by Ephedrine as an anorectic: the story of the ‘Elsinore pill’.
Malchow-Moller A, Larsen S, Hey H, Stokholm KH, Juhl E, Quaade F.
Int J Obes 1981; 5(2):183-7
ABSTRACT
Obese patients, age 18-60 years, overweight 20-80 per cent, entered a controlled, clinical study comparing the effects of two anorectic drugs, ie a prescription containing ephedrine and caffeine (‘Elsinore pills’) and diethylpropion, with placebo. All 132 patients were instructed in a 1200-kcal diet, and 108 patients completed 12 weeks’ treatment. There was a significantly better effect on body weight of diethylpropion (39 patients, median weight loss 8.4 kg, P less than 0.01) as well as of ‘Elsinore pills’ (38 patients, median weight loss 8.1 kg, P less than 0.01) compared to the effect of placebo treatment ( 31 patients, median weight loss 4.1 kg). Four patients treated with diethylpropion, and four patients treated with ‘Elsinore pills’ were withdrawn because of complaints of exaltation, tremor and insomnia. Tremor, in some cases only transient, was significantly more frequent in the ‘Elsinore pill’ group, but no serious side effects were observed.