Lose weight with lizard-spit

Forget Atkins, lizard spit could revolutionise the dieting world.

American drug company Amilyn found that patients lost weight while taking a drug based on extracts from Gila monster saliva. The drug is being tested as a diabetes medication.

The Gila, native to American deserts, grows up to 24 inches long. Because it eats only three to four times a year, it produces in its saliva a compound called exendin, which helps prevent surges in blood sugar levels and might be used to regulate hunger.