Aim: Obesity is generally linked to complications in lipid metabolism and oxidative stress. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of a proprietary extract of Cissus quadrangularis (CQR-300) to that of a proprietary formulation containing CQR-300 (CORE) on weight, blood lipids, and oxidative stress in overweight and obese people. Methods:The first part of the study investigated the in vitro antioxidant properties of CQR-300 and CORE using 3 different methods, while the second part of the study was a double-blind placebo controlled design, involving initially 168 overweight and obese persons (38.7% males; 61.3% females; ages 19-54), of whom 153 completed the study. All participants received two daily doses of CQR-300, CORE, or placebo and were encouraged to maintain their normal levels of physical activity. Anthropometric measurements and blood sampling were done at the beginning and end of the study period.Results: CQR-300 as well as CORE exhibited antioxidant properties in vitro. They also acted as in vivo antioxidants, bringing about significant (p < 0.001) reductions in plasma TBARS and carbonyls. Both CQR-300 and CORE also brought about significant reductions in weight, body fat, total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, and fasting blood glucose levels over the respective study periods. These changes were accompanied by a significant increase in HDL-cholesterol levels, plasma 5-HT, and creatinine.Conclusion: CQR-300 (300 mg daily) and CORE (1028 mg daily) brought about significant reductions in weight and blood glucose levels, while decreasing serum lipids thus improving cardiovascular risk factors. The increase in plasma 5-HT and creatinine for both groups hypothesizes a mechanism of controlling appetite and promoting the increase of lean muscle mass by Cissus quadrangularis, thereby supporting the clinical data for weight loss and improving cardiovascular health.

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