A Malaria Drug for Obesity?

Preliminary research in mice suggests that small doses of an old anti-malaria drug may help limit many of the damaging side effects of obesity. The study, conducted by scientists from Washington University in St. Louis, showed that chloroquine lowers blood pressure, improves the body's ability to deal with sugar and decreases the buildup of atherosclerosis in the arteries.

Could chloroquine, which is no longer effective against the malaria parasite in many parts of sub-Saharan Africa, be re-purposed to treat obesity? Probably not. But this unusual result could lead to a better understanding of why some people are more prone to the ill health effects of packing on extra pounds than others.