A new DNP?

A recent study out of Australia is investigating a mitochondrial uncoupler as a weight loss drug called N5,N6-bis(2-Fluorophenyl)[1,2,5]oxadiazolo[3,4-b]pyrazine-5,6-diamine or BAM15. According to the study, BAM15 increases oxygen consumption in mice given the compound, which increases calorie intake. BAM15 works similarly to other mitochondrial uncouplers like DNP and usnic acid, by straining oxidative phosphorylation causing the body to breakdown fatty acids for the electrons needed to produce NADH/FADH2. In this study, mice given BAM15 and fed a high sugar/high fat diet either gained less fat vs the control or even lost fat mass! BAM15 did not increase body temperature or free radical production, the main side effects from DNP. The researchers state that BAM15 has an active half life of only 1.7hr and is not very water soluble. However, this did not affect oral bioavailability. This is a preliminary in vivo study of a possible drug which may be a safe and effective weight loss compound. More research is needed, but this is a promising start. Human equivalent dose used was between 1-1.5g of BAM15.