Abstract
BackgroundObesity prevalence has increased during the past few decades, causing a pandemic with an influx in other co-morbidities. Many factors influence weight gain in an obesogenic environment therefore strategies for treating obesity may vary from conventional dietary and physical activity interventions to pharamacotherapy. A shift in unconventional strategies as herbal products for treating obesity have been investigated and one such plant extract is Caralluma fimbriata (C. fimbriata). Further, the studies included were systematically reviewed to gather evidence on potential effects of C. fimbriata as an appetite suppressant and weight loss supplement.MethodsA systematic review of clinical trials reporting the effects of C. fimbriata as appetite suppression and anti-obesity supplement was reported according to PRISMA guidelines. Data were obtained by searching three databases: PubMed®, Web of Science® and SciVerse Scopus® for studies published until 30th April 2020.ResultsA total of 7 articles studying C. fimbriata satisfied the inclusion and exclusion criteria and were sourced from various countries including Australia (3), Cuba (1), India (2) and Spain (1). Almost all studies recruited adults who were overweight or obese with a BMI > 25 kg/m2 (n = 5), with the exception of two studies, one that recruited healthy adults with a BMI average of 26.5 kg/m2 and the second one utilised a population of children and adolescents with Prader-Willis Syndrome (PWS). Parameters assessing obesity, biochemical and appetite factors were analysed by carrying out a meta-analysis. Compared to placebo controlled group, C. fimbriata extract significantly reduced WC by 1.59 cm (95% CI, − 3.07 to − 0.10, p = 0.041) and WHR by 0.06 (95% CI, − 0.12 to − 0.01, p = 0.05) although no significant effects were seen on BW, BMI and HC. Biochemical and appetite parameters outcome on C. fimbriata consumption had no significant changes. Any side effects of individuals who ingested the extract were reported by few studies of which most common effects were constipation, diarrhoea, nausea and rashes.ConclusionAppetite parameters showed no significant changes and metabolic parameters did not improve with C.fimbriata supplementation therefore it is unlikely to recommend C. fimbriata as a weight loss supplement and an appetite suppressant.
Highlights
Obesity prevalence has increased during the past few decades, causing a pandemic with an influx in other co-morbidities
A systematic review of clinical trials reporting the effects of Caralluma fimbriata as appetite suppression and antiobesity supplement was reported in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and PRISMA check list is attached as supplementary file 1 [15]
No significant effects were seen on Body weight (BW), Body mass index (BMI) and HC
Summary
Obesity prevalence has increased during the past few decades, causing a pandemic with an influx in other co-morbidities. Many factors influence weight gain in an obesogenic environment strategies for treating obesity may vary from conventional dietary and physical activity interventions to pharamacotherapy. In the last three decades, the global prevalence of obesity has increased 27.5%, with many factors such as consumption patterns, urban developments and lifestyle habits having an influence on this increase in prevalence [2]. This exponential increase has parallelly caused an influx of other medical co-morbid conditions including; diabetes, stroke, cardiovascular disease, hyperlipidaemia, cancers, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, polycystic ovarian syndrome and osteoarthritis [3]. Pharmocotherapy, is considered as a second line treatment, often recommended when lifestyle modifications are ineffective [5]
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