The importance of the melanocortin system in obesity has been confirmed by the recent
discovery of mutations in the melanocortin MC4 receptor in morbidly obese patients and the
finding that intranasal administration of a fragment of melanocortin decreases body fat in
humans. Transgenic mice overexpressing melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) are
obese and a second MCH receptor has been identified. In addition, ghrelin,
endocannabinoids and glucagon-like peptide 2 have been identified as potentially important …