studies show the drugs help people lose around 16kg (35lb) in four weeks, but have been linked to some unpleasant side effects.

Ms Murcia said: “Although the effectiveness of current GLP-1 agonists has been demonstrated, there are some side-effects associated with their use — gastrointestinal issues such as nausea, vomiting, and mental health changes like anxiety and irritability. 

“Recent data has also confirmed that when patients stop treatment they regain lost weight.

“In addition, most GLP-1 agonists are peptides – short chains of amino acids that can be degraded by stomach enzymes – and so they are currently more likely to be injected rather than taken orally.

“Drugs that aren’t peptides may have fewer side-effects and be easier to administer, meaning they could be given as pills rather than injections.”

The latest study, set to be presented at the European Congress on Obesity in Venice in May, looked at potential natural alternatives to synthetic GLP-1 agonists.

Researchers used AI to analyse more than 10,000 compounds to find which ones bind to the GLP-1 receptor — the part of the body that recognises the GLP-1 hormone.

They narrowed these down to around 100 natural chemicals that bound to the receptor similarly to the hormone, meaning they were most likely to cause a similar effect in the body.

Researchers whittled the shortlist down to two compounds derived from common plants, which are being kept confidential until patents are granted.

The team are now in the process of lab testing the compounds, with the aim of one day offering pills containing the weight-loss inducing natural alternatives.

Ms Murcia said: “Computer-based studies such as ours have key advantages, such as reductions in costs and time, rapid analysis of large data sets, flexibility in experimental design and the ability to identify and mitigate any ethical and safety risks before conducting experiments in the laboratory.

“These simulations also allow us to take advantage of AI resources to analyse complex problems and so provide a valuable initial perspective in the search for new drugs.”