Cobalt protoporphyrin regulates body weight in beagle dogs: induction of weight loss in normal animals of stable adult weight.

Overview

Adult male beagle dogs were treated with 10 weekly intramuscular injections of cobalt protoporphyrin (CoPP; 2 mumol/kg body weight). Treated dogs progressively lost weight to the extent of 20-30% at the end of the treatment period. Weight loss was accompanied by decreased food consumption. Following cessation of therapy with CoPP animal weights returned to pretreatment values within 5 weeks. These treatments were tolerated without detectable adverse side effects, and clinical, laboratory and histopathological analyses were normal. This study extends the spectrum of animals which decrease their body weight in response to CoPP administration from those which gain weight throughout life to those which maintain a stable body weight in adulthood.