Efficacy of a Traditional Herbal Mixture as an Anti-Obesity Supplement in Obese Individuals: A Randomized Controlled Trial
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Abstract
Background: Obesity and overweight are critical public health concerns characterized by excessive body fat. Worldwide, many natural products have been used for treating obesity. It seems that natural supplements based on traditional medicinal plants are safe options for treating obesity. Recent experiments have revealed many herbal medicinal products as useful treatments for obesity.
Methods: In this study, we used an herbal formulation consisting of four traditional medicinal plants including Origanum vulgare, Carum carvi, Trachyspermum copticum, and Ruta graveolens as an anti-obesity supplement for obese adults. An 8-week double-blind randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted in obese adults. Sixty-eight subjects were randomly assigned to two groups of control (n = 34) and intervention (n = 34). Anthropometric indices and biochemical parameters were measured at baseline and after the intervention.
Results: Body weight, body mass index, and percent body fat were significantly lower in the intervention group than in the control group (p=0.046 and p = 0.02, respectively). Moreover, there were significant reductions in total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglyceride in the intervention group in comparison with the control group. The supplement was generally well tolerated and no remarkable adverse side effects were reported.
Conclusion: This herbal mixture effectively reduced body weight and fat mass in obese subjects. It also showed potential efficacy in controlling lipid profile and blood glucose.
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27. Cho H-M, Kang Y-H, Yoo H, Yoon S-Y, Kang S-W, Chang E-J, et al. Panax red ginseng extract regulates energy expenditures by modulating PKA dependent lipid mobilization in adipose tissue.Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2014; 447:644-648.
28. Singh P, Sharma P, Sahakyan K, Davison D, Sert-Kuniyoshi F, Romero-Corral A, et al. Differential effects of leptin on adiponectin expression with weight gain versus obesity. Int J Obes. 2015; 44: 44-48.
29. Mansour MS, Ni Y-M, Roberts AL, Kelleman M, RoyChoudhury A, St-Onge M-P. Ginger consumption enhances the thermic effect of food and promotes feelings of satiety without affecting metabolic and hormonal parameters in overweight men: a pilot study. Metabolism. 2012; 61:1347-1352.
30. Hasani-Ranjbar S, Nayebi N, Larijani B, Abdollahi M. A systematic review of the efficacy and safety of herbal medicines used in the treatment of obesity. World J Gastroenterol. 2009; 15:3073-3085.
31. Ghosh D. A botanical approach to managing obesity. 2009; 15:3073-3085.
32. Kim HY, Kang MH. Screening of Korean medicinal plants for lipase inhibitory activity. Pharmacognosy Res. 2005; 19:359-361.
33. Moreno DA, Ilic N, Poulev A, Raskin I. Effects of Arachis hypogaea nutshell extract on lipid metabolic enzymes and obesity parameters. Life sciences. 2006; 78:2797-2803.
34. Shimoda H, Seki E, Aitani M. Inhibitory effect of green coffee bean extract on fat accumulation and body weight gain in mice. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2006; 6:1-5.
35. Dulloo A, Seydoux J, Girardier L, Chantre P, Vandermander J. Green tea and thermogenesis: interactions between catechin-polyphenols, caffeine and sympathetic activity. Int J Obes. 2000; 24:252-258.
36. Toserkani A, Jalali MR, Najafzaheh H. Changes of lipid profiles, glucose, and hemogram after administration of Ruta graveolens extract in diabetic rats. Comp Clin Path. 2012; 21:1587-1592.
37. Brusselmans K, Vrolix R, Verhoeven G, Swinnen JV. Induction of cancer cell apoptosis by flavonoids is associated with their ability to inhibit fatty acid synthase activity. J. Biol. Chem. 2005; 280:5636-5645.
38. Huong DTT, Takahashi Y, Ide T. Activity and mRNA levels of enzymes involved in hepatic fatty acid oxidation in mice fed citrus flavonoids. J. Nutr. 2006; 22:546-552.
39. Takahashi Y, Kushiro M, Shinohara K, Ide T. Activity and mRNA levels of enzymes involved in hepatic fatty acid synthesis and oxidation in mice fed conjugated linoleic acid. Biochim Biophys Acta. 2003; 1631:265-273.
40. Au T. Acute renal failure associated with prolonged intake of slimming pills containing anthraquinones. Hong Kong Med J. 2006; 12:394-397.
2. World Obesity Federation. About obesity. http://www.worldobesity.org/aboutobesity (2012, accessed 20 April 2014).
3. Foresight. Tackling obesities: future choices—project report. The Stationery Office. https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/tackling-obesitiesfuture-choices (2014, accessed 14 April 2014).
4. Bener A, Yousafzai MT, Darwish S, Al-Hamaq AO, Nasralla EA, Abdul-Ghani M. Obesity index that better predict metabolic syndrome: body mass index, waist circumference, waist hip ratio, or waist height ratio. J Obes. 2013; 220: 203-216.
5. Lazar MA. How obesity causes diabetes: not a tall tale. Science. 2005; 307:373-375.
6. Sowers JR. Obesity as a cardiovascular risk factor. Am J Med. 2003; 115:37-41.
7. Guh DP, Zhang W, Bansback N, Amarsi Z, Birmingham CL, Anis AH. The incidence of co-morbidities related to obesity and overweight: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC public health. 2009; 9:1-9.
8. Shrager B, Jibara GA, Tabrizian P, Roayaie S, Ward SC. Resection of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis-associated hepatocellular carcinoma: a Western experience. Int J Surg Oncol. 2012; 2012:455-466.
9. Renehan AG, Tyson M, Egger M, Heller RF, Zwahlen M. Body-mass index and incidence of cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective observational studies. The Lancet. 2008; 371:569-578.
10. Moro C, Basile G. Obesity and medicinal plants. Fitoterapia. 2000; 71:573-582.
11. Howard A. The historical development, efficacy and safety of very-low-calorie diets. Int J Obes. 1980; 5:195-208.
12. Daniels SR. Pharmacological treatment of obesity in paediatric patients. Paediatr Drugs. 2001; 3:405-410.
13. Scheen AJ, Finer N, Hollander P, Jensen MD, Van Gaal LF, Group R-DS. Efficacy and tolerability of rimonabant in overweight or obese patients with type 2 diabetes: a randomised controlled study. The lancet. 2006; 368:1660-1672.
14. Ahmed S, Ghaly I. Evaluation of mutagenic effect of two antiobesity drugs on mice’s genetic materials. Drug Chem Toxicol. 2012; 35:445-449.
15. Nathan PJ, O’Neill BV, Napolitano A, Bullmore ET. Neuropsychiatric adverse effects of centrally acting antiobesity drugs. CNS Neurosci Ther. 2011; 17:490-505.
16. Wooltorton E. Obesity drug sibutramine (Meridia): hypertension and cardiac arrhythmias. Can Med Assoc J. 2002; 166:1307-1308.
17. Zhi J, Moore R, Kanitra L, Mulligan TE. Effects of orlistat, a lipase inhibitor, on the pharmacokinetics of three highly lipophilic drugs (amiodarone, fluoxetine, and simvastatin) in healthy volunteers. J Clin Pharmacol. 2003; 43:428-435.
18. Abdollahi M, Afshar-Imani B. A review on obesity and weight loss measures. Middle East Pharmacy. 2003; 11:6-10.
19. Han L, Kimura Y, Okuda H. Anti-obesity effects of natural products. Stud. Nat. Prod. Chem. 2005; 30:79-110.
20. Vasudeva N, Yadav N, Sharma SK. Natural products: a safest approach for obesity. Chin J Integr Med. 2012; 18:473-480.
21. Chandrasekaran C, Vijayalakshmi M, Prakash K, Bansal V, Meenakshi J, Amit A. Review article: herbal approach for obesity management. Am J Plant Sci. 2012; 3:1003-1009.
22. Chun S-S, Vattem DA, Lin Y-T, Shetty K. Phenolic antioxidants from clonal oregano (Origanum vulgare) with antimicrobial activity against Helicobacter pylori. Process Biochem. 2005;40:809-816.
23. Ene A, Nwankwo E, Samdi L. Alloxan-induced diabetes in rats and the effects of black caraway (Carum carvi L.) oil on their body weight. Res J Med Med Sci. 2007; 2:48-52.
24. Ratheesh M, Shyni G, Sindhu G, Helen A. Protective effects of isolated polyphenolic and alkaloid fractions of Ruta graveolens L. on acute and chronic models of inflammation. J Inflamm. 2010; 33:18-24.
25. Haidari F, Seyed-Sadjadi N, Taha-Jalali M, Mohammed-Shahi M. The effect of oral administration of Carum carvi on weight, serum glucose, and lipid profile in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Saudi Med J. 2011; 32:695-700.
26. Sadasivan SK, Vasamsetti B, Singh J, Marikunte VV, Oommen AM, Jagannath M, et al. Exogenous administration of spermine improves glucose utilization and decreases bodyweight in mice. Eur J Pharmacol. 2014; 729:94-99.
27. Cho H-M, Kang Y-H, Yoo H, Yoon S-Y, Kang S-W, Chang E-J, et al. Panax red ginseng extract regulates energy expenditures by modulating PKA dependent lipid mobilization in adipose tissue.Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2014; 447:644-648.
28. Singh P, Sharma P, Sahakyan K, Davison D, Sert-Kuniyoshi F, Romero-Corral A, et al. Differential effects of leptin on adiponectin expression with weight gain versus obesity. Int J Obes. 2015; 44: 44-48.
29. Mansour MS, Ni Y-M, Roberts AL, Kelleman M, RoyChoudhury A, St-Onge M-P. Ginger consumption enhances the thermic effect of food and promotes feelings of satiety without affecting metabolic and hormonal parameters in overweight men: a pilot study. Metabolism. 2012; 61:1347-1352.
30. Hasani-Ranjbar S, Nayebi N, Larijani B, Abdollahi M. A systematic review of the efficacy and safety of herbal medicines used in the treatment of obesity. World J Gastroenterol. 2009; 15:3073-3085.
31. Ghosh D. A botanical approach to managing obesity. 2009; 15:3073-3085.
32. Kim HY, Kang MH. Screening of Korean medicinal plants for lipase inhibitory activity. Pharmacognosy Res. 2005; 19:359-361.
33. Moreno DA, Ilic N, Poulev A, Raskin I. Effects of Arachis hypogaea nutshell extract on lipid metabolic enzymes and obesity parameters. Life sciences. 2006; 78:2797-2803.
34. Shimoda H, Seki E, Aitani M. Inhibitory effect of green coffee bean extract on fat accumulation and body weight gain in mice. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2006; 6:1-5.
35. Dulloo A, Seydoux J, Girardier L, Chantre P, Vandermander J. Green tea and thermogenesis: interactions between catechin-polyphenols, caffeine and sympathetic activity. Int J Obes. 2000; 24:252-258.
36. Toserkani A, Jalali MR, Najafzaheh H. Changes of lipid profiles, glucose, and hemogram after administration of Ruta graveolens extract in diabetic rats. Comp Clin Path. 2012; 21:1587-1592.
37. Brusselmans K, Vrolix R, Verhoeven G, Swinnen JV. Induction of cancer cell apoptosis by flavonoids is associated with their ability to inhibit fatty acid synthase activity. J. Biol. Chem. 2005; 280:5636-5645.
38. Huong DTT, Takahashi Y, Ide T. Activity and mRNA levels of enzymes involved in hepatic fatty acid oxidation in mice fed citrus flavonoids. J. Nutr. 2006; 22:546-552.
39. Takahashi Y, Kushiro M, Shinohara K, Ide T. Activity and mRNA levels of enzymes involved in hepatic fatty acid synthesis and oxidation in mice fed conjugated linoleic acid. Biochim Biophys Acta. 2003; 1631:265-273.
40. Au T. Acute renal failure associated with prolonged intake of slimming pills containing anthraquinones. Hong Kong Med J. 2006; 12:394-397.
| Files | ||
| Issue | Vol 3, No 4 (Autumn 2017) | |
| Section | Original Article(s) | |
| Keywords | ||
| Herbal supplement; Obesity; Randomized trial | ||
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How to Cite
1.
Valizadeh E, Ostadrahimi A, Fazli D, Khodaei H, Akbari H. Efficacy of a Traditional Herbal Mixture as an Anti-Obesity Supplement in Obese Individuals: A Randomized Controlled Trial. J Nutr Sci & Diet. 2017;3(4):1-8.
