Synthetic chemical boosts metabolism

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Nov. 5 (UPI) -- A French study using mice suggests an experimental drug can protect against obesity and metabolic diseases associated with a high-fat diet.

The study, published in the journal Cell Metabolism, suggests the synthetic SIRT1 activator -- called SRT1720 -- boosts metabolism, improves glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity, and enhances exercise endurance.

The new chemical entity was used by researchers to activate the SIRT1 gene pathway in mice, boosting their metabolic levels.

"These results show that new synthetic SIRT1 activators can reproduce the positive metabolic effects that were previously demonstrated using resveratrol, a naturally occurring SIRT1 activator found in red wine," Dr. Johan Auwerx of France's Institut de Genetique et de Biologie Moleculaire et Cellulaire said Wednesday in a statement. "But unlike resveratrol, these new chemical entities target only the SIRT1 pathway, making them more selective and potent for achieving these metabolic benefits."