Research IGOB131, a novel seed extract of the West African plant AbstractBackground: A recent in vitro study indicates that IGOB131, a novel seed extract of the traditional West African food plant Irvingia gabonensis, favorably impacts adipogenesis through a variety of critical metabolic pathways including PPAR gamma, leptin, adiponectin, and glycerol-3 phosphate dehydrogenase. This study was therefore aimed at evaluating the effects of IGOB131, an extract of Irvingia gabonensis, on body weight and associated metabolic parameters in overweight human volunteers. Methods:The study participants comprised of 102 healthy, overweight and/or obese volunteers (defined as BMI > 25 kg/m 2 ) randomly divided into two groups. The groups received on a daily basis, either 150 mg of IGOB131 or matching placebo in a double blinded fashion, 30-60 minutes before lunch and dinner. At baseline, 4, 8 and 10 weeks of the study, subjects were evaluated for changes in anthropometrics and metabolic parameters to include fasting lipids, blood glucose, C-reactive protein, adiponectin, and leptin.Results: Significant improvements in body weight, body fat, and waist circumference as well as plasma total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, blood glucose, C-reactive protein, adiponectin and leptin levels were observed in the IGOB131 group compared with the placebo group. Conclusion:Irvingia gabonensis administered 150 mg twice daily before meals to overweight and/or obese human volunteers favorably impacts body weight and a variety of parameters characteristic of the metabolic syndrome. This is the first double blind randomized placebo controlled clinical trial regarding the anti-obesity and lipid profile modulating effects of an Irvingia gabonensis extract. The positive clinical results, together with our previously published mechanisms of gene expression modulation related to key metabolic pathways in lipid metabolism, provide impetus for much larger clinical studies. Irvingia gabonensis extract may prove to be a useful tool in dealing with the emerging global epidemics of obesity, hyperlipidemia, insulin resistance, and their co-morbid conditions.

Background: Increased visceral fat, dyslipidemia and increased markers of inflammation and coagulation are cardiovascular risk factors commonly encountered in obese people with metabolic syndrome. Previous studies have shown that ground Dichrostachys glomerata (DG), a spice used in Western Cameroon, can have beneficial effects on inflammation and various other cardiovascular disease risk factors. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effects of Dyglomera®, an aqueous extract of DG (standardized to NLT 10% polyphenols) on certain anthropometric, biochemical (including pro-inflammatory and pro-thrombotic states) and hemodynamic parameters in obese patients with metabolic syndrome. Methods:The study was an 8-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving 116 males and 202 females aged between 24 and 58 years. Participants were randomly divided into two groups: treatment and placebo. Capsules containing the active treatment (200 mg Dyglomera®) or placebo (200 mg maize powder) were administered 30-60 minutes before lunch and dinner throughout the study period. Various biochemical (namely, blood glucose, lipid profile, pro-inflammatory and pro-thrombotic markers), anthropometric and hemodynamic parameters were measured at baseline and after 4 and 8 weeks of treatment. Results:At the end of the study, the Dyglomera® group showed statistically significant differences in all 16 parameters compared to baseline values. Changes in BMI and waist circumference were accompanied by changes in biochemical parameters, with the exception of adiponectin levels which were not correlated to waist circumference and PAI-1 values. The results confirm the hypothesis that Dyglomera®, the aqueous extract of DG, has antiinflammatory properties, and is effective in reducing cardiovascular disease risk factors associated with metabolic syndrome in obese human subjects.

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The antioxidant activity of aqueous extract, ethanol extract, and hydroethanolic pod extract of a Cameroonian spice Dichrostachys glomerata (D. glomerata) was investigated. When compared with the two other extracts, the aqueous extract exhibited the lowest phenolic content, AE ABTS (Antiradical Efficiency) and AE DPPH values whereas the ethanol extract had the highest phenolic content, AE ABTS and AE DPPH values. The DPPH (a, a-diphenyl-bpicrylhydrazyl) radical and ABTS (2, 2 0 -azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) cation radical scavenging activities were proven and correlated with the reductive potential and phenolic content of the extracts with r 2 greater than 0.9. All extracts had effective, superoxide anion radical, hydroxyl radical and nitric oxide scavenging activity, at all tested concentrations in a concentration-dependent manner. Each extract showed a concentration-dependent effect on chelating activity and a-linoleic acid oxidation inhibition activity. When compared with the controls, each extract significantly decreased malondialdehyde and lipid hydroperoxides formation in low-density lipoprotein (LDL). The hydroethanolic extract exhibited the highest inhibition of LDL oxidation. These results suggest that pods from D. glomerata can be good source of natural antioxidants.Keywords: polyphenols; low-density lipoprotein oxidation; spice; free radical scavenging activity Se estudio´la actividad antioxidante de los extractos acuoso, etano´lico e hidroetano´lico de vaina de una especia camerunense Dichrostacrys glomerata (D. glomerata). Comparado con los otros dos, el extracto acuoso mostro´el contenido en feno´licos ma´s bajo, valores AE ABTS (Eficiencia de Antirradical) y AE DPPH , mientras el extracto de etanol tuvo el contenido en feno´licos ma´s alto, valores AE ABTS y AE DPPH . Los poderes de captacio´n del radical DPPH (a, a-diphenyl-b-picrylhydrazyl) y del catio´n radical ABTS (2, 2 0 -azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) fueron probados y correlacionados con el potencial reductivo y contenido en feno´lico de los extractos con r 2 mayor de 0.9. Todos los extractos tuvieron eficacia, poder de captacio´n de radical anio´n supero´xido, radical hidroxilo y o´xido nı´trico, en todas las concentraciones probadas en una manera de dependiente de la concentracio´n. Cada extracto mostro´un efecto dependiente de la concentracio´n tanto en la actividad quelante como en la actividad de inhibicio´n de oxidacio´n de a´cido a-linoleico. Comparado con controles, cada extracto redujo significativamente la formacio´n de malondialdehı´do y hipero´xido lı´pido en lipoproteı´na de baja densidad (LDL). El extracto hidroetano´lico mostro´la mayor inhibicio´n de oxidacio´n LDL. Estos resultados sugieren que las vainas de D. glomerata pueden ser una buena fuente de antioxidantes naturales.Palabras clave: polifenoles; oxidacio´n de lipoproteı´na de baja densidad; especia; poder de captacio´n de radical libre

BackgroundLeptiCore® is a proprietary combination of various ingredients which have been shown to have properties which could be beneficial to weight loss in obese and overweight human subjects. This study evaluates the effect of Lepticore® on bodyweight as well as parameters associated with obesity and metabolic syndrome.MethodsThe study was an 8 week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled design involving 92 obese (mean BMI > 30 kg/m2) participants (37 males; 55 females; ages 19-52; mean age = 30.7). The participants were randomly divided into three groups: placebo (n = 30), LeptiCore® formula A (low dose) (n = 31) and LeptiCore® formula B (high dose) (n = 31). Capsules containing the placebo or active formulations were administered twice daily before meals with 300 ml of water. None of the participants followed any specific diet nor took any weight-reducing medications for the duration of the study. A total of 12 anthropomorphic and serological measurements were taken at the beginning of the study and after 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks of treatment.ResultsCompared to the placebo group, the two active groups showed statistically significant differences on all 12 variables by week 8. These included four anthropomorphic variables (body weight, body fat, waist and hip size) and eight measures of serological levels (plasma total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, triglycerides, blood glucose, serotonin, leptin, C-reactive protein). The two active groups also showed significant intra-group differences on all 12 variables between study onset and week 8.ConclusionThe LeptiCore® formulation at both the low and high dosages appears to be helpful in the management of fat gain and its related complications. The higher dosage resulted in significantly greater reductions in body weight and triglyceride, blood glucose, and C-reactive protein levels, as well as increased serotonin levels.