Hot For The Barbie Drug

It leaves you tan and sexually excited, and it works for both men and women. No, it's not a tropical vacation; it's the Barbie drug, as some have dubbed Melanotan II. Researchers looking for a sunless way to trigger tanning came across the compound in 1991. Men who took the drug got tan and reported side effects in their shorts. Later tests on lab rats showed that, unlike Viagra, this miracle pill was not just for males: female lab rats that took it showed more courting behavior. The reason: Melanotan works on the brain center that handles sexual arousal. But the drug companies are seeking approval for Melanotan one use at a time. The University of Arizona, which developed the drug, has licensed its findings to two firms. Epitan, in Australia, is testing a form of the drug it hopes will tan without titillating, while Palatin, in the U.S., is developing a version intended for sexual stimulation. (Guess which will get more attention.) Palatin will soon release the results of its first test with women, and chief financial officer Steve Wills says, provocatively, "I don't think the results will be received unfavorably."

Quotes of the Day »

Get & Share
TOMMY WARD, whose family has been harvesting oysters from the Gulf of Mexico since the 1920s, on the FDA's plan to ban the sale of raw oysters that are harvested in warm months; about 15 people die each year due to raw-oyster contamination
For use in rail of Articles page or Section Fronts pages. Duplicate and change name as necesssary to distinguish.

Time.com on Digg

POWERED BY digg

Quotes of the Day »

Get & Share
TOMMY WARD, whose family has been harvesting oysters from the Gulf of Mexico since the 1920s, on the FDA's plan to ban the sale of raw oysters that are harvested in warm months; about 15 people die each year due to raw-oyster contamination

Stay Connected with TIME.com