A peptide MC4R agonist selectively induces cAMP production in cells expressing human MC4R (EC50 0.3 nM) over cells expressing MC1R MC3R or MC5R (EC50s 1.1 97.9 and 139.4 nM respectively) reduces food intake in rats at 3 5 and 10 nmol/animal as well as in obese db/db mice at 200 UG/animal reduces brain edema BBB permeability and hippocampal Il-1B and Tnf-a levels in a rat model of intra-abdominal hypertension induced by hemorrhagic shock and resuscitation