One of semaglutide’s inactive ingredients has been linked to changes in gut bacteria and inflammatory markers. The corresponding study was published in The Journal of Controlled Release.
"Obesity is a complex, chronic disease with serious health consequences. These medicines are highly effective and are helping many people,” lead author of the study, Amin Ariaee, a PhD candidate at Adelaide University, Australia, said in a press release.
"But as oral versions become more widely used, we need to understand what repeated, long-term exposure to all ingredients in the pill means for the body– not just the active drug,” he added.
Salcaprozate sodium (SNAC) is an absorption enhancer for semaglutide, helping it survive the stomach and enter the bloodstream. In the study, the researchers examined the effects of SNAC and semaglutide taken together and apart on the microbiota and metabolic function of healthy rats over 21 days.
Ultimately, they found that SNAC was linked to a decline in beneficial gut bacteria that break down dietary fiber, lower levels of short-chain fatty acids which support the gut and regulate inflammation, and increased levels of inflammatory markers in blood.
It was also linked to greater liver weight- a potential sign of low-grade inflammation, a smaller cecum- a part of the intestine used to break down fiber and produce protective compounds, and reduced levels of a brain-derived protein linked to cognitive impairment.
The findings are associative and require mechanistic validation, stressed the researchers in their study.
"Importantly, our findings do not prove that SNAC causes harm in humans. However, they do show that the ingredient enabling these tablets to work may have adverse biological effects beyond drug absorption," said study author Dr. Paul Joyce, Head of the Translational Nanomedicine and Biotherapeutics Group at the University of South Australia in a press release.
"These medicines are typically taken daily and often for long periods. As their use expands globally, it becomes increasingly important to evaluate all components of these therapies, not just the active compound,” he added.
Sources: Science Daily, The Journal of Controlled Release
