Differential effects of a combination of Hibiscus sabdariffa and Lippia citriodora polyphenols in overweight/obese subjects: A randomized controlled trial

• Published in: Scientific reports Vol. 9; no. 1; p. 2999
• Main Authors: Herranz-López, María, Olivares-Vicente, Mariló, Boix-Castejón, Marina, Caturla, Nuria, Roche, Enrique, Micol, Vicente
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 28.02.2019; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: 13/1; 13/51; 14; 14/35; 14/63; 692/699/1702/393; 692/699/2743/393; 692/700/2814; 82/47; Adipose tissue; Animal models; Blood pressure; Body fat; Body weight; Cell culture; Dietary supplements; Fat metabolism; Heart rate; Hibiscus sabdariffa; Humanities and Social Sciences; Lippia citriodora; multidisciplinary; Obesity; Overweight; Polyphenols; Science; Science (multidisciplinary)
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-39159-5

Plant-polyphenols have shown the capacity to ameliorate obesity-induced metabolic disturbances, both in cell and animal models, where most therapeutic approaches have failed. On the basis of previous research, a dietary supplement containing 500 mg of a combination of polyphenolic extracts from Lippia citriodora L. and Hibiscus sabdariffa L. (LC-HS), in the context of an equilibrated isocaloric diet, was evaluated in a double blind, placebo-controlled and randomized trial in 56 obese/overweight subjects for two months. Compared to controls, the consumption of the LC-HS polyphenols showed significant improvements in body weight, abdominal circumference of overweight subjects (−6.79 ± 0.80 cm in overweight LC-HS group vs −1.85 ± 0.83 cm in controls, p  < 0.001) and body fat % (−1.33 ± 0.15% in overweight LC-HS group vs −0.66 ± 0.17% in controls, p  < 0.05). Heart rate and systolic blood pressure also presented significant improvements in overweight LC-HS participants. However, changes were more modest in obese subjects. Further, LC-HS extract significantly reduced lipid content and increased AMPK activity in a hypertrophied adipocyte cell model. Therefore, consumption of 500 mg/day of LC-HS extracts enriched in polyphenols for two months in the context of an isocaloric diet by overweight subjects decreased symptoms associated to obesity-related diseases. Modulation of fat metabolism in adipose tissue, probably mediated by AMPK activation, is proposed as a molecular target to be explored in future research.