Claims
- 1. A method of reducing food intake of a subject, comprising intranasal administration of a pharmaceutical composition comprising an effective amount of a calcium channel blocker to a subject in need of such treatment.
- 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the subject suffers from obesity or a physiological disorder associated with obesity.
- 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the physiological disorder associated with obesity is a member of the group consisting of atherosclerosis, coronary artery disease, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, diabetes mellitus, gout, osteoarthritis, intertrigo, sleep apnea, hyperlipidemia, hypolipidemia, hypoproteinemia, Pickwickian syndrome, and Cushing syndrome.
- 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the administration comprises administration to nasal mucosa.
- 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the pharmaceutical composition is in the form of a liquid or a powder.
- 6. The method of claim 5, wherein the administration is in the form of inhalation or topical administration.
- 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the calcium channel blocker is a member of the group consisting of diltiazem, verapamil, fluoxetine, nifedipine, nimodipine, amlodipine, felodipine, nicardipine, bepridil and nisoldipine.
- 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the calcium channel blocker is a member of the group consisting of diltiazem, verapamil, amlodipine, nimodipine, and israpidine.
- 9. The method of claim 7, wherein the calcium channel blocker is diltiazem.
- 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the pharmaceutical composition comprises from about 0.5 to about 30 mg diltiazem.
- 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the pharmaceutical composition comprises from about 1 to about 20 mg diltiazem.
- 12. The method of claim 1, wherein the administration is made from about 0.5 to about 12 hours before food intake.
- 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the administration is made from about 1 to about 2 hours before food intake.
- 14. The method of claim 1, comprising intranasal administration of the pharmaceutical composition at least once daily for at least 2 days.
- 15. The method of claim 14, comprising intranasal administration of the pharmaceutical composition twice daily.
- 16. A method of treating or preventing obesity, comprising intranasal administration of a pharmaceutical composition comprising an effective amount of diltiazem to a subject suffering from or at risk for obesity.
- 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the administration comprises administration to nasal mucosa.
- 18. The method of claim 16, wherein the pharmaceutical composition comprises from about 0.5 to about 30 mg diltiazem.
- 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the pharmaceutical composition comprises from about 1 to about 20 mg diltiazem.
- 20. The method of claim 16, wherein the administering is made from about 1 to about 2 hours before food intake.
- 21. A method of screening to identify an agent useful for treating or preventing obesity which comprises
(i) providing a pool of test agents; (ii) determining whether any test agent from the pool is an antagonist of a cyclic-nucleotide-gated calcium channel specific for olfactory neurons; (iii) selecting any test agent from the pool that is an antagonist as an agent useful for treating or preventing obesity.
- 22. The method of claim 21, which comprises a step of selecting the pool of test agents prior to step (i).
Parent Case Info
[0001] This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/431,265, filed Dec. 9, 2002, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.