Description
Slimtop (Orlistat) 120 mg
Slimtop 120 mg is identified as a brand of orlistat, a gastrointestinal lipase inhibitor used in obesity management. The verified 120 mg strength corresponds to the prescription orlistat formulation used with a reduced-calorie diet for weight management.
Active Ingredient and Medicine Class
Orlistat is a lipase inhibitor. It acts in the gastrointestinal tract rather than systemically and reduces the breakdown and absorption of dietary fat.
Established Medical Uses
Orlistat is used as an adjunct to diet in the management of obesity and excess body weight. Clinical studies have shown greater weight loss and less weight regain versus placebo when orlistat is used with dietary intervention, and some studies also found improvements in selected cardiovascular risk factors and glycaemic measures.
How It Works
Orlistat blocks gastric and pancreatic lipases in the gut, so part of the fat eaten in meals is not digested and passes out in the stool. This lowers calorie absorption from fat and helps support weight loss when combined with dietary measures.
Important Safety Information
Orlistat is contraindicated in pregnancy, chronic malabsorption syndrome, cholestasis, and known hypersensitivity to the medicine or any component of the product. The FDA label warns about clinically significant interactions with cyclosporine, levothyroxine, warfarin, amiodarone, antiepileptic drugs, and antiretroviral drugs. Because fat absorption is reduced, absorption of fat-soluble vitamins may also be decreased. Rare but serious postmarketing reports include severe liver injury and oxalate-related kidney injury.
Possible Side Effects
The most common adverse effects are gastrointestinal and reflect unabsorbed fat in the bowel, including oily or fatty stools, oily evacuation, increased defecation, fecal urgency, and fecal incontinence. Other important reactions include decreased absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, rare liver injury, and possible kidney stone or nephropathy risk in susceptible patients.
Scientific Evidence
Randomised trials published in Lancet and JAMA found that orlistat 120 mg, used with diet, produced greater weight loss than placebo and helped reduce weight regain over one to two years. Some studies also reported improvement in lipid and glucose-related risk markers.
Medical Information Notice
This summary is for educational use only and is based on sources available at the time of review. It does not replace the official patient leaflet, prescribing information, or assessment by a qualified healthcare professional.
Medical Sources
- FDA — XENICAL (orlistat) Capsules, for oral use — Highlights of Prescribing Information
- Sjöström L, et al. “Randomised placebo-controlled trial of orlistat for weight loss and prevention of weight regain in obese patients.” Lancet, 1998. PubMed
