CB1 receptor inhibition and glucose metabolism: role of rimonabant in type 2 diabetes

Endocannabinoid system is overactivated in individuals with abdominal obesity. CBI receptors, first individualized in the brain, are also expressed in the adipocyte, the skeletal muscle, the liver, the gut, and the pancreas. Their blockade improves glucose tolerance and lipid profile, thanks increased insulin sensitivity and adiponectin levels. Rimonabant, a selective antagonist of CBI receptors, improves glucose control in patients with type 2 diabetes, treated with diet alone, metformin, sulfonylurea or insulin, while it also reduces body weight and other risk factors. Ongoing studies aim at further demonstrating the potential of rimonabant in the management of type 2 diabetes, in the prevention of type 2 diabetes and in the protection against cardiovascular complications in (diabetic) patients with abdominal obesity