Ephedrine reduces weight of viable yellow obese mice (Avy/a)

Ephedrine administered subcutaneously or in the diet reduces the weight of viable yellow obese mice ($\text{A}{}^{\mathrm{vy}}$/$\text{a}$) and normal mice. The compound has some appetite-suppression activity; however, reduced food consumption could not account for all of the weight loss. Ephedrine did not affect lipogenesis or lipolysis acutely. The major portion of the weight loss was due to the loss of triacylglycerol. The rectal temperature of long-term treated $\text{A}{}^{\mathrm{vy}}$/$\text{a}$ mice was elevated suggesting that ephedrine may alter energy metabolism.