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Controls appetite.
Sibutramine is short for sibutramine hydrochloride monohydrate, which is an orally administered agent for the treatment of obesity, as an appetite suppressant. It is a centrally-acting serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor structurally related to amphetamines,[1] although its mechanism of action is distinct.[2]
Sibutramine is manufactured by Abbott Laboratories, under brand names such as Reductil and Meridia. It is classified as a Schedule IV controlled substance in the United States, despite having virtually no potential for abuse (due to its lack of appreciable dopaminergic effects). It is likely that the compound's use as an anorectic is the sole reason is it classified as a controlled drug, as "overprescription" of anorectics (as a class) in the mid-20th century resulted in a number of cases of abuse or addiction.
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