Rimonabant known under several brand names such as Acomplia, Bethin, Monaslim and several others is an anti-obesity drug used to reduce appetite and help patients deal with their excessive weight more efficiently. This medicine is not prescribed to anyone with excessive weight but to those with body mass index (BMI) higher than 30; if their BMI is lower it should be associated with a number of risk factors such as diabetes (type 2). It has been claimed that rimonabant may be effective in helping people quit smoking as it reduces cigarette cravings, which is why Sanofi-Aventis – the manufacturing company – is currently investigating the opportunities of using rimonabant to help people quit smoking.

Shortly after rimonabant has been introduced to the market independent scientific studies discovered stronger side effects than it was originally reported, such as depression and anxiety. Rimonabant may be prescribed to a patient if he or she manages to demonstrate that all the previous efforts of losing weight have been unsuccessful. It’s important to remember that this medicine only works if the patient eats healthily and exercises on a regular basis.