Methods and compositions for reducing or maintaining body weight in a mammal

A method for maintaining the body weight of a mammal comprising the step of administering a pantethine composition selected from the group consisting of pantethine, hypolipidic pantethine derivatives and mixtures thereof to the mammal in an amount and for a period of time sufficient to maintain the body weight of the mammal at a preselected level, the hypolipidic pantethine derivatives being selected from the group consisting of pantethine esters in which one or more hydroxy groups of pantethine are esterified with an organic acid, organic and inorganic acid addition salts of pantethine, metal salts of pantethine, ammonium salts of pantethine, amine salts of pantethine and mixtures thereof and are effective when administered to the mammal to detectably reduce metabolism by the mammal of fatty acids to circulating triglycerides.

A composition for modulating the level of adipose tissue in a mammal comprising an adipose tissue modulating amount of a pantethine composition selected from the group consisting of pantethine, hypolipidic pantethine derivatives and mixtures thereof, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, the hypolipidic pantethine derivatives being selected from the group consisting of pantethine esters in which one or more hydroxy groups of pantethine are esterified with an organic acid, organic and inorganic acid addition salts of pantethine, metal salts of pantethine, ammonium salts of pantethine, amine salts of pantethine and mixtures thereof and are effective when administered to the mammal to detectably reduce metabolism by the mammal of fatty acids to circulating triglycerides.